Re: Etihad Campus, Stadium and Collar Site Development Threa
Marvin said:
Prestwich_Blue said:
~The issue facing an academy is that you can churn out decent players by the dozen but it takes more than just that to break into the first team regularly. And Marvin is quite right to say that the barrier has been raised by the level we're now at meaning the likes of Lee Croft, Vladimir Weiss, Stephen Jordan, etc would struggle to get in the first team squad now. That's not to say they're bad players but the level we were at then is so far below the level we are at now. We have to maintain top four and can't afford to take the chances that Southampton or Villa can.
But there's another thing, which is the Academy has to produce players ready for that level and that's not easy. The rags did it with the class of '92 and Arsenal have done it over the last few years but not many others at that level. Barca and Madrid have done it so there is a way. It's fair wnough to say that Messi was a natural but he still needed to develop in the right way and be ready for the exponentially increased demands of the first team.
We had a problem a few years ago, when Hughes was manager and Jim Cassell was running the Academy. Jim produced some great youth teams but Hughes wasn't happy that they weren't prepared for the first team and that Cassell seemed more intent on winning trophies than getting players ready correctly. He didn't use the word "holistic" but that's what Hughes wanted.
So the club used a contact who was close to Arsenal, to look at the way they managed that task. They were told that technique isn't taught after the player turns 16 as they've either got it by them or they haven't. They do focus on developing pace, power, strength, football knowledge, vision and a good understanding of how the first team plays. The players coming through now like Barker & Lopes were probably the first to benefit from that approach but with the further development of the Academy and its facilities, the ones starting to come through in 2 or 3 years or more should be the ones to watch.
Interesting.
I think the aims for the Academy and its players are this:
1) If possible produce world class football players to go on tom play for City (we may get lucky with one or two per generation)
2) If not world class, produce players good enough to play for City and support the world class players we will have or at least be good squad players (again one or two or maybe three per generation perhaps)
3) If unable to make it at City, go on to have good careers at other football clubs in England or Europe (and City get some transfer funds from their sale and a sell on clause percentage if they go on to become better later at other clubs, and get sold for a higher price) - maybe the bulk of players from the academy will fall into this category
4) If unable to make it in football will have had some education via City and its connections with local colleges and schools, to be able to pursue a career adjacent to or outside of football
5) Have all people who come through the academy taught discipline and good standards to carry forward throughout the rest of their lives
6) Involve and engage as much as possible with the local community, schools, charity projects, local, national and global companies etc to make the facilities a good hub for many organisations to utilise fully for a range of activities
7) Make the academy a part of making East Manchester a vibrant place to live, work and play, something that benefits the local population and beyond.
If this is achieved the Academy will be a very worthwhile project and a credit to MCFC and its owners.