Being picked for the academy...

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dcl0sc

dcl0sc

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How does this work like...?

Do they have open trials or is it purely down to scouting?

At what age do they draft them in and what do they look for?

Just curious, as the other night I watched a bit of our under 9's academy kids training at my old school. There was some canny tekkers going on like... :eek:
 


dcl0sc said:
How does this work like...?

Do they have open trials or is it purely down to scouting?

At what age do they draft them in and what do they look for?

Just curious, as the other night I watched a bit of our under 9's academy kids training at my old school. There was some canny tekkers going on like... :eek:
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The recruitment process will start at Under 6/7’s. Pretty much all of the players will be scouted. The Under 7 & 8’s are known as Pre-academy as you can’t ‘sign’ a kid till the Under 9 season and that is when the academy program starts. The best Under 7/8’s will generally end up going to all 3 NE clubs before deciding where to join at U9’s.

Then the recruitment is an ongoing process with squads being added to and players being released throughout the years.
 
dcl0sc said:
How does this work like...?

Do they have open trials or is it purely down to scouting?

At what age do they draft them in and what do they look for?

Just curious, as the other night I watched a bit of our under 9's academy kids training at my old school. There was some canny tekkers going on like... :eek:
Click to expand...
The club has open trials for 5-16's. They scout local schools and that but if you see any little worldies kicking about get them signed up for a trial
Foundation Open Trials return

SAFC Open Football Trials | Foundation Of Light

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Join us on Saturday 27th October a match day kickabout. Bring your children aged 5-16 year olds to the Beacon of Light… Foundation of Light on Twitter
 
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I coach my sons under 7 team and 1 of the lads has been asked yesterday if he wants to train at our academy, so 6 years old. Too young imo, but a good experience for him. Good lad from a really good family, so won't let it go to their heads which I've seen happen.

My concern with that age, is that aye their good players for that age, but most will have had nothing but praise as they've played well. These academies bring kids in and then just bin them off if they're not what they're looking for. That could be a lot for a 6 year old to try comprehend and can knock them at a very early age. Also at 6, their development could change drastically and it's too young to say, he or she will be a good player when they're 11 or 12.
 
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John J Rambo said:
I coach my sons under 7 team and 1 of the lads has been asked yesterday if he wants to train at our academy, so 6 years old. Too young imo, but a good experience for him. Good lad from a really good family, so won't let it go to their heads which I've seen happen.

My concern with that age, is that aye their good players for that age, but most will have had nothing but praise as they've played well. These academies bring kids in and then just bin them off if they're not what they're looking for. That could be a lot for a 6 year old to try comprehend and can knock them at a very early age. Also at 6, their development could change drastically and it's too young to say, he or she will be a good player when they're 11 or 12.
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6 years old man, just seems crazy to me.
That beacon looks an amazing facility for kids in Sunderland mind, can only help junior development massively.
 
Church said:
a lad at our u8 last year was taken on by newcastle - hes now (im told) not allowed to play for us or his school team whilst they wrap him in cotton wool to see whether they want him as the years pass. All seems too businesslike to me and brutal for the kids that get dropped later.
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That's nonsense. I coach my primary school teams and school football takes priority over academy football (officially). It will also be what the kids enjoy most too .
 
kingmonkey said:
6 years old man, just seems crazy to me.
That beacon looks an amazing facility for kids in Sunderland mind, can only help junior development massively.
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As someone has said u7 and u8 it's training and might play a couple games. Once they go to u9 and step up from 5 as side to 7 a side, the academies stop letting the kids play grassroots football and can only play for the clubs. Be lucky if a handful make it from each age group, so you can only imagine how many won't who have played through these academies. Getting the kids in for training etc, will be a good experience and playing with other good players and you'd think better more professional coaching, than I can give him can only help. Bit these clubs have responsibility to these kids now and I've heard plenty stories of clubs just ruthlessly binning these kids off and they're still very young. Fair enough a keep an eye on them bring them in for a closer look, but as far as stopping them playing for local football clubs at 8, let them play. I'm a coach of 1 a suppose, so possibly look at it different.
 
Church said:
a lad at our u8 last year was taken on by newcastle - hes now (im told) not allowed to play for us or his school team whilst they wrap him in cotton wool to see whether they want him as the years pass. All seems too businesslike to me and brutal for the kids that get dropped later.
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Surely they should be wanting him to play as much football as humanly possible?
 
leerik_canamole said:
Academies are f***ing evil! I know for a fact that they know plenty of kids who simply aren't going to make the grade at 13 or so, yet they have to keep them there giving them false hope making them travel multiple times a week, just to fill their quota and kick them when they're 16 .

It's f***ing wrong
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I agree with that, that's why they shouldn't be stopping kids playing grassroots for local clubs at 8 years old. Kids are still developing physically and mentally and it's business to them. None want to think they've missed out on the next Messi by not having them tied up at 8 year old. In my albeit short experience coaching 6 year olds, let them play grassroots till they're say u11. By all means keep an eye on them, have them in for training, play a couple games etc, but it's 10 or 11 year old more when you can tell who has a chance or not.
 
Church said:
a lad at our u8 last year was taken on by newcastle - hes now (im told) not allowed to play for us or his school team whilst they wrap him in cotton wool to see whether they want him as the years pass. All seems too businesslike to me and brutal for the kids that get dropped later.
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That's what bothers me.

At that age, football should be fun and having a laugh with your mates on the school team or local football club. Some children being picked up by academies will not make it but by then it's too late and they've missed out on childhood fun football.

I'd rather go back to picking them up in academies in their teens or having an agreement where they can still play for their school/local league with their mates.
 
karlm14 said:
Surely they should be wanting him to play as much football as humanly possible?
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It's a business to them mate. A scout gets 5k if a player they brought to academy makes full professional debut. The kid from our team I'm on about is a good kid and his family are great. Spoke to his dad after as scout approached me. Obviously it was a proud moment, but very refreshing to hear how his dad responded. Very much just see how it goes and level headed about it all, which is what his 6 year old needs. Mind, I'm saying all this, but if it ever happened to my son then you're not going to say no, come back in a few years are you? Would always wonder what if. That's where these clubs need to be aware more of their responsibilities and actions.
 
Ginger John said:
That's what bothers me.

At that age, football should be fun and having a laugh with your mates on the school team or local football club. Some children being picked up by academies will not make it but by then it's too late and they've missed out on childhood fun football.

I'd rather go back to picking them up in academies in their teens or having an agreement where they can still play for their school/local league with their mates.
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My mates son was at Newcastle and quit and then Sunderland and quit. He didn’t enjoy it. He stopped playing for them both by the time he was 10. He’s at Sunderland again now as a teenager and understands better the constraints but at 8or9 he just wanted to play with his mates. It hasn’t held him back in anyway getting out of the system for that time.
 
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