Academy Graduates - Professional Contracts

[StroudGrecian]

I hope with the Ollie Watkins news yesterday that this has strengthened the Academy's hand in discussions with parents and advisors on their bright young things future in football, and I am sure they promote the facts accordingly i.e
92 football clubs in the EFL and premiershite, involving 12000 approx academy players that means that some of the large clubs have hundreds of boys competing for contracts in their academies.

At Exeter we have tens of boys across the various age groups and each year it seems four or five get contracts to develop them further, so there are some that fall short but the percentage that do is lower than the national average, however of the ones that then proceed onto professional football at our little humble old club there are currently two current internationals, two others have been selected for internationals in their age groups at the time (one of which is now the captain of his championship club.) There are four players attached to premiership clubs, (three of them lured to not sign professional contracts with us and join the premiership mass academies with the lottery that may bring at the end of their scholarships https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/06/football-biggest-issue-boys-rejected-academies), two plying their trade in the championship, Christy Pym on the verge of promotion from the third division and a swathe of players across the third and fourth divisions who have come through our academy, not to mention that in the Orient match we had eight academy products playing for us.

It just goes to show what can be achieved with the right mindset and encouragement. So when deciding which club to choose for a career in football surely there is only one! The future is bright the future is red & white

I appreciate the positivism of your post but being a successful academy in terms of players going on to have pro contracts isn't the same as being a successful academy in terms of looking after the young men who don't - sure, there seem to be fewer of them at ECFC, but they will still far outnumber those who actually do make the grade.

I've heard good things about the academy in terms of its emphasis on young players continuing with their education, but do we really know that our academy bucks what is a clear trend in football and gives sufficient support to those who are released every year?

 

[SaintJames]

I appreciate the positivism of your post but being a successful academy in terms of players going on to have pro contracts isn't the same as being a successful academy in terms of looking after the young men who don't - sure, there seem to be fewer of them at ECFC, but they will still far outnumber those who actually do make the grade.

I've heard good things about the academy in terms of its emphasis on young players continuing with their education, but do we really know that our academy bucks what is a clear trend in football and gives sufficient support to those who are released every year?

Stroudy, it's a good discussion I agree. I think the starting point should be for the PFA to undertake research with released players at both 16 and at 18 to actually understand and appreciate what support is required. I used to work in schools with Academy players and I found it all but impossible with most to get them to think about any decisions based upon receiving the news they werent going to receive a contract. I also worked with, and know of others who when released went badly 'off the rails' as all they had known for x number of years had been stopped. I think some just want to get on with their lives, some wouldnt want support from a club that had just released them, others would benefit from some support but may be reluctant to accept help. I believe the main responsibility should rest with the PFA in my opinion

 

[SEA Grecian]

I appreciate the positivism of your post but being a successful academy in terms of players going on to have pro contracts isn't the same as being a successful academy in terms of looking after the young men who don't - sure, there seem to be fewer of them at ECFC, but they will still far outnumber those who actually do make the grade.

I've heard good things about the academy in terms of its emphasis on young players continuing with their education, but do we really know that our academy bucks what is a clear trend in football and gives sufficient support to those who are released every year?

Maybe it's just empty words but the Academy page on the official website suggests this is something the club think is extremely important. I have no direct experience but everything I've heard suggests the club do indeed take this seriously; for example, I remember Jack Sparkes being made to re-take his maths GCSE even after he'd made his first-team debut.

 

[Martin Lawrence]

Maybe it's just empty words but the Academy page on the official website suggests this is something the club think is extremely important. I have no direct experience but everything I've heard suggests the club do indeed take this seriously; for example, I remember Jack Sparkes being made to re-take his maths GCSE even after he'd made his first-team debut.

I know that the academy is particularly proactive at sorting out young players who gave been released with clubs. They also offer support in terms of education advice but not sure how often this is taken up.