Academy Graduates - Professional Contracts

[grecian-near-hell]

A sky news report on 'the lost Boys of Football',

typical brush over documentary but does raise some serious points on the numbers of rejects each year and how they are handled and perhaps not enough time has been devoted to this perhaps including the process of the lure to sign up etc. Also interesting that they feature some academy products from Fulham's academy

 

[andrew p long]

its a bit if a theme now...here is the BBC's take...

The brutal reality of Premier League academies: Deese Kasinga’s story

Deese Kasinga’s dreams came true when he signed a two-year deal at Newcastle aged 16. But this soon turned into heartbreak when he faced a huge setback.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[grecian-near-hell]

Hopefully make our young lads think twice before moving on to the soccer factories

 

[Rosencrantz]

I would always recommend Michael Calvin's books. No Hunger in Paradise is the one about young players trying to make it.

 

[jrg333]

These stories are an unfortunate but inevitable part of the game. Lots of kids, especially among certain demographics, develop physically at an early age which means that by 14 they are effectively fully grown. This is a great advantage at 14 and absolutely helps you getting into an academy. But it becomes a big disadvantage when, at the age of 21, you haven't grown for 7 years while your teammates all now tower over you. The level of competitiveness in junior football means that the early bloomers will always be favoured, but a lot can happen between 13 and 21 and being a fast developer is no guarantee of physical advantages over others persisting into your 20s.

 

[andrew p long]

anyone know when a) the U16s get told about academy deals and b) when the U18s get told about professional contracts?

Its by about now isn't it?

 

[grecian-near-hell]

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

 

[andrew p long]

Good post g-n-h.

But only two City academy graduates in the Championship? Grimes, Storey, Friend? I know Storey was elsewhere but joining City from Yeovil transformed his career.at (?) age 18.

 

[SEA Grecian]

Good post g-n-h.

But only two City academy graduates in the Championship? Grimes, Storey, Friend? I know Storey was elsewhere but joining City from Yeovil transformed his career.at (?) age 18.

I believe Jordan joined City at 17 so spent one year in our academy. As an aside, George stayed in education until he was 18 so was not a full-time member of an academy; I think Alex Hartridge did something similar.

The success of Ollie shows the importance of having academies at smaller clubs as a pathway to the top for players who aren’t suited to Premiership academies or are late-developers who are not picked up by big clubs at a young age. However, I think it’s really striking how many of our most successful players (Matt Taylor, Friend, Wheeler, Storey, Williams) have either played adult football as teenagers or stayed in full-time education. While our Academy clearly does a brilliant job of developing young players it’s important we still offer opportunities to players who want to take a different route into football.

 

[Albumen]

I would always recommend Michael Calvin's books. No Hunger in Paradise is the one about young players trying to make it.

Just reading this now. Frightening and enlightening stuff.