Theo Walcott

taken by Sven to the last World Cup, for which he was almost universally criticised, including by his immediate successor. Just goes to show, foreign managers know best.

 

Needs to cut his hair mind.</p>

Give youth a chance. Was Simon Davey watching ?
</p>

 

I was more pissed off that Sven took him and then never game him a chance even in games when we needed a goal. Arsenal could have another Thierry Henry on there hands in a few years, he is playing right wing now but he will become a top striker in time just like Henry did.

 

I went to the reserves game on Tues

and although the pace and general standard isnt much to judge, I cannot see any of the players from our Academy making it into the first team this season. Not one. Infact, without naming names, I reckon at least 3 of them would struggle to get a non league game.

 

RE: I went to the reserves game on Tues

Shame that Lazarus kid didn't play as he looked quite promosing the other week. </p>

Potter for the reserves looks to have gone backwards, after all the good noises about him last season I can't see him making it at football league level</p>

 

RE: I went to the reserves game on Tues

What are those in charge of The Academy doing then ?

 

Cant polish a turd

why would a kid or his dad get enthused about Barnsley's Academy when Man United, Liverpool or Arsenal are able to offer him a trial? Man U run roadshows around the country picking off pretty much all local talent from backwaters like Barnsley. Consequently, what they are having to work with are the ones that cant get fixed up anywhere else. I reckon any 13 year old taken on at our Academy has had trials with 10 other clubs before we taken him.

Its a money pit that bears no fruit, only a blind fool would keep chucking money at it.

 

RE: I went to the reserves game on Tues

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 12px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px">What are those in charge of The Academy doing then ?</span></p>

Answer: Stealing a living!</p>

 

RE: Cant polish a turd

Sheff Utd had free opportunities for kids in S Yorks to go down and just play football - their scouts could then pick out any apparent talent. Leeds' academy is proactive in being welcoming to all kids that go for a trial.</p>

Our Academy had some open days this year - a start. However, are the coaches/scouts good enough to spot talent ? Are the trials open to all and do those in charge of trials give ALL kids a chance ?</p>

Once the kids are in the Academy do they get coached properly ? When they get to 16/17 years old are there the opportunities to push on and claim a squad place ?</p>

I only ask because I've heard stories from parents who have kids at Leeds and Sheff Utd's Academy now that there is something fundamentally wrong with how BFC's Academy is run. That's just heresay, I don't know anyone at the Academy or how it operates.
</p>

 

RE: Cant polish a turd

thats a poor excuse, crewe are a smaller team than us yet they churn out gem after gem, ipswich, southampton, for me they need a ex-pro in charge of academy, someone that knows what it takes to take next step to first team. The academy is not working, and some heads need to roll for me

 

But Crewe are fed by Liverpools Academy

dont think many of the good young players they've brought through were born and bred in Crewe, or even did the majority of their schooling at Crewe. More like 17 and 18 year olds allowed to leave a Prem club and given a change by Dario. Southampton and Ipswich benefit from their georgraphical position, not many clubs close enough to encroach on their catchment. We're in proximity to some big clubs with huge resources, I just think its money wasted. Much better to have a good scouting network established in Europe, to pick off young talent thats close to first team standard and give them the opportunity over here, rather than wasting money on players that arent up to it or might make league 2 standard, like we seem to be doing.

 

The Academy has been a very expensive ..............

.......... mistake, we've ploughed millions in and got nowt out of it - we produced better young players from the old Northern Intermediate teams in the 70's and 80's

 

Barnsley Park Ave

far more effective imho

 

Not true.

13yo? Kids are picked up by clubs much younger than that I'm afraid. 8 and 9 is when they start affiliating and training with clubs.We've had scouts from Blackburn, Huddersfield, Leeds and Bradford at our games/tournaments, they are the ones who seem to be pretty active so it's very much a localised network.

 

I agree

but its more down to bigger clubs with deep pockets widening their net and the attraction associated to Premiership football. I bet your average Barnsley supporting dad would prefer his son gets a deal at most Premiership clubs than his home team. How many would turn down that opportunity?

 

Im sorry

but at 8/9, you cannot judge if a lad has real football ability. My lad is 8 and we go to the Academy and its more about height, strength and what they've had for their dinner than ability.

 

Too true but that's how the system works.

Something like 70% of all kids in academies have birthdays between Sept and the end of the year.That's cos they play in school year groups and the older ones can be nearly a year older than others.</p>

We're trying to get away from that this year by not going down the league route and organising our own 4-a-side tournaments for the 5 and 6 yo olds which we'll try to keep going until they're at least 9.</p>

 

I watched Walcott play for the U21s against Moldova in Ipswich a year or so ago and at the time I wasn't particularly impressed and wondered what all the fuss was about.</p>

Wenger has had a lot of stick in the media ie. Talk Sport, about the way he has brought Walcott through. They were saying last season that Wenger could only bring foriegn players through. I think we saw the answer to that last night. </p>

You can see now why he has been playing him wide right. He is developing the next Henry.</p>

He took his goals well last night but the game wasn't just about Walcott it was a team effort.</p>

Cappello started to deliver last night and long may &iacute;t continue.
</p>


</p>

 

Keep up the good work, my son.

Eventually, the people will understand.

My work here is done.

Now, why Chris Moyles shouldn't be allowed to live...

 

This is a long campaign

its a war of attrition against the non believers. Stick with it. We'll get there in the end.

Sheron out.