Whats everyone's views on our Academy?

Is it worth it? Precious little comes through and makes an impact. 2 regular first team players and a couple of squad players have emerged in the last 5 years. Rob Atkinson looks good, but the two lads for Tamworth looked like conference players.

Don't get me wrong, i'm proud that we have great facilites and a decent set up but it's just not bearing fruit. All these big things about Jarman etc, well he must be 20 now and he's still no nearer to the first team.

 

RE: Views on our Academy? Interesting report on its new coach and his impact.

This report on The Academy was posted yesterday by RED RAIN.
Seems to me that with a change of Academy coach, things could be on the up. The new coach has made a very impressive start, is called DAVE HANCOCK, and is apparently related to Anthony Kay.

Location: Wombwell
(82.38.4.11) Barnsley 0 Sheffield Wednesday 0

The last time I watched the accademy was the last home game on November 18 2006, when they lost 5-2 to Sunderland. They were a shambles. That same day the first team lost 2-0 at Crystal Palace and Andy Ritchie was sacked. The accademy record at this point was played 13 won 1 drawn 3 lost 9 points 6. Perhaps someone would work out the points per game because it was good enough to get him the managers job. Due to the december break in fixtures, they have played only 3 fixtures, plus a youth cup game. The record is played 4, won 2 drwan 2 and lost 0. It looks to me like the next first team manager has the initials DH.

There is a phrase in management, "paralysis through analysis". It means that the company cannot make a decision because there is too much information. Having seen the improvement this morning, I believe the new young badged up coaches restrict their team's ability to play and take decisions because they are given too much information and too many jobs to do. They were a revelation this morning, lacking only a goalscorer to have won comfortably.

I wrote enthusiasically about the first year intake when I fist saw them at the start of the season. Sadly they had their flair knocked out of them by their coach, who appeared to want 11 automatons. There was just glum looks from the toughline and a white board for half-time. This has been replaced by a constant flow of encouragement and coaching. The complex 4-3-3 and diamond systems have been replaced by a simple 4-4-2. The lads are enjoying themselves again, and it shows in their play.


1. James Waggett (GK)(Year 2 student)
Had very little to do, but swept up well behind a high line and caught his crosses well. Was at fault for 2 goals in the last match I saw. Such is the life of a keeper.

2. Marc Devonshire (RB)(Yr1)
This was his first start and competed very well. Seemed comfortable on the ball and rarely wasted it.

3. Danny Smith (LB)(Yr1)
Usually a right back but had to play on the left to allow Devonshire to play. I just cannot speak too highly of this lad. He is qick, 2 footed and uses the ball well.

4. Ryan Jennings (CH)(Yr1) *
The improvement in Ryan is staggering. He totally dominated the centre of our defence. He is a certainty for the first team within 3 years if he continues to improve at his current rate.

5. Luke Potter (CH)(Yr2)
Luke plays either left back or centre half. In my opionion, centre half is his best position. He got a minor injury just before half-time which restricted his movement a little for the second half. Nevertheless, he was outstanding at the heart of our defence throughout.

6. Jacob Butterfield (CM)(Yr1)
Pulls the strings in the heart of mid-field. His first touch earns him the time and can beat a player with ease. Tired after 70 minutes which allowed Wednesday back into it, but has great potential. First start for the club.

7. Greg McGrory (RM)(Yr1)
A winger in the Barraclough mould, he needs to add weight and strength to a very slender frame. First start for the club.

8. Jacob White (CM)(Yr1)
He was competitive until he tired in the final quarter. First start for the club.

9. Tom Beevor (CF)(Yr3)
This season Tom has been a moody outcast to the left wing, where he has been too easy to isolate and stop. As a result, I had virtually written his time at BFC off. Today he was another revelation, taking on players, beating people for pace, flicking on imaginatively and getting in shots. I guess he for one is pleased that Davey has moved up stairs.

10. Kyle Wyatt (CF)(Yr2)
Kyle's body gives the impression of a badly assembled skeleton. He seems to lack all the attributes needed to be a footballer. Nevertheless, the new coach has worked miracles with him. He has found more speed and the strength to hold up play. He should have finnished with at least 2 goals though.

11. Luke Fedorenko (LM)(Yr1)
Luke usually plays as a striker but has not yet developed the composure needed to score goals. He has pace though, and I think that we will make a player of him.

12. Leon Ormsby (Yr1) for Greg McGrory
13. Chris Brown (Yr1) for Kyle Wyatt

Does this report constitute a dossier. If so, can I be the next manager please.
NB: Written by RED RAIN

 

What's the alternative?

Financially the only way clubs our size can survive is to sell players so we have to produce them from nowhere to make enough profit. Granted the academy costs money to run but without knowing the exact figures its difficult to comment.

Remember players under 24 always command a transfer fee even at end of their contracts so there is still money to be made with young players.

I think there's nothing wrong with the principle of the acedemy or with the quality of players in the area so maybe it is the management that has resulted in lack of players coming through.

 

RE: What's the alternative?

maybe the net needs to be cast wider. Is there a rule that players in the academy must come from the area?

Its very disheartening that players such as Tong, jarman and even Flinders are billed as the next big thing and they never seem to measure up.

 

RE: What's the alternative? Some do succeed

Flinders I saw on telly last week for Crystal Palace, doing well. Dale Tonge's not let us down. Isn't it too early to write off Nicky Wroe, Jarman and others?

 

Can't understand how the Academy works

It must be value for money or the club would pull the plug
But looking from the outside it looks a waste of money
I would have thought it would be better and save money for the club to go out and cherry pick young players
But can they do that now without it costing loads of money ???
The results from the academy haven't been up to much
Morgan - Flinders - Kay, is all I've seen that are worth anything
The best young player to come through what I have seen was David Hirst, but there wasn't an academy in his day
Although I have heard that a potential super star is coming through the ranks - hes a mixed race kid from huddersfield and other clubs are already looking to sign him - I don't know his name

 

Top Class

Top Class people working hard and believing in what they do. Dave Hancock is the academy director and I guess he will employ or promote someone to replace Simon Davey.

He has been around for a while now and he is anthony Kay's step-dad.

 

It's largely just a name

Probably slightly more expensive than not being an acadamy. Excellent facilities are in place I don't worry too much about it.

It only takes a couple of gems to come through i.e. flinders and numerous squad members we have from it. The next Rooney would be nice but I dont think its done too badly.

 

And what about the hopes of the kids who go after school dreaming of being offered a place in the Acadamy, to say nothing of them mixing with others from other schools and backgrounds, learning to get along. That is worth it for me if it keeps kids usefully occupied and off the streets ect etc.. and if we get an occasional top class player then thats a bonus.............Rant over.

 

Now the club has gone through all the capital expenditure I do not think that it is much more expensive to run an academy over a centre of excellence. I assume that you are not advocating total abolition of all youth team football. However, an academy carries much more status and allows the club to attract players from further afield. If you look on the club web site you will note that only a small percentage of the year 1 students are from Barnsley. Having said that, most clubs have foreign students playing for their academies and I think that more efforts should be put into attracting young talent from Scotland and Ireland. Nevertheless, I am very impressed with this year year 1 intake. Look out for Danny Smith, Jacob Butterfield, Luke Federenko and Luke Jennings.

 

Neil Redfern in his biography has some very interesting thoughts about academies in general - perhaps in the current climate a reason why he is not getting coaching/management jobs! He feels that as a youngster he was better off playing 30 a side in the local park or kicking a ball up against a wall than kids of today in the academy system. He seems to feel that all the enjoyment is taken out of the game at an early age and that the kids are over coached. He also has a dim view on the philosophy of winning a match being secondary to the processes involved in playing a game!