Academy/grassroots advice

Adi_Dem

Adi_Dem

Well-known member
Hoping some of the knowledgeable folk on here might be able to help me. My son is u14 but plays u15 in the Russell Foster league (a long story as to why). At a school tournament a couple of weeks ago he was scouted by Aston Villa. I've been messaging back and forth with the guy from Villa and the upshot is that it's too far for it to make sense for anyone. Instead, they've said they want to keep watching him up here and potentially get him down there during school holidays and stuff. They have given me two key pieces of advice:

(i) he should be playing at his own age at the highest level possible in a team that plays good football when they come and see him; and
(ii) we should get him professional one to one coaching which they advise all of their academy players to do.

It means trying to find a new u14 team which would ideally be on Teesside rather than up in Sunderland and a good one to one coach. No idea where to start for either because I simply don't know anything about the local grassroots scene.

Any advice welcome.
 
The danger of joining a “good team” is that sometimes the top teams nick the best players of other teams and walk through games meaning their development is actually stifled. Playing a year up might be better as he’ll be coming up against bigger lads.

One to one technical coaching can be good if it’s a decent person doing it, there’s some utter doyles who do it who just replicate stuff off you tube.

I can’t name reputable people as I don’t live in the area.
 
Would it not be worth trying to get him a trial at Darlo academy or somewhere similar ?
 
Thanks for the replies. He was at Darlo pre-lockdown for a few friendlies and training but didn’t like it at all. As someone above points out the only thing that matters is him enjoying it. Basically he wants to see if there is a team he can join locally that he will be happy in and be definitely wants to do some one to one coaching. Proc is a good shout.
 
Check out Redcar Town too. I believe they cover all age groups too.
What ever you don't believe the cranks of certain clubs which I won't name on here who tell young kids that they have Boro scouts at their games every week.
 
If he’s been scouted playing a year up then dropping him down should put him in the window for scouts from teams around here (if that’s what you want).

We’ve got a lad who plays a year up in our team and his dad doesn’t want him in the academy setup yet (he’d walk into it at his own age group). I understand why, but I’m not sure I could take the opportunity away from my son.

Anyway Proc is a good shout, if you’re looking for someone a bit younger who can push him I’d recommend Curtis Collantine. https://m.facebook.com/Collantine-Coaching-102190008365448/
 
Left_peg said:
The danger of joining a “good team” is that sometimes the top teams nick the best players of other teams and walk through games meaning their development is actually stifled. Playing a year up might be better as he’ll be coming up against bigger lads.
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Absolutely agree with that. Playing for a good team is not really that relevant, you tend to get a club in most year groups that hoover up all the best players and win games by 5, 6 or 7 goals and win every game. You learn very little from that.

Needs to be challenged with in game problems to solve. Needs to have to learn to work without the ball, not be in a team that has 80% possession. The best kid I had in my team, went to the local superclub after Millwall sniffed around him.

He had 95% game time with me, dropped to about 45% at the other club, because the coach wanted 20 players so that he could smash the league and cup double. After 2 years of frustration the kid started to fall out of love with the game and last I heard he had given up playing.

I'd never tell a kid to play for a 'win at all costs' coach, or a club that hoovers up the best players. That would be my advise, for what it's worth.
 
ConcourseColin said:
Also missed off for 1 to 1 training DF Coaching has a really good reputation as does Andy Colletts Premier Player.
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I was going to mention DF coaching and Premier Player. Both are very good and worth looking at.

As for TJFA. My son plays U13 in Division One and the best team is Boro Rangers Whites. The Boro Rangers set-up is impressive and they have loads of teams. The Whites is the team with all the best players. They've probably got the best or one of the best at U14 too.
 
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