What's happening to the Academy?

[McCullochisGod]

I know that because people talk iamITK (In The Know?). If I am wrong then AH should come out and say so, as I said parents want to know these things. And, has nothing to do with funding the club gets enough from the Football League as do all clubs. As I've also said it was an excellent Academy when it first started that has gone down hill fast recently and am not angry at all. I just want AH to tell it how it is.

[Notts78]

But you are not one of the parents so why should AH respond to you?

[Freeman25]

. As I've also said it was an excellent Academy when it first started

Was it? Where are the results?

[Eastcoastultra1977]

Our record in the FA Youth Cup in recent years is shocking.We have lost to non League youth teams recently.

At one time we used to progress through a few rounds.

[KeepTheMagpieFlyingH]

Last year the 10’s and 11’s dominated the the category..yet the FA auditors apparently gave us the lowest score in the category in the country?

I think that’s why IAITK probably suggested transition..let the products of the new regime and the remnants of the old filter through and time will tell.

Ps..the FA have a philosophy in place called the England DNA..I should think that if Notts aren’t singing this from the FA’s hymn sheet enough their likely to penalise.

[McCullochisGod]

Not a case of singing from the same hymn sheet, it's a case of employing good coaching staff, providing a good programme and training on appropriate facilities. Obviously we failed miserably in those categories. AH always tweets about beating the big clubs at 10 and 11, he does realise these are only their development teams? Lets see how the U/18's fare this season as recruitment has been poor and as I said we were in the top 3 Academies in the country 4 years ago, now we are considered the worst which speaks for itself.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

Not a case of singing from the same hymn sheet, it's a case of employing good coaching staff, providing a good programme and training on appropriate facilities. Obviously we failed miserably in those categories. AH always tweets about beating the big clubs at 10 and 11, he does realise these are only their development teams? Lets see how the U/18's fare this season as recruitment has been poor and as I said we were in the top 3 Academies in the country 4 years ago, now we are considered the worst which speaks for itself.

If we were in the top 3 academies in the country, we weren't producing absolutely nothing so I don't think these audits are actually meaningful. What you are saying is, top 3 is good producing nothing. Worst in country producing Campbell, Dongda H, Osbourn and Howes. I'll take worst academy then to be honest. Either that or these rankings mean absolutely naff all

[Trickytreesreds]

I'm intrigued as to how Notts were supposedly ranked in the top 3 academies in the country?
In relation to who exactly, Chelsea/ManU?
NFFC academy is only rated Cat 2, yet we have 8 home grown players in the First team squad. How many do Notts have?
We have also utilised the academy as a money maker. eg, £13M for O.Burke.

Now I understand, it costs over £1M a year to run this academy, so it has to self finance if possible.
Do Notts invest at all in youth?
I know you don't have an academy centre, but surely everyone must have some sort of structure?
Good players are not cheap, when you have to buy them. I often see youths in NCFC training kits getting off buses. So something must exist?

[KeepTheMagpieFlyingH]

I’ve seen a few academy’s close up including Notts and Forest.

Aged 8-12..Forest have roughly 150+ players per age group..average of 20 academy..20 Shadow Squad..30-40 per development centre..which are based at Rushcliffe..Mansfield..Grantham and Carlton. This is a category 2 operation by the way.

It’s impossible for Notts to be or have been top 3 in the country. Cat 1’s spend a minimum of 2.4m a year..cat 2’s around 1.1m..cat 3’s 500k.

If Notts can get ranked 3rd with a half a mil spend..playing on parks and training on leisure centres..the cat 1’s and 2’s need to start reassessing.

[symewillscore]

Most coments here are speculation and not representative of factual reality. Has anyone spoken face to face with Jon Goodman? Are you aware of his football achievements? Are you aware of his educational standing? Are you aware of his coaching standrads? Most importantly, his ethical stance. Notts were fortunate to have him for a day.