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I don't believe that academies are the way forward for a club like ours. They are massively expensive and generally have a low "hit" rate.
When Huddersfield got into the prem they reviewed their own academy's success rate and decided to scrap it. The last graduate of their academy to play in the prem was Jon Stead, who graduated in 1999. In the following 18 years no other academy kids made it to the top league, although several played in the lower leagues. I don't know how many 100s of kids they took on in that time but, when it folded, they had 100 kids on the books plus 25 permanent staff.
Although "growing your own" is a popular concept it's very hit and miss , mostly "miss"
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These things work both ways chaps. Over the years there have been several non Rotherham born south yorkshire lads who come through the junior ranks at RUFC. Sedgy, hursty billy sharp (dee dahs) spring to mind. Trevor Phillips (dingle). Didnt we poach jerry yates from donny's youth set up?
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Wonder what the impact to the game will be though if everyone jacks in 'growing your own'.Originally Posted by wrinkly
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Obviously there would be less kids getting intensive coaching, which you might expect to lower the standard. Unfortunately the academy system is much more focused on what the clubs want than what's good for the kids. Some serious concerns here https://www.theguardian.com/football...cted-academiesWonder what the impact to the game will be though if everyone jacks in 'growing your own'.
It would be much better if money/resources could be ploughed into schools/grassroots footie than into what the clubs hope will increase their own wealth. Idealistic, unfeasible? Probably. The greedy monster that is the Premiership don't even want lower leagues never mind grassroots.
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I’ve checked that this afternoon. One of the lads were looked at by Rotherham 8/10 months ago after one of the Sheffield clubs released him.
The rest have never been scouted or offered a trial by Rotherham and yes mainly Wick Comp or ex Wicko Youth players.
All allegedly of course. 😂
By all accounts Rotherham potential have a real gem who I believe they picked up on an open trial. A Sheffield lad. England are looking at the kid.
As Wrinkly says, highly improbable any will make it but as CA says, where will the kids develop if there is no pathway for them or no one looks for them in the first place.
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Without being xenophobic about it shouldn't every professional team in the English leagues have a duty to progress the English game through youth development, especially those at the top where just one weeks pay for a player would go a long way to fund it.
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Howdy I can honestly say that’s bull I used to volunteer for the club and part of it was phoning up different schools and I can honestly say there’s absolutely bloody hundreds of schools in the contacts (Swinton comp wasn’t in I checked) I asked once why schools I thought should be in wasn’t I ether got “we haven’t talked to them yet” (Bare in mind this was the year Evans left and academy was still a working progress) or I got “ that’s out of our clubs agreed area (no idea what they meant but I think there’s something preventing them from jumping to a new club
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OK silly have it your way.
A bunch of lads born and attending schools in the Rotherham Borough, will not be signing scholarships at the Sheffield Clubs.
These lads were actively scouted numerous times by Rotherham United and the club invited them all in to trial many times.
There are literally 100’s of schools in Rotherham.
Now back to the real world:
A few years ago, I heard with my own ears from Mr Evan’s right hand man at a local kids football function that they had no interest at all in youth development. One guy has already quoted this above. Fair comment I suppose because why should they care? They know they’ll be sacked within 3 years if they’re lucky anyway.
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I once took two young promising players to the club and asked them to give the lads a trial. The result was that they both had 1 game each. The first lad was a very good skilful winger with bags of tricks and pace and he had a great cross on him and left footed too. They played him at right back??????
The other lad was a midfielder who could tackle and lay a pass off, was always looking to play the ball forward and had a great shot on him. They played him as a right winger ??????
Both players looked lost and naturally kept drifting in to their natural position only to be shouted at by the so called coach (who I shall not name)
Both these young lads never went for another trial again after that experience and both had clubs knocking on their doors offering trials. It put them off ever trying again. What a shame.
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Don’t believe me I don’t give a sh1t mate
Btw you seem to think that everyone jumps into a scholarship
no they don’t most of the kids join the activities or young football teams like you see at half time. These will be part of the network Rotherham united have, if they have talent they join the academy
As you said Evans wanted no part of it but work was going on behind the scenes because that’s what tony Stewart wanted.
But hey if you want to check yourself go volunteer like I did for the club
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