The Russell Martin way

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

My personal view is that the Academy should be scrapped with the money saved being diverted to scouting young players released from clubs that have top class academies

[CAMiller]

I must try harder to keep up

I thought Russel Martin Way was a bypass around Milton Keynes

Also known as The Best Way

[sawmiller]

My personal view is that the Academy should be scrapped with the money saved being diverted to scouting young players released from clubs that have top class academies

If it proves to be more cost effective and deliver more of what's needed, then absolutely

[mellowmiller]

Possibly going slightly off topic but seeing as we're talking about style of play and bringing young players through, what ever happened to the proposed academy on Bawtry Road? Does the club (or TS) still own that land?

I was talking to someone about this the other day if you mean the land at Brinsworth/Tinsley?
When TS bought it he said he was going to build state of the art training facilities and put a sign up which said something like Rotherham United Training Ground.
In the event nothing happened, presumably because the costs were prohibitive and he opted for the cheaper option of improving the facilities at Roundwood which presumably are still rented rather than owned by the club.
I was told that TS does still own the Brinsworth/Tinsley land however.

I would just like to clarify one other thing too.
The club does not have an Academy as they have never achieved that status.
What they do have is the use of changing rooms and pitch facilities owned by Sheffield Hallam University which, in reality are little better than those you would find at a decent secondary school.
I know this because my grandson spent some time there until he became disillusioned with the repetitive, amost robotic training routines used by the Rotherham coaches.
Fortunately he was then asked to go to Barnsley's Academy and that is light years ahead of anything we have.
Unfortunately our youth development facilities are nowhere near what is required and it is not surprising that we don't bring any talent through.

[sawmiller]

I was talking to someone about this the other day if you mean the land at Brinsworth/Tinsley?
When TS bought it he said he was going to build state of the art training facilities and put a sign up which said something like Rotherham United Training Ground.
In the event nothing happened, presumably because the costs were prohibitive and he opted for the cheaper option of improving the facilities at Roundwood which presumably are still rented rather than owned by the club.
I was told that TS does still own the Brinsworth/Tinsley land however.

I would just like to clarify one other thing too.
The club does not have an Academy as they have never achieved that status.
What they do have is the use of changing rooms and pitch facilities owned by Sheffield Hallam University which, in reality are little better than those you would find at a decent secondary school.
I know this because my grandson spent some time there until he became disillusioned with the repetitive, amost robotic training routines used by the Rotherham coaches.
Fortunately he was then asked to go to Barnsley's Academy and that is light years ahead of anything we have.
Unfortunately our youth development facilities are nowhere near what is required and it is not surprising that we don't bring any talent through.

That's sad - how many more Vardy's etc are we going to let slip so that others can cash in?

[mellowmiller]

That's sad - how many more Vardy's etc are we going to let slip so that others can cash in?

It is sad sawmiller.
My grandson played in the same Rotherham youth team as Mack Warne at the same time as Joshua Kayode was in a higher age group.
When he went to Barnsley it was noticeable that the overall standard of young players was far higher than anything at Rotherham and the coaches introduced far more variety into the training routines.
They were bloody strict too and relatives of the boys were required to be quiet throughout the entire sessions.
Interestingly my grandson enjoyed his football most of all while playing for Thorncliffe where he was coached by someone who had played for Chesterfield before having his career curtailed by injury.
The facilities at Ecclesfield (Thorncliffe) are superb as they are a satellite of St George's Park and are far superior to anything used by the Rotherham youngsters.
There are always lots of scouts from Premier League and Championship clubs at Thorncliffe on match days and not surprisingly many of the boys ended up moving to their academies.
I can't say I ever saw anyone representing Rotherham there.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

I was talking to someone about this the other day if you mean the land at Brinsworth/Tinsley?
When TS bought it he said he was going to build state of the art training facilities and put a sign up which said something like Rotherham United Training Ground.
In the event nothing happened, presumably because the costs were prohibitive and he opted for the cheaper option of improving the facilities at Roundwood which presumably are still rented rather than owned by the club.
I was told that TS does still own the Brinsworth/Tinsley land however.

I would just like to clarify one other thing too.
The club does not have an Academy as they have never achieved that status.
What they do have is the use of changing rooms and pitch facilities owned by Sheffield Hallam University which, in reality are little better than those you would find at a decent secondary school.
I know this because my grandson spent some time there until he became disillusioned with the repetitive, amost robotic training routines used by the Rotherham coaches.
Fortunately he was then asked to go to Barnsley's Academy and that is light years ahead of anything we have.
Unfortunately our youth development facilities are nowhere near what is required and it is not surprising that we don't bring any talent through.

Isn’t there a bit of confusion here?

The “ land at Brinsworth/ Tinsley” isn’t the land where the Sheffield Hallam University facilities are.

As you leave Tinsley on Bawtry Road towards Brinsworth, the “ TS owned land” is on the left side of the road. The Sheffield Hallam facilities are on the right side of the road, more or less next to the old Aurora Sports club site

[mellowmiller]

Isn’t there a bit of confusion here?

The “ land at Brinsworth/ Tinsley” isn’t the land where the Sheffield Hallam University facilities are.

As you leave Tinsley on Bawtry Road towards Brinsworth, the “ TS owned land” is on the left side of the road. The Sheffield Hallam facilities are on the right side of the road, more or less next to the old Aurora Sports club site

Yes that's right but I'm not sure why you're confused?

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Yes that's right but I'm not sure why you're confused?

It was just the way I read the reply. 😜

Started talking about one site then ended up talking about the other

[mellowmiller]

It was just the way I read the reply. 😜

Started talking about one site then ended up talking about the other

No problem 🙂.
What I find concerning in all this is, as far as I'm aware, the club doesn't own any of it's own training or youth development facilities which all seems a bit amateurish.
It's not really surprising that there isn't a coherent pathway between youth development and the first team squad. It's also not really surprising that boys with potential move to other clubs that have better facilities and are more advanced in their approach.
I seem to recall Neil Warnock telling TS that the training facilities were woefully inadequate and, although some money has since been spent at Roundwood the site still belongs to somebody else.
It's a bit like paying for an extension to be built on a house you're renting. Doesn't make much sense.