Genuine Question About the Youth Scene - can you help?

[TheMancRedDevil]

A lot is being made of late of the way we seem to be purchasing a lot of youngsters from abroad.

I take this to mean that our own Academy/Reserve setup is not producing the players of the required quality once they get to a certain age and that we have no choice but to look abroad.

I have a vague memory of reading something about the rules regarding recruiting kids being changed quite recently (and when I say kids, I mean kids literally - under 16s or something) from the immediate area.

I'm sure I read something about how you're not allowed to recruit kids below a certain age who are not within your "radius".

Can anyone clear this up for me?

At what age can we bring a kid from outside the area into our academy setup?

Are we restricted until that age to kids from the immediate area?

Would a case such as that with, for example, David Beckham not be allowed today?

I hope you know what I am getting at here and can clarify it for me.

Thanks in advance.

 

[datura]

Page 2 Van Velzen thread - mujac's post.

There are a number of very talented local boys in the setup at the moment, 7 of the Academy side that started today were local.

 

[TheMancRedDevil]

Page 2 Van Velzen thread - mujac's post.

There are a number of very talented local boys in the setup at the moment, 7 of the Academy side that started today were local.

Cheers datura. I'm aware that we have some very good local talent. I just wanted to clarify the situation about having talent from other areas of the country/world.

That post clears a lot of it up, thanks.

 

[samabachan]

Spoiler

It isn't the 90 minute rule that has bred the term 'poaching' it is the setting up of Academy's.

In the 1950's to mid 1990's.....kids couldn't sign Associate terms until they were 15. So good players would train at numerous clubs, try different places out and then sign a contract.

It didn't matter where they lived and then they joined a club after leaving school.

In the late 1990's the FA scrapped Lilleshall and introduced the Academy system so that kids as young as 6/7 were now being 'coached' by clubs and there was this belief that.....

...."since we coached them and you want them you have to pay us compensation or we will accuse you of poaching".....

The FA reinforced this process to 'protect' clubs losing their talent.

But back in the 1950's....Bobby Moncur the great Newcastle player was training at United. But because he wanted to go to Newcastle and hadn't signed a contract, United had to let him go. It happened everywhere.

Usually the best lads got the best coaching.

Now you could have a fantastic natural talent living in Norfolk (as an example) and is with Norwich Academy. But the Norwich coaches are average...the facilities are average....and the opportunities of learning from other great players is average....

But the FA has to protect Norwich City regardless.

Then they introduced the 90 minute rule to reinforce it.

So now our fantastic talent is not allowed to go anywhere but Norwich or Ipswich because he was born in the wrong place.

The whole system is ludicrous.

In any other industry it wouldn't happen.

So now, United are forced to look overseas more often because of these rules. In most cases when we identify a talent at another club, United agree a compensation fee with the club.....as in the recent case with Sean McGinty.

Finally, don't forget...there are loads of clubs who use this to their advantage and hope to find a talented youngster and then sell him on at a good profit. It has nothing to do what is best for the player...it's all about money.

John Cofie was spotted playing in Germany by Burnley. He had less than one season at Turf Moor before United 'poached' him. (I really hate the term as I thing it gives the wrong picture of reality). So United paid Burnley compensation....

...but really...what significant 'coaching and development' did Burnley do in such a small space of time?

I am not criticising Burnley in any way here...it is the FA process that is wrong.

So now some Academies, don't even let their kids play football at school, for their county, for their country and even for their own club just in case they get 'spotted'.

Seriously....kids just want to play!

For those who can't find the post in question.