Comments on: Scouting, Development and Coaching In Schools

By: Andy Hilton

Andy Hilton — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:19:00 +0000

Well you’re not alone. I, and all my coaches, benefit from the coach mentoring scheme offered by Betterfootball. As the local authority I feel it important to lead the way with my grassroots clubs and hopefully change the culture. I have a number of 18 year old coaches who think different, hopefully they will permeate the game and change it from the inside

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:23:00 +0000

I know academy coaches are trying their best, but the system suffers from a poverty of ambition. If you aim low enough you will succeed. There are others in all sports & some in football who aim much higher & achieve great results. The collective mentality has to change first. Those at all levels of the game involved in player development have to start thinking like those who ply their trade in minority sports rather than one bloated over the years from an excess of talent, wasted at every turn. Only after that has happened can proper development & training programs be created & implemented to produce quality players. Football plays at development as it stands. Pays it lip-service & is not really serious about it, sadly. Maybe, the next generation coaches will see the light. I live in hope.

By: Andy Hilton

Andy Hilton — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:20:00 +0000

Techniques and skill are one the criteria, it got missed from the transcript. I will explain my comments re replacement with as good as, basically if there is a 12 year old who comes into a club unless he is better than what is there, clubs will not swop a like for like player as at 12 the player has been coached within the system for 5 years (dev centre from 6 signed at 9). The coach knows what he has and what the boy can do. I agree that it does breed mediocrity but the academy is there to develop 1 or 2 players for the first team, the rest, sadly, make up the numbers

By: Andrew Pratley

Andrew Pratley — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 17:16:53 +0000

There are two points I would like to make. Of the four criteria the coach cited skill/technique was absent. I know from personal experience that the professional clubs don't teach, beyond the basics, skill/technique as their coaches of younger age players don't know how to do it especially within the limited time they have the boys. The other comment about not taking on a player who is better than an existing one at the club is just plain bonkers. If a kid is as good as or a little better than a current one who has had the advantage of being at the club then how good can that new kid be with some help. This is a recipe for mediocrity.

By: Andrew Pratley

Andrew Pratley — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 12:16:00 +0000

There are two points I would like to make. Of the four criteria the coach cited skill/technique was absent. I know from personal experience that the professional clubs don’t teach, beyond the basics, skill/technique as their coaches of younger age players don’t know how to do it especially within the limited time they have the boys. The other comment about not taking on a player who is better than an existing one at the club is just plain bonkers. If a kid is as good as or a little better than a current one who has had the advantage of being at the club then how good can that new kid be with some help. This is a recipe for mediocrity.

By: Expert Soccer Coach On Scouting, Football Development and Coaching …

Expert Soccer Coach On Scouting, Football Development and Coaching … — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:44:00 +0000

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