I've been thinking about how hard it is to find top class English young players, not enough of them around and, therefore, overpriced when they are available.
I'm thinking about introducing football as a school sport.
We need to overcome the fact that most schools sold off their sports fields.
We also need to get over these silly health and safety rules because it's difficult to play in all that padding.
Also, the object of the game would be to win, so competativeness would need to be introduced and we might need to overcome the namby pamby establishment.
What do you guys think?
Wouldn't it be great if kids played football as kids?
We might even think about relaxing the ASBO laws so that kids can kick balls against walls.
Or am I being too unrealistic ?
Brilliant new idea
posted on 20/10/11
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posted on 20/10/11
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posted on 20/10/11
@comment by Red Russian (U4715) -
"It would be interesting to compare how intrusive H&S is across our footballing rivals. Do the Dutch play in the rain? (Or do they play on indoor pitches most of the time anyway?)"
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Of course there are certain H&S regulations in Holland, but to an extent. There are indoor facilities available but training is mostly outside on grass.
I live in a town of around 40,000 people. The biggest junior club has over 200 volunteers who train the youngsters 4 times in the week after school and Sat. morning. There are 15 senior teams, 7 womens teams and near on 20 different youth/junior teams. All play regularly on a competitive basis in various leagues
posted on 20/10/11
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posted on 20/10/11
when I coached under 10s we only had 2 H&S requirement that the boys had to adhere to. That was to turn up in studded boots and shin pads. Some of the poorer kids came in trainers and ankle socks. We had to turn them away. Even some of the parents moaned about the cost of getting them these basic items!
posted on 20/10/11
Jeez, the hoops and paperwork we have to go through is incredible.
A few years back we had a young lad (only 8 at the time) who just COULD NOT kick a ball. In an effort to try and get him to 'shape' his body I put my hands on his shoulders to 'swivel' him as he kicked the ball - in plain view of the other coaches and parents who'd stayed to watch training. I later got pulled up in front of the committee by the Child Safety officer who'd seen it and gave me a massive rebuke. I almost told them where to stick it, it's ridiculous.
Even First Aid is an issue - we're all qualified, but we HAVE to have two people from the club in attendance or we're supposedly not allowed to administer first aid.
Puts people off in the long run...
posted on 20/10/11
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posted on 20/10/11
This is partly the opposite of the supposed 'politically correct non-competitive' trend the OP bemoans. It is because of the focus on winning that big, strong cloggers get promoted above kids with skills and imagination with the ball but haven't had their growth spurts yet.
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Absolutely spot on!
posted on 20/10/11
comment by TalksRubbish (U3303)
posted 22 minutes ago
This is partly the opposite of the supposed 'politically correct non-competitive' trend the OP bemoans. It is because of the focus on winning that big, strong cloggers get promoted above kids with skills and imagination with the ball but haven't had their growth spurts yet.
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Absolutely spot on!
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I disagree. I think this is the reason why you aren't seeing so many players come late, to the Premier League because now, they are being chosen for their skills and not for their height. Before they wouldn't have been chosen and would have played in the lower leagues, then Premier League clubs would come in for them when they have grown and proved themselves.
posted on 20/10/11
"Some of the talent on show in reserve football is better than top flight teams in other top leagues around the world!"
But unfortunately, Kevin Keegan while at Newcastle started the trend for big clubs who are desperate to win the PL and have money to burn to discard reserve team football altogether; Man City under Mancini being the latest to follow suit.
The Arab owners and Italian manager have no interest in bringing through young (English) talent; they just buy ready-made foreign stars.