The controversial Elite Player Performance Plan was voted through today which will radically change youth football in England. The plan is outlined in the link below.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2011/02/football_league_fears_over_pla.html
Personally, I have mixed feelings over this one. What it will do is help the national team develop the better prospects to the best of their abilities so it will definitely help England long term. But at what cost?
The plans mean that young players can be signed by 'grade one' clubs from small teams for absolute peanuts. There are clubs who need successful and profitable academies just to survive and this might just kill them. I can't help thinking that this is the fat cats of the Premier League looking after themselves and not thinking about the game as a whole. There must be a way to do improve the quality of elite youth development without potentially destroying those in the lower leagues.
So yes, while it does benefit the national team and the players themselves, is it worth harming the lower league clubs to do it?
Youth Football Reform
posted on 20/10/11
Metaphorically, The Premier League had a gun to The Football Leagues head saying "Either say yes or it's bye bye academy football".
I think the premier league knew the football league wouldn't accept the terms so used their muscle to force the issue, which i think is unethical and immoral.
I don't really know what difference it will actually make, if any.
The only thing I can take from this is that essentially, nothing has changed apart from the fact premier league clubs can now buy a 16 year old for 3,000 pound a year.
This could be crippling to clubs in the lower leagues, it's quite a scary thought.
posted on 21/10/11
If the big clubs snap up the best young players, just because they 'can', and then don't play them, I can't see that benefitting the England team or anybody else.
posted on 21/10/11
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