[ AFCRD ACADEMY ] OPEN TRIALS U19-U23

[Dazzler]

[sussexdiamond]

I guess this is an April Fools joke. Why do we need u23's? Or are we recruiting first team for next season.? I

[AndyKirkup]

https://fulltime.thefa.com/index.html?s ... petition=0

[The pressman]

This all needs to be explained more fully!

If I've got this right then Andy Kirkup's post relates to the U23 scholars at Moulton College and not the open trials which started this thread? The U21 squad is a board decision that has got many other people scratching their heads as to what purpose it holds? In my mind it is outdated and futile not forgetting that It has also been a drain on Academy resources while producing little or nothing towards its purpose. So are we now going to have U23's as well as U21's? Or are we going to remove the U21's in favour of an U23 side?

If just an U23 side then I readily accept that at last the club are thinking positively about playing an Academy team in proper men's football and this could help injured and squad players to keep match fit. However, we don't need two teams 2 years apart with presumably the U21's still playing in a micky mouse junior section where they rarely win a match!. That is absolutely ridiculous and another huge expense that we can least afford. Where is the money coming from especially as there is talk of our U18 squad being dismantled.

[SouthRushdenJFC]

Interesting, especially when combined with a couple of other things I've heard.

I would expect that any player aged 21/22/23 with designs on a semi-pro career would be playing, and earning, at Step 5 already so why take a backward step?

[Formic]

Now I'm out of the communication loop that Members or Volunteers have, perhaps its unreasonable to expect to have any structural changes explained outside of those areas. I'd certainly be interested to know the projected impact of this initiative on club funds, as the success of the academy up to and including the U18 level doesn't seem to have been matched at the older ages in terms of progressing players to the first team. I can see the merits of having a pathway that doesn't require an academic element, but whereas I assumed Moulton / Malcolm Arnold would contribute towards the obvious travel and playing costs it might not be an option here.

[The pressman]

I'm indebted to the Head of Academy Biff Carlin for providing an explanation as to what is likely to be happening next season for age groups above U16's. If I've got this right then the U19's - currently playing under Scholarship coach Tim Dudding in the Northants Senior Youth League - will continue in the same way.

Those players moving up from U16's - plus any new additions - will not now play at U18 level but play as U21's to enhance their progress.

The new U23 side will play in men's football - something I've been harping on about for some time as it will hopefully allow injured and fringe players a positive route to match fitness.

While I think this is a sensible policy, yet again communication from the board has been found wanting. The board really do need to improve this area and maybe the setting up of a Communications committee might go some way to start getting this aspect right.

[Dazzler]

[Formic]

I'm indebted to the Head of Academy Biff Carlin for providing an explanation as to what is likely to be happening next season for age groups above U16's. If I've got this right then the U19's - currently playing under Scholarship coach Tim Dudding in the Northants Senior Youth League - will continue in the same way.

Those players moving up from U16's - plus any new additions - will not now play at U18 level but play as U21's to enhance their progress.

The new U23 side will play in men's football - something I've been harping on about for some time as it will hopefully allow injured and fringe players a positive route to match fitness.

While I think this is a sensible policy, yet again communication from the board has been found wanting. The board really do need to improve this area and maybe the setting up of a Communications committee might go some way to start getting this aspect right.

Thanks for the update - shame it needed to come via this route. I remember the early days of the U21 initiative when younger players were brought in to make up the numbers, and it was seen as undesirable at the time, given safeguarding concerns / physical challenges. That setup did allow a number of overage players anyway, but not many "reserve" players from the first team seemed willing to step down to this level.

It would be interesting for those making these decisions to reveal the background to them, and to compare and contrast with other clubs who operate U18 and reserve / development sides.

[bozzer]

That’s great news that this has all been agreed and set up, I assumed we would be updated when it had done so. As we continue it is vital to bring new players through of the quality for the first team.
I think that our success on the pitch has not helped our pathway, eg if we were at step 4 and the current 21s who are a good step 5 standard would be pushing for first team starts but the top end of step 3 is a bit too far at the moment so any ways to change that would be great.