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Saints open development centre in north Devon


Matthew Le God

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I believe Saints are doing things like this throughout the south of England (including in London boroughs) and building up a large network of centres...

 

http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/Soccer-School-forges-Premier-League-link/story-21749307-detail/story.html

 

The reputation of our academy, high quality facilities at Staplewood training ground and the pathway into the 1st team gives us a big advantage and a vast catchment area.

Edited by Matthew Le God
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Although good for us. Not good for plymouth and Exeter, Torquay.

 

Just imagine when we were in league 1 and say a London prem club did the same in Eastleigh. We would not be happy

They already do and have for years. Chelsea run academy close to here

and send scouts to Tyro/Testway/CSYL games regularly.

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They already do and have for years. Chelsea run academy close to here

and send scouts to Tyro/Testway/CSYL games regularly.

 

And to local 6 a side tournaments for kids,although they are not the only ones

Saw Saints, Chelsea, Fulham, Bournemouth, Brighton and Arse Scouts in last 12 months

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I'm not happy about that.;)

 

Mind you, nothing really to worry about there, as our academy offers much more than Chelski's in terms of potential advancement into the first team and therefore a better career move.

 

in your eyes, maybe

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in your eyes, maybe

 

Nope in most...three of the best in my opinion are West Ham, Fulham and Brentford. Fulham under the leadership of Elias produce some great kids, they play very good football. Brentford are very well run and are lucky as they pick up kids released from Arsenal, Chelsea etc who are good but not quite ready but develop well away from the spotlight of those bigger sides full of foreign youngsters.

Edited by Give it to Ron
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Told you this 3 weeks ago and that we signed a young centre half from Plymouth for some serious dosh.

You can check my posts because I cant be assed.

I did check the posts and you posted this 29th June:

 

Maybe the wrong thread but we have just tied up a deal with a kids soccer school to have first refusal on its youngsters. We have paid a serious amount of money for a 14 year old centre half of which the proceeds go to Plymouth I believe as he was on their books.

Aston Villa also wanted the deal with the school but we were chosen.

Perhaps this 14 year old can be a ready made replacement for Lovren come August.

 

So well done, a few ITK points coming your way no doubt.

 

Do you know the name of the CB centre half here ? Reason I ask is that one of the articles posted yesterday referred to a player who had previously signed for Villa but returned home due to home sickness. Just wondered if we'd stepped in and offered him the chance to stay on the coast with coastal air.

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I believe Saints are doing things like this throughout the south of England (including in London boroughs) and building up a large network of centres...

 

 

 

The reputation of our academy, high quality facilities at Staplewood training ground and the pathway into the 1st team gives us a big advantage and a vast catchment area.

 

We always used to have one in London, during Lawrie's day it was overseen by Bob Higgins and brought us many players, most notably Steve Williams, and the Wallaces.

 

I wonder if we still have a network or centre in the north east. Anyone know ?

 

I thought we needed special dispensation to open the satellite academy in Bath due to the catchment area restrictions. Do the same issue not apply to the new centre?

 

I wondered about this too. Perhaps Cotterill or his chairman will be on AA routefinder working out the distance from Ashton Gate to tell us.

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I thought we needed special dispensation to open the satellite academy in Bath due to the catchment area restrictions. Do the same issue not apply to the new centre?

I would expect that, with the new EPPP stuff, as a Category 1 Academy we can more or less do what we want.

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I would expect that, with the new EPPP stuff, as a Category 1 Academy we can more or less do what we want.

 

This really. A bit naive to think but perhaps it could work in partnership with some of the smaller devon sides? We work with a group, the best of the bunch come to us, we send those that have not made it their way. Who knows we may have missed a real late bloomer or simply a few who may make it at a decent level but not quite in the premiership ....

 

Echo the sentiments about the first team squad needing attention but, it's that word of the moment, 'holistic' approach to a club. Whether or not you trust our first team will be in good shape come the end of the window (I do, others don't, opinions ...) I see no reason we should not also be seeking to develop other areas of the club - especially considering it is our academy,and the respective satellites, that have produced some of the best players we have seen in saints shirts (and, arguably, one of the world's best!).

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This really. A bit naive to think but perhaps it could work in partnership with some of the smaller devon sides? We work with a group, the best of the bunch come to us, we send those that have not made it their way. Who knows we may have missed a real late bloomer or simply a few who may make it at a decent level but not quite in the premiership ....

 

Echo the sentiments about the first team squad needing attention but, it's that word of the moment, 'holistic' approach to a club. Whether or not you trust our first team will be in good shape come the end of the window (I do, others don't, opinions ...) I see no reason we should not also be seeking to develop other areas of the club - especially considering it is our academy,and the respective satellites, that have produced some of the best players we have seen in saints shirts (and, arguably, one of the world's best!).

Agreed, just because the focus of the media and fans is (rightly) on the first team squad, that doesn't mean that the rest of the club stops what it's doing. It's often said that if you stand still in football you'll actually be going backwards because other clubs will overtake you rings true at all levels of the game - if we don't make sure we're doing everything we can to recruit the best talent, you can bet your house that another club will get in there ahead of us.

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in your eyes, maybe

 

So we've recently produced Bale, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ward-Prowse, Chambers, Gallagher, Reed, etc, and had them introduced into our first team quite early on in their careers. There is the next wave just beginning to make their presence felt at the moment.

 

I await with eager anticipation your comparable list of youngsters who have made their way into the Chelski team.

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So we've recently produced Bale, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ward-Prowse, Chambers, Gallagher, Reed, etc, and had them introduced into our first team quite early on in their careers. There is the next wave just beginning to make their presence felt at the moment.

 

I await with eager anticipation your comparable list of youngsters who have made their way into the Chelski team.

 

part of the development of bale, walcott etc can be put down to spurs and arsenal

we never sold a marauding forward player to spurs. we sold a good young attacking left back.

 

some chelsea youth team players are on more than our first team.

I wonder if they would rather be at saints right now..?

some of their young players may never play for chelsea but secure massive moves to top clubs in europe

im not saying chelsea are better but to dismiss them out of hand is daft

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Although good for us. Not good for plymouth and Exeter, Torquay.

 

Just imagine when we were in league 1 and say a London prem club did the same in Eastleigh. We would not be happy

 

Hang on, the Devon sides have had years to get their act together and provide a decent outlet for local lads. I can not name many boys who have come out of their academies who have gone on to great things. There is a big slice of England served by under achieving clubs that probably needs a good provider to go in a help nurture the local talent. Leaving the Devon clubs to their own devices hasn't worked so maybe a bit of competition may make them up their game. They will also benefit from the lads that just fall short.

 

I say this as a son of an Argyle fan who had a soft spot for the club.

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Hang on, the Devon sides have had years to get their act together and provide a decent outlet for local lads. I can not name many boys who have come out of their academies who have gone on to great things. .

 

I've made this point when talking to A Bristol City supporter after Cotterill/Chairman Lansdowns comments re us in Bath. When did either Bristol club nurture local talent that went on to make a name for themselves in the top flight ?

 

By my recollection it was the Mabbutt brothers, late 70's/early 80's.

 

And as another twist of the knife for Clotterill etc, the more sucessful of the two was Gary Mabbutt who came from Rovers.

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Hang on, the Devon sides have had years to get their act together and provide a decent outlet for local lads. I can not name many boys who have come out of their academies who have gone on to great things. There is a big slice of England served by under achieving clubs that probably needs a good provider to go in a help nurture the local talent. Leaving the Devon clubs to their own devices hasn't worked so maybe a bit of competition may make them up their game. They will also benefit from the lads that just fall short.

 

I say this as a son of an Argyle fan who had a soft spot for the club.

 

I would suggest that the Devon teams are doing something right

 

Gallagher, Stephens, the other defender, this keeper from torquay were all from their academies for us to take

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I would suggest that the Devon teams are doing something right

 

Gallagher, Stephens, the other defender, this keeper from torquay were all from their academies for us to take

 

i think you proved my point. I can think of Paul Wotton, Mickey Evans and Nicky Marker; good players but not a great return from a large part of England.

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