Decision time for 2nd year apprentices (merged)

[Lyndhurst Road End]

A few years younger, but heard a couple of weeks ago that a MAP player (striker) was on a 6 week trial at Southampton, made his debut vs Chelsea.

These prem teams really do have there eyes everywhere.

Think I wrote on this thread very early on ( or a similar thread)
The Lad also scored for Southampton last week.

The big issue is ON OUR OWN DOORSTEP! A local based training academy has kid's from the age of 5 upwards training. I would say maybe 100 or so. And these lads are at the higher end of the scale for thier ages. Kid's who should be at the biggest league club this side of Bristol! Parents who have children there say it's better than Argyle's set up (+ plus not tied to the club, so can have trials at a number of clubs and play games against clubs), added to Exeters set up we are behind them both. Argyle know all about it. I don't see us getting much luck in home grown talent for a long time . And A Cusack has just joined them.

 

[Lyndhurst Road End]

Is Cusack going to Exeter, as that would be an absolute kick in the proverbials?
What age did he work with?

No, more local and possibly a bigger kick in the teeth it may be said. But let's hope it's a big wake up call.

 

[Ottawa Green]

Are you talking about http://independentfootballacademy.co.uk/

 

[Lyndhurst Road End]

Are you talking about http://independentfootballacademy.co.uk/

Yep

 

[ming the merciless]

Is Cusack going to Exeter, as that would be an absolute kick in the proverbials?
What age did he work with?

No, more local and possibly a bigger kick in the teeth it may be said. But let's hope it's a big wake up call.

I know a couple of lads that have been there. I've been told it's really good. As for the wake up call I think it's more like a long term repeating, snoozed wake up call. Argyle don't seem to realise they have to compete to get the best lads. The competition is very strong and it will only get stronger. They need to up their game. It's as simple as that. I really hope they do as for me a vibrant, thriving youth system is how I measure the long term health of the club.

 

[Kentishgreen]

It happens. We missed Trevor Francis but got Paul Mariner we missed Ryan Leonard but got Curtis Nelson. No system or person is infallible. It seems harsh but if they're good enough they'll make it, hopefully with us, or someone else, if not they won't. That's part of the problem with today's society. Everyone wants to be rich and famous and no one wants to do the hard yards. That's why we have Latvians working on Cornish trawlers and Lithuanians cutting sugar beet in East Anglia

 

[Pele10]

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/we-want ... story.html

 

[Lyndhurst Road End]

It happens. We missed Trevor Francis but got Paul Mariner we missed Ryan Leonard but got Curtis Nelson. No system or person is infallible. It seems harsh but if they're good enough they'll make it, hopefully with us, or someone else, if not they won't. That's part of the problem with today's society. Everyone wants to be rich and famous and no one wants to do the hard yards. That's why we have Latvians working on Cornish trawlers and Lithuanians cutting sugar beet in East Anglia

"If they're good enough they'll make it ", well if they are on our doorstep to begin with then we should be the club they make it with. Time will tell

 

[jerryatricjanner]

It happens. We missed Trevor Francis but got Paul Mariner we missed Ryan Leonard but got Curtis Nelson. No system or person is infallible. It seems harsh but if they're good enough they'll make it, hopefully with us, or someone else, if not they won't. That's part of the problem with today's society. Everyone wants to be rich and famous and no one wants to do the hard yards. That's why we have Latvians working on Cornish trawlers and Lithuanians cutting sugar beet in East Anglia

I don't think we missed Leonard, we let him go as a Championship or League 1 club I remember.

 

[TynanWozGr8]

Parents who have children there say it's better than Argyle's set up (+ plus not tied to the club, so can have trials at a number of clubs and play games against clubs), added to Exeters set up we are behind them both. Argyle know all about it. I don't see us getting much luck in home grown talent for a long time . And A Cusack has just joined them.[/quote]



I know I have been repeating myself on this but it is time some on here accepted the facts.

Our academy is so old school in its training methods and techniques its positively Victorian compared to progressive academies - for example as of two years ago after training our apprentices spent time doing menial jobs around Home Park and then leaving early. In these other academies they do not do those jobs but instead do strength and condition, fitness testing, tactical sessions, video analysis, additional coaching and a level 3 BTec. 1.5 - 2 hours 5 days a week over two years at the academy is an additional 700 - 850 hours of extra coaching, training etc and then we wonder why we are not producing.

Aaron Cussack is a MASSIVE loss

 

[HC Green]

Parents who have children there say it's better than Argyle's set up (+ plus not tied to the club, so can have trials at a number of clubs and play games against clubs), added to Exeters set up we are behind them both. Argyle know all about it. I don't see us getting much luck in home grown talent for a long time . And A Cusack has just joined them.

I know I have been repeating myself on this but it is time some on here accepted the facts.

Our academy is so old school in its training methods and techniques its positively Victorian compared to progressive academies - for example as of two years ago after training our apprentices spent time doing menial jobs around Home Park and then leaving early. In these other academies they do not do those jobs but instead do strength and condition, fitness testing, tactical sessions, video analysis, additional coaching and a level 3 BTec. 1.5 - 2 hours 5 days a week over two years at the academy is an additional 700 - 850 hours of extra coaching, training etc and then we wonder why we are not producing.

Aaron Cussack is a MASSIVE loss[/quote]

I may be missing something but:
1) How does the independent Academy finance itself.
2) If it isn't tied to any Club what is to stop Argyle signing one of their products.

 

[MarkMatthews]

It happens. We missed Trevor Francis but got Paul Mariner we missed Ryan Leonard but got Curtis Nelson. No system or person is infallible. It seems harsh but if they're good enough they'll make it, hopefully with us, or someone else, if not they won't. That's part of the problem with today's society. Everyone wants to be rich and famous and no one wants to do the hard yards. That's why we have Latvians working on Cornish trawlers and Lithuanians cutting sugar beet in East Anglia

I don't think we missed Leonard, we let him go as a Championship or League 1 club I remember.

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: We released him after we knew we would be playing L2 football. This is one of those occasions where "the coaches who rarely get it wrong," got it wrong.

 

[Pele10]

Training facilities crap - fact
Return from Academy crap -fact (recent years)
Academy reputation (reading this thread) crap

Why would A Cusack leave? :funny:

Reading up on the Independent Football Academy (http://independentfootballacademy.co.uk/), they also do decent trips (http://independentfootballacademy.co.uk ... and-games/) I have to say that If I had a 10-14 year old son showing promise, it would be the route I would like to take him (understand difficult when the fascination is to sign for a professional team, especially your local one).
Purely for the reason, how many boys actually make it as a professional ie make a career out of it....maybe one in fifty or sixty?
So if 15 boys in an age group at 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16s, maths says two will have a career

All the very best to the boy who is on trial for Southampton at the moment...is it not too late to send in the top salesmen from the club, or even DA? :scarf:

 

[DartPilgrim]

It happens. We missed Trevor Francis but got Paul Mariner we missed Ryan Leonard but got Curtis Nelson. No system or person is infallible. It seems harsh but if they're good enough they'll make it, hopefully with us, or someone else, if not they won't. That's part of the problem with today's society. Everyone wants to be rich and famous and no one wants to do the hard yards. That's why we have Latvians working on Cornish trawlers and Lithuanians cutting sugar beet in East Anglia

I don't think we missed Leonard, we let him go as a Championship or League 1 club I remember.

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: We released him after we knew we would be playing L2 football. This is one of those occasions where "the coaches who rarely get it wrong," got it wrong.

As i posted previously Mark , Ryan Leonard was released whilst the club was in administration , Peter Reid was our manager and Peter Ridsdale was still involved at the club , it is highly likely Ryan was released to cut back on costs at that time , i don't believe there is any evidence to say his release was a decision based on football ability .

 

[MarkMatthews]

It happens. We missed Trevor Francis but got Paul Mariner we missed Ryan Leonard but got Curtis Nelson. No system or person is infallible. It seems harsh but if they're good enough they'll make it, hopefully with us, or someone else, if not they won't. That's part of the problem with today's society. Everyone wants to be rich and famous and no one wants to do the hard yards. That's why we have Latvians working on Cornish trawlers and Lithuanians cutting sugar beet in East Anglia

I don't think we missed Leonard, we let him go as a Championship or League 1 club I remember.

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: We released him after we knew we would be playing L2 football. This is one of those occasions where "the coaches who rarely get it wrong," got it wrong.

As i posted previously Mark , Ryan Leonard was released whilst the club was in administration , Peter Reid was our manager and Peter Ridsdale was still involved at the club , it is highly likely Ryan was released to cut back on costs at that time , i don't believe there is any evidence to say his release was a decision based on football ability .

If they wanted to keep him I'm sure they could/would have. He would not have been on an awful lot of money, he would have probably been one of the last to hold out without pay (I seem to recall an interview he gave the Southend programme where he talked about being an Argyle fan as a boy.) If they thought he had talent then why not sell him even if it was for peanuts as they needed the money?