Quote Originally Posted by lardy View Post
I broadly agree but differ on the conclusion.

I don't think that results matter at all or give any indication. Coming top rather than midtable might show that the team is getting stronger, but this is about developing, realistically, one player from an age group and not a team. And even then, getting a regular one from each age group good enough for the first team squad is a ridiculously successful strikerate. How well they all perform as a team doesn't have a bearing on that one stand-out player.

You might say that a strong team has more of a chance of having a stand-out player in. Maybe it's true and I'd like to see what the evidence says. Given that a major attribute for making it is ambition/drive/workrate, it may be hard to see this at a young age.

I agree with you that results at u9 u10 or even u15 mean nothing at all and give no insight into how many players may make the grade in the futute but ambition/drive/workrate are what the coaches are trying to instill at a younger age to give the kids a mindset for success.

Like i said earlier, these young kids are continually being pushed where you often see kids playing 1, 2 and even 3 years up in order to challenge the kids progress.

I think a strong team is far more likely to produce a strong player cos i have seen how this internal competition is pushing the players on collectively and individually.

I know that the aim of the academy staff is to present the kids with challenges in order to put demands on the kids mentally to kind of condition them so they can cope with the mental rigours of their development.

It's a tough world and having witnessed it fairly closely i have nothing but respect for any footballer who makes it all the way to the professional game.