Will Packwood at Birmingham City FC

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by mike hunt64, Jul 14, 2009.

  1. mike hunt64

    mike hunt64 New Member

    Jul 5, 2008
    Chelmsley Wood, Birm
    Club:
    Birmingham City FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Birmingham City Football Club have signed up
    Will Packwood. American central midfielder. Has represented his country at Under 17 level.[​IMG]

    ACADEMY SIGN UP FUTURE STARS

    [​IMG] Academy manager Terry Westley
    The latest batch of Academy recruits have put pen to paper on their scholarships as they look to show they've got what it takes to earn a professional contract at Blues.
    The nine 16-year-olds ( signing their deals at St. Andrew's) who hail from a variety of countries, will now attend the club on a full time basis for two years
    Academy manager Terry Westley believes that the club have recruited an excellent batch of players with very good prospects.
    "We've worked hard to recruit these players and they are all of a very high standard," said Westley.




    I wonder if this lad will make the grade, hope so!
     
  2. Pull One Back

    Pull One Back Member

    Oct 24, 2005
    Knoxville, TN
    thanks for the report ..... did some digging and found this existing thread on Packwood:

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=635198

    Thread littered with word play on Packwood's name, but some news there as well ... apparently he's spent some time in the BC youth setup already
     
  3. m vann

    m vann Moderator
    Staff Member

    Colorado Rapids, Celtic FC, & Louisville City
    Sep 10, 2002
    Denver, CO
    Club:
    Celtic FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I got a chance to see Packwood play in the FA Youth Cup semi-finals on Setanta. He started and played 45 minutes against Liverpool. I thought he played well but was subbed off for tactical reasons, I believe, as they were down 2-0. I can't remember if it was the first or second leg, though. He was very good on the ball and played nice and simple. Packwood looked to be plying as a holding or d-mid. Nonetheless, I'm glad he has inked a new scholarship. He appeared to be a professional in the making. Hopefully that will happen this year.
     
  4. UKscouts

    UKscouts Member

    Feb 4, 2008
    I know some guys there and he's very highly regarded.
     
  5. Grumpy in LA

    Grumpy in LA Bringing It Since 1807™

    Sep 10, 2007
    Chicago
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I just hope that someday Will Packwood and Max Cream play for the same team.

    Because, deep down, I'm eleven.
     
  6. Grumpy in LA

    Grumpy in LA Bringing It Since 1807™

    Sep 10, 2007
    Chicago
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [double post that, really, didn't need to be posted the first time]
     
  7. wcssstar33

    wcssstar33 Member

    Aug 28, 2008
    Milwaukee
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So lets play the game of which passport he holds that allows him to be over there!
     
  8. minya

    minya Member

    Mar 27, 2008
    san diego, ca
    Quoting "Meet the parents": " His parents are, probably, wonderful, fascinating people".
     
  9. olephill2

    olephill2 Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Club:
    Watford FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I predict one of two results:

    1) Person A will suggest that the player has an *insert country in the United Kingdom* passport, prompting pedantic Person B to chime in and remind us that said country, along with three others, comprises the sovereign state known as the UK, and that it is UK law that governs the issuance of passports.

    2) Person A will suggest that the player has an EU passport, prompting pedantic Person B to chime and remind us that the EU is an economic and political union and the member nations are the actual issuing parties of passports.
     
  10. CenterLine

    CenterLine Member

    Jan 17, 2009
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I can't believe no one's done it yet!

    I heard he's due back to the States next week to start filming "Camp Rock 2":cool:
     
  11. skilmon

    skilmon Member

    Feb 18, 1999
    Yeah, I was thinking if his football career falls through he can always get a gig as a Jonas Brother.
     
  12. Mullet&Talon

    Mullet&Talon New Member

    Jul 20, 2007
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There are no passport requirements for going to youth academies.
     
  13. Friedel'sAccent

    Friedel'sAccent Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Providence, RI
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In which case I'd remind Person B that scholars of citizenship in the EU refer to "European citizenship" and "EU passports" all the time, and the snarkiness would end then and there and people could continue with the conversaion. :D
     
  14. BishopMVP

    BishopMVP New Member

    Jan 25, 2008
    Father is English. That's Will's (American) mother on his right, our left in the photo. The other girl might be his sister - I only mention her for background, since she still lives and goes to school in Massachusetts, so they've had 1 parent in England and 1 in Mass the past couple years for most of the year. The picture caption at the BCFC site says he played for the US U-17 setup, but I think that's incorrect and he's only played for the U15's so far - a tournament down in Texas (the Dallas Cup?) was the one I heard mentioned because despite being 6'3ish at the time he was still traveling as an unaccompanied minor and amusingly had to be met at the airport by a woman who was at most 5' tall.

    Concord's a pretty good town for youth soccer with a number of players recently going D1, and even here he stood out at the lower levels on some stacked teams that were competing for state championships. Players from those teams who have seen him since say he has improved "by light years" since going over the pond, but I haven't and I'm really not sure I'm qualified to judge above D1 talent anyways. (UKScouts one line should bode better for his pro potential than any essay I could write.) Only NT-quality player I've seen in HS around here was Charlie Davies and that was more a case of a superior athlete than soccer-specific skills. (On 2nd thought I guess I've seen Marcus Tracy and Sheanon Williams at a club level, and they too were superior athletes playing striker.) Will does have height, but I doubt he is or will be a speedster on a professional level. He should have superior touch and awareness compared to many American youth players though - constantly with a ball at his feet growing up.

    Random note on the acting jokes - apparently he was actually the other finalist for the role of Klaus in the Lemony Snicket movie that came out a couple years ago. And no, I don't have any inside info on whether he would choose the USA or England if it came down to it, but I did never get the sense his dad was the type to dislike America or pressure his son into a choice, unlike some notable dual-nationality losses in the past.
     
    soccersubjectively repped this.
  15. Friedel'sAccent

    Friedel'sAccent Member+

    Jul 7, 2006
    Providence, RI
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Concord, Mass? Well, that's where I grew up. Good to see a local boy doing so well!
     
  16. USvsIRELAND

    USvsIRELAND Member+

    Jul 19, 2004
    ATL
    Well it sounds like a good move for him!
     
  17. mtizzle

    mtizzle Member

    Jun 12, 2006
    Conshohocken
    Lemme guess. Holding midfielder?
     
  18. Kool Herc

    Kool Herc Member

    Oct 17, 2008
    Dallas
    Club:
    Leeds United AFC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    :D I'll go on the other end of the spectrum and guess a Maradonna-esque maestro role, and they just sort of call him a central midfielder :)

    Seriously though, good question, anyone know?

    Good to know that UKscout has heard good things from his contacts there.

    Edit:
    just found this from last year:
    ""Will Packwood is another who will be coming into the building full-time next year. He is a central midfield player be played centre back for us on Saturday."
    http://www.bcfc.com/page/Match/AcademyReports/0,,10412~1480478,00.html
     
  19. olephill2

    olephill2 Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Club:
    Watford FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    CM/CB hybrid. haha, there's your answer! ;)
     
  20. mike hunt64

    mike hunt64 New Member

    Jul 5, 2008
    Chelmsley Wood, Birm
    Club:
    Birmingham City FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
  21. USvsIRELAND

    USvsIRELAND Member+

    Jul 19, 2004
    ATL
    Great news.
     
  22. scholes181818

    scholes181818 Member

    Dec 1, 2003
    Kansas City, MO, USA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  23. arsenalfc08

    arsenalfc08 Member

    Mar 14, 2005
    I'll get on ATVO and see if Arsenal have the reserve game/highlights on there. I believe they do. I'll report back if I see/hear anything about Will.
     
  24. arsenalfc08

    arsenalfc08 Member

    Mar 14, 2005
    According to the lineup Will was #6. It looks like he was playing in defense, perhaps a CB. He tried to get in front of Eastwood's shot in the box, shot was wide. Later an Arsenal player played a lovely through ball to Sanchez Watt, who was in between Will and Birmingham's other defender #5. Watt went through on goal and scored leaving Will and #5 in his wake. Traore got the ball down the left after a nice one-two that beat Will, Will tried to keep up with him but Traore was too quick. He got into the box and cut it back for Eastwood to score. Sunu made a 3-0 with another through ball this time from way up in midfield. Will stuck out his leg but missed the ball, it rolled past 2 other defenders, right to Sunu to score.
     
  25. Stogey23

    Stogey23 Member+

    Dec 12, 1998
    San Diego, CA
    What a great experience for a 16/17 year old. I'm so jealous of these kids.
     

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