Count me as one who does not want to see information on the Academy teams. At least until the U-20 level or so... The last thing we need here is a vigorous discussion of the merits and drawbacks of a U16 winger. And the last thing those players need is to read it. Hell, we can't even reasonably judge the merits of a teenager's play against men, how can we expect anything but hyperbole and/or vitriol when discussing their play against boys?
I agree with the cutoff, but also just because I can't see any value or good coming from posting information about minors on the web, with consent or not. More importantly, these kids don't need to see trash talk about them not playing or whatever posted on the web from the plethora of idiocy on display on this site. I would MAYBE like to see jersey numbers and positions posted along with stats, but no personally identifying information.
I would like to see coverage especially if they were at international tourneys or highly rated domestic cups. Would be nice to hear about how people were doing in national team youth teams
Oh, I'm sure we can count on the big soccer community to be mature and restrained in their use of this information...
So I guess that this video of an under 12 tournament in Poland wouldn't be your cup of tea... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Ju8-AzH6I&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Lech Cup 2010: Lech Pozna? - Tottenham Hotspur[/ame] (Saw it on Soccer By Ives)
I'd like to see some coverage of 16 and above. The simply facts are that I'd like to know this stuff and who the players are coming through the pipeline. Second, the reality is that the players need to have microphone shoved in their face and questions asked. It is part of the modern game, and any of the kids that actually make it to the higher levels, including college, will need to have "practice" at this skill. I can say from personal experience the team is very weak at preparing the new players with the media.
Me too! Need more coverage, maybe a weekly or monthly recap with some footage? Maybe highlights of the best players of the week or plays of that week all done in house?
In addition, if clubs are going to be signing home grown players every year and using them as an important part of the squad - as it appears is happening throughout the league, it would be nice to know what kinds of players might be available. I don't plan on going to a bunch of their games and getting into debates about the players. I just would like to know if there are any players that might have a future impact on the full professional squad. This is no different from any other place in the world. I don't see why we need to be any different.
Wow! I assume that the visitors, (Spurs?), were wearing white. White seemed to dominate play, but the blue fans never let up. I was also very impressed with the exchange between the players and fans near the end of the video.
I have parents complaining that I'm too rough on their soft impressionable emotional college players (which I ignore). However, I've spoken to several players in the final 4 and they agree with many of my observations and "criticisms" (his words - I would have said observations) and that provides an area for their self-improvement. When I watch the academy teams, I generally don't publish my notes. However, I was amazed when I saw Najar for the first time. He was at a different level.
Professional soccer players need to have microphones shoved in their face, which is part of the modern game. Absurd would be to protect them, thus allowing them to make fools out of themselves, or even ruining their careers - i.e. Mark Lisi or Freddy Adu.
Just one media training session should do it. Memorize the following: I'm taking it one day at a time. I'll do anything to help my team. I always give 110 percent. It's a privelege to be a member of this fine organization. I'm surrounded by awesomely talented players. Everyone's been so supportive. Etc. - you get the picture.
I couldn't have done this great thing/won this award/scored this goal without the help of my teammates.
I think it would be nice to have some coverage. Its not like we need a http://younggunsblog.co.uk/ blog to track them just a blurb once or twice a month about their results and how people are doing would be good.
You may not like it, but it's a fact. If you're good enough to be interesting to a pro team, you're going to have a mic shoved in your face often enough. You need to be trained to react blandly and 'professionally'. The best recent example I've seen is Freddy Adu. His interviews were perfect. They were smooth and friendly while divulging pretty much nothing.
Sort of a pity that Andy Najar studied so hard/well at English. Having all your comments come through a club-appointed translator could have benefits. Unless you're speaking to a reporter in your native language, I suppose.
also, if you're good enough, you are going to play on the U20 squad and now on the reserve team. Nobody jumps from U16's straight to the first team. And Diceson, your Freddy Adu argument seems to me to weaken your case. That was a youth player with lots of exposure to the press and lots of training on how to deal with it...oddly it has not furthered his on-field career.
well, I do think his good training in media relations helped him get way better jobs than his on-field talent ever really justified. His fabulously over-hyped PR machine certainly helped. It was only when the rubber actually hit the road that his troubles began and his shortcomings began to show up. Microphones in his face are the one problem he seems to be able to handle, it's the ball at his feet that seemingly causes his confusion
Sort of what FB says .. . . . I look at it as a "double-switchback-changeup" type of thing. Adu's presense with the media was so good as a youth players and a young player in MLS that he fooled the media. Was it good for him in the short-term? Absolutely. Is it good for him long-term? That remains to be seen, but I think that in hindisight the major media overhyped him. Over-hyped players in any sport usually end up being ridiculed in the end. Right now most of the major sports media see Adu as a failure. I think the lesson learned for a player would be never over or under hype yourself if you want a long-term career. If you're looking for short-term gains, which is not a bad thing, then play it the way Adu did in his couple of years with DCUnited. The one lesson that the media learned was to never trust DCUnited's PR when it comes to player evaluation. And before anyone says anything, it is NOT the job of the team's PR to hype the players or organization. They should put a positive spin on it, but even stretching the truth, such as has been done over the last couple of years, simply creates distrust with the media and fans. I think that's been pretty obvious with the general tone of threads and posts on BS.com.
I think the Donovan McNabb lesson is a telling one. When he came to the Skins, he was hyped as the second coming. It wasn't just the Skins organization but their media butt boys who bought in. It took some of the sports radio personalities about four or five games more than just us fans to see that he wasn't producing.
OK, this is going off topic, but Donovan McNabb with the Redskins in 2010 was the same problem as "El Muñeco" Gallardo with DC United in 2008: right guy, wrong system/surrounding players. In a West-coast offense, McNabb looked strong, confident and resourceful. In the Shanahan system... not so much.