Academy - Most popular for 2008
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Readers of this blog will know how much I detest Arsene Wenger and his policy of stealing the
youth players of other clubs. I know other clubs do it too (Chelsea is another notable example),
but Arsenal do it every other day. In fact, I protested this post that praised Arsenal's youth
system chiefly because Arsenal's youth system is really just Arsene systematically purchasing well
known young prospects from other clubs.
Games with Chelsea tend to be quite memorable and hyped up. Little, however, was made of the most
recent encounter between the two clubs. Admittedly it was the two sides' reserve teams that met
yet, given that they play in different sections of the league, it was an unusual encounter
nevertheless.
It may still turn out to be a memorable one, however, as the friendly featured the first reserve
team appearance of Lauri Della Valle.
There were many dissenting voices to my article about the academy and whether players coming
through it are being ostracized both in the comments on this blog as well as on the forums that
picked it up.
The main arguments were that, if good enough, players will come through and, even though I've got
my reservations about that (would Jamie Carragher have made it at Liverpool if he'd come through
now?
Last week I was critical of the current situation with the reserves and how the over-crowding there
was preventing promising academy players from making the step up. Thankfully there's since been
some excellent news in that Nathan Eccleston has been promoted to the Melwood set-up. Here's what
the official site had to say:
Nathan Eccleston has become the latest Academy graduate to make the move to Melwood on
a permanent basis.
Liverpool's reserves lost in the league for the first time in over a year last week, a record that
brings back happy memories of an era where the second string used to routinely win the Pontins
League under the guidance of future first team manager Roy Evans.
The strategy back then was also very similar tot e one that Rafael Benitez has been adopting even
if the range of nationalities has been widened drastically.
Home Farm. The name of the amateur Irish side (that has sadly fallen on to troubled times) can
still elicit wonderful memories partly due to the idyllic sounding name but largely because, as a
kid, my sticker album used to inform me that it was the club that sold Ronnie Whelan to
Liverpool.
Whelan, you see, was one of my favourite players back then: I've always been a fan of the
hardworking midfielder type.
In what should be seen as a landmark moment in MLS player development, the Red Bulls are set to
make their youth academies free to all participants. This decision will make the Red Bulls the
first MLS team to do so.
The standard structure for MLS youth programs has been similar to traditional youth programs,
where players pay fees and costs to be a part of the club, but now the Red Bulls have become the
first pro club to waive these fees and pick up costs for all players.
Liverpool's Academy has just signed an agreement of co-operation with the Irish club St Kevins Boys
FC. Football director and St Kevins, Ken Donohoe, talks about his club.
About St Kevins Boys Football Club
St Kevins Boys Football Club was founded in 1959.
The Chelsea youngstas booked a place in the FA Youth Cup semifinals Tuesday night.
They dominated Port Vale 5-2 at Vale Park, a sublime hat-trick from Frenchman Gael Kakuta the
highlight of the night. Morten Neilsen and Miroslav Stoch added to the tally.
Vale scored boths of its goals in the second half, the first through Jonathan Compton on a
penalty while the second came via a Danny Glover of Lethal Weapon fame free-kick.
Home Farm. The name of the amateur Irish side (that has sadly fallen on to troubled times) can
still elicit wonderful memories partly due to the idyllic sounding name but largely because, as a
kid, my sticker album used to inform me that it was the club that sold Ronnie Whelan to
Liverpool.
Whelan, you see, was one of my favourite players back then: I've always been a fan of the
hardworking midfielder type.
Liverpool's Academy has just signed an agreement of co-operation with the Irish club St Kevins Boys
FC. Football director and St Kevins, Ken Donohoe, talks about his club.
About St Kevins Boys Football Club
St Kevins Boys Football Club was founded in 1959.
