Newcastle will have a clear out this summer with 12 youngsters being let go, and we'll also lose some first team squad players too. Alan Pardew committed to taking Tyneside club forward The first team players who are likely to leave in the summer include Alan Smith, Peter Lovenkrands, Tamas Kadar, Fraser Forster, Nile Ranger and maybe [.

Elite coaching is an art.

This is my response to reader John, who left an excellent set of comments. The last of which I'll address here.

Specifically:

I'd love to see you talk about specific tactics, Gary. I have no doubt that you are very a bright guy, but I wish you'd share your knowledge with us.

Should they be playing up?

Oh how everyone talks as if they know what "development" is, and how to do it. Sigh ...

Let's talk a little bit about "playing up" and whether it helps or not.

This weekend our U11′s are going to play in a U12 tournament. This isn't the first time competing up either.

"We've made good progress in the last 20 years."

Yes we have, and we should all be happy for it.

However, it's easier going from 40% to 70%, than it is from 70% to 100%.

The first jump involves broad strokes. You know, the "common sense" stuff.

The second jump involves the details.

Peter Beardsley is one of the best local players Newcastle have ever produced, and his standing in the game, as well as at the Newcastle club, give him the unique talents to develop and recruit youngsters on Tyneside. Peter Beardsley Newcastle's new Football Development Manager Peter Beardsley was today appointed as the Football Development Manager and the 50 year-old has [.

We have several recently turned 20 year-olds from our first ever boys team that have true professional-level quality. Years ago, I predicted with 100% certainty that one kid in particular would go all the way. I actually have standing bets with people on this (most notable are $500 on one, and a lobster dinner every month for a whole year with another).

hmmm...

I don't know if real accountability for player development is possible.

What are the metrics?

• Is it how many players you place in college?
• Is it the number that get called to youth national teams?
• Is it the number of professionals you've touched while they were amateur?

It has been announced today that Arsenal FC have just signed up with Barratt Homes to a new development of 375 houses right next door to the Emirates. They will, of course, be luxury private houses and should generate £128m according to reports today. The Arsenal Director Ken Friar said this is "the last piece [.

How do you know a coach is any good at player development? I'm specifically addressing those coaches who are implicitly chartered with that goal.

Well, here it is:
1) The coach must have a clearly possession based style.
2) The coach must be a winning one.

Ben Lederman, a U-11, has been invited to join FC Barcelona's youth Academy!

This will go down as a mark in US Soccer history!

He started his trial with the famed academy Monday, April 11, and just 4 training sessions later, the Director of all 7 v 7 at the club, Andres Carrasco, had made a decision.

A general outline not meant to capture exceptions:

1) Be obsessed with the game.
2) Put in your 10,000 hours.
3) Have coaches for many years at the youth level that can polish you.
4) Debut professionally as a teenager. Again, with a coach that has a clue.

This is a nicely done short film.
And when viewed through the lens of player development ... well you figure it out.

NEW YORK, NY Consistent with US Club Soccer's goal of providing a vehicle through which clubs can offer life-long soccer to their members, the organization has announced the formation of the National Adult Leagues U-20 Division. US Club Soccer's National Adult Leagues is a program comprised of high-quality, competitive and low-cost local leagues for [.

COLUMBUS, OH Columbus Crew veteran Duncan Oughton announced his retirement on Thursday, ending a 10-year career in which he became the longest-serving player in club history. Oughton will join the Crew's front office as the assistant to the technical director, a newly created role in which he will be involved in a variety of [.

VANCOUVER, BC Support is building for staging the 2015 women's World Cup of soccer in Vancouver. At a meeting on Feb. 3, city council will vote on a parks board recommendation to endorse the Canadian Soccer Association's bid to bring the big event to Canada. The bid includes Vancouver as one of the six [.

GENEVA, Switzerland Spanish national and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, along with Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace, Mr. Wilfried Lemke, launched the new comic book "Score the Goals" at the United Nations in Geneva. Following his appointment as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador by Ms.

HOFFENHEIM, Germany — Netherlands defender Edson Braafheid has joined Hoffenheim from Bundesliga rival Bayern Munich. Hoffenheim said the 27-year-old signed a 3 1/2-year contract on Thursday. Braafheid says the transfer is "very important for my further development, particularly with a view to the national team.

WASHINGTON, DC D.C. United going to Baltimore? Not if real estate firm Akridge can help it. The owners of the D.C. United soccer team have spent several years searching for a new soccer stadium deal, including sites in the District, Virginia and Maryland. In the early 2000s, then Mayor Anthony Williams sought to have [.

MOLDE, Norway Rising American soccer star Josh Gatt has officially joined Norwegian Division One professional club Molde FK. Gatt, who signed his first professional contract to play with Austrian club SCR Altach in January of 2010, has emerged this past year as one of the premier young talents in the United States.

Vancouver will bring the European Club model to Major League Soccer in 2011. The structure of the club incorporates a professional first team alongside a developmental residency program and youth squads.