One Shot: The Football Factory (Sky Documentaries)

[lwl]

Just finished episode 1 and about to start the second. Thoroughly enjoyed the first and, as the father of a young football daft kid who talks about wanting to be a footballer (no different to a million others), watched it with interest and as an insight into how hard it is to make it into the system - less than 1% manage to get signed, is the quoted figure, although I'm not sure if that's England, UK or World-wide.

The show is London-centric. I wonder if there are posters on here who have been through it all up here (successfully or otherwise), that have watched and can relate? Is it harder in Scotland (perhaps due to less clubs) or 'easier' for want of a better word (maybe because there's a smaller population so less competition).

But apart from all that, give it a watch if you like football documentaries. Four episodes available to download now.

 

[Tony75tfc]

Me and my boy watched the 4 episodes on sunday night , really good documentary

 

[Monty_greenock34]

Its all wrong up here.

My boy who is 11 has been picked to trial with morton and never won a "contract" despite them never playing him in a game for the 6 week trial.

6 months later my boy was approached by motherwell and again asked to train for 8 weeks. Again they never played him in a game and told us he didnt do quite enough for a contract.

To say its shot his confidence is an understatement. Ive known boys who have been taken to celtic and Rangers and then dumped after 10 weeks.

Boys are connon fodder and in every pro youth team the coaches will have about 3 who they think could make it, the rest are there to make the numbers up.

Its a poor set up up here imo.

 

[Tony75tfc]

Its all wrong up here.

My boy who is 11 has been picked to trial with morton and never won a "contract" despite them never playing him in a game for the 6 week trial.

6 months later my boy was approached by motherwell and again asked to train for 8 weeks. Again they never played him in a game and told us he didnt do quite enough for a contract.

To say its shot his confidence is an understatement. Ive known boys who have been taken to celtic and Rangers and then dumped after 10 weeks.

Boys are connon fodder and in every pro youth team the coaches will have about 3 who they think could make it, the rest are there to make the numbers up.

Its a poor set up up here imo.

Pro youth set up doesnt work imo , i coached for 10 yrs and we had lads poached away from us by pro clubs and the parents couldnt wait to take the boys away even after we gave them advice to stay put as they wouldnt play And sure enough 10 weeks later a few of them were back ,you do get the odd 1 or 2 make it which is great as a coach to see but most end up back at boys club level , clubs just take numbers of boys and as you say 1 or 2 will make it but the rest get told to leave , i think pro clubs should allow boys to continue playing for their boys club and monitor them

 

[Monty_greenock34]

Pro youth set up doesnt work imo , i coached for 10 yrs and we had lads poached away from us by pro clubs and the parents couldnt wait to take the boys away even after we gave them advice to stay put as they wouldnt play And sure enough 10 weeks later a few of them were back ,you do get the odd 1 or 2 make it which is great as a coach to see but most end up back at boys club level , clubs just take numbers of boys and as you say 1 or 2 will make it but the rest get told to leave , i think pro clubs should allow boys to continue playing for their boys club and monitor them

Yeah i coach my boys team too and it is a good feeling when boys get signed that youve helped.

Too many are taken away and back weeks later. Twice now with my boy and it ruins their confidence.

What happened to stealthly watching a boy for a number of weeks then approach to sign. No need to take them away and give false hope then pap them again after 8 weeks.

 

[lwl]

Pro youth set up doesnt work imo , i coached for 10 yrs and we had lads poached away from us by pro clubs and the parents couldnt wait to take the boys away even after we gave them advice to stay put as they wouldnt play And sure enough 10 weeks later a few of them were back ,you do get the odd 1 or 2 make it which is great as a coach to see but most end up back at boys club level , clubs just take numbers of boys and as you say 1 or 2 will make it but the rest get told to leave , i think pro clubs should allow boys to continue playing for their boys club and monitor them

It must be hard if not impossible to turn down though. There is a high likelihood your boy is going to make up the numbers, but I can’t envisage me advising and steering my boy towards saying “no thanks”, in case that glimmer of a chance never arose again. I guess in that situation you have to go into it with that expectation and look at it as an extended training program where you’re getting the benefit of professional coaching for a short period of time.

 

[Weekender]

Its all wrong up here.

My boy who is 11 has been picked to trial with morton and never won a "contract" despite them never playing him in a game for the 6 week trial.

6 months later my boy was approached by motherwell and again asked to train for 8 weeks. Again they never played him in a game and told us he didnt do quite enough for a contract.

To say its shot his confidence is an understatement. Ive known boys who have been taken to celtic and Rangers and then dumped after 10 weeks.

Boys are connon fodder and in every pro youth team the coaches will have about 3 who they think could make it, the rest are there to make the numbers up.

Its a poor set up up here imo.

Take him to Port Glasgow Junior under 12s . Most senior clubs normally let the players stay at their clubs and have then in for training only occasionally organising a game to see them play. If he's 11 he's young and young players usually progress at different ages they will keep an eye on him and ask the coaches how he is progressing.

 

[lwl]

Take him to Port Glasgow Junior under 12s . Most senior clubs normally let the players stay at their clubs and have then in for training only occasionally organising a game to see them play. If he's 11 he's young and young players usually progress at different ages they will keep an eye on him and ask the coaches how he is progressing.

Do you mention that club, as it is a club that pro teams ‘trust’ as they are known to have a high quality of coach and so they know that they will receive a good standard of coaching outwits the academy?

 

[Weekender]

Do you mention that club, as it is a club that pro teams ‘trust’ as they are known to have a high quality of coach and so they know that they will receive a good standard of coaching outwits the academy?

Steven Kelly played for their youth teams and his dad was his coach along with another top guy.
Lewis Morgan played as well
Top coaches.

 

[Monty_greenock34]

Take him to Port Glasgow Junior under 12s . Most senior clubs normally let the players stay at their clubs and have then in for training only occasionally organising a game to see them play. If he's 11 he's young and young players usually progress at different ages they will keep an eye on him and ask the coaches how he is progressing.

My boy does play for port juniors 2011s. Thats the team i help coach.

Its just all backwards the way it works imo. Boys should be playing boys club till they are 15.

We had a boy who was then signed with celtic, he wasnt allowed to train or play with us after that.

 

[lwl]

Steven Kelly played for their youth teams and his dad was his coach along with another top guy.
Lewis Morgan played as well
Top coaches.

But are there certain clubs, like the one you’ve mentioned, that pro teams will allow boys to continue to play for while on their books (because they know and rate the coaches) as opposed to other clubs that they will not allow that to happen with?

 

[Blue Steel]

My boy was taken I at Hamilton at 5 and played there for over 3 years and St Mirren from 7 until was 10 , his had a appendicitis and didn’t play for months when 8 , lost the physical side after that , But by time he was let go by St Mirren he had been in that set up for half his life , It only really benefits the clubs and takes the enjoyment out of the game . The smaller clubs just wait for boys let go by us and them tbh .

 

[lwl]

My boy was taken I at Hamilton at 5 and played there for over 3 years and St Mirren from 7 until was 10 , his had a appendicitis and didn’t play for months when 8 , lost the physical side after that , But by time he was let go by St Mirren he had been in that set up for half his life , It only really benefits the clubs and takes the enjoyment out of the game . The smaller clubs just wait for boys let go by us and them tbh .

If you could turn the clock back, would you do anything different? Or would you put him back into the system for nothing more than the quality of coaching (for example)?

 

[Kempo01]

Teams at pro youth are set up to cater for 1 or 2 players the rest are there to make up the numbers.

Most are released and generally lose confidence or become disillusioned with the game.

I don't think there should be any pro youth teams until u15s IMO.

This would enable players to develop at their club sides without added pressure and enable them to play with they're school team and friends which they are unable to do when pro youth.

 

[Davie Weir]

Think it’s mental that we have boys as young as 5 playing in football academies and scouted by teams. Players should be allowed to develop naturally until a certain age imo. No use having boys who’re obviously good players in academies from 5 and being dropped by the time they’re 10.

 

[Blue Steel]

If you could turn the clock back, would you do anything different? Or would you put him back into the system for nothing more than the quality of coaching (for example)?

Yes mate , I would tbh , as a parent you are proud to have a kid plays for a pro club etc , but for me at the highest possible level club football for as long as possible , but in saying that there are a few boys clubs were the pressure is just as great , Coaching is good at Pro clubs but focus is always for them to find the next talent , vary rarely enhance the talent they have .

 

[Blue Steel]

I’m lucky in the fact that my boy still loves the game , and plays at high level club wise and enjoys it . I would say that anyone going into Pro youth say to club you want them to continue to play for boys club at same time , I know so many as my boy did trained with 2 Prob clubs and think it’s two lots of high level coaching , it maybe but it usually means even more pressure also , they have to have an outlet when playing the game and it still has to be for fun .