The Alkass International Cup winning squad of 2019

ssblue

Well-Known Member
Next month it will be 3 years since the young lads won this prestigious youth tournament.

From @elfideldo's excellent blog this was his views on the prospects at the time.


These lads are now 18/19. Some have now played 1st team, some have moved on.
 
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Thanks gained some decent background on that link mate .

Lot of good players and as well as the ones we now know I’m encouraged by Miller and Lyall who I expect can do well
 
Gilmour and Patterson both went to SFA Performance schools and have been our best talents in recent years.

I also note that Lowry is at Braidhurst, which is also an SFA Performance School. It looks like an SFA initiative might be finally paying off.

On a separate note, Jay Hogarth seems to have developed rapidly. Can’t see a way for Lewis Budd to progress as Hogarth seems to have outgrown him.
 
It's all gone quiet on the Dickson front. Never onew Leon King was known as Leon Thompson back then
 
Chris McKee scored for Linfield yesterday.

Adam Devine now captain of the B team, he is the next one I'm hoping to be making a step up in the next year.
 
Gilmour and Patterson both went to SFA Performance schools and have been our best talents in recent years.

I also note that Lowry is at Braidhurst, which is also an SFA Performance School. It looks like an SFA initiative might be finally paying off.

On a separate note, Jay Hogarth seems to have developed rapidly. Can’t see a way for Lewis Budd to progress as Hogarth seems to have outgrown him.

Two of my nephews are at these, have high hopes for them making it, the set up and coaching they get is superb, the SFA haven’t got much right but these definitely seem to be working.
 
Next month it will be 3 years since the young lads won this prestigious youth tournament.

From @elfideldo's excellent blog this was his views on the prospects at the time.


These lads are now 18/19. Some have now played 1st team, some have moved on.
remember watching this on youtube

they where very impressive
 
Two of my nephews are at these, have high hopes for them making it, the set up and coaching they get is superb, the SFA haven’t got much right but these definitely seem to be working.

That's encouraging. Scotland and Rangers are long overdue a good crop of young players coming through the system.

I have hopes that Gilmour and Patterson are just the beginning
 
I think he would have been fine had it not been for the Covid restrictions mate. Bad enough being a bit homesick but when there's no prospect of a trip home to ease that it simply amplifies things.
100%

Tbh, I don't really know how I would've coped being at the other end of the country from my family & all this carry on started at my age (in my 50s) never mind at his. A month or so may have been do-able, but long term? Not a chance!
 
That's encouraging. Scotland and Rangers are long overdue a good crop of young players coming through the system.

I have hopes that Gilmour and Patterson are just the beginning

When you see the list of Scotland squads these days there is some amount of youngsters that come through the performance schools.

I do think we’ll get a lot more coming through, the boys these days are dedicated and look after themselves, everyone I knew growing up who was good fucked it up by hitting the bevvy and eccies!
 
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Gilmour and Patterson both went to SFA Performance schools and have been our best talents in recent years.

I also note that Lowry is at Braidhurst, which is also an SFA Performance School. It looks like an SFA initiative might be finally paying off.

On a separate note, Jay Hogarth seems to have developed rapidly. Can’t see a way for Lewis Budd to progress as Hogarth seems to have outgrown him.
Can you explain what these schools actually do?
I thought we tried to put young lads to a certain school (can’t remember the name), and celtic did the same.
Are these SFA schools similar?
 
Can you explain what these schools actually do?
I thought we tried to put young lads to a certain school (can’t remember the name), and celtic did the same.
Are these SFA schools similar?
The seven performance schools across Scotland each run a programme in partnership with the Scottish FA for boys and girls within the S1 to S4 age groups. Every year, each school will select a number of the most talented under-12 players to join the programme. Over a four-year period, this will provide the most talented young footballers throughout the country with an extra 800 hours of coaching.

Each school has a full-time elite youth coach who has overall responsibility for the delivery of the programmes. Each coach in turn is supported by a range of national team and club coaches, sport scientists and other specialist experts.

Coaching takes place during regular school hours within an appropriate timetable that compliments their academic studies and their club football team. Although the primary focus is on developing elite young players it is important to understand that the programme is also about the young person and player.

On average pupils will be training between 75 to 90 minutes each day. Daily coaching will consist of four main components, which are delivered in an integrated way and focus on the development of:

  • Technical skills (passing, dribbling, moving with the ball)
  • Tactical skills (defending, attacking, decision making, game awareness)
  • Physical skills (co-ordination, balance, speed, agility)
  • Mental skills (mindset, perseverance, focus, discipline)
The results are monitored regularly (through skills tests, report cards and parents evenings) to provide support to the pupils’ development from both a playing and academic point of view.
 
Can you explain what these schools actually do?
I thought we tried to put young lads to a certain school (can’t remember the name), and celtic did the same.
Are these SFA schools similar?
I think you are thinking of Boclair academy.
 
Gilmour and Patterson both went to SFA Performance schools and have been our best talents in recent years.

I also note that Lowry is at Braidhurst, which is also an SFA Performance School. It looks like an SFA initiative might be finally paying off.

On a separate note, Jay Hogarth seems to have developed rapidly. Can’t see a way for Lewis Budd to progress as Hogarth seems to have outgrown him.
The Performance school is a good programme and one I think should continue.

The only thing I’d say about players that I know of from Rangers and other clubs who were part of programme and have made the break through at first team level, would be that I think there’s a high chance they’d have broke through even if the Performance School wasn’t a thing.

It certainly won’t have done them any harm though.
 
When you see the list of Scotland squads these days there is some amount of youngsters that come through the performance schools.

I do think we’ll get a lot more coming through, the boys these days are dedicated and look after themselves, everyone I knew growing up who was good fucked it up by hitting the bevvy and eccies!
I agree , but too much of a closed shop tbh for kids that aren’t at that level at that age , so many playing youth team football , not a chance of getting the level of coaching or development , these boys get .
 
The seven performance schools across Scotland each run a programme in partnership with the Scottish FA for boys and girls within the S1 to S4 age groups. Every year, each school will select a number of the most talented under-12 players to join the programme. Over a four-year period, this will provide the most talented young footballers throughout the country with an extra 800 hours of coaching.

Each school has a full-time elite youth coach who has overall responsibility for the delivery of the programmes. Each coach in turn is supported by a range of national team and club coaches, sport scientists and other specialist experts.

Coaching takes place during regular school hours within an appropriate timetable that compliments their academic studies and their club football team. Although the primary focus is on developing elite young players it is important to understand that the programme is also about the young person and player.

On average pupils will be training between 75 to 90 minutes each day. Daily coaching will consist of four main components, which are delivered in an integrated way and focus on the development of:

  • Technical skills (passing, dribbling, moving with the ball)
  • Tactical skills (defending, attacking, decision making, game awareness)
  • Physical skills (co-ordination, balance, speed, agility)
  • Mental skills (mindset, perseverance, focus, discipline)
The results are monitored regularly (through skills tests, report cards and parents evenings) to provide support to the pupils’ development from both a playing and academic point of view.
That's a good summation of what they do. My son is an S1 and was lucky enough to gain a spot at one. One of the major plus points for me was that my son's pro-youth club couldn't hide them from developing as they all want to make the kids good but not good enough that other clubs come in and poach them. My son has so many top class coaches that he will or will not make it on merit.
 
That's a good summation of what they do. My son is an S1 and was lucky enough to gain a spot at one. One of the major plus points for me was that my son's pro-youth club couldn't hide them from developing as they all want to make the kids good but not good enough that other clubs come in and poach them. My son has so many top class coaches that he will or will not make it on merit.
It sure is, I copied and pasted from the SFA website lol:))

All the best to your son.
 
Thanks for the answers, all I would say is….. not much good when Scott Gemmell then tell you to boot the ball up the park!!!

Scotland does seem to be producing better youngsters and it’s good to see.
 
Ciaran Dickson is the prime example of a bit of “fame” going to your head. Some of these youth players think they’re gods gift to the world.
Aye.

I know a couple of others as well, on the other hand I know a few guys who genuinely gave it 100% and lived like professionals but fell out of the youth system.
 
That's a good summation of what they do. My son is an S1 and was lucky enough to gain a spot at one. One of the major plus points for me was that my son's pro-youth club couldn't hide them from developing as they all want to make the kids good but not good enough that other clubs come in and poach them. My son has so many top class coaches that he will or will not make it on merit.

I wouldn’t say that's the outlook of every academy. Would be a bit messed up if that's how the one he's at approach things.
 
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