MILLWALL ARE poised to pull the plug on their youth academy, effectively ripping the heart out of a youth development set up that has been the core of successful Lions teams for generations.
American owner John Berylson sensationally revealed to the ‘News’ that he will decide the academy's future in the next fortnight, after ongoing discussions with manager Kenny Jackett and the board, but has warned all concerned at the club to prepare for the worst.
Berylson said: "I'm not going to commit either way at this point, but serious conversations will be ongoing over the coming weeks. People around the club are aware that we are thinking hard and I have told them not to be surprised either way."
Berylson added: "The company is losing my money hand over fist and there has to be a point when we stop and look at the productivity and effectiveness of something that is costing me £500,000 every season."
No decision will be made without the backing and support of manager Kenny Jackett and Berylson insisted: "Kenny Jackett's opinion is paramount. He is front and centre of the future of the academy. While we haven't signed anything or agreed anything verbally, we are looking at things very hard.”
Kenny Jackett said: "I am not too interested in its title, whether it is an academy or anything else. I think if I have got good people running it, then it can clearly be a success.
"Whatever we call it, whatever the budget is to achieve it; the essential factor is that it is successful in a fantastic catchment area for developing football talent."
Seems very short sighted for a club that can`t do much in the transfer market. However. Am I right in saying that they can still run a youth setup without the status and rules that apply to Academy. Seems that is what Jackett is hinting at. Would be suicide if not the case. In the words of Catherine Tate " Am I bovvered"
[cite]Posted By: Salad[/cite]I still don't understand why Millwall have fans from Greenwich and Charlton etc. but we have virtually none from Lewisham and Southwark etc.
It's not true that we don't have many fans in Lewisham borough - although it's certainly true of parts of Lewisham and we have very few at all in Southwark and Lambeth. This was not true historically - special buses once ran from East Dulwich and Peckham Rye - but is accounted for by population drift which over the last 50 years has seen the old working class move further and further out as it became more affluent.
This has affected both Millwall and Charlton, although Charlton reversed the decline in their local support with two events - return to The Valley in 1992 and promotion to the PL in 1998.
We always had supporters from Southwark and Lewisham, if we have not so many today it is more about the Geographical movement of original London families moving away from the area as things have changed.
I was born in Camberwell and lived in Peckham until the seventies my family past and present are Charlton supporters and although most of my mates when living in that area were Millwall supporters there were many others I knew at Bradfield club in Peckham supported CAFC. Additionally Lewisham had plenty of CAFC support and some of Charlton’s directors of the real old days had businesses in Lewisham.
Martin Simons grew up in Lewisham and Dave Chappell's family are from Deptford.
Shame Charlton can't offer to take over their youth set up. They've got a lot of kids teams out there, if anything too many as they seem happy to run any number of feeder teams.
[quote][cite]Posted By: WSS[/cite]Why don't they get rid of the "Lionesses" first?
Women bring nothing to the game...[/quote]
Because they know scrapping the womens teams would really upset the fans and lead to protest across the country while dropping the academy will happen with hardly a whisper.
If MIllwall drop their academy, they may as well give up, the kids are about they only thing they have going for them.
[cite]Posted By: Salad[/cite]I still don't understand why Millwall have fans from Greenwich and Charlton etc. but we have virtually none from Lewisham and Southwark etc.
I'm sure Riscardo will be shimmying along to set you straight on that one soon ;-) Actually, I've always thought of Lewisham itself as being Charlton territory, but obviously that fades as you get into Deptford and whatever. I'm sure there's a statistical whizz out there/ someone with a map and some felt pens that could work out where the catchments actually lie.
But isn't it much the same with Spurs and Arsenal? Similar distance apart, but Arsenal's fan base was always much more inner London, while Spurs were out in the suburbs?
Not something to laugh/gloat about. Any local club that offers kids some sort of advanced coaching etc has to be a good thing regardless of the name.
My eldest boy has been at our Advanced Training Centre for 4 years now and it has done him the power of good. How much longer that will exist is not clear.
If Millwall, Charlton or even Palace offered either of my boys some high level coaching they would accept it. I don't think anyone would be any different.
Millwall have long had a large Academy and although it may not be as elite as ours, it's given a lot of local boys some good football.
I think it is a sd enditement when a small community club removes its self from its future fans.
The good things that good quality football coaching can offer to kids in an area that has some real tough housing estates is only going to throw another lifeline away from those that need it most. Very poor show Millwall FC if true.
I quite like the Wall have some good pals that are wall and they can not believe this as they can never see themselves being able to buy top players again so they hoped to find them coach them and play them then sell them.
We have waited long enough for ours to come through so does that mean when we got relegated we should consider shutting it down no fecking way
They will not be stopping youth development, they will just drop back from academy status to centre of excellence status.
What is the difference between the two ? I'm no expert, but i know that as part of the acadamy agreement, a certain amount of education has to be conducted, though i think the bulk of the cost of this is covered by grants. Academies are seen a step above centre of excellence's with greater resources devoted to development. It is why Arsenal and Chelsea are academies, and Brentford and Barnet for example are CoEs.
There is no guarantee that an academy will produce a more adept footballer than a CoE. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the ability of the individual and the skill and man-management of the coaches. But given a choice between the two, the parent is more likely to expect to get a higher standard of coaching and the greater chance of development of their kid at an academy than a CoE, in my opinion. The flip side however is that at academies, some kids are being treated as mini-pros at too young an age when they have achieved nothing, and are perhaps losing that real hunger to push themselves further, and even possibly over-coached in some cases.
I think it would be an absolute travesty if we were ever to ease back from academy to CoE status. We pride ourselves on our community work and self-growth, and though rewards have been sparse in recent years, it is certainly worth perservering with. If we are to continue though, it cannot be half-hearted, but with full commitment. Those that contribute every month via Valley Gold for its continuation deserve that at least.
Born in Lewisham hospital, lived in Catford the first six months of my life, moved to Deptford and lived there until I escaped the gravitational pull of the London Borough of Lewisham in my mid twenties. One half of my family has always lived in Catford, and there were and still are hundreds of CAFC fans round that way. I think the reason there aren't that many Charlton fans in Lambeth and Southwark is that, until recently - for obvious reasons - black people didn't go to football in droves and, since those areas have had a steadily increasing black community since the seventies, it stands to reason that support in those areas would dwindle.
As smudge said, My boy was with Millwall and Gills (as Centre of Excellance). Centre of Excellence is no different really, parents may have to make a contribution and you play different opposition, I.e QPR, Brentford, Pompey (Think they have academy status back now though), MK Dons.
On another note, the players that are being brought in now at all age groups are all 'Physically Developed' whether they are the correct age or not is anyones guess as many dont have 'original' passports.
[cite]Posted By: Charltonparklane[/cite]
On another note, the players that are being brought in now at all age groups are all 'Physically Developed' whether they are the correct age or not is anyones guess as many dont have 'original' passports.
That's been going on since i was a lad. There was a Vietnamese lad called Tanaka from Gravesend way, and an African fella in David Beckham's Waltham Forest district team called Nana, and both these 'lads' were bigger than Chris Iwelumo at about 12. The Gravesend one even had a moustache !
Never had passports, and their age was determined on intelligence tests.
[cite]Posted By: AFKABartram[/cite] some kids are ... possibly over-coached in some cases.
This seems to be a view Pards has come to, perhaps having seen the way Dickson and the other non-league guy play (indeed Pards once played for Duliwch Hamlet) and is reflected in his comments re: Shelvey.
[cite]Posted By: Charltonparklane[/cite]
On another note, the players that are being brought in now at all age groups are all 'Physically Developed' whether they are the correct age or not is anyones guess as many dont have 'original' passports.
That's been going on since i was a lad. There was a Vietnamese lad called Tanaka from Gravesend way, and an African fella in David Beckham's Waltham Forest district team called Nana, and both these 'lads' were bigger than Chris Iwelumo at about 12. The Gravesend one even had a moustache !
Never had passports, and their age was determined on intelligence tests.
i have good memories of Tanaka, AFKA when we played Gravesham at Howbury grange he hit the ball so hard, it left a bruise on my thigh when I saved it. PS - That tash was bigger and better that a 118 118 tash!!
Comments
American owner John Berylson sensationally revealed to the ‘News’ that he will decide the academy's future in the next fortnight, after ongoing discussions with manager Kenny Jackett and the board, but has warned all concerned at the club to prepare for the worst.
Berylson said: "I'm not going to commit either way at this point, but serious conversations will be ongoing over the coming weeks. People around the club are aware that we are thinking hard and I have told them not to be surprised either way."
Berylson added: "The company is losing my money hand over fist and there has to be a point when we stop and look at the productivity and effectiveness of something that is costing me £500,000 every season."
No decision will be made without the backing and support of manager Kenny Jackett and Berylson insisted: "Kenny Jackett's opinion is paramount. He is front and centre of the future of the academy. While we haven't signed anything or agreed anything verbally, we are looking at things very hard.”
Kenny Jackett said: "I am not too interested in its title, whether it is an academy or anything else. I think if I have got good people running it, then it can clearly be a success.
"Whatever we call it, whatever the budget is to achieve it; the essential factor is that it is successful in a fantastic catchment area for developing football talent."
Women bring nothing to the game...
maybe then he could move on to shithurst park
i went to school in Bermondsey - there were a couple in my year!
It's not true that we don't have many fans in Lewisham borough - although it's certainly true of parts of Lewisham and we have very few at all in Southwark and Lambeth. This was not true historically - special buses once ran from East Dulwich and Peckham Rye - but is accounted for by population drift which over the last 50 years has seen the old working class move further and further out as it became more affluent.
This has affected both Millwall and Charlton, although Charlton reversed the decline in their local support with two events - return to The Valley in 1992 and promotion to the PL in 1998.
I was born in Camberwell and lived in Peckham until the seventies my family past and present are Charlton supporters and although most of my mates when living in that area were Millwall supporters there were many others I knew at Bradfield club in Peckham supported CAFC. Additionally Lewisham had plenty of CAFC support and some of Charlton’s directors of the real old days had businesses in Lewisham.
Shame Charlton can't offer to take over their youth set up. They've got a lot of kids teams out there, if anything too many as they seem happy to run any number of feeder teams.
[quote][cite]Posted By: WSS[/cite]Why don't they get rid of the "Lionesses" first?
Women bring nothing to the game...[/quote]
Because they know scrapping the womens teams would really upset the fans and lead to protest across the country while dropping the academy will happen with hardly a whisper.
I'm sure Riscardo will be shimmying along to set you straight on that one soon ;-) Actually, I've always thought of Lewisham itself as being Charlton territory, but obviously that fades as you get into Deptford and whatever. I'm sure there's a statistical whizz out there/ someone with a map and some felt pens that could work out where the catchments actually lie.
But isn't it much the same with Spurs and Arsenal? Similar distance apart, but Arsenal's fan base was always much more inner London, while Spurs were out in the suburbs?
My eldest boy has been at our Advanced Training Centre for 4 years now and it has done him the power of good. How much longer that will exist is not clear.
If Millwall, Charlton or even Palace offered either of my boys some high level coaching they would accept it. I don't think anyone would be any different.
Millwall have long had a large Academy and although it may not be as elite as ours, it's given a lot of local boys some good football.
The good things that good quality football coaching can offer to kids in an area that has some real tough housing estates is only going to throw another lifeline away from those that need it most. Very poor show Millwall FC if true.
I quite like the Wall have some good pals that are wall and they can not believe this as they can never see themselves being able to buy top players again so they hoped to find them coach them and play them then sell them.
We have waited long enough for ours to come through so does that mean when we got relegated we should consider shutting it down no fecking way
They will not be stopping youth development, they will just drop back from academy status to centre of excellence status.
What is the difference between the two ? I'm no expert, but i know that as part of the acadamy agreement, a certain amount of education has to be conducted, though i think the bulk of the cost of this is covered by grants. Academies are seen a step above centre of excellence's with greater resources devoted to development. It is why Arsenal and Chelsea are academies, and Brentford and Barnet for example are CoEs.
There is no guarantee that an academy will produce a more adept footballer than a CoE. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the ability of the individual and the skill and man-management of the coaches. But given a choice between the two, the parent is more likely to expect to get a higher standard of coaching and the greater chance of development of their kid at an academy than a CoE, in my opinion. The flip side however is that at academies, some kids are being treated as mini-pros at too young an age when they have achieved nothing, and are perhaps losing that real hunger to push themselves further, and even possibly over-coached in some cases.
I think it would be an absolute travesty if we were ever to ease back from academy to CoE status. We pride ourselves on our community work and self-growth, and though rewards have been sparse in recent years, it is certainly worth perservering with. If we are to continue though, it cannot be half-hearted, but with full commitment. Those that contribute every month via Valley Gold for its continuation deserve that at least.
my mistake
On another note, the players that are being brought in now at all age groups are all 'Physically Developed' whether they are the correct age or not is anyones guess as many dont have 'original' passports.
That's been going on since i was a lad. There was a Vietnamese lad called Tanaka from Gravesend way, and an African fella in David Beckham's Waltham Forest district team called Nana, and both these 'lads' were bigger than Chris Iwelumo at about 12. The Gravesend one even had a moustache !
Never had passports, and their age was determined on intelligence tests.
i have good memories of Tanaka, AFKA when we played Gravesham at Howbury grange he hit the ball so hard, it left a bruise on my thigh when I saved it. PS - That tash was bigger and better that a 118 118 tash!!