For me it is down to the academic aptitude. I’m out of date these days, as I went to Uni in England many years ago. Still, my understanding is there are lots of elite universities, but then lower down the food chain the world of higher education has opened up enormously, with many colleges and courses designed to prepare you for the workplace.
Bottom line, it shouldn’t be beyond the clubs, especially Prem clubs, to have a dedicated staff member or two helping kids who don’t make the grade find suitable next steps.
As a starter for ten, three years of tuition covered to train for a new career, or a sliding scale depending on how long the kid was with the club.
Fair play to Palace for the step they are taking. Hopefully it has substance and catches on around the game.
PS - fair play Limiescouse about the options narrowing very early for footballers, and the difference between that and some other dream career that didn’t matriculate. Yes, if Goldman Sachs didn’t take me on, chances are I will land on my feet in something else.
Hopefully we do, and if so, it would be nice for the club to say more about it.
I think it could also be a big part of our recruitment. When we get a young player we can sit down with their parents and say the odds are against them. Only x amount make it to the very top, Prem level; and y amount go in to have a professional career elsewhere. The bulk of players do not make it.
We will be working with you to maximize your potential, but here is what will happen if you don’t make the grade…
interesting point on this conversation that I’m following, as one of our friends has a son in the Whitecaps program. Apparently this club has a dedicated staff member who just liases with NAIA and NCAA schools for the kids who don’t make it. our friends son had made two MLS appearances until a groin injury sidelined him for 8 months, and is now released to train with the Grenada national team in Florida until mid Feb. But he’s 18, and the Whitecaps haven’t submitted a single application on his behalf to ANY schools. Parents are very concerned by this, he’s been in their program since he was 14…
There is already a bit of a pipeline into the US university system, but it’s one driven by the US universities rather than prem clubs. It’s also one that focuses on the kids who are 1) older, and 2) have reached the end of the line. Most kids will drop out of the system at an age too young for this to be viable, and most kids who are let go by a club like Palace will still have other opportunities with clubs further down the ladder. I think to that latter point, one of the most creditable things that we do is work with the kids we let go to find them other clubs we think would be a good fit for them.
Yeah. Every year there is a big trial match for kids who are not offered pro forms with a view to connecting them to US university programs. It’s been going on for so long now that a lot of pipelines have developed between English clubs and US coach networks that is cases like Phillips all that needs to happen is they get let go and two days later there is a scholarship offer waiting for them from some US university side.
I think this article may be wrong. I saw one of the LFC stat fan accounts point out he isn’t asked to referee matches in the Premier league that often…8 games this season I think…so he is part of the back up list.
What was contentious? The penalty decision? One he was asked by VAR to review? Bobby’s supposed offside? Again, that is not on him but lino to flag it. So I think Redfanman’s interpretation is surely closer to the truth.
Well and look at the fucking STATE of the likes of Tierney and Moss this season. This is complete nonsense and the PGMOL should be ashamed of themselves. the PL has some of the worst reffing in Europe, and have for some time. Needs sorting.
The referee who didn’t give the blatant penalty against Spurs and who didn’t send Kane off, I can’t remember his name at the moment. Was he also punished for his poor performance?