Which club told their kids not too wear club guernsey

[matty2323]

Forums are for discussion and education are they not ? all I know of the northern zone SAP trials consists my experience of a couple of weeks ago at Burton and a few stories from past participants. I posted on this topic hoping to educate myself more about the Raiders issue as like any parent I want whats right for my kids, EQUAL access to all the opportunities and support that they are entitled to. Like it or not there is a real perception of nepotism and conflict of interest in the northern zone. I would prefer to be shown it is not true and all is well but no one has so I can only assume there is something in it. If Raiders are the de facto SAP team tell everyone so people can take their kids there for trials or go to a club in another zone instead of giving kids false hope and wasting everyone’s time at Burton the other week. My son played both Raiders U12 & U11 teams last year (and yours) and of course I agree their teams benefit from an excellent coaching program and for sure some of the kids are not only good enough for SAP they’ll be up there for the state side next year, and it’s a credit to the club. What put them above the other teams was not that all their players were superior in talent to all other players but the advanced coaching in spatial awareness, space and movement, making & blocking space etc. all essential team orientated skills. Your conclusion to a previous post “This isn't a "TEAM", its a SKILLS ACQUISITION PROGRAM” is ironic in the clear advantage the Raiders kids had in the small sided games, the fact they were familiar with the format (the SAP format) and played, in general, in the same groups using the team skills they had been coached. Being the better coached kids at 11 years old does not automatically give them more potential than all the other 11 year olds as even given this advantage, my opinion only but I saw a number of other kids with equal first touch and better ball retention and passing ability, adapting very quickly to complete strangers. Their perceived superiority was not fundamental skills more a familiarity with the task. Again my opinion only but I am certain from what I saw that even the 14 best of the others given the benefit of a summer of SAP coaching would at least be the equal to the Raiders squad . Without a level playing field and an open mind maybe an opportunity has been missed to maximize talent identification and develop the best and most deserving potential available in our zone for STIC next year.

All excellent points. This was my first year involved, and as a Playford coach i was not allowed to have any involvement with the selection of the northern zone. Neither was the head coach. I cannot answer if he had private involvement, nor can i respond to the standard as i was judging the east zone at the other end of the pitch.

Neither of the 2 lads from my side got in. They quickly identified that they were on par with the kids in a lot of areas, but really struggled with the 1v1 component. Not their fault, they came into federation at under 12 level and weren't exposed to SSGs and the 1v1 training a lot of other kids were.

Out of the 40 kids trialling per zone, probably 30-35 will have good first touch, ball retention skills etc. but that list gets shortened quickly when you facet in the 1v1 component. Remember, kids were judged on all 4 core skills groups (ball striking, running with the ball, first touch, 1v1). So you're probably right, many kids would have slotted in, probably ticket 3 of the 4 boxes and got themselves noticed, but its the kids that tick all the boxes that would have got selected for 15 spots.

"the reason a child won't get chosen is generally due to lack of close control in tight areas".
So now that the non-croas have ticked that box, we better come up with the 1 v 1 excuse.

Tight areas normally indicates opposition close by, prompting 1v1 scenarios. It's good that more and more players are meeting the 4 basic core skills criteria in the northern zone. My belief is we're still behind the Eastern zone, and need to strive continue to improve.
Some fantastic talent on display at the first session, even have a kid from the Riverland making a 6 hour round trip just to attend.

Hurlcrook, you seem to have something against Raiders... May i add they're one of the only clubs in the north that push 3 training sessions a week for their juniors. Thats 30-40 extra sessions a year. If kids join clubs at age 6, then by SAP that equates to around 240 extra club sessions. Every snide remark you make is just putting down the hard work of the kids that are committing themselves to extra sessions. We should be all striving to better ourselves as clubs, not trying to bring down those who have got better just so we dont feel left behind.

[Old Redback]

3 sessions a week can contribute to burn out at an early age also and means you could be making this kids give the game away sooner? At such a young age I think 2 is quite sufficient and allows kids time to find a balance between dedicating some time to football and experiencing all the other things kids should plus schoolwork.. Ultimately it is HIGHLY unlikely a kid in SA is going to end up being able to make a living playing football and they need their education more. Even if they do make a living from football they still need educating so they can count their money!

[Statler and Waldorf]

3 sessions a week can contribute to burn out at an early age also and means you could be making this kids give the game away sooner? At such a young age I think 2 is quite sufficient and allows kids time to find a balance between dedicating some time to football and experiencing all the other things kids should plus schoolwork.. Ultimately it is HIGHLY unlikely a kid in SA is going to end up being able to make a living playing football and they need their education more. Even if they do make a living from football they still need educating so they can count their money!

Spot on, kids growth patterns will play a huge part too, a common injury for kids playing soccer around the age of 10 and 11 is Osgood Schlatters Disease or syndrome. This is pain in the front of and just below the knee caused by overuse as the muscles and tendons growth doesn't match the bone growth. Muscle development is always not in proportion to each other so caution really needs to followed.
My lad had this condition and he had to really step back his soccer while he went through a growth spurt.

[Toffeefox]

Osgood Schlatters isn't a common occurrence at 10/11 its normally 13 to 15 years old, it's very painful can impinge on sporting involvement for about 18 months and in the worst cases requires an operation to resolve.

10 to 11yrs old is one of the more stable periods of a boys development both mentally and physically and is seen as a key development age for sporting excellence and in my experiences working with professional club junior academies was an age we pushed much harder in the challenges we set the players without necessarily increasing the number of sessions.

Like everything in life, balance is the key, 2 or 3 sessions isn't the critical element its the training intensity, the quality of tuition and length of the sessions.

[N5 1BH]

It's interesting that some seem to make excuses as to why certain kids were chosen for SAP over others and what club you choose at U6 say, is the only thing that determines whether you get into programs like SAP. Some of those 10/11 year olds that did get into SAP, including the North zone, do train and play 5 and often more times a week - academies, futsal, indoor soccer, 7 A SIDE and other sports, all year round and OH YES club training on top of this!!! If some of these kids are getting better through more and more hours of practice and then being chosen for programs like SAP, good luck to them. When you make your generalisations about a group of kids, this also includes the YOUNG KIDS that work REALLY hard day in day out. Your comments just seem to insult them as well.

Insulting kids ! bit of a cheap shot. You can also throw in bad loser, sour grapes, bitter or any other old chestnut if you like but it won’t stop me asking questions if there are doubts about the integrity of a selection process, to satisfy myself that no preferential treatment is given to others based on where they play football, something I am entitled to do. I am also entitled to ensure that the FFSA which relies on membership fees (me) and taxpayer funding (me) does not discriminate against my kid by favouring one club and it’s players over him, if that happens to be the case.

Matty2323 has made some effort to clarify the impartiality of the coaches at trials for each zone and the 4 component marking process & pass criteria, this is good information and it is appreciated as it helps build confidence in the process and gives us something to work on over summer. Though can someone please explain how a critical pass/fail mark can be given for the ‘striking the ball’ component yet no kid was put in a situation where he actually could strike the ball, or is my understanding of ‘striking the ball’ different to FFSA.

I freely agree that Raiders are an excellent junior football club and have no doubt some of their kids have the potential to reach a high level, and of course the best of luck to them. I do however strongly disagree with the idea that all of their players are better than all the other players in our zone, this an opinion based on my experiences not a generalisation. How do you know how hard our kids train, how much they care, who they play for (we know who they don’t play for) what academy they go to, how many hours we spend at the park or out the back kicking a ball against the wall; right foot, left foot, volleys knees chests headers. You seem to support a notion that only Raiders kids care and put in the hard work therefore the others can’t be any good. That would be a generalisation and insulting and brings us back to the original issue, don’t you think.

[Abra1]

My son was in the SAP program last year and again this year, and he played at the most (arguably) unpopular club in the northern zone. This year the spots available for SAP doubled as it went from North/East and South/West last year to North, South, East and West this year. That expansion is great and definitely gave more players the opportunity to do SAP. N5 1BH, have you contacted Richie to discuss the trial process and discuss your concerns? He's reasonably approachable. At the end of the day though, the SAP is a largely unproven program anyway. It's not the be all and the end all of junior development in this state. Lots of people would say that participation in FFSA programs is the kiss of death anyway

[Statler and Waldorf]

Osgood Schlatters isn't a common occurrence at 10/11 its normally 13 to 15 years old

Depends on the growth spurt of the child, my lad got it at 11

[N5 1BH]

My son was in the SAP program last year and again this year, and he played at the most (arguably) unpopular club in the northern zone. This year the spots available for SAP doubled as it went from North/East and South/West last year to North, South, East and West this year. That expansion is great and definitely gave more players the opportunity to do SAP. N5 1BH, have you contacted Richie to discuss the trial process and discuss your concerns? He's reasonably approachable. At the end of the day though, the SAP is a largely unproven program anyway. It's not the be all and the end all of junior development in this state. Lots of people would say that participation in FFSA programs is the kiss of death anyway

I understand what you're saying Abra1 and you are right, it was just that he was really exited by the whole thing and wanted to give it a good go. I can't really say with any certainty that he did enough over the 3 nights to make the final cut but what got me thinking was that there were 3 or 4 other kids from different clubs that looked real good. I was sure they would get in and was surprised when I heard they didn't so I thought I would bang on about it on here to see if I could find out anything either way. Didn't find out much so time to move on. It is probably just a case of the system ticking over rather than anything premeditated, they only want a particular type of player and the Raiders kids are selected and coached by their club in that exact style so they all fit the profile. If only there was an alternative pathway for kids, why don't AUFC merge with a Fed club to develop their own juniors.......

[Abra1]

My son was in the SAP program last year and again this year, and he played at the most (arguably) unpopular club in the northern zone. This year the spots available for SAP doubled as it went from North/East and South/West last year to North, South, East and West this year. That expansion is great and definitely gave more players the opportunity to do SAP. N5 1BH, have you contacted Richie to discuss the trial process and discuss your concerns? He's reasonably approachable. At the end of the day though, the SAP is a largely unproven program anyway. It's not the be all and the end all of junior development in this state. Lots of people would say that participation in FFSA programs is the kiss of death anyway

I understand what you're saying Abra1 and you are right, it was just that he was really exited by the whole thing and wanted to give it a good go. I can't really say with any certainty that he did enough over the 3 nights to make the final cut but what got me thinking was that there were 3 or 4 other kids from different clubs that looked real good. I was sure they would get in and was surprised when I heard they didn't so I thought I would bang on about it on here to see if I could find out anything either way. Didn't find out much so time to move on. It is probably just a case of the system ticking over rather than anything premeditated, they only want a particular type of player and the Raiders kids are selected and coached by their club in that exact style so they all fit the profile. If only there was an alternative pathway for kids, why don't AUFC merge with a Fed club to develop their own juniors.......

you last comment is funny! Maybe you could float the idea with FFSA and see how it goes!!

[Stich This]

Perhaps with a club such as Enfield?

[peterc]

3 sessions a week can contribute to burn out at an early age also and means you could be making this kids give the game away sooner? At such a young age I think 2 is quite sufficient and allows kids time to find a balance between dedicating some time to football and experiencing all the other things kids should plus schoolwork.. Ultimately it is HIGHLY unlikely a kid in SA is going to end up being able to make a living playing football and they need their education more. Even if they do make a living from football they still need educating so they can count their money!

Very good point.. most u/17's will have given the game after their first season of reserves as a roadblock develops with only elite players surviving.
Mentoring should be aimed at keeping them involved in your club eventually in admin roles & them getting good education & jobs.
Sport isn't everything, but it's a great leveller.

[matty2323]

It's interesting that some seem to make excuses as to why certain kids were chosen for SAP over others and what club you choose at U6 say, is the only thing that determines whether you get into programs like SAP. Some of those 10/11 year olds that did get into SAP, including the North zone, do train and play 5 and often more times a week - academies, futsal, indoor soccer, 7 A SIDE and other sports, all year round and OH YES club training on top of this!!! If some of these kids are getting better through more and more hours of practice and then being chosen for programs like SAP, good luck to them. When you make your generalisations about a group of kids, this also includes the YOUNG KIDS that work REALLY hard day in day out. Your comments just seem to insult them as well.

Insulting kids ! bit of a cheap shot. You can also throw in bad loser, sour grapes, bitter or any other old chestnut if you like but it won’t stop me asking questions if there are doubts about the integrity of a selection process, to satisfy myself that no preferential treatment is given to others based on where they play football, something I am entitled to do. I am also entitled to ensure that the FFSA which relies on membership fees (me) and taxpayer funding (me) does not discriminate against my kid by favouring one club and it’s players over him, if that happens to be the case.

Matty2323 has made some effort to clarify the impartiality of the coaches at trials for each zone and the 4 component marking process & pass criteria, this is good information and it is appreciated as it helps build confidence in the process and gives us something to work on over summer. Though can someone please explain how a critical pass/fail mark can be given for the ‘striking the ball’ component yet no kid was put in a situation where he actually could strike the ball, or is my understanding of ‘striking the ball’ different to FFSA.

I freely agree that Raiders are an excellent junior football club and have no doubt some of their kids have the potential to reach a high level, and of course the best of luck to them. I do however strongly disagree with the idea that all of their players are better than all the other players in our zone, this an opinion based on my experiences not a generalisation. How do you know how hard our kids train, how much they care, who they play for (we know who they don’t play for) what academy they go to, how many hours we spend at the park or out the back kicking a ball against the wall; right foot, left foot, volleys knees chests headers. You seem to support a notion that only Raiders kids care and put in the hard work therefore the others can’t be any good. That would be a generalisation and insulting and brings us back to the original issue, don’t you think.

In the 4v4 format, striking the ball was assessed in terms of 'passing'. I assessed kids who passed with good ball speed and could move the ball on first time. Accuracy was also important. Shooting and Crossing are also part of 'ball striking', although can be hard to assess in 4v4 format.

I must clarify, i don't believe Raiders kids are the only kids who "care and put in the hard work". I see my kids, and other kids are other northern clubs, put in just as much hard work. My point was, majority of Raiders kids in the 10-12year old bracket have had good coaching for 5-6 years. My kids work just as hard, but they've only been exposed to a certain standard of coaching for 1-2 years. There is a BIG gap between what is being taught at E&D level compared to the new SSG curriculum with the discovery and skill acquisitions phases!

As for 3 sessions per week resulting in injury, what about academy kids in Europe who train 7 days a week? Yes, we have to monitor our kids, but 3 sessions 'formatted sessions' a week on top of a kids school sports, social soccer, and general kicking the ball around should mean he's 'playing' football 7 days a week anyways. I suffered OP at 17 which is an overuse injury, i was the only 1 in 16 players in SASI. It happens. But should they have stopped the 3 sessions a week to hamper the other 15? no way!

[pink]

One group of boys with no one watching them play at all whilst at the same time another group of boys had two selectors watching them NO, my son wasn't selected but oh well, what ever. Good luck to the boys who where selected

[ikon]

Can't pick them all... Funny that a player I would regard as my best who played up
During the year , dominated in u/11 games and was identified by West Brom ..wasn't selected ..

Nobody would pass to the kid at trials ..

Lucky he is of great character and is determined to prove himself..will probably be my captain.

And no he isn't my nephew or child. ..

[Stich This]

Nobody would pass to the kid.
Unfortunately that is a recurring theme when speaking to others about the sap trial process.
I congratulate RA and the FFSA overall, but one shortcoming seems to be a perception (rightly or otherwise), that they are not interested in the team player. They would rather the child who shows close ball control and can dribble three players rather than the kid who would dribble one and then play a through ball to a teammate.
Word is that the level of selfishness shown by some kids was quite extreme.
While I understand where RA is coming from, this aspect is of concern to many.
Whilst the federations etc promote fair play, this selfishness is anything but fair play.
Perhaps fair play is for show only.

[cool hand luke]

Nobody would pass to the kid.
Unfortunately that is a recurring theme when speaking to others about the sap trial process.
I congratulate RA and the FFSA overall, but one shortcoming seems to be a perception (rightly or otherwise), that they are not interested in the team player. They would rather the child who shows close ball control and can dribble three players rather than the kid who would dribble one and then play a through ball to a teammate.
Word is that the level of selfishness shown by some kids was quite extreme.
While I understand where RA is coming from, this aspect is of concern to many.
Whilst the federations etc promote fair play, this selfishness is anything but fair play.
Perhaps fair play is for show only.

.............SAP stands for 'SKILLS ACQUISITION PROGRAM'.............

The children identified and chosen for the program are TEAM players!
They still play for their club and will utilise their skill work during the games.
A positive and plus for their club, their coach and their team.

[ikon]

have no issue about focusing on the skill, 1v1, etc aspect ..."hogging"...there is no doubt australian players cant take on players and beat them with skill.

but you have 2-3 gala days a year for u/10-u/11's where you could identify kids better than 3 trials.

My mentality has always been "if your good enough they will come and get you ".

[N5 1BH]

Nobody would pass to the kid.
Unfortunately that is a recurring theme when speaking to others about the sap trial process.
I congratulate RA and the FFSA overall, but one shortcoming seems to be a perception (rightly or otherwise), that they are not interested in the team player. They would rather the child who shows close ball control and can dribble three players rather than the kid who would dribble one and then play a through ball to a teammate.
Word is that the level of selfishness shown by some kids was quite extreme.
While I understand where RA is coming from, this aspect is of concern to many.
Whilst the federations etc promote fair play, this selfishness is anything but fair play.
Perhaps fair play is for show only.

.............SAP stands for 'SKILLS ACQUISITION PROGRAM'.............

The children identified and chosen for the program are TEAM players!
They still play for their club and will utilise their skill work during the games.
A positive and plus for their club, their coach and their team.

Most definitely a positive and plus for 'their' club, 'their' coach and 'their' team. Allegedly

[matty2323]

Nobody would pass to the kid.
Unfortunately that is a recurring theme when speaking to others about the sap trial process.
I congratulate RA and the FFSA overall, but one shortcoming seems to be a perception (rightly or otherwise), that they are not interested in the team player. They would rather the child who shows close ball control and can dribble three players rather than the kid who would dribble one and then play a through ball to a teammate.
Word is that the level of selfishness shown by some kids was quite extreme.
While I understand where RA is coming from, this aspect is of concern to many.
Whilst the federations etc promote fair play, this selfishness is anything but fair play.
Perhaps fair play is for show only.

Not just you Kevin, but id really like to understand the obsession with 'team players'. I sent out 1 of my underage players, hes a number 6 and plays the role very very well within my team. Drops in, picks up the ball on a half turn, sets himself with a good first touch and plays it simple. Great right?

He didn't make it. Now in my head he's good enough. But speak to the kid and he says "i struggled with the 1v1 stuff". He's a number 6, in games he doesn't get exposed to 'running at players' because his role in my team is rotate possession and anchor the more advanced box to box number 8. Great team player.. didn't get picked. Doesn't mean he wont make it, but for a SAP program he didn't have the 'flair' to stand out from other kids who are also great team players.

I watch videos of Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Robben etc.. you ever see them when they were kids. Some number 6 drops in, pops a pinpoint pass to them.. they get the ball, dribble 5-6 players and score.. who you think got recognised? Give me an 15-16 year old decent footballer, in 1 month i can teach him to pass accurtately and consistently. 2-3 months and ill add creativity and movement to that. give me the same kid and let me teach him 1v1 and dribbling.. might never get it. hardest thing to do in football.

so as a coach, i look for the unique talents of footballers, the ones who stand out, and then put them in environments that develops the other things. Take other sports, they take athletes and turn them into basketballers/AFL players because of the athletic requirements of their sports. Ill take a kid who can dribble 10 players over a kid who can pass a 30 yard ball every day of the week simply because there is more of a chance of teaching the dribbler to pass, then the passer to dribbler. (ideally id love both, but in elite programs with 15 spots, 90% miss out)

[ikon]

How Can You Take World Class Soccer Methods, and Apply Them In Your Environment?
Posted: 12 Nov 2013 12:30 AM PST
I think we can all agree that taking what they do elsewhere in the soccer world and applying it here, is not easy.

But the reasons behind that aren’t necessarily what you think.

Perhaps the biggest and least understood reason for the difficulty is interpretation.

You see, reading or witnessing something, and properly interpreting what you read or witnessed, are two entirely different things.

The director of the Ajax youth academy is Jan Olde Riekerink, [...] who spends much of his day walking from field to field, observing. [...] “He is always watching, like a spy,” …

One Sunday in March, I was on the sideline of a game — Ajax’s 15-year-olds matched up against the youth academy of another Dutch professional club — when I noticed Riekerink behind me. He was by himself, bundled into his parka and writing in a small notebook. With the Ajax boys up two goals and dominating the action, I told him I was impressed by their skill. (I was always impressed by the quality of play at De Toekomst.) “Really?” he responded. “To me this is a disaster.”

That is an excerpt from a long form New York Times piece from over 3 years ago.

And while everyone stateside was saying how amazing the article was, it seemed as though they missed the single most revealing insight of the whole thing – contained in that excerpt.

The journalist being “impressed”, and the academy director thinking “it’s a disaster”.
It’s an example of just how important context, and a capacity for it, is.

What does this mean for you?

You are in the American soccer environment. You are not at La Masia, or Clairefontaine, or Ajax, or anywhere else.

Of course there is value in reading books, and articles, and quotes, or even going to those places and witnessing sessions and talking to practitioners. All great stuff. All part of the learning process. But it’s just that, a process. Doing those things does not give you the recipe.

The first problem, as we noted above, is a capacity for proper interpretation and context.

The second problem, involves taking what you think you understood, applying it, trying to find out what seems to work, what doesn’t … and then modifying or deleting. This is the trial and error cycle.

Each cycle lasting many months to years! And it never ends (unless you settle).

To think the methodology they apply at those places is directly transferrable to your environment is foolish. Actually, to think one fully understands their methodology from reading and anecdotes is pretty foolish too.

Why their methodology does not apply

Assuming their methodology can be encapsulated in some recipe (which it can’t), you can not just take that recipe and apply it here.

You train twice a week, they may be training 4.
You have no assistants, they have an entire club of assistants.
You have commuter players, they may have some form of residency or ownership.
You have parent intrusion, they don’t.
You have no first team inspiring your players, they do.
I could go on forever, but you get the idea.

Solution

Well, you’ve got two choices.

You change the environment to match theirs.
You morph the methodology.
Good luck with the first. I suggest the second.

But how?

Technical, Tactical, Psychological, Physical

You may be familiar with these four fundamental properties that make up a player. That each are important, that each are linked, and that the challenge is in how to develop each (ie methodology).

A large chunk of 3four3 is dedicated to the following assertion:

The greatest training deficiency our country faces is neither technical nor physical, it is Tactical and Psychological.
It’s the brain!

It’s game understanding, sophisticated decision-making, and in the “psychological” sense … a professional mindset.

So the challenge for our coaches and clubs at any level is in how to get our products as close to our international counterparts in those areas.

How does one extract and properly implement the right components from our international colleagues and apply them here?

[N5 1BH]

Nobody would pass to the kid.
Unfortunately that is a recurring theme when speaking to others about the sap trial process.
I congratulate RA and the FFSA overall, but one shortcoming seems to be a perception (rightly or otherwise), that they are not interested in the team player. They would rather the child who shows close ball control and can dribble three players rather than the kid who would dribble one and then play a through ball to a teammate.
Word is that the level of selfishness shown by some kids was quite extreme.
While I understand where RA is coming from, this aspect is of concern to many.
Whilst the federations etc promote fair play, this selfishness is anything but fair play.
Perhaps fair play is for show only.

Not just you Kevin, but id really like to understand the obsession with 'team players'. I sent out 1 of my underage players, hes a number 6 and plays the role very very well within my team. Drops in, picks up the ball on a half turn, sets himself with a good first touch and plays it simple. Great right?

He didn't make it. Now in my head he's good enough. But speak to the kid and he says "i struggled with the 1v1 stuff". He's a number 6, in games he doesn't get exposed to 'running at players' because his role in my team is rotate possession and anchor the more advanced box to box number 8. Great team player.. didn't get picked. Doesn't mean he wont make it, but for a SAP program he didn't have the 'flair' to stand out from other kids who are also great team players.

I watch videos of Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Robben etc.. you ever see them when they were kids. Some number 6 drops in, pops a pinpoint pass to them.. they get the ball, dribble 5-6 players and score.. who you think got recognised? Give me an 15-16 year old decent footballer, in 1 month i can teach him to pass accurtately and consistently. 2-3 months and ill add creativity and movement to that. give me the same kid and let me teach him 1v1 and dribbling.. might never get it. hardest thing to do in football.

so as a coach, i look for the unique talents of footballers, the ones who stand out, and then put them in environments that develops the other things. Take other sports, they take athletes and turn them into basketballers/AFL players because of the athletic requirements of their sports. Ill take a kid who can dribble 10 players over a kid who can pass a 30 yard ball every day of the week simply because there is more of a chance of teaching the dribbler to pass, then the passer to dribbler. (ideally id love both, but in elite programs with 15 spots, 90% miss out)

I see where you are coming from Matty2323, stands to reason if you can't create on the pitch you can't score. A couple of Ronaldinos/Neymeyers would enhance any squad but on the other hand a squad full of Ronaldinos/Neymeyers would be embarrassing to watch, they aren’t the full picture of a football team. Scholes, Lampard, Carrick, Flamini, Arteta, Puyol, Mascherano and one of Australia’s finest players at his peak Vince Grella and countless more would all struggle to excel in a formatted 1v1 drill but whose contributions to the flair side of football are vital, breaking down opposition and having the composure to push out of 1 maybe 2 tackles putting in a pass switching play instantly back to attack (trying to avoid using the word ‘transition’). Back to the flair players who are now in space thanks to the hard work and football nous of those behind them. If excelling in formatted 1v1 was an essential criteria to being a football player that would mean all the freestyle street soccer types you see on youTube would be playing Euro champions league where in reality put them in a competitive game of football and they are poo. You need players like Grella, Flamini and Mascherano to make players like Kewell, Ozil and Neyemar look good. These players are the winners, who is going to develop these players for Australia.

[matty2323]

Nobody would pass to the kid.
Unfortunately that is a recurring theme when speaking to others about the sap trial process.
I congratulate RA and the FFSA overall, but one shortcoming seems to be a perception (rightly or otherwise), that they are not interested in the team player. They would rather the child who shows close ball control and can dribble three players rather than the kid who would dribble one and then play a through ball to a teammate.
Word is that the level of selfishness shown by some kids was quite extreme.
While I understand where RA is coming from, this aspect is of concern to many.
Whilst the federations etc promote fair play, this selfishness is anything but fair play.
Perhaps fair play is for show only.

Not just you Kevin, but id really like to understand the obsession with 'team players'. I sent out 1 of my underage players, hes a number 6 and plays the role very very well within my team. Drops in, picks up the ball on a half turn, sets himself with a good first touch and plays it simple. Great right?

He didn't make it. Now in my head he's good enough. But speak to the kid and he says "i struggled with the 1v1 stuff". He's a number 6, in games he doesn't get exposed to 'running at players' because his role in my team is rotate possession and anchor the more advanced box to box number 8. Great team player.. didn't get picked. Doesn't mean he wont make it, but for a SAP program he didn't have the 'flair' to stand out from other kids who are also great team players.

I watch videos of Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Robben etc.. you ever see them when they were kids. Some number 6 drops in, pops a pinpoint pass to them.. they get the ball, dribble 5-6 players and score.. who you think got recognised? Give me an 15-16 year old decent footballer, in 1 month i can teach him to pass accurtately and consistently. 2-3 months and ill add creativity and movement to that. give me the same kid and let me teach him 1v1 and dribbling.. might never get it. hardest thing to do in football.

so as a coach, i look for the unique talents of footballers, the ones who stand out, and then put them in environments that develops the other things. Take other sports, they take athletes and turn them into basketballers/AFL players because of the athletic requirements of their sports. Ill take a kid who can dribble 10 players over a kid who can pass a 30 yard ball every day of the week simply because there is more of a chance of teaching the dribbler to pass, then the passer to dribbler. (ideally id love both, but in elite programs with 15 spots, 90% miss out)

I see where you are coming from Matty2323, stands to reason if you can't create on the pitch you can't score. A couple of Ronaldinos/Neymeyers would enhance any squad but on the other hand a squad full of Ronaldinos/Neymeyers would be embarrassing to watch, they aren’t the full picture of a football team. Scholes, Lampard, Carrick, Flamini, Arteta, Puyol, Mascherano and one of Australia’s finest players at his peak Vince Grella and countless more would all struggle to excel in a formatted 1v1 drill but whose contributions to the flair side of football are vital, breaking down opposition and having the composure to push out of 1 maybe 2 tackles putting in a pass switching play instantly back to attack (trying to avoid using the word ‘transition’). Back to the flair players who are now in space thanks to the hard work and football nous of those behind them. If excelling in formatted 1v1 was an essential criteria to being a football player that would mean all the freestyle street soccer types you see on youTube would be playing Euro champions league where in reality put them in a competitive game of football and they are poo. You need players like Grella, Flamini and Mascherano to make players like Kewell, Ozil and Neyemar look good. These players are the winners, who is going to develop these players for Australia.

You nailed it on the head... to an certain degree. In Australia, natural produce the box to box midfielders you speak of. Our best players at the moment in the Australian set up performing on the world stage are those type of players. Jedinek, Bresciano, Milligan and to an extent Vidosic, Oar etc. Besides Harry Kewell, in recent memory have we produce a flair player? Our wide players have always had graft, your Emerton and Wilkshere type players.

We have identified that we dont produce certain types of players in Australia. We have the physicals, we have the attitude.. but we lack flair! The one creative player we have produced got snapped up by Celtic after a season in the A-League (Rogic). Look at the A League.. Ono, ADP, Flores, Hersi, all AUs top 4.. all import Flair players.

We need them desperately if we're to compete at international level, we need them if we want to increase the interest in the A-League. So when a SKILL ACQUISTION PROGRAM comes along, most coaches will look for the flair, identify those with 1v1 talent because its so rare. It catches the eye. Almost every kid out there could pass, had good body positioning and showed football intelligence. Thats a credit to their coaches. But not all had the 4th asset, 1v1 ability.. and thats what makes them stand out.

[N5 1BH]

I watch videos of Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Robben etc.. you ever see them when they were kids. Some number 6 drops in, pops a pinpoint pass to them.. they get the ball, dribble 5-6 players and score.. who you think got recognised? Give me an 15-16 year old decent footballer, in 1 month i can teach him to pass accurtately and consistently. 2-3 months and ill add creativity and movement to that. give me the same kid and let me teach him 1v1 and dribbling.. might never get it. hardest thing to do in football.


You nailed it on the head... to an certain degree. In Australia, natural produce the box to box midfielders you speak of. Our best players at the moment in the Australian set up performing on the world stage are those type of players. Jedinek, Bresciano, Milligan and to an extent Vidosic, Oar etc. Besides Harry Kewell, in recent memory have we produce a flair player? Our wide players have always had graft, your Emerton and Wilkshere type players.

We have identified that we dont produce certain types of players in Australia. We have the physicals, we have the attitude.. but we lack flair! The one creative player we have produced got snapped up by Celtic after a season in the A-League (Rogic). Look at the A League.. Ono, ADP, Flores, Hersi, all AUs top 4.. all import Flair players.

We need them desperately if we're to compete at international level, we need them if we want to increase the interest in the A-League. So when a SKILL ACQUISTION PROGRAM comes along, most coaches will look for the flair, identify those with 1v1 talent because its so rare. It catches the eye. Almost every kid out there could pass, had good body positioning and showed football intelligence. Thats a credit to their coaches. But not all had the 4th asset, 1v1 ability.. and thats what makes them stand out.

Thanks for your input on this topic Matty2323, its gone a long way to addressing my original cynicism about the SAP program. I reckon there are some general misconceptions all round about what SAP is actually looking for which leaves people feeling unsure. Truth is my son would never have made final selection purely judged as a flair player anyway, it’s just not who he is or how he likes to play. That is fine I have no issue with it, if the FFA have made a decision to identify a type of player they believe are a priority then that’s as it should be, they are there to make decisions. I don’t necessarily agree (too narrow a focus imo) but that’s not relevant, I am happy to agree to disagree. My son absolutely loves the game and will continue to give everything to be the best he can be, so of course I’ll continue to back him up and advocate for his type of player.

Good luck with the program I honestly hope you do produce some quality creative players, it can only be good all round for Australian football if you do. Good luck in the U13s next year too, he had a couple of good tough games against your boys this year. Keep spreading the word up north.

[matty2323]

I watch videos of Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Robben etc.. you ever see them when they were kids. Some number 6 drops in, pops a pinpoint pass to them.. they get the ball, dribble 5-6 players and score.. who you think got recognised? Give me an 15-16 year old decent footballer, in 1 month i can teach him to pass accurtately and consistently. 2-3 months and ill add creativity and movement to that. give me the same kid and let me teach him 1v1 and dribbling.. might never get it. hardest thing to do in football.


You nailed it on the head... to an certain degree. In Australia, natural produce the box to box midfielders you speak of. Our best players at the moment in the Australian set up performing on the world stage are those type of players. Jedinek, Bresciano, Milligan and to an extent Vidosic, Oar etc. Besides Harry Kewell, in recent memory have we produce a flair player? Our wide players have always had graft, your Emerton and Wilkshere type players.

We have identified that we dont produce certain types of players in Australia. We have the physicals, we have the attitude.. but we lack flair! The one creative player we have produced got snapped up by Celtic after a season in the A-League (Rogic). Look at the A League.. Ono, ADP, Flores, Hersi, all AUs top 4.. all import Flair players.

We need them desperately if we're to compete at international level, we need them if we want to increase the interest in the A-League. So when a SKILL ACQUISTION PROGRAM comes along, most coaches will look for the flair, identify those with 1v1 talent because its so rare. It catches the eye. Almost every kid out there could pass, had good body positioning and showed football intelligence. Thats a credit to their coaches. But not all had the 4th asset, 1v1 ability.. and thats what makes them stand out.

Thanks for your input on this topic Matty2323, its gone a long way to addressing my original cynicism about the SAP program. I reckon there are some general misconceptions all round about what SAP is actually looking for which leaves people feeling unsure. Truth is my son would never have made final selection purely judged as a flair player anyway, it’s just not who he is or how he likes to play. That is fine I have no issue with it, if the FFA have made a decision to identify a type of player they believe are a priority then that’s as it should be, they are there to make decisions. I don’t necessarily agree (too narrow a focus imo) but that’s not relevant, I am happy to agree to disagree. My son absolutely loves the game and will continue to give everything to be the best he can be, so of course I’ll continue to back him up and advocate for his type of player.

Good luck with the program I honestly hope you do produce some quality creative players, it can only be good all round for Australian football if you do. Good luck in the U13s next year too, he had a couple of good tough games against your boys this year. Keep spreading the word up north.

No worries. Trust me, i have criticisms of a lot of things too. i think the 1-4-3-3 fails to produce prolific strikers, something Australia has never really had. I think its about balance, and until we find it, there's going to be experimentation. The fortunate thing for you son is that SAP is only a program, not really a 'team', so he will have plenty of opportunities to take the step into the elite squads playing his natural way.

Dont be afraid to say hello next game, always enjoy an educated chat about the game we all love!

[The Kings Jesta]

Would love to see a program put in place that taught kids how to defend at the elite level... no use being good at possession if you can't win the ball back.

Would be interesting to hear how many of the coaches out there rotate their players through the roles week by week? Last article I read on Ajax (where a lot of the National Curic comes from), players don't have set positions until age 14. This is how they help develop the total football. Forwards who can attack and defend and defenders / midfielders like wise.
Matty, you mentioned your number 6 and how good he is at that role, does he get a chance to play other positions, and do others play his? (not having a dig, genuine interest).

So long as the players come out of this program with an understanding of how to use their skills in a team environment I'm all for it... sort of a "with great skill comes great responsibility" type motto.
They can be as individual as they like in the program, just so long as they can be team players when returning to the club.
NB: and the coaches they return to implement their skills in to the system, not the system in to their skills. (e.g. like the old days of he's quick play him up front and send it long, we don't need "just get it to Johnny and let him take on everyone with his new skills")

[matty2323]

Would love to see a program put in place that taught kids how to defend at the elite level... no use being good at possession if you can't win the ball back.

Would be interesting to hear how many of the coaches out there rotate their players through the roles week by week? Last article I read on Ajax (where a lot of the National Curic comes from), players don't have set positions until age 14. This is how they help develop the total football. Forwards who can attack and defend and defenders / midfielders like wise.
Matty, you mentioned your number 6 and how good he is at that role, does he get a chance to play other positions, and do others play his? (not having a dig, genuine interest).

So long as the players come out of this program with an understanding of how to use their skills in a team environment I'm all for it... sort of a "with great skill comes great responsibility" type motto.
They can be as individual as they like in the program, just so long as they can be team players when returning to the club.
NB: and the coaches they return to implement their skills in to the system, not the system in to their skills. (e.g. like the old days of he's quick play him up front and send it long, we don't need "just get it to Johnny and let him take on everyone with his new skills")

Most coaches will start introducing BP and BPO during the game training phase. 1v1 defending is certainly taught during the skills acquisition phase.

Interesting your point about player rotations and my number 6. theoretically if kids are exposed to the national curriculum from discovery phase, SSGs will introduce them to all areas of the pitch. I think once you start getting to 11v11 scenarios, kids have begun developing specific skills to specific positions/roles. My number 6 plays majority of his football in that role, having said that, im a firm believer of position rotation.

Exposing them to various positions allows them to develop understanding and offers different scenarios. A player playing full back will have more time and space on the ball, the game will often be in front of him. Central midfielders are often tight spaces, body positioning and first touch are of huge importance. Thus exposing kids to both roles teaches them a more 'all-round' approach to the game.

The luxury Elite academies like Ajax have is that kids are picked up age 4-5. Taught all the fundamentals and have near on perfected the 4 basic skills by age 12. This allows player rotations, most kids will have the correct technique to perform any tactical role competently. At club level in SA, the gap between number 1 and number 15 is often vast, and for individual player confidence, exposing kids to positions they're not ready for can have negative effects on their development.

[The Kings Jesta]

Would love to see a program put in place that taught kids how to defend at the elite level... no use being good at possession if you can't win the ball back.

Would be interesting to hear how many of the coaches out there rotate their players through the roles week by week? Last article I read on Ajax (where a lot of the National Curic comes from), players don't have set positions until age 14. This is how they help develop the total football. Forwards who can attack and defend and defenders / midfielders like wise.
Matty, you mentioned your number 6 and how good he is at that role, does he get a chance to play other positions, and do others play his? (not having a dig, genuine interest).

So long as the players come out of this program with an understanding of how to use their skills in a team environment I'm all for it... sort of a "with great skill comes great responsibility" type motto.
They can be as individual as they like in the program, just so long as they can be team players when returning to the club.
NB: and the coaches they return to implement their skills in to the system, not the system in to their skills. (e.g. like the old days of he's quick play him up front and send it long, we don't need "just get it to Johnny and let him take on everyone with his new skills")

Most coaches will start introducing BP and BPO during the game training phase. 1v1 defending is certainly taught during the skills acquisition phase.

Interesting your point about player rotations and my number 6. theoretically if kids are exposed to the national curriculum from discovery phase, SSGs will introduce them to all areas of the pitch. I think once you start getting to 11v11 scenarios, kids have begun developing specific skills to specific positions/roles. My number 6 plays majority of his football in that role, having said that, im a firm believer of position rotation.

Exposing them to various positions allows them to develop understanding and offers different scenarios. A player playing full back will have more time and space on the ball, the game will often be in front of him. Central midfielders are often tight spaces, body positioning and first touch are of huge importance. Thus exposing kids to both roles teaches them a more 'all-round' approach to the game.

The luxury Elite academies like Ajax have is that kids are picked up age 4-5. Taught all the fundamentals and have near on perfected the 4 basic skills by age 12. This allows player rotations, most kids will have the correct technique to perform any tactical role competently. At club level in SA, the gap between number 1 and number 15 is often vast, and for individual player confidence, exposing kids to positions they're not ready for can have negative effects on their development.

Only if they are told there is something to lose if they don't get it right... i.e. tell a kid he is playing for something and he will put pressure on himself to do it right (especially in a team sport where 10 or more other players are relying on you for that moment you are involved), and therefore run the risk of a negative response if it goes wrong. Tell a kid to give it his best and not worry what happens (and making the other 10 or more players aware that that is the case for all), and create an environment to enhance freedom, creativity and enjoyment.
I remember doing my senior license about 8 years ago and Martyn Crook telling us how he took the SASI boys to Ajax for a friendly. Ajax always played out from the back, no matter what SASI did, even when they pressed on and went man for man. The Ajax players have a way of playing they learn at an early age, but they are also in an environment where the long term goal (producing a certain type of football) is far more important than the short term moment (winning a junior level game of football).
We can always say: they get the kids early, have professional coaches, lots more time at training... they are all just excuses. It is going to take sacrifices of the few (hopefully becoming the many), to start the long journey of creating the players we want to. We can all come up with reasons why we can't do it (money, family commitments, work commitments etc...), real passion and belief will find a way. There is no reason why clubs can't stand up to mercenary seniors and start putting more money in to their own grass roots. Why not shift the focus to the long term and spend a little money of having 1-3 coaches at the club 4-5 nights a week working with various age groups along with their coach, in a technical director role. this would alleviate the need for programs like the SAP as they would already be happening at the club. Even better, if the junior leagues had all games vs same teams on the same day at the same place, e.g. Playford vs Salisbury all on one sunday like the proposal for 2015 league structure, these technical directors could work even closer with the junior teams at said club as they can see them all in the same place on the same day. This is why U/18s is the best league to develop players in: no relegation, points really don't matter... problem is, no basics by then, no real long term future at a high level (NPL / ALeague / etc...)
Programs like SAP are good, but there is no reason why clubs can't run their own. If they feel their coaches aren't quite up to it, approach one about a "guest stint" and invite your coaches to work closely with the more qualified (in ability not just on paper) coach so that in a year or two you can run everything internally.

On a side note, I know Richie very well and worked with him at FFSA for a few years... is he trying to teach kids tricks and flicks and shooting... he can certainly defend and play a killer pass but can't remember the last time I saw him do a flip-flap / rabona / elastico etc... (before the flame ignites, please read that with a tongue firmly embedded in the cheek, he always got me to show the kids that stuff)

[matty2323]

Would love to see a program put in place that taught kids how to defend at the elite level... no use being good at possession if you can't win the ball back.

Would be interesting to hear how many of the coaches out there rotate their players through the roles week by week? Last article I read on Ajax (where a lot of the National Curic comes from), players don't have set positions until age 14. This is how they help develop the total football. Forwards who can attack and defend and defenders / midfielders like wise.
Matty, you mentioned your number 6 and how good he is at that role, does he get a chance to play other positions, and do others play his? (not having a dig, genuine interest).

So long as the players come out of this program with an understanding of how to use their skills in a team environment I'm all for it... sort of a "with great skill comes great responsibility" type motto.
They can be as individual as they like in the program, just so long as they can be team players when returning to the club.
NB: and the coaches they return to implement their skills in to the system, not the system in to their skills. (e.g. like the old days of he's quick play him up front and send it long, we don't need "just get it to Johnny and let him take on everyone with his new skills")

Most coaches will start introducing BP and BPO during the game training phase. 1v1 defending is certainly taught during the skills acquisition phase.

Interesting your point about player rotations and my number 6. theoretically if kids are exposed to the national curriculum from discovery phase, SSGs will introduce them to all areas of the pitch. I think once you start getting to 11v11 scenarios, kids have begun developing specific skills to specific positions/roles. My number 6 plays majority of his football in that role, having said that, im a firm believer of position rotation.

Exposing them to various positions allows them to develop understanding and offers different scenarios. A player playing full back will have more time and space on the ball, the game will often be in front of him. Central midfielders are often tight spaces, body positioning and first touch are of huge importance. Thus exposing kids to both roles teaches them a more 'all-round' approach to the game.

The luxury Elite academies like Ajax have is that kids are picked up age 4-5. Taught all the fundamentals and have near on perfected the 4 basic skills by age 12. This allows player rotations, most kids will have the correct technique to perform any tactical role competently. At club level in SA, the gap between number 1 and number 15 is often vast, and for individual player confidence, exposing kids to positions they're not ready for can have negative effects on their development.

Only if they are told there is something to lose if they don't get it right... i.e. tell a kid he is playing for something and he will put pressure on himself to do it right (especially in a team sport where 10 or more other players are relying on you for that moment you are involved), and therefore run the risk of a negative response if it goes wrong. Tell a kid to give it his best and not worry what happens (and making the other 10 or more players aware that that is the case for all), and create an environment to enhance freedom, creativity and enjoyment.
I remember doing my senior license about 8 years ago and Martyn Crook telling us how he took the SASI boys to Ajax for a friendly. Ajax always played out from the back, no matter what SASI did, even when they pressed on and went man for man. The Ajax players have a way of playing they learn at an early age, but they are also in an environment where the long term goal (producing a certain type of football) is far more important than the short term moment (winning a junior level game of football).
We can always say: they get the kids early, have professional coaches, lots more time at training... they are all just excuses. It is going to take sacrifices of the few (hopefully becoming the many), to start the long journey of creating the players we want to. We can all come up with reasons why we can't do it (money, family commitments, work commitments etc...), real passion and belief will find a way. There is no reason why clubs can't stand up to mercenary seniors and start putting more money in to their own grass roots. Why not shift the focus to the long term and spend a little money of having 1-3 coaches at the club 4-5 nights a week working with various age groups along with their coach, in a technical director role. this would alleviate the need for programs like the SAP as they would already be happening at the club. Even better, if the junior leagues had all games vs same teams on the same day at the same place, e.g. Playford vs Salisbury all on one sunday like the proposal for 2015 league structure, these technical directors could work even closer with the junior teams at said club as they can see them all in the same place on the same day. This is why U/18s is the best league to develop players in: no relegation, points really don't matter... problem is, no basics by then, no real long term future at a high level (NPL / ALeague / etc...)
Programs like SAP are good, but there is no reason why clubs can't run their own. If they feel their coaches aren't quite up to it, approach one about a "guest stint" and invite your coaches to work closely with the more qualified (in ability not just on paper) coach so that in a year or two you can run everything internally.

On a side note, I know Richie very well and worked with him at FFSA for a few years... is he trying to teach kids tricks and flicks and shooting... he can certainly defend and play a killer pass but can't remember the last time I saw him do a flip-flap / rabona / elastico etc... (before the flame ignites, please read that with a tongue firmly embedded in the cheek, he always got me to show the kids that stuff)

i agree. you may have misinterpreted by comment or i may have not made it very clear. When referring to "exposing kids to positions they're not ready for can have negative effects on their development" i more meant their self belief. Kids are very self-conscious and get embarrassed very easily. They don't want to do things they think they cant do. My point was that i wanted to expose them to it at training, during skill training and skill games to ensure they realise they can do it before i 'throw them in the deep end' in games. (yes, results have no importantance, but kids dont see it that way).

[The Kings Jesta]

Most coaches will start introducing BP and BPO during the game training phase. 1v1 defending is certainly taught during the skills acquisition phase.

Interesting your point about player rotations and my number 6. theoretically if kids are exposed to the national curriculum from discovery phase, SSGs will introduce them to all areas of the pitch. I think once you start getting to 11v11 scenarios, kids have begun developing specific skills to specific positions/roles. My number 6 plays majority of his football in that role, having said that, im a firm believer of position rotation.

Exposing them to various positions allows them to develop understanding and offers different scenarios. A player playing full back will have more time and space on the ball, the game will often be in front of him. Central midfielders are often tight spaces, body positioning and first touch are of huge importance. Thus exposing kids to both roles teaches them a more 'all-round' approach to the game.

The luxury Elite academies like Ajax have is that kids are picked up age 4-5. Taught all the fundamentals and have near on perfected the 4 basic skills by age 12. This allows player rotations, most kids will have the correct technique to perform any tactical role competently. At club level in SA, the gap between number 1 and number 15 is often vast, and for individual player confidence, exposing kids to positions they're not ready for can have negative effects on their development.[/quote]

Only if they are told there is something to lose if they don't get it right... i.e. tell a kid he is playing for something and he will put pressure on himself to do it right (especially in a team sport where 10 or more other players are relying on you for that moment you are involved), and therefore run the risk of a negative response if it goes wrong. Tell a kid to give it his best and not worry what happens (and making the other 10 or more players aware that that is the case for all), and create an environment to enhance freedom, creativity and enjoyment.
I remember doing my senior license about 8 years ago and Martyn Crook telling us how he took the SASI boys to Ajax for a friendly. Ajax always played out from the back, no matter what SASI did, even when they pressed on and went man for man. The Ajax players have a way of playing they learn at an early age, but they are also in an environment where the long term goal (producing a certain type of football) is far more important than the short term moment (winning a junior level game of football).
We can always say: they get the kids early, have professional coaches, lots more time at training... they are all just excuses. It is going to take sacrifices of the few (hopefully becoming the many), to start the long journey of creating the players we want to. We can all come up with reasons why we can't do it (money, family commitments, work commitments etc...), real passion and belief will find a way. There is no reason why clubs can't stand up to mercenary seniors and start putting more money in to their own grass roots. Why not shift the focus to the long term and spend a little money of having 1-3 coaches at the club 4-5 nights a week working with various age groups along with their coach, in a technical director role. this would alleviate the need for programs like the SAP as they would already be happening at the club. Even better, if the junior leagues had all games vs same teams on the same day at the same place, e.g. Playford vs Salisbury all on one sunday like the proposal for 2015 league structure, these technical directors could work even closer with the junior teams at said club as they can see them all in the same place on the same day. This is why U/18s is the best league to develop players in: no relegation, points really don't matter... problem is, no basics by then, no real long term future at a high level (NPL / ALeague / etc...)
Programs like SAP are good, but there is no reason why clubs can't run their own. If they feel their coaches aren't quite up to it, approach one about a "guest stint" and invite your coaches to work closely with the more qualified (in ability not just on paper) coach so that in a year or two you can run everything internally.

On a side note, I know Richie very well and worked with him at FFSA for a few years... is he trying to teach kids tricks and flicks and shooting... he can certainly defend and play a killer pass but can't remember the last time I saw him do a flip-flap / rabona / elastico etc... (before the flame ignites, please read that with a tongue firmly embedded in the cheek, he always got me to show the kids that stuff)[/quote]

i agree. you may have misinterpreted by comment or i may have not made it very clear. When referring to "exposing kids to positions they're not ready for can have negative effects on their development" i more meant their self belief. Kids are very self-conscious and get embarrassed very easily. They don't want to do things they think they cant do. My point was that i wanted to expose them to it at training, during skill training and skill games to ensure they realise they can do it before i 'throw them in the deep end' in games. (yes, results have no importantance, but kids dont see it that way).[/quote]

You'd be surprised. Gomby has half of Adelaide convinced results don't matter. Just tell the kids it's going to be like AU and they might buy in to it
In all seriousness, just keep preaching the football development gospel to them about the overall aim of the team for the year (duration you will have them). But, unfortunately, you probably have to convince the parents as well. I tend to find it easiest to put an experimental player in with naturalised players in that position e.g. play a new RB/LB with established CBs and DM as they will be the guys able to offer the best support during the game both on and off the ball.