Sydney FC have stepped into the youth football limelight with a bold plan to create what they feel will be “Australia’s leading elite football academy”.
Having plucked at the FFA to secure Han Berger as a board director and Kelly Cross as the Academy Director, the Sky Blues will enter an important junction as they look to nurture local talent – something that has often proved elusive for Australian clubs.
For most players, the holy grail as a youngster is European football. Many grow up dreaming of playing for Real Madrid, few dream of playing for Sydney FC. The wealth of opportunities on offer in Europe and the lack thereof in our own backyard prompts many players to take the plunge overseas and turn a blind eye to the A-League.
Of the recent crop of Socceroos, Brad Smith, Massimo Luongo and Bailey Wright all skipped the A-League in favour of the more promising youth setup in England. Smith made the switch at the age of just 14 and was scouted by Liverpool’s Academy while playing high school football. Wright moved straight from the Victorian Institute of Sport into Preston North End’s system at 17 and Luongo was snapped up by Tottenham’s Academy at just 18.
All three were handed an opportunity that wasn’t yet available in Australia. The states’ respective Institutes of Sport have proved effective in fine tuning the technique and mental aptitude of young players, but clear pathways to the A-League have been in short supply and not yet executed to an acceptable standard.
Cross has proved a divisive figure during his FFA days but has been gifted an opportunity to change the academy game (something that shouldn’t be too difficult given the often shambolic precedents that have been set thus far).
The current path for many Sydney footballers into the A-League comes via the National Premier Leagues NSW, with the hope that playing consistent football in the state’s top tier will garner a trial at National Youth League level.
Yet the most glaring example of a teething identification program is Tom Rogic, who was A-League ready when he signed for Central Coast at 19.
Sydney FC will attempt to implement a structure that sees their philosophy filter down from the A-League through to the Academy and ensure they are generating a regular talent pool of players that are ready to make the step into first team football in an instant.
The aim is to have teams playing throughout the NSW NPL by 2016, which would also ensure year-round scouting for the NYL coaches. But the Sky Blues will heed the warning of the Central Coast Mariners Academy, which is currently in an ugly state thanks to a dispute between Central Coast Football and the Mariners over the control of the Academy.
Having witnessed the Mariners Academy play throughout the NSW NPL Mens 2 competition this year, I can assure fans on the coast that there is no shortage of quality players emerging through the ranks. Their Under 18s side were crowned champions on Sunday after going the entire season unbeaten, while the first grade outfit finished second in the regular season after an impressive campaign under former Socceroo Jason van Blerk.
Unfortunately, things have come to a head above the players and it’s no longer a matter of letting football do the talking. The inability for the association and the A-League licensees to co-exist is a disappointing one that has potential to see the Mariners branding removed from the Academy. It would be a move that would significantly dampen the allure of playing for the Academy and create confusion about the solidity of the pathway from Academy to A-League.
Having Cross solely focus on the progress of the Academy program will give Sydney FC an advantage in being able to effectively manage A-League and Academy simultaneously.
There will be many eyes on the two-time A-League champions over the next three years. If successful (there is no excuse for the contrary), Graham Arnold will have an exciting crop of youngsters to call upon in the near future and the stigma of starting a career in Australia will go a long way to being removed.
Brisbane, Perth and Newcastle have all made important steps over the last two years by entering youth teams into the NPL.
Funding an Academy puts A-League clubs in drive, it doesn’t hinder them, and all A-League clubs must look to create a fruitful development structure over the coming years.
Griffo
Roar Guru
One way would be for the FFA to regulate and rate academies on criteria - a bit murky if you set up in competition. Also in time the A-League academies that produce for the national teams will attract more youth trialists than corporate academies. Just have to ensure they're also cheaper. Yeah when you're named after a high profile club you have to wonder, and wonder if any Socceroo will come through this way. Only two potential future NT I know of is Gavin de Niese (River Plate Oceania to River Plate parent club in Argentina) and Panos Armenakas (AC Milan in Oz to Udinese via Watford FC, UK).
Griffo
Roar Guru
No mention of the Emerging Jets Program... The U13's and up play in NPL league with the younger age groups in SAP. The talented player pathway links grassroots to A-League/W-League.
Griffo
Roar Guru
My understanding of de Niese's situation was that he couldn't play for River Plate until he had an Argentine passport after his 18th birthday (January this year). Parents living in country is so that under 18's cannot be separated from parents - de Niese's dad left work, family and moved to Argentina. Having a passport already (dual national) makes a difference...
Justin Mahon
Guest
My a apologies if my tone assent clear. Yes. Agree with your basic thesis. Just wanted to put some more on the table from an educational theory perspective.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
One of the youth players that were sent on for Syd United 58 tonight -Darko? -apparently has been signed by Poppa for the WSW youth team
j binnie
Guest
MID - A simple question. Can anyone ever be "weighed down" by with too much information (knowledge) and personal experience?????? I think not. You mention evolution,for me the game has been evolving from the time I first watched top football and let me say again I hope it never stops evolving though it does appear the evolving "wheel" may be turning the full circle with Van Gaal trying a back three at today's United, matching Arsenal's "third back" system first tried by that club back in 1925.some 90 years ago, thereby starting off the great tactical development that has taken place in the game.. You go on to tell us the obvious. At this time,the top clubs in Australian football cannot really afford the big money required to set up a proper academy,they can pay lip service to the idea but there are much more pressing fiscal problems to be addressed getting and owning their own stadia the most obvious. You go on to explain how the production of young playes can be an excellent way of doing "business" for a "lesser" club and of that there is no argument at all, but it is in creating the means and wherewithal to develop these young players correctly that the doubts start to enter my mind, for the clubs I mentioned as having successful academies overseas are still actively spending millons of dollars procuring players from lesser clubs. Any thoughts on that fact????? Lastly,I am not against academies as per se but I am worried about how they will be set up all across this vast country and, more importantly how the FFA will "police" as to how they are being run.Only with that sort of supervision will success be attained.unfortunately a fact of life when voluntary "labour" is involved as it is much further down the pyramid than the HAL. In fact could I suggest what you foresee as the future is that the HAL licensee identities take over the improvement of "elite" junior players,thus taking over the function on which the AIS was first based and formed.???? Your mate jb
j binnie
Guest
Justin -Firstly the reason I mentioned the AIS as an "academy" was that it was firstly observed as a place where promising talent could be developed and, because the idea is now 33 years old, and we are yet to see any benefits from the original idea,one can only assume it has not achieved what it set out to do and you may well agree with that opinion for you go on to say the participants may have been too old to teach new tricks,but 31 years to find that out,I ask you?????? Secondly,the curriculum idea is not as 'new " as everyone would have us bellieve. Back in 1974 the idea of having qualified coaches (all with educational & coaching qualifications) employed in every state and given the mandate to produce qualified coaches was floated by the then ASF, and that in fact is where the small sided games on small pitches practice originated.That the idea failed was not because it was a bad idea it simply was not supported by the ruling body who ran out of funds when cigarette advertising was banned in sport.Now the head man in today's, FFA Frank Lowy was actually involved on football at that level in those days and the failure of the system then may have been instrumental in part of his walking away from the game for 20 years in 1984 totally dissillusioned with the way the game was being run.So that you do not get the wrong idea I think the "curriculum' is an excellent idea and has it's roots in developments & knowledge attained overseas, but I ask you one simple question,how many teams under the age of 10 in this country are being run on the guidelines laid down by the present curriculum??? which is now 5 years old in it's planning and execution. Not nearly as many as you would hope.,so you see I heartily agree with,and have practiced successfully ,your "scientific "approach. What I was hinting at was what you close your article with,the fact that the formation of an "academy" in itself is no guarantee that a successful conveyor belt of talent will result for the "human factor" still has to be observed,is the "academy" being run properly and who is supervising this factor by doing checks???. That will be the true test of whether the academy idea can be set up successfully and the examples I gave are factual evidence of this potential problem area.Thanks for your reply jb
Midfielder
Guest
Mo You can take our players, you can take our coaches, you can even take some fans.... but you will never take our sauce bottles ....
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
Indeed MVFC have been working on theirs for 2 years now. They have a number of elements in place, but land near the CBD is a sticking point. Resources, the Liverpool strategic partnership (IP) and the relationship with the FFV is all sorted (bar getting clubs over the line on our NYL side playing in the NPL(Vic).
TheMagnificent11
Roar Guru
That's the whole idea of having a club philosophy. Your technical director is the guardian of the club's philosophy and should take the lead on hiring all the coaches, not just the first team coach. This ensues that youth players coming into the first team squad now exactly what is expected of them because they've been playing the same system the whole time they have been in the academy. It also ensures things not much changes in the event that the first team coach leaves (or gets fired). Therefore, in many ways hiring a good TD is more important than hiring a good first team coach. Sydney FC have obviously realised this and that's why that hired Han Berger as their TD.
Mitchell Grima
Expert
Got a name mate? Not a bad story to tell, haven't heard anything about it until now.
Midfielder
Guest
Mitch Without saying something that might get the Roar or myself into some issues .. let me say the guy running the association and where and what he thinks is capable of and should be provided is a huge issue... also what Charlesworth wants is also a bridge to far ... The simple bit is Charlesworth wants more association funds directed towards the rep academy sides ... in return the association head is kinda demanding Ajax or Baca level academies ... Who is more wrong I am not sure in the end of the day its money that is at the root of the issue ...
Franko
Guest
I thought you couldn't sign for foreign sides unless your parents had moved to that country for work or something...? Wasn't that the problem for Gaël Kakuta, Gavin de Niese etc.....? (I may have it well wrong?)
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
Mid - I don't know what you are going to say when you find your giant sauce bottles at the Randwick end of the SFS this season :-) Cheers buddy, I'd better go before I get thrown off this forum
Midfielder
Guest
Franko A kid from my wifes school was selected to go the Barca academy when he was 13, he returned to Australia late last year, two weeks ago Baca approached him to play in there number 3 side he has just turned 16 ... he was on the verge of going to SFC training one day to try out as he lives about 3 Kls from where they train... Could be one to watch in the future, he leaves next week...
Midfielder
Guest
JB Me thinks you are weighted down with too much information and personal experience. As the evolution moves forward Football is changing ... When the A-League was established most clubs struggled to make ends met never mind running academies ... only the Mariners who tho they could profit with an academy ran one. Today as revenue increases and Football knowledge is spreading A-League sides like many former NSL clubs are starting to develop their academies ... The Mariners have made four grand finals, twice won the premiership all on the back of its academy and they have survived by selling players ... The A-League nay Football Australia wide is changing with systems being developed to make the running of academies cheaper and in a development league like Australia that is / will become very important. Very early days however it is the way forward, players will be developed and sold .
Mitchell Grima
Expert
Spot on Mid, good explanation. I only briefly touched on Mariners but have been speaking to quite a few people about it in recent weeks, am hoping to put the shambles into a story when it's settled. To add onto this, Central Coast Football applied for a 2015 NPL licence a couple of months ago which started the drama. Mariners entered their registration for a new licence next year beyond the deadline so that leans in CCF's favour. An utter waste of money spent in court that could have been used to do so much more for juniors.
AZ_RBB
Guest
It can also become a little more difficult if you bring in a new manager who has a very different system. I'm not sure if A-League clubs can be so selective with managers so as to only hire those who play a certain way. But that aside it most certainly can be done. I know Popovic often talks about when he does need one of the players from the NYL team to fill in with the senior squad, they are able to very easily adapt to the system he has set up. Yes, it is a fairly elementary system but it is still one that needs to be instilled in each player with hard work and determination.
Franko
Guest
"Barcelona famously claim that their first team plays the same way as their academy teams. That’s what every A-League club should aspire to achieve." That's all good and well if you support BR or AU. I wouldn't want anyone playing like Perth Glory or Newcastle, especially not kids...!
Justin Mahon
Roar Rookie
Key difference is that the Australian 'academy' (or AIS) was always for kids too far old to teach - or, in the case of some, already beautifully developed by their clubs to the point that the AIS simply provided access to regular international competition (not to be sneezed at). This is changing. Anyone with any understanding of the technology of human capital development (go Google James Heckman for a start) understands the case the FFA are making in the National Curriculum and associated restructuring of the pathways and their integration with the SAP, NTC, NPL etc... Get. Them. Young. And. Keep. Them. Engaged. And. They. Will. Develop. This is not just true of football, but is true of almost any and all aspects of human capital development. The economics of early development are also much more efficient so it is madness to do it any other way - including by throwing resources at an AIS with kids unable to be further developed in technical terms at the right price (i.e. money you could use elsewhere). As an education policy professional I am delighted to see how contemporary education research and neuroscience in particular is clearly informing the FFA's curriculum and the pathway development underway now. People make all sorts of trite complaints about various aspects of the national curriculum (no goal keepers, small pitches, no scoring, etc...). These complaints are, however, largely based in ignorance and should be summarily dismissed. I absolutely understand that having a curriculum and implementing it effectively are very different challenges. Sure, we have a long way to go - but at least we are starting from the right point, that is, by first asking and answering the questions - how do human beings develop skills? A curriculum or pathway that is not informed by this question is likely a criminal waste of resources and often a function of 'soccer school' mythology which yearn for the 'old ways'. These approaches are apparently even more desirable if they are both out-dated and European :-)