Tonights Games: 25/04/23

Originally Posted by Bunker Buster

But it's bloody delicious they are...

Crisp @#%&!s

Still find it funny that the one year spurs could have won it, Leicester done them

Bamford

Originally Posted by NedKelly

Still find it funny that the one year spurs could have won it, Leicester done them

And Arsenal still finished above them

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

Best goal tonight goes to a 16 year old playing for our under 18s



https://www.twitter.com/utdreportAca...39879562289153

Delightful.

I saw an interview that Wenger was doing recently talking about players that actually make it, 80-85% of every single footballer in every single academy is completely out of the game by the time they’re out of their teens. Not even playing lower leagues, just gone from football.

The mentality of elite footballers is more important than the talent, I hope Erik and the club are working on that - we can see the frailties in the first team but imagine being a kid in this environment. It’s a ruthless proposition.

Nurturing a talent is only a part of the story.

West Ham won the FA Youth Cup today @#%&!ting Arsenal 5-1 in the final.

Originally Posted by Baron

Delightful.

I saw an interview that Wenger was doing recently talking about players that actually make it, 80-85% of every single footballer in every single academy is completely out of the game by the time they’re out of their teens. Not even playing lower leagues, just gone from football.

The mentality of elite footballers is more important than the talent, I hope Erik and the club are working on that - we can see the frailties in the first team but imagine being a kid in this environment. It’s a ruthless proposition.

Nurturing a talent is only a part of the story.

Was listening to Steven Caulker on a podcast yesterday and that was basically what he was saying. He was at Spurs with Bale and Kane and he said their focus and attitude was the difference. Come in, do the job to the absolute max every day, go home.

With every season that passes it gets more like that. Fewer and fewer characters, just robots prepared to do whatever it takes and follow the orders given.

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

Best goal tonight goes to a 16 year old playing for our under 18s



https://www.twitter.com/utdreportAca...39879562289153

hes incredible shea // the next superstar

Originally Posted by Baron

Delightful.

I saw an interview that Wenger was doing recently talking about players that actually make it, 80-85% of every single footballer in every single academy is completely out of the game by the time they’re out of their teens. Not even playing lower leagues, just gone from football.

The mentality of elite footballers is more important than the talent, I hope Erik and the club are working on that - we can see the frailties in the first team but imagine being a kid in this environment. It’s a ruthless proposition.

Nurturing a talent is only a part of the story.

I think it's pretty savage in any sport. A lad in the same year as my boy, who ran rings around everyone playing for their school did all the LUFC academy stuff, very time consuming, lots of traipsing around different parts of the area each week. He jacked it in of his own free will at about 14, don't think he has kicked a ball since, he started playing golf with his dad instead.

A girl I worked with on and off for 20+ years had a daughter who was a 2012 contender for swimming. Earmarked from an early age, she and her hubby did the 4am starts for years on end to take her to training, and then ferrying around the country for competitions, sat about on for hours on end waiting for her heats etc.. Just got up one morning, years down and the line and said she didn't want to do it anymore.

Originally Posted by thatsfuctit

I think it's pretty savage in any sport. A lad in the same year as my boy, who ran rings around everyone playing for their school did all the LUFC academy stuff, very time consuming, lots of traipsing around different parts of the area each week. He jacked it in of his own free will at about 14, don't think he has kicked a ball since, he started playing golf with his dad instead.

A girl I worked with on and off for 20+ years had a daughter who was a 2012 contender for swimming. Earmarked from an early age, she and her hubby did the 4am starts for years on end to take her to training, and then ferrying around the country for competitions, sat about on for hours on end waiting for her heats etc.. Just got up one morning, years down and the line and said she didn't want to do it anymore.

Have a friend with similar experience to your second example. His daughter was a very high performer at junior levels in Asia. Met him a few weeks ago after a four year gap and he said she doesn't even swim now

Football academies are by and large a slaughterhouse for young kids. If you look at the minuscule number that make it, there's an awful lot of kids who start off their adult life feeling like failures.

My eldest plays at a relatively high level (by HK standards anyway ). Trains four times a week, plus gym, etc. but I've been very careful to manage his expectations. Be realistic and just enjoy it. Saying that I have also drilled him with the mentality that aside from the most exceptional cases, hard work and dedication goes much further than talent.

Originally Posted by thatsfuctit

IA girl I worked with on and off for 20+ years had a daughter who was a 2012 contender for swimming. Earmarked from an early age, she and her hubby did the 4am starts for years on end to take her to training, and then ferrying around the country for competitions, sat about on for hours on end waiting for her heats etc.. Just got up one morning, years down and the line and said she didn't want to do it anymore.

That happened in m house tbf. It’s a tough, tough sport swimming.

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

Best goal tonight goes to a 16 year old playing for our under 18s



https://www.twitter.com/utdreportAca...39879562289153

Originally Posted by Bunker Buster

But it's bloody delicious they are...

Crisp @#%&!s

I would still rather see Leeds go down though, given a choice