Fleetwood Town "academy". Whats the craic? 

2 hours ago, Stig said:

I'm still not a fan at all. All that will happen is the bigger, earlier developing kids will hog the ball even more.

Our club is contemplating not having an under 7s next season because we don't have the pitches (or expensive equipment) and may struggle to find volunteers for 2 teams. Even if we end up with one team it's reducing participation. 

Surely anything that decreases participation can't be good for kids playing football. They should have just extended 5 a side to 3 years before jumping up to 7 a side.

I don't like it either. Me and a few mates took our lads last summer to a 3v3 Tournament (they were u8's) and they all disliked the format.

I think most kids at this age just want to be part of a team and the social side of that and play a bit of muddy footy at the same time. I think this takes it away. It places too much emphasis on technical skill, rather than just have a group of kids enjoy the sport, run around, stay fit and active and have a laugh

3 hours ago, superjohnmcginlay said:

Just taken up assistant manager role at my lads under 12’s after never really wanting to get involved. I coach him at cricket that was enough.

Finding it quite the task after being on the parents side of the pitch these past few years. 

 

 

Good luck Mate. Assistant Manager, or Assistant to the Manager?

3v3 is so misunderstood. simplest form, turn the pitch side ways, cone it off and have multiple games played simultaneously. so your 5v5 becomes 2/3 3v3; more touches, more kids playing. the kids 'manage' the game themselves with a coach overseeing it. shorter games with less emphasis on the result, each 3 play multiple games against different opponents

1 hour ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Or, play with your mates on the local field. 5 a side, 8 a side, 11 a side, 18 a side. Jumpers for goalposts & have fun. Over coaching & over formalising everything kills the whole thing.

As a kid I always loved playing footy with my mates, absolutely hated my short stint playing for Brandlesholme Warriors. Having to play in the cold and rain, fuck that.

2 hours ago, boltonboris said:

Good luck Mate. Assistant Manager, or Assistant to the Manager?

Assistant manager 

 

*cone boy in some circles 

5 hours ago, boltonboris said:

I don't like it either. Me and a few mates took our lads last summer to a 3v3 Tournament (they were u8's) and they all disliked the format.

I think most kids at this age just want to be part of a team and the social side of that and play a bit of muddy footy at the same time. I think this takes it away. It places too much emphasis on technical skill, rather than just have a group of kids enjoy the sport, run around, stay fit and active and have a laugh

Training every kid to be a professional footballer when in reality they all just want to slam a kit on play in a team.

24 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Training every kid to be a professional footballer when in reality they all just want to slam a kit on play in a team.

this is exactly what i want for the shit tubby kids i get coming down- they just want to pull on a shirt, play with their mates and emulate their heroes; i hate coaches who think they have the right to tell a 10 year old he isnt good enough, or their they are on trial!

i'd sooner create opportunities for 40 shit kids than 10 world beaters. last season i set up one team (u8s doing well), and got about 6 kids into established teams aged 9-11, boys and girls. i have already got 3 starting this season (U7,8,10s) with hopefully more to follow, but all those left behind will still have chance to pull a kit on, even if only internal games

5 hours ago, boltonboris said:

Good luck Mate. Assistant Manager, or Assistant to the Manager?

Whats the difference??

14 minutes ago, bwfc2003 said:

Whats the difference??

The length in stadium jacket you get. 

Just bumped into someone on Lower Broughton Road @royal white

15 hours ago, bwfc2003 said:

Whats the difference??

It’s just a joke 

 

“Assistant regional manager”

”Assistant TO the regional manager”

8 minutes ago, boltonboris said:

It’s just a joke 

 

“Assistant regional manager”

”Assistant TO the regional manager”

Tried finding a Gareth Keenan meme but gave up

17 hours ago, Dr Faustus said:

this is exactly what i want for the shit tubby kids i get coming down- they just want to pull on a shirt, play with their mates and emulate their heroes; i hate coaches who think they have the right to tell a 10 year old he isnt good enough, or their they are on trial!

i'd sooner create opportunities for 40 shit kids than 10 world beaters. last season i set up one team (u8s doing well), and got about 6 kids into established teams aged 9-11, boys and girls. i have already got 3 starting this season (U7,8,10s) with hopefully more to follow, but all those left behind will still have chance to pull a kit on, even if only internal games

I heard a good story in my parallel world of athletics the other day from an older, esteemed coach I talk to from time to time. He did some work with England Athletics on national level masterclasses with coaches and their athletes but was also a club lead coach, chairman etc. 

One of the fellow tutors on a class put out to the coaches present that preparing these national standard athletes for international success was the toughest role in coaching.

My colleague called him out on that and said, on the contrary, the hardest job is being prepared to take in groups of 15-20+ raw kids off the street, with levels of ability that ranges from none to a bit, teach them all the fundamentals and techniques of the sport plus how to train, compete, the rules etc, then be ok with passing them on at some point to that 'higher level' coach who'd polish them up into something high class. That higher level coach has had all the donkey work done for them, the real, tireless graft is from that entry level coach who's there 2-3 times a week starting those kids off from scratch and giving them opportunities to see if they like the sport and are any good at any of it.

Only a small cohort of coaches get to be at the big venues and events with the internationals but the sport would die on its arse without that ground level club coach

14 hours ago, ianofcleveleys said:

I heard a good story in my parallel world of athletics the other day from an older, esteemed coach I talk to from time to time. He did some work with England Athletics on national level masterclasses with coaches and their athletes but was also a club lead coach, chairman etc. 

One of the fellow tutors on a class put out to the coaches present that preparing these national standard athletes for international success was the toughest role in coaching.

My colleague called him out on that and said, on the contrary, the hardest job is being prepared to take in groups of 15-20+ raw kids off the street, with levels of ability that ranges from none to a bit, teach them all the fundamentals and techniques of the sport plus how to train, compete, the rules etc, then be ok with passing them on at some point to that 'higher level' coach who'd polish them up into something high class. That higher level coach has had all the donkey work done for them, the real, tireless graft is from that entry level coach who's there 2-3 times a week starting those kids off from scratch and giving them opportunities to see if they like the sport and are any good at any of it.

Only a small cohort of coaches get to be at the big venues and events with the internationals but the sport would die on its arse without that ground level club coach

Some of these coaches want to try teaching PE to a bunch of 30 reprobates, who turn up with no kit, don’t want to be there, think they’re top gangsters with A/9* standards in anti-social behaviour 😂

Champions 🏆 

It's the end of season awards tonight. 4-8. As she's in an second to oldest age group their presentation isn't until second from last. I will be getting there at around 7, sod 4 hours on a Saturday evening.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

It's the end of season awards tonight. 4-8. As she's in an second to oldest age group their presentation isn't until second from last. I will be getting there at around 7, sod 4 hours on a Saturday evening.

 

 

Used to hate massive presentations; Moorside Rangers would hire out the AJ Bell, then complain about the cost of everything. Your child was on stage for 30 seconds and you had to endure speeches from illiterate, well oiled halfwits, chirping on about how far they’ve come. Rinse and repeat.

 

It’s mine next Sunday 😂

I've just took on a team of girls U7s.

Fuck me.

Parents are hard work.

17 minutes ago, barryk32 said:

I've just took on a team of girls U7s.

 

Did you win?

14 year old just been bought by Man City from Liverpool for £750k 🤯

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

14 year old just been bought by Man City from Liverpool for £750k 🤯

More than most L1 teams and can spend on a 1st teamer

2 hours ago, gonzo said:

14 year old just been bought by Man City from Liverpool for £750k 🤯

Not an unusual fee between the top clubs, but horrible when they will get away with minimal fees to EFL academies.

5 hours ago, Dr Faustus said:

Used to hate massive presentations; Moorside Rangers would hire out the AJ Bell, then complain about the cost of everything. Your child was on stage for 30 seconds and you had to endure speeches from illiterate, well oiled halfwits, chirping on about how far they’ve come. Rinse and repeat.

 

It’s mine next Sunday 😂

😄 spot on. It appears if you smile a lot at training and help the coach with the nets you win the leadership award. But smiling, that seems to be the key for award success.

Spent a fortune already on ice creams and this raffle is endless. Hurry up man!

7 hours ago, gonzo said:

14 year old just been bought by Man City from Liverpool for £750k 🤯

A weird one… a scout for an elite club told my lad he was being watched by few clubs, but couldn’t say who… wtf would you say it? 
 

Based on the current valuations he’s gonna cost 360k min- 40k a year

Just stepped in myself to help out with my lads team. He'll be in U8's next year.

Started this season off with 10 players, ended it this Saturday with 5. Previous bloke running it jacked it in back in March as was causing aggro with his lad (good little player but blaming other lads for goals conceded etc) Whilst he was there couple of lads playing 40 mins virtually every week, others lucky to get 15. Club have been non-existant and offered no support so moving to another club for next season.

When club found out last week they told current manager he couldn't take any more games this season. The politics in it all has genuinely shocked me this year.

Hoping myself and current manager can let the kids enjoy it with no pressure next year - we are both on the same page.

I've always said to my lad all I want is for him to enjoy playing. The focus in winning when it's non-competitive at this level has been ridiculous from a lot of people involved (coaches and parents).

There was a U7's game abandoned a few weeks back as parents were physically fighting on the touchline after one bloke was heard encouraging his lad to 'snap' the other team. This resulted in one lad being taken to hospital in an ambulance. 

Edited June 16, 2025Jun 16 by BeeversLeftPeg