From the outside yes. It looks like the elite and rich kids that attend the big academies are getting the breaks.
We have a good example in our system how things can be done differently. A currently successful NZF youth football coach in Leon Birnie. He visits the regions hold's camps with the most promising young players. He has a presence at age group tournaments. and I assume now knows alot of the regional coaches and has a good idea on talent coming through. And his NZ teams contain players from all over the country.
I don't know if Jose went to the same extent as Leon when scouting for talent. And yes there is more to it than just scouting the best players but Leon has the results to prove what ever he is doing is working.
I know the set-up of girls football in NZ is different to boys. But then why is that. Why is it different.
You're not even trying to fit in here, spouting all that thought out sensible stuff ;)
How Leon does it is exactly how all football is done - with credit to Leon who appears a bit more "hands on" - NETWORKS
~10k kids per sex per age group all playing similar times means even looking at 22 kids at a time even Santa would struggle to see all the good kids in person. That's why he has elves.
Clubs/schools/parents identify the young talent, send said talent to local reps/soccer schools/academies, who filter the best and send them to Feds, who filter them and put them in NAGT and forward to NTC/identification camps. Good coaches want their protégés to do well so pass them up the tree. Coaches all talk to each other. I doubt any coach has seen all, Leon included, but they all know about what's out there and look at the best. And they still keep an eye on those that don't move to the big academies. Half the last camp were not 'Academy Boys' but still in the mix.
I despair of armchair critics questioning why kids from NZSS tournament weren't 'looked at', or even NAGT. They were. But newsflash; there's 6 NZSS tournaments, each with 24 to 32 teams, all playing over the same 5 days. No, Jose didn't go to them all. Neither did Leon. And half the best players weren't at any of them. But somebody was looking.
To answer your question, main difference with girls, as Coochiee says, is the big academies don't yet have the same setups in place for girls. Girls have, however, in the recent past, been encouraged to move (to AK in particular) for better competition, training and opportunity - including some of Leon's protégés.
Fully agree with everything you have said. And our NTC and NAGT systems are such an important part of youth player development. Especially in the regions where big academies are not an option.
And yes national coaches can't be everywhere at once. Get your point. Yes that is what networks are for.
Here is a wee article to highlight one that almost slipped through because she didn't move to Auckland. Note that she was not even on the radar but Leon spotted her at a NZSS tournament. Good on him for being there.
Don't get me wrong, i agree with your points. I'm just batting for those that live in the regions and can't for what ever reason send there kids away to Wellington to get the best training. And i am reassured to hear from you that those kids are still being looked at.
PS. I'm not just an armchair critic but am involved be it only at a regional and SS level.