I note that Declan's protege Ryan thomas has just signed a 4 year deal with Dutch Eredivise club PEK Zwolle. I think the kid is just turning 19. Wow. Declan's methods justified?
Epic oversimplification.
Apparently he has been the major coaching influence, so just asking the question in a neutral manner, not claiming cause and effect.
Fair enough. Didn't sound that way.
In my opinion, talent is talent. Declan's done a great job, no doubt, but you've got to start with talent. You can't create talent.
When talent meets decent coaching and then gets opportunity. #win.
Pretty much this. Where Declan has it right is the hours he commits to these kids - he believes in time spent on the training pitch to make his players technically good, and most of them are. The problem for him, as a coach, is when he tries to put all of his players on the field at the same time together, and then it all goes to pieces as nobody can shoot and they all just spend time passing the ball around the backline. He's best served developing the young players and then seeing them move on to a senior side where they can learn the more physical aspects and style of the higher leagues, and fit into a better, more direct system
Which is pretty much the job he has, so that's awesome.
