Mainland Juniors (please play nice)

I too believe that the academy idea is a good one and it is great that a passionate individual is prepared to sink his own money into it to get it up and running. Didn't we though already have a world class academy in Lincoln that received little or no support from MF and left for greener pastures? The Chairman's letter appears to be nothing other than an extremely late attempt to cover ones bottom!

Eventually this operation is a direct threat to the other Mainland clubs, the CEO and board should have been transparent in their dealings in relation to it long before now. One of the most threatened clubs by its very location is that of the Chairman himself. Does this mean he is happy to see a decline in his junior club? or has he been snoozing during the board meetings for the last 12 months?

Rumours and speculation start due to a lack of transperency from an organisation. Twelve months is a bit long to wait to inform their stakeholders what they are doing to help a private individual. The CEO and board should have known better and consulted with (not advised) its member clubs long before now. 

Can anyone else smell a Coup d'etat? 

Just a few other questions, why no mention of MF's planned move to Yaldhurst in the letter? is there a difference between introducing a party to the CCC against giving the CCC a full endorsement of the party and its plans? Was the level of support from MF for the APFA the same as that given to the CFA? If not! Why not?  

As uncomfortable as it makes me to say it, I am inclined to start to agree with you Fred...on some of those points anyway.

Let's remember: more facilities, more football = good.
Everything else is change, redistribution etc by whatever means you care to name it. This is where the governing body needs to show some leadership and some nous.

 Agree lack of consultation for over 12 months is bizarre - and possibly representative of the void between the fed and the clubs.
"MF's planned move to Yaldhurst" - speculation or fact?

FTC - TOL trials list is out.

Expect a few phone calls tonight Mr Padmore from a number of quality players led up the garden path to now find a spot at Selwyn or Waimak!  

Its a bit of a shame the new club in yaldhurst got shot down. New facilities, huge growth projections in the region and the chance to plan ahead and get a foot hold in the community.

Its not a new club, its an academy isn't it ? who are there coaches, what qualifications do they have ? are they full time coaches or just part timers ?  

The faces on the wee pamphlet are Ricardo Felitti (top chap and a fantastic coach for the wee kids), Joe Hall (that young fella who did lots of good things at Uni last season), Aimee Phillips (Former/Current Pride player I think?), and Carey Baird. Thats about all I can say here.

Yeah saw that pamphlet, looks like they are part timers and have other jobs by the looks of it. 

Carey Baird ????

One major issue throughout the country (imho) is that Federations have failed to make the transition from being the only provider of football services in a region AND a governing body, to one of many football providers in a region AND a governing body.

The folks guiding these organisations haven't separated the two things in their heads. They think that their provision of services is linked to or the same as their governance job. But it's not. 

As an aside, NZF have a similar problem although they have mostly given up trying to provide services.

Agreed. As such, it calls into question the 'business model' of the feds. If the Feds were to stop 'competing' with clubs and academies (via FTC-paying customers), then their heads would instantly re-focus on governance issues of a membership based organisation - ref and coach education, player development opportunities (tournaments, tours), income (sponsorships), facilities and better admin. However it seems their model is now over-reliant on FTC income. To give it up means cutting or redeploying staff and reconsidering their income basis.

Its not a new club, its an academy isn't it ? who are there coaches, what qualifications do they have ? are they full time coaches or just part timers ?  

They wanted to form a new club as well (club to use the facilities as home and host the academy) but this was shot down by mainland due largely to there already being enough clubs in the area - FC & Nomads are bloody lucky. Personally I think its far enough away to justify it, but I feel if the quality of the product was good players would travel.

Carey Baird ????

"Personally I think its far enough away to justify it" - What planet are you from ???

FTC - TOL trials list is out.

Expect a few phone calls tonight Mr Padmore from a number of quality players led up the garden path to now find a spot at Selwyn or Waimak!  

.. And kids who live too far away to make FTC realistic.

definitely parts of both. but I am sure some parents make a preferential choice for one or the other for "strict" football reasons. 

I thought that what Burney was living on - FTC rejects?

.. And kids who live too far away to make FTC realistic.

Many that have experienced FTC and NTC have indeed rejected MF's offering for better coaching at other private providers. Burnley is one of them. That is despite the supposed threat of not having a national pathway. That is a crock of pooha  and exposed as such nationwide.  You ask Canterbury United if they give a toss about players having come through FTC/NTC.

"Personally I think its far enough away to justify it" - What planet are you from ???

Agreed 10CC, this will have a major impact on FC and Nomads (to a lesser extent) numbers. Where was Mainlands dialogue with those clubs? I hear FC's numbers have taken a big hit. Where is Mainlands support for the club? Not good enough for them to hang them out to dry. 

Logical thing here would have been for a partnership with FC. Tetso was with FC, i believe the russian funded their new kit when FC was forrmed etc etc. Somewhere along the line the relationship must have soured. Maybe when Tetso was asked to present his A licence, and didn't/couldn't? Something fishy here, but then money can make good more often than not. You gotta ask yourself, why volunteers at a forward thinking club have't grabbed this "opportunity" with both hands, and why MF has not proactively assisted with this knowing full well the outcome if it didn't.

We should be celebrating someone wanting to chuck millions into facilities here in chch. So why aren't we ? 

Nerd foal, what go you mean by your comment of nth island being different? Academies and schools get players there too.

Many that have experienced FTC and NTC have indeed rejected MF's offering for better coaching at other private providers. Burnley is one of them. That is despite the supposed threat of not having a national pathway. That is a crock of pooha  and exposed as such nationwide.  You ask Canterbury United if they give a toss about players having come through FTC/NTC.

all the Chch players are at FTC

yet it seems that in both Wellington and Auckland this is not the case

(ie: at Ole - still in NTC)

"Personally I think its far enough away to justify it" - What planet are you from ???

Logical thing here would have been for a partnership with FC. Tetso was with FC, i believe the russian funded their new kit when FC was forrmed etc etc. Somewhere along the line the relationship must have soured. Maybe when Tetso was asked to present his A licence, and didn't/couldn't? Something fishy here, but then money can make good more often than not. You gotta ask yourself, why volunteers at a forward thinking club have't grabbed this "opportunity" with both hands, and why MF has not proactively assisted with this knowing full well the outcome if it didn't.

We should be celebrating someone wanting to chuck millions into facilities here in chch. So why aren't we ?