Wellington Phoenix Men

NZF Youth Players Scholarship at Phoenix

15 replies · 195 views
over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
NZF Youth Players Scholarship at Phoenix

Normo's coming home

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
I'm a strong believer that the Phoenix won't be a proper club until a genuine youth/reserve academy type set up is established.  However, that still appears to be some time away.  At the same time NZ Footballl appears to have belatedly realised thatyouth is the way forward.  However, aside from relying on american colleges, overseas academies and youngsters trained up by foreign FAs, very little progress has been achieved ind eveloping NZ youth players.  Our one young promising professional based in NZ, Kosta Barbarouses has had to head overseas in search of football.  What this shows is that 18 is too young to be introducing young players to the rigours of professional football, and with squad sizes limited to 23, young players need to be able to hold their own at that level.
 
So what is the solution?  Obviously over time a genuine Phoenix academy similar to what is happening in Australia is a priority.  But, as a short term solution why can't NZF fund the development of young players in partnership with the Phoenix.
 
NZF Football should fund the 4/6 best juniors to live in wellington and train with, but not play for, the Phoenix, say 2 at 15y.o level and 2 at 17 y.o level (or possibly 16 and 18, or possibly 4 ages from 15-18).  They would live in Wellington and play for local clubs during the winter but would train with the club as much as school allowed, and a secondary school would have to be involved and be willing to give them time off.  Basically they would get experience at a professional level from a much younger age.  NZF would fund this, the Phoenix would allow them to train and would have first dibs on signing them at age 18.  Each year 1 or two new graduates would enter and exit, at 18 you'd have to stand on your own two feet.  They could fill in for the Phoenix reserve fixtures also as they aren't offical and they wouldn't be required to be registered.
 
The key thing is that NZF funds and selects the players based on who it thinks has a shot of succeeding somewhere, not just at the Phoenix who might have different motivations.  This programme would be overseen by the high performance manager and each should be on individual prgrammes designed by both the club and NZF.  I think you'd assess their progress every 2 years and may release guys after the first 2 years if they aren't progressing properly.  The Phoenix have no track record of developing or blooding youngsters so shouldn't be in charge of this programme completely and have entirely different motivations.  The benefit for them is the availability of NZ's best talenttraining and playing for them at a younger age funded by NZF.
 
I know this is an AllWhiteBeliever esc rant but if people take the time and post constructively I'd be interested ot hear your thoughts.  Or any other suggestions as to how NZF can start to take youth development seriously.

Normo's coming home

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hard News wrote:
Oh jesus, I just heard the knitting circles heads explode...



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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
so that probably means it's got at least some merit?

Normo's coming home

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
anyway, strengths and weaknesses of the suggestion?

Normo's coming home

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
The original scheme for a youth side as explained to me was 8 kids in conjunction with a school, no players from any existing NZFC franchises (so they couldn't be accused of stealing players - f**king ridiculous).  This seems to me to be an extention of that.

Issues I can see.

1, The angst over NZ Football funding an initiative that helps the Phoenix will get a certain (tiny but vocal) minority up in arms.  They may only be ten or so but they think they have a madate to advocate for the other million football people in NZ.

2, I'm not sure I like the idea of NZ Football being the decision makers on it.  If the Phoenix are key to it thewn they probably need to make the decisions on who is a ppropriate (with the help of the Fever Scholarship ).

3, There are a lot of people putting hands out for part of NZF's recent windfall, how do you prioritise this ?

I think we need a NYL spot and we run this sort of set-up, but I can't see how that happens.  Terry doesn't have the money to run it, the FFA aren't going to pay, NZF don't have the money - and won't incur the wrath of the vocal minority by doing it.

If I pick up a 30 Mill powerball win some time I'm all over it though.  If I can just convince her indoors.

How's my driving? - Whine here

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Ok my responses to that are:
 
1. these guys are going to be younger than NZFC first teamers so it's not going to be stealing from them.  those decisions should be made by the players anyway, not by the NZFC franchises.  15/16 yos with talent need to get opportunities with the Phoenix and I don't see another way for that to happen.  18/19/20 when guys are breaking through into NZFC is too old.
 
2. the phoenix benefit from other ways (basically they get players being trained without having to pay for it and get first look in), this isn't about the phoenix though, they are just the venue for professional training (which is the only one of its kind in the country), so they don't get to select the players.  NZF benefits by creating a proper talent pathway.
 
3. I don't see this as being particularly expensive, you may have to pay for the guys to board somehwere and some flights home but apart from that it's just tapping into already available resources.  It's the beginning of NYL etc but we're a long way from that so why not start something now, some sort of inbetween set-up?  NZF do have some money and this to me is the kind of thing it should be used for.

Normo's coming home

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
james dean wrote:
This programme would be overseen by the high performance manager and each should be on individual prgrammes designed by both the club and NZF.  I think you'd assess their progress every 2 years and may release guys after the first 2 years if they aren't progressing properly.  The Phoenix have no track record of developing or blooding youngsters so shouldn't be in charge of this programme completely and have entirely different motivations. 
 
Who is the high performance manager? who knows more about developing young players him or ricki?
 
(Answer: it's Alex Chiet, ever heard of him?)
 
give the money to the phoenix to run an academy.  put them in the nzfc.
 
simply.
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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hard News wrote:
The original scheme for a youth side as explained to me was 8 kids in conjunction with a school, no players from any existing NZFC franchises (so they couldn't be accused of stealing players - f**king ridiculous).� This seems to me to be an extention of that.Issues I can see.1, The angst over NZ Football funding an initiative that helps the Phoenix will get a certain (tiny but vocal) minority up in arms.� They may only be ten or so but they think they have a madate to advocate for the other million football people in NZ.2, I'm not sure I like the idea of NZ Football being the decision makers on it.� If the Phoenix are key to it thewn they probably need to make the decisions on who is a ppropriate (with the help of the Fever Scholarship ).3, There are a lot of people putting hands out for part of NZF's recent windfall, how do you prioritise this ?I think we need a NYL spot and we run this sort of set-up, but I can't see how that happens.� Terry doesn't have the money to run it, the FFA aren't going to pay, NZF don't have the money - and won't incur the wrath of the vocal minority by doing it.�If I pick up a 30 Mill powerball win some time I'm all over it though. If I can just convince her indoors.


so nice of you lol

i'll match that offer


on the topic
could the WRYNS academy somehow get linked into the nix?
it could work well for both sides.
but the only way forward for youth in nz is a youth team for the nix in the NZFC, the other teams need to stop thinking about themselves and start thinking bout the greater good. they youth/reserve team wouldn't be able to take the nzfc's spots in oceania champions league and it gives the nzfc players to test themselves against pro players.

having a nix team in the nzfc could only be good for the league.
would mean more interest from fans.
more exposure, and could lead to more nzfc players getting picked up by the nix or other pro clubs.

Calling all fans in Japan, come down and support the mighty nix in Osaka

http://www.facebook.com/WellingtonPhoenixClubMembersSupportersGroupOsaka

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
james dean wrote:

3. I don't see this as being particularly expensive, you may have to pay for the guys to board somehwere and some flights home but apart from that it's just tapping into already available resources.� It's the beginning of NYL etc but we're a long way from that so why not start something now, some sort of inbetween set-up?� NZF do have some money and this to me is the kind of thing it should be used for.


That was exactly my thought. Where is the cost in this? Board + allowance + transport + kit is really all I can see, which is sfa. It's no extra cost to the Nix, they get some real benefit out of it in being able to have first dibs on genuine talent when they turn 18, NZF is developing 4 or 5 young players every year who have a great shot to kick on at the nix or overseas.

Where's the downside in this?
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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hard News wrote:
WYNRS ?� No, no and no...The NZFC ship has sailed for the foreseeable future.



i agree bout the nzfc ship, but something needs to happen, and it is still the most likely option in my opinion

Calling all fans in Japan, come down and support the mighty nix in Osaka

http://www.facebook.com/WellingtonPhoenixClubMembersSupportersGroupOsaka

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Ok this is not supposed to be about the NZFC or a Australian National Youth League team - both of which are desirable but not achievable.  I'm more interested in getting some feedback on this proposal and why or why not it would/wouldn't work

Normo's coming home

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over 15 years ago · edited over 13 years ago
Hard News wrote:
T1, The angst over NZ Football funding an initiative that helps the Phoenix will get a certain (tiny but vocal) minority up in arms.� They may only be ten or so but they think they have a madate to advocate for the other million football people in NZ.

3, There are a lot of people putting hands out for part of NZF's recent windfall, how do you prioritise this ?I think we need a NYL spot and we run this sort of set-up, but I can't see how that happens.� Terry doesn't have the money to run it, the FFA aren't going to pay, NZF don't have the money - and won't incur the wrath of the vocal minority by doing it.If I pick up a 30 Mill powerball win some time I'm all over it though.� If I can just convince her indoors.


david, I'm going to award myself this onejames dean2010-07-28 09:15:35

Normo's coming home

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