If you've ever been to the UK and played indoor footy for your work team on a Tuesday night in Finsbury Park then at some point you've definitely encountered some numpty on the opposition who everybody's in awe of because "he once had a trial with [insert random EPL team name here]".
The obvious question is "so why the f**k is he playing for our stationary supplier against us then?".
To which the obvious answer is they give out trials like candy in the UK. It's a numbers game - trial 1,000 nobodies and you might find one who can hack it. It's no big deal.
The obvious question is "so why the f**k is he playing for our stationary supplier against us then?".
To which the obvious answer is they give out trials like candy in the UK. It's a numbers game - trial 1,000 nobodies and you might find one who can hack it. It's no big deal.
There was actually an interesting article in the Daily Mail (yes I know - hear me out) that makes the same point about UK academies. All Premier League and Championship clubs are supposed to have academies (I think there are around 48 at the moment) and are required to have teams in U14, 16 and 18. That means at a minimum in each age group there are about 15 or 16 at every academy when in reality only mabye 6 or 8 have the talent to go on to play first team football.
Some will go on to professional football elsewhere but many actually have no chance but because of the regulations clubs are required to keep them on so they can field sides in each age group. There is a valid argument that if teams don't have enough talent in an age group they don't have to field a team in that age group - Arsene Wenger is big on this, the best players need to be playing and training with and against the best every day, not against 6 kids who they are far better than.
It's hard on the kids as well because they are the ones missing out on education, and growing up looking for a dream that they don't really have a chance at.
HN - agree to a point on Collett but there were eyebrows raised at that decision here because some people felt he didn't have it, he was very small. Whoever signed him though needs a bullet because that injury was well known.