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The Stars Of The Future Enjoy A Night At An Academy

Feb 9th, 2017 by 'holic

My thanks to one of our own, the inimitable Ttg, for telling the story of his grandson’s goalscoring exploits against the Arsenal, no less. A wonderful insight into an evening and an opportunity never available to those of us of a certain age. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I’ve spent a long time away from junior football. A very long time since it existed only in very rudimentary form when I was playing. Daughters didn’t get involved in football very much thirty years ago, and it is only now that I have grandsons who are learning to love the game as much as I do that I’ve had the pleasure of watching them play.

The facilities that they have are fantastic. Astroturf pitches, floodlights and footballs that fly through the air rather than drop like stone onto your head and proper, intelligent coaches who are teaching them to play with their heads up, taking  a good first touch, looking for options and playing  out from the back with the ball on the ground.

My eldest grandson Harry is just nine. He has been in love with football since he was able to kick one and when he was seven he spent a year in the Brighton pre-academy.  When his time with Brighton came to an end, he began training with a local elite training squad to develop his skills. He is also playing with his friends and on Saturdays in a local team where one of the coaches took the local team to Wembley in the FA Vase.  The coaching team show the boys how to keep their positions using drone footage.

It’s a far cry from the primitive conditions that many readers of this blog will be familiar with. I played for my primary school on cinder pitches that cut your legs to pieces if you went to ground and there was little in the way of proper coaching.

My grandsons, Harry and his brother Oliver are football aficionados. Harry has been claimed by his father for the dark side, his brother by his mother to continue an Arsenal supporting tradition in my family that goes back amazingly over one hundred years when my grandfather used to watch the Arsenal at Woolwich.

Imagine then the general excitement when Harry was asked to play in a development match against Arsenal! His initial reluctance to soil his boots on the same pitch as Arsenal players soon turned to excitement that if he played well one day he might be training with Alexis Sanchez, if we can get the Chilean magician to stay with us for that long! The evening was in fact a series of half hour development matches between the elite squad and the Arsenal development squad for lads of that age in Kent and Sussex. The pre-academy players train at Kidbrooke and there is huge competition for young talent.

Harry played as they do at his age in a half hour match.  Seven a side on a half-size pitch with reduced size goals. The emphasis is on skill and movement and on this bitterly cold evening the love and loyalty of lots of devoted parents was stretched to the limit. For me it was a delight to see my grandson able to express his love for the game and not inconsiderable talent against representatives of the club I love. Although his brother had threatened to cheer for Arsenal, brotherly love won out and he joined me in wanting Arsenal to lose for the first time in my life – and lose they did.

Harry’s elite squad triumphed 7-0 against a Gunners team. It showed the importance of practising and training as a team. In the team Harry played in three of them play together on a Saturday and I think that helped give them an edge. Harry grabbed a hat-trick and played throughout intelligently and diligently with an attitude and skill level that made me very proud.

On the two other pitches the Arsenal teams proved rather more successful but it was clear to me that at this very early level professional clubs hoover up any shred of talent that they can find.  The Arsenal coaches resplendent in very natty tracksuits weren’t unnecessarily harsh on their charges but it was fairly obvious that if we were watching any future football prodigies they weren’t on the Arsenal side.

As the games ended I congratulated a rightly elated Harry and his mates and congratulated one of the Arsenal keepers for an immensely brave double save which would not have flattered Bob Wilson in his heyday. His Mum looked up eyes aglow and asked me which club I was with. ‘Arsenal’, I said, for sixty years! She looked deflated hoping that he might have got a counter offer from one of the many clubs that fish in this teeming pool of talent.

It’s a tough world for lads dreaming of a career in football but ’twas ever thus. But one young man slept contentedly last night, a hat-trick under his belt, in love with the game and enjoying it for its own sake. How delighted I was to see him relish his evening. What a wonderful opportunity it was, for us all.

Ttg

Posted in Guest Tales | 44 Drinks

44 Responses to “The Stars Of The Future Enjoy A Night At An Academy”

  1. on 09 Feb 2017 at 8:29 pm1can't be arsed

    nice one m’lud

    .

    oh for the days indeed
    all weather pitches
    zombies hobbling off
    flesh hanging from legs hands and elbows

    all mercifully grateful for zero hovering temperatures
    a numbness that wouldn’t last
    and
    a pair o trousers that bloody bonded on the bus home

    .

    kids nowadays , eh ?

    hopefully not as bitter as me

    the lucky sods
    ?

  2. on 09 Feb 2017 at 8:36 pm2TTG

    CBA
    And you tell kids that nowadays and they don’t bloody believe ya. I regularly had my head detached on a Saturday morning on Tooting Bec Common and lost at least three limbs during my junior career. I got whacks harder than Hector Bellerin’s from our coach just for being out of position! We were men, or at least boys in those days

  3. on 09 Feb 2017 at 8:38 pm3can't be arsed

    ps

    well in , me

    .
    ?

  4. on 09 Feb 2017 at 8:40 pm4can't be arsed

    and
    what the mighty thunder T said at 2

    .
    yes indeed !

  5. on 09 Feb 2017 at 8:47 pm5The Future Game

    Great article TTG. Sign him up I say.

    On a day when the FA is officially declared broken, let’s hope more money gets down to grass roots to support this sort of development.

  6. on 09 Feb 2017 at 9:08 pm6bt8

    Probably wants to be like his namesake Harry Kane. The values kids have these days.

  7. on 09 Feb 2017 at 9:10 pm7one day

    bt8 – that could of course mean he swaps blue for red one day as harry kane did red for blue. one of our own?

  8. on 09 Feb 2017 at 9:11 pm8TTG

    BT8
    Sadly you are absolutely correct. Very concerned when the photo of Harry Kane in Arsenal kit surfaced!

  9. on 09 Feb 2017 at 9:33 pm9Goonerholic

    cba first. Well I never! 🙂

    Ttg, thanks again. I love this account. 🙂

  10. on 09 Feb 2017 at 10:03 pm10can't be arsed

    1st ?
    yer point being ?

    .
    i resemble the incineration
    that
    i am in carpool
    of such
    a cheese meant
    .

    *sticks tongue out*

  11. on 09 Feb 2017 at 10:23 pm11can't be arsed

    armpit fart noises a given !
    .

    *stares*

  12. on 09 Feb 2017 at 10:25 pm12Goonerholic

    You lookin’ at me?

    Are you lookin’ at me? 🙂

  13. on 09 Feb 2017 at 10:29 pm13can't be arsed

    *swoooooooooons*

  14. on 09 Feb 2017 at 10:42 pm14North Bank Ned

    Ttg: Just such a heartwarming read. The very best of luck to your grandson, and may his head eventually be turned in the right direction.

    I remember at his age waiting for the local milkman to arrive with the goal posts and nets on his milk float before we could play. And he had churns of milk lighter than the balls. Youngsters today, eh?

    Mark, you, many of us in this bar would be delighted to manage half an hour on a half sized pitch these days, though we would probably prefer a double, not half-sized goal.

    cba: You are always first in all our thoughts. But then we are a worrying lot…

  15. on 09 Feb 2017 at 10:50 pm15can't be arsed

    *71 double swoooooooooooooons*

  16. on 09 Feb 2017 at 11:17 pm16ATG

    TTG

    Great account, made me smile as I know what it means for you I have to be up every Saturday morning with my lad who is 11 now (Holic not that little Oliver any more eating up your chips at the Holiday Inn in Reading). He plays for a local team Laurel Park FC, great bunch of kids and I tell you there is definitely talent there.

    Apart from standing in the freezing cold at 8am in the morning I now have lino duties as far I was not abused by the opposition parents yet so I must be doing a swell job indeed.

  17. on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:28 am17bathgooner

    Great stuff TTG. Heartwarming as Ned observes. The pure spirit of the game comes through in your account. We were all there once, even those who make it in the game but become mercenary, money-grabbing, honour-obsessed and self-centred. Good luck to young Harry. May his every dream come true and may he have a Damascene moment and realise that his grandfather knows best.

  18. on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:34 am18Chris

    Lucky you, TTG. With both myself and daughter tardy in the reproduction stakes this grandad only welcomed his first (official) grandchild 9 months ago, so it will be a while yet before I can share your joy. Assuming young Jimmy harbours proper sporting goals, and doesn’t get seduced into Thugby and the All Black head trip, heaven forfend.

    Also assuming I will still be compos mentis and not in a home for the bewildered when he is old enough.

    A delightful piece TTG, and a pleasure to read amidst the angst currently pervading the forum.

  19. on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:36 am19can't be arsed

    *triple swoooooooooooons*

  20. on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:45 am20Chris

    Apropos the angst, your link in the last round, bath, certainly put a lot of things in perspective. My view is that while we seem to be going nowhere in recent years I doubt changing the manager will change much in the short or medium term. However, the doubts surrounding AW’s future are at such a level that any player considering joining Arsenal may well be deterred by the uncertainty prevailing. This uncertainty needs to be resolved one way or the other. Either AW should sign another lengthy contract or announce his retirement in the summer. I have no strong opinion either way, but I do want the future made clearer to everyone, players, fans and potential transfers in and out.

  21. on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:47 am21Chris

    Stop swoooooooooning, cba, you’re making a mess on the carpet.

  22. on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:47 am22can't be arsed

    *resolutely does not swoon*

  23. on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:47 am23Chris

    Gotcha!

  24. on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:49 am24can't be arsed

    typical SUN “journalist”

  25. on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:59 am25Chris

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llg2i3-MXm4

  26. on 10 Feb 2017 at 6:11 am26Esso

    Great stuff TTG!

  27. on 10 Feb 2017 at 9:31 am27Cynic

    😀

    http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/another-12-seasons-of-this-and-youre-fired-board-warns-wenger-20170210121905

    Never has a spoof been so near the truth

  28. on 10 Feb 2017 at 10:37 am28countryman100

    Great stuff TTG, a wonderful report. Thankfully I’m through the 9am in the pouring rain games as countryman junior turns 18 in April. But they were wonderful years and I wouldn’t swap them for anything.

  29. on 10 Feb 2017 at 11:22 am29New Day Raisins

    Great piece of writing there.

    My daughter is playing for a local under 10’s girls team – very decent midfielder although she has missed last weekend’s game with “Wilshire ankle” – rest assured if she ever makes it to the Arsenal ladies team then I will be on here showing off. Allot.

  30. on 10 Feb 2017 at 1:46 pm30Bergkamp's The Man

    A fine read, TTG and a long, long way from conditions prevailing during my heady days with Auchtermuchty Thistle.

  31. on 10 Feb 2017 at 2:06 pm31Vinay

    Oh the joy of watching your dear ones play. The obvious euphoria of having him/her play the very game you love makes it even more special.

    Talking of our game, yes elneny to start tomorrow although he is positionally naive at times. It is just a change for the sake of and more so because we need some refreshing to the team. I would drop cech as well and play Ospina.

    Hull will come with the same plan as every other team who come to emirates do; play narrow, wait for them to commit and then the sucker punch on the counter. They also will have the crowd on their side if we do not score in the first 20 min or if we do not score 3 or more. Everyone is edgy and everyone thinks he is a pundit who knows what is wrong at the Arsenal. For once as the boss said, we need the crowd to back their team than come with an agenda of i said so or else the doom and gloom brigade will reign.

  32. on 10 Feb 2017 at 2:37 pm32bt8

    Re: Cynically posted link @27. Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere’s sons? Not sure if they are born yet but wouldn’t Arsene need to stay past 2029 to get the full LANS effect out of them? 🙂

  33. on 10 Feb 2017 at 2:55 pm33bt8

    Feelgood factor nostalgia audiovisual aid:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkKJrOztXMw

  34. on 10 Feb 2017 at 2:59 pm34Cynic

    Ear worm. Over 20 years old, this song 🙁

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd-RGXPQGbQ

  35. on 10 Feb 2017 at 3:31 pm35countryman100

    I predict a lot of empty seats tomorrow. Combination of 12.30pm kick off after a Friday night on the beer, the civil war, cold weather and the game being on TV.

    We’ll be there though. Bacon butties at 9.30, on the road at 10.

  36. on 10 Feb 2017 at 3:38 pm36can't be arsed

    howdy
    fuck it’s cold
    jeez
    monkeys , welders etc

    and
    godspeed c100

    hope i’m not being presumptuous
    but looking forward to your report

    an away day trojan
    much respect , chief

    UP THE ARSENAL !

  37. on 10 Feb 2017 at 3:43 pm37countryman100

    Many thanks CBA. It’s snowing here in Cambridgeshire as I speak. Of course it’s a home game not an away day. I’ll jot a few thoughts down but there’s usually less to write about at a home game than on an away trip.

    Are you going Holic? A day for hipflasks I think!

  38. on 10 Feb 2017 at 3:46 pm38can't be arsed

    ?

  39. on 10 Feb 2017 at 3:48 pm39can't be arsed

    thought a 10 start was cutting it fine
    ?

  40. on 10 Feb 2017 at 4:19 pm40Goonerholic

    Aye, I’ll be there c. Train from here at 8 in the morning. Forecast is 0 degrees and snow. Four degrees at the game. Long Johns day.

  41. on 10 Feb 2017 at 6:20 pm41bt8

    ’bout the same as it will be here or even colder

    ***shivers***

  42. on 10 Feb 2017 at 6:20 pm42bt8

    Good playing weather but not so good spectating weather. Hip flasks indeed.

  43. on 10 Feb 2017 at 7:24 pm43scruzgooner

    lovely story, ttg. congrats to hat-trick harry, even if his allegiance is misaligned. and congrats for having such a sweet-sounding family, gramps.

  44. on 10 Feb 2017 at 8:36 pm44Goonerholic

    It’s preview time. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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