This talk of Academies for football is

[Muadib]

irresponsible..

Think of what this would do to the talent pool at great schools like KC, JC, Calabar, Camperdown etc ?

What would they be left with ? then again... Champs not suh bad.. but probably not enough... the Old Boys would never support this..

[Paul Marin]

irresponsible..

Think of what this would do to the talent pool at great schools like KC, JC, Calabar, Camperdown etc ?

What would they be left with ? then again... Champs not suh bad.. but probably not enough... the Old Boys would never support this..

Muadib, the rest of the footballing world has not relied on high schools to develop talent. Even in America, where the traditional route to the professional ranks in Basketball, American Rugby and Baseball is through high schools, this is not the case with soccer. Here, academies and clubs are the places that college coaches go to recruit, far less so than with the high schools. The big difference is that the schools have a shorter season than the academies and the clubs who are more focused on development but there is no reason why the two can't coexist in Jamaica, as they do here in America.

[Jangle]

"two can't coexist in Jamaica, as they do here in America.".............and the rest of the top footballing world

[Paul Marin]

"two can't coexist in Jamaica, as they do here in America.".............and the rest of the top footballing world

Not sure I understand...

[Jangle]

sorry the quote should be "there is no reason why the two can't coexist in Jamaica, as they do here in America." .....and the rest of the top footballing world

[Karl]

Muadib, the rest of the footballing world has not relied on high schools to develop talent. .

Paul, I think the correct statement would be "the rest of the footballing world has not relied on high schools only to develop talent".

...and that is as it should be in Jamaica. Any talk of ignoring the assets found in the 'school system' is mere barking up the wrong tree.

[Bricktop]

They have not relied on high schools period Karl...unless 8 year olds go to high school...

[Muadib]

meanwhile.. still no academy..

[Karl]

They have not relied on high schools period Karl...unless 8 year olds go to high school...

...funny!
...please read what I suggested!

[Bricktop]

You suggested that we follow the rest of the footballing world which "has not relied on high schools only to develop talent"...that statement is patently false...top footballing nations do not use high schools at all to develop talent...please reply clearly and concisely...

[Karl]

You suggested that we follow the rest of the footballing world which "has not relied on high schools only to develop talent"...that statement is patently false...top footballing nations do not use high schools at all to develop talent...please reply clearly and concisely...

...top footballing nations do not use high schools at all to develop talent.

Is any of the talent found in high schools? ...were any of those talented kids taught anything that helped/promoted development as footballers?

...or were all the talented kids found in high schools ignored and put out to pasture...or were all the talented kids found in high schools never even given a look-in at football specialist institutions (i.e. clubs or academies)?

I think I know what Paul means but it cannot be in our best interest to not improve the 'teaching' at/in our schools. Talented kids will always be discovered in these schools and it is the 'system' in those schools that shall and will bring that talent to notice of 'specialist schools'.

You claim you know that

top footballing nations do not use high schools at all to develop talent.

I know otherwise.

[Bricktop]

Great...then could you advise which high school each of the following attended? Continue with the rest of the Spanish squad as well. Thanks in advance

Iker Casillas - Joined Real Madrid @ 10 years old
Víctor Valdés - Joined Barcelona @ 10 years old
Pepe Reina - Joined Barcelona @ 9 years old
Raúl Albiol - Joined Valencia @ 10 years old
Gerard Piqué - Joined Barcelona @ 9 years old

Not one player on the Spanish squad played high school football...I bet that is the same for the top 5 teams in the world...

"If we want our players to someday compete against the best in the world, it is critical for their development that they train and play as much as possible and in the right environment (not high school). The Development Academy 10-month season is the right formula and provides a good balance between training time and playing competitive matches..."

[Jangle]

you cannot compare Spain, England , Italy, Germany or any other Football superpower with likkle Jamaica. The clubs setup are bigger than our national programs combined. We need to work within our limitations.

[Bricktop]

How did Spain, England, Italy & Germany become football superpowers? Is the USA a football superpower? Well then why are they implementing the same system?

[Bricktop]

Simoes told us that the schoolboy leagues did nothing to enhance the development of football in the long run, and our football would be better served if they were replaced by club leagues and academies...but you and Karl know better and would prefer to reinvent the wheel...poor unnuh...