Benbow & the Philadelphia Union Academy

[USAF]

The Union Academy didn’t doubt his raw talent. They were impressed with his dribbling & ability to get by opponents with relative ease. Reasons that I heard Benbow wasn’t signed at the Union Academy:
1. They decided that they would have to make a decision quickly & didn’t have the time they needed to access how quickly he picked up new things & adapted, since school in Jamaica was starting.
2. There were some things that he should have been familiar/comfortable with, which was seen as a lack of proper development.
3. He was 18, which is at the end of their Academy system.

http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/academy/about

[Rockman]

Number two is poignant.

[Karl]

The Union Academy didn’t doubt his raw talent. They were impressed with his dribbling & ability to get by opponents with relative ease. Reasons that I heard Benbow wasn’t signed at the Union Academy:
1. They decided that they would have to make a decision quickly & didn’t have the time they needed to access how quickly he picked up new things & adapted, since school in Jamaica was starting.

Performance did not convince=Did not 'pass test'.

2. There were some things that he should have been familiar/comfortable with, which was seen as a lack of proper development.

Did not do the course work=was not taught certain areas.

3. He was 18, which is at the end of their Academy system.

Graduated (in JA) without the necessary competence desired to be in the cohort awarded 'certification'. Education process inadequate. Needed competent teachers!!! Teachers with knowledge of the subject matter and who know how to teach!!!

Perhaps may be allowed to resit the exam. At this time unwilling to teach him the course/game.

OK!
The talent is there. Will Benbow also be among those thrown in the waste basket?

What a piece of wickedness that is being perpetuated on our Talented Youth? Aaaaaah, Mankine - Who fail di yute?

[Sir X]

Can you expound on number 2 ?

[Assasin]

Sound like 2 years in a D1A college and summer league woulda do him good

[Don1]

Sound like 2 years in a D1A college and summer league woulda do him good

yes..hopefully he would be able to get a degree to improve his life chances

[Karl]

Can you expound on number 2 ?

All I am saying is, that on reading the post #2 suggests - There were traits that should have been there or knowledge that Benbow was expected to have had that was missing! ...either never taught or 'im never 'get it' when he was taught (=poor teaching/gaps in education!!!! )! Right?

[Sir X]

That was for USAF?

Thanx

[USAF]

Didn't know!!! I saw it under Karl's post.
They said that his most glaring weaknesses were movement off the ball, reading the game & exploiting space & as a result he has to do more than necessary to get back in the game.....It's also felt that with the right club those things could be fixed, so it's important that he gets an agent that knows the league (MLS) & places him with a club that will not "throw him in the deep end" right away, but invest in his growth.

[Sir X]

It goes back to what I have been bawling about, those are intelligence issues, that have nothing to do with pace or skill.Thats where Jamaica fails the youth.

Run into space

Knowing when to pass.

Knowing when to dribble.

Tracking back.

Thanx.

[Gamma]

A academy

[Karl]

Didn't know!!! I saw it under Karl's post.
They said that his most glaring weaknesses were movement off the ball, reading the game & exploiting space & as a result he has to do more than necessary to get back in the game.....It's also felt that with the right club those things could be fixed, so it's important that he gets an agent that knows the league (MLS) & places him with a club that will not "throw him in the deep end" right away, but invest in his growth.

Thanks for this detailed clarification.

...his most glaring weaknesses were movement off the ball, reading the game & exploiting space...

So?
1. - his most glaring weakness says there are weaknesses other than the mentioned.

2. -

...most glaring weaknesses were movement off the ball, reading the game & exploiting space...

The above all demand having been taught and having grasped the concept associated with same. They all demand observation and logical thought. Observation of that occurring on the field and logical thought are basic things taught and developed through use of various tried and tested instructional tools by competent teachers that allow for understanding and retention of concepts by the 'slowest' of students.

If we assume that Benbow has not a brain defect then the question that arises is level of competence of the teacher(s).

Aside: If we assume that our talented young footballers are not all suffering from brain defect then based on outcomes, what reason would anyone have for not questioning the competence of our teachers?

I particularly would like to see the reasons Gamma and Mosiah would forward on why the teachers, their knowledge of the subject, their teaching methods and their practice teaching are not unacceptable?

[Assasin]

how many clubs a go do that??? That is why some players go to college and PDL for a little while, while school invest in room board, food and education.

Most MLS clubs won't go for that player, they invest in 15 and 16 and not 20 year old. Ideal time for college is 17-18 year old.

[Karl]

A academy

The point of clamoring for an academy ignores the need for top quality teachers and that TALENT ABOUNDS!

No one can be against the establishment of an academy...but our reality is all our talented youngsters and that in a context where the JFF is responsible for the development of the game at every level and in all areas and the the fact of results of the JFF's efforts so far being all awful!

There must be an effort to unearth and develop all of our talented youngsters. I would suggest that each year more than 1000 super talented football youngsters are born. Surely the aim must be to give each...or more than 50%(the highest %age) the opportunity of fullest development?

[Gamma]

The point of clamoring for an academy ignores the need for top quality teachers and that TALENT ABOUNDS!

This si how mi know that your completely misguided. it cannot and should not be same part-time teachers who would be coaching the kids.

An academy calls for SPECIALIST football coaches. Not geography teachers who teach and have to coach because football is after all an EXTRACURRICULAR activity for the school and there are budgetary constraints where staff is concerned.

get ALL the best and put them in one place to develope their football skills. that is what the academy is about.