Watching this Southhamptom Academy thing...NBC

[Sir X]

offered long term contract at 8,which system in Jamaica can do that,yet some believe an academy can be maintained in JA, i mean the euro/american model.

How ?

[Stonigut]

Strip down the model and focus on the fundamentals, believe me the money is not as critical as you think it is. The academy we develop cannot be a long term round the year operation must start on a shoestring with the focus on long weekends and the holidays within existing government and private offered infrastructure, start there and build on that. Focus is on identifying and developing the best athletes for eventual export market, that is where the money comes in, if we can develop it fast enough in five to ten years we have untapped potential in hait- 10 million, potentially dr and Cuba another 20 million. I don't believe there is any academy across that particular thirty three million, early development of such a system can dominate the development and export of the best talent for many years. This can be done with Ja as the driver and make a lot of money within ten to fifteen years.

[Dunny]

Do you know how many players you have to go through to produce 1 player of note? Anyone who believe 1 academy is the answer is having a laugh

[Stonigut]

Absolutely, the rough model I put forward just for starters in jamaica is seven weekend academies, with fifty players per session eight sessions per year, so you looking at 2700 per year and two one week sessions Easter and Xmas and multiple sessions in the summer, overall looking at over 5000 of the best players per year. That is just to start the ball rolling, get that system working. We have what about 400k kids between eight and sixteen, with more than half being girls so two hundred thousand boys of the 200k maybe 25percent play competitive ball, and that is probably way too high so 50k talent pool.

This program would focus on identifying the best ten percent which 5000 would cover, that would be a great start to fully evaluate 5000 per year through a battery of physical, mental testing etc etc

[Bricktop]

what about the ivory coast model?

[Dunny]

An insight into Southampton FC

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...r-is-over.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...m-factory.html

[Sir X]

What do you recommend Dunny to implement an academy in Jamaica, be specific as you can , please include funding.Something practical and realistic.

[Dunny]

What do you recommend Dunny to implement an academy in Jamaica, be specific as you can , please include funding.Something practical and realistic.

X, it is not straightforward. What a lot of people don't realize is over 95% of players that go through academies do not make it as a top level pro. One Academy is just not enough to make a difference. For a country like ours where football is not the priority and finance is an issue it would be better I feel to focus on improving coaching from grassroot level upwards and campaign to increase participation at U10 level. The JFF should try and construct a centre of excellence where all the national teams , coaches are based with good pitches etc.