Barnes Elms on a cold Sunday morning. Boys and girls are chasing that elusive white and black ball. KICK, TACKLE, KICK, SHOOT, SCORE! Everyone of them is wondering whether their work will be worth it and they will become a professional. But the path from Barnes Elms to the big stadiums of Europe is long and full of pitfalls.
The first step for many young players is to join a football academy. Below we have gathered some common questions and answers about academies.
What exactly is a football academy?
Academies are special training schemes set up by clubs to help them develop young players. All Premiership clubs have them. Other League clubs run either Academies or Centres of Excellence, which are run the same way. Many non-league clubs also run their own development schemes or community projects.
Do I have to be a certain age to attend an academy?
A player must be at least nine years old but many clubs – such as Arsenal and Crystal Palace – have “development groups” which cater for even younger players.
Do I have to be close to the academy to play?
Yes, there are rules around this. You have to live in the local area to be able to play. Under 12’s must live maximum 1 hour away from the clubs training ground. U13-16s can live up to 90 minutes away.
What happens when I get into a club?
Liverpool’s academy opened in 2000
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Between the ages of nine and 16 you will be asked to sign “schoolboy forms”, a sort of mini contract that runs for one or two years. These then get renewed if the club is happy with your performance. Once you are 16, the club will decide whether it wants you to stay on and join its Youth Training Scheme.
The fight for academy places are fierce since there are very few places. Crystal Palace for example only takes about six trainees every year. If you are lucky to get selected, you will be offered a scholarship (which means you get paid), that can last up to three years. During that dime, you are expected to progress from the academy’s Youth team to the Reserve team, just below the A-team.
Technically, you can sign a professional contract at 17, which Wayne Rooney did. He is very much an exception though, and premiership clubs often have Under-21 teams to bridge the gap between the Reserve team and the First team. This means that most players will have to wait until they are 19 before finding out whether they have a future at the club.
A young player at West Ham shows off his skills
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What does life at an academy look like?
At the Crystal Palace Academy, youngsters train three times a week – one and a half hours on Tuesday evenings and Thursday evenings and an hour on Saturday mornings. One boy at Barnes Primary School, Julian Roberts, is in fact part of that team.
On Sundays, the team plays matches against other Academy teams. That means getting up early in the morning to play up to 28 games every season. You have to be dedicated!
In matches for the U9s, 10s and 11s, the matches are played eight-a-side, moving up to the regular 11-a-side numbers from the age of 12.
Academy players are given all-round assistance
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Work is also required outside the regular training sessions. Players are given “homework”, for example ball exercises and other physical training, that they can do at home. Their parents may also given advice on what to eat, and how to prepare the mind for games ahead. Players are also encouraged to take part in other sports to broaden their abilities.
If you have made it this far, and you are close to turning 16, the club will sit down with you and your parents to talk about the future. It is important to find a way how to be able to continue school studies in a good way, parallel to the football. You may even have to move closer to the club to be able to do this.
And if I get rejected…?
Look around in your club – how many of your friends would not like to be signed by Liverpool or Arsenal? A quick scan should tell you that you have to be realistic.
And former Fulham scout Roger Skyrme says like this to the BBC:
-Never lose faith in your ability, but do be prepared to move down a level.
One example of someone who stepped down, but later became very successful, is Darren Peacock. He was rejected by Bristol Rovers before going on to take part in about 200 Premiership matches for clubs such as Newcastle, West Ham and Blackburn.
If you really want to become a professional footballer, an academy may be a very good start. But prepare for tough competition.
By Hugo