Academy lauded in The Times

[berneboy]

Our Academy is praised in The Times.

Harsh lesson of Stefan Moore underpins development of talent, and of self-discipline, at Bodymoor Heath training ground
Recent results underline the problems of entwining experience with youth, but no one doubts the quality of talent breaking through at Aston Villa.
The classy contributions of Barry Bannan, fresh from his Scotland debut, Ciaran Clark, who scored twice against Arsenal on Saturday, Marc Albrighton, Jonathan Hogg and Nathan Delfouneso have been shining lights in the gloom overshadowing Villa Park amid a deepening injury crisis in a difficult start to Gérard Houllier’s reign.
With up to 12 first-team players missing, the new Villa manager has been impressed with how the youngsters have seized their opportunities. And this is no freak batch; in the academy’s latest under-16 age group, an unprecedented ten, all local, of the 16 players have been offered full-time scholarships.
Throughout two days in which The Times was at Villa’s academy, the importance of developing young footballers as people as well as potential Premier League players is omnipresent.
This is no crêche, however. Villa have won the Premier League reserve league southern section for the past three years. They were pipped to the double of FA Youth Cup and national reserve team title by Chelsea and Manchester United respectively last season.
Underpinning this success is continuity: Bryan Jones, the academy director, who joined the staff in 1980, Steve Burns, his assistant, Kevin MacDonald, the reserve-team manager, Tony McAndrew, youth-team manager, and Gordon Cowans have worked in this system for at least 13 years.
Cowans’s promotion from youth-team manager to first-team coach last summer epitomises a desire to maximise the benefits of youth development. The Villa Park legend notes that the pressure is therefore intensified to keep producing talented age groups such as the one in which Bannan, Albrighton, Clark, Hogg and Chris Herd intend to follow Gabriel Agbonlahor in becoming Villa regulars and international contenders.
As Villa prepare to challenge Birmingham City tonight for a place in the Carling Cup semi-finals, the Villa staff know the importance of keeping their youngsters grounded. Technique comes first for Jones. But fame has derailed enough talented youngsters to make attitude a close second.
“When parents come to my office they see pictures on the walls of Gareth Barry, Darius Vassell, Steven Davis, JLloyd Samuel — and Stefan Moore,” Jones said. “The first four played for their countries; Stefan was playing for Halesowen Town by the age of 26. He’s a lovely lad, got a massive contract at 17, which I didn’t agree with. He scored a wonderful goal on his debut against Charlton and thought he’d done it, but he fell away.”
Moore now drives a taxi and, on dropping off two scholars at the Bodymoor Heath training ground recently, asked to pass his wishes on to the coaches. The teenagers politely asked who from.

Basic discipline and manners prevail at Bodymoor. Not only are bladed studs banned in Villa’s academy, for the injuries they cause, but Jones insists on black boots. One under-16 starlet returned from making his England debut in pink boots to receive congratulations, and a rebuke. “He’s back in black now,” Jones said.
Learning is paramount. All under-18 players take home a DVD of their Saturday match to pore over the weekend before a Monday debrief with McAndrew. The players’ motivation for schoolwork has been found to increase as they are monitored by Pete Mortiboys, the educational adviser, with football as their incentive. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, players aged between 14 and 16 spend the day at Bodymoor.
On Wednesdays, Villa are piloting a scheme of bringing in children from 10 to 13 from mainstream education to increase the quality time dedicated to football. “The schools have been very supportive and we have a former headteacher who comes in to work with them after lunch,” Burns said. “The quality of player has improved because of the support we’re able to offer in facilities, staffing, the quality of coaching — and time.
With the older children, in consultation with parents and teachers, the average number of GCSEs is being cut from 11 to 7; quality rather than quantity.
Last Wednesday afternoon, in the massive air-conditioned barn at Bodymoor, Ben Petty, the academy coach with the 7-11 age bracket, led a session where touch, passing, decision-making and movement were paramount. They all appeared two-footed.
The players, arriving from Northampton, Shrewsbury as well as the West Midlands, progressed through a series of exercises that move ever closer to a match situation. They also ate and had a 45-minute homework session before their parents collected them at 5.30pm. “We get through more in one concentrated afternoon like this than in an entire week’s occasional sessions,” Petty said.
Along the corridor bridging the academy with the professionals at Villa’s £13 million training headquarters, Sean Kimberley asked us in for a coffee. The recruitment officer closes deals, after his network of scouts have filtered the young talent — locally first, then nationally, then internationally.
“Nothing excites me more than going and seeing raw potential,” he said. “My job is more about what a lad might be than what they are. If they have enough potential, they’ll get an opportunity. That’s not a sales pitch, that’s a fact.”
Academic excellence

- It costs in excess of £2 million a year to run the Aston Villa academy
Villa have brought in at least £25 million from player sales since the Premier League inaugurated the academy system
- Bodymoor Heath pitches: seven full-size, one with undersoil heating; four small-sided; two goalkeeping training goalmouths; two floodlit AstroTurf pitches; 11 full-time groundstaff
- Swimming pool, cold-water plunge, hot-water plunge, treadmill pool, sauna, steam room
- Three FA Youth Cup finals in academy era (2002, ’04, ’10)
- Three Premier League Reserve League (South) titles (2008, ’09, ’10)
- Ten local under-16s offered scholarships in October 2010
- Forty-two reserve-team goals scored by Gabriel Agbonlahor (beating Darius Vassell’s record of 41)
- Twenty academy coaching staff (six full-time, 14 part-time)
• - Nil: league tables at under-16 and below £13 million: cost of rebuilding of Bodymoor Heath training complex

[N'ZMAV]

I'm not sure about Hogg. Or Delfouneso for that chance. Obviously I'm not going to get on their backs. They need more games, a lot more games. Bannan & Albrighton are already miles ahead.

[Mister E]

Everything I've read about youth / academy football praises the Villa approach and emphasises the importance of (i) continuity (Bryan Jones has been there since 1980), (ii) fusing the football and the school work, (iii) using concentrated periods of training rather than an hour or two here and there, and (iv) keeping the kids and parents grounded.
Good stuff.

[Brend'Watkins]

Basic discipline and manners prevail at Bodymoor. Not only are bladed studs banned in Villa’s academy, for the injuries they cause, but Jones insists on black boots. One under-16 starlet returned from making his England debut in pink boots to receive congratulations, and a rebuke. “He’s back in black now,” Jones said.

I like that. 

Start them out in the right manner, when they have proved they have a special talent and manage to make the first team they can show their twattish fashion sense if they so wish.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Interesting about Stefan, clearly put his feet up as soon as he got into the first team for a spell.
Nathan take note.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Interesting to see it only cost 2 millions pounds a year to run it. I think we can afford to approach Walsall and run the academy for them so we can use them as a nursery team. Then it can be used something in between reserve team and first team football.

[alanclare]

It's an excellent article and many thanks for transcribing it all. The headline says it all:



and the illustrations:

[oldtimernow]

Love this.

Compare the running costs of the academy with the money paid to agents  at 2.279 million last year shows what good value this is for football in general and Villa in particular.

Bright future indeed....long may it prosper....well done to all concerned.

[richard moore]

Basic discipline and manners prevail at Bodymoor. Not only are bladed studs banned in Villa’s academy, for the injuries they cause, but Jones insists on black boots. One under-16 starlet returned from making his England debut in pink boots to receive congratulations, and a rebuke. “He’s back in black now,” Jones said.

I like that. 

Start them out in the right manner, when they have proved they have a special talent and manage to make the first team they can show their twattish fashion sense if they so wish.

Me too, being an old git. I take one look at Ireland's white boots and take an instant dislike to him...

[villasjf]

I agree great work to produce so many good players over the last few years. Long may it continue.

[Mr Diggles]

What I really like is the absence of league football until they reach the U-17/U-18 level, and the focus on touch and technique. Also you have to applaud the sense of continuity, keeping the expectation levels realistic, ensuring the youngsters stay modest and polite, and the focus on academic work too. All in all, it sounds great, and I really hope that Villa will be seen as a real hotbed of young emerging talent in the future. Another reason to feel proud of the club.

[pablopicasso_10]

Last Wednesday afternoon, in the massive air-conditioned barn at Bodymoor, Ben Petty, the academy coach with the 7-11 age bracket, led a session where touch, passing, decision-making and movement were paramount. They all appeared two-footed.

this is the bit that pleases me most...

for years i have been calling for younger players to be taught the basics of pass and move... this is the thing that the likes of arsenal install in their kids and first team, giving options through movement for the player on the ball...

i know that wenger likes the player on the ball to have 3 easy options to pass to, and that is why they keep possession so well, and play lovely football...

with this sort of teaching from 7-11, technical ability will come as standard, and then the fast, strong and intelligent players will then become the stand out players, and should become top top quality...

[London Villan]

I'd rather pick a small team away from our traditional catchment area as a feeder club. Maybe one of the smaller London teams, Brentford, Leyton Orient, Chelsea...

[Mark H]

Brilliant stuff and very proud to read things like that - ultimately this has to be the way to continue to go and supplement what you produce with a couple of excellent purchases and there you go !

[The Man With A Stick]

Great read, thanks for posting that.

The black boots policy should be extended to the first team.  Can't stand the sight of coloured boots, pink especially.