A working model for Aston Villa?

[olaftab]

It shows that in the same way only the English people/media think the English national team can win a competition...

I think England can win the Euros? I wasn't sure before but now you've let me know what I think...

Sandie Shaw won it single handed.

She did use a puppet on a string to help her!

[Legion]

It's 7v7 up to U-11s. I'll ask/find out on Sunday what it is for U-12s onwards.

Legion, what size football do young kids use these days? Are there different sizes through the age groups?

Yes. Size 3 (up to U-9 I think), then size 4 (to U-11), then size 5.

[not3bad]

our Academy does seem to be doing something right.

Indeed.  It's not like the Villa youth team were disgraced by European opponents this year.

[Mark H]

It's 7v7 up to U-11s. I'll ask/find out on Sunday what it is for U-12s onwards.

Legion, what size football do young kids use these days? Are there different sizes through the age groups?

Yes. Size 3 (up to U-9 I think), then size 4 (to U-11), then size 5.

Its size 3 for mini soccer up to under 9's - then size 4 for 9 vs 9 and 11 vs 11 up to under 13/14's then up to full size

The split that is 9v9 or 11v11 depends on the league your in - I am a level 2 caoch and we went to 11vs11 on 3/4 size pitch (size 4 ball) - other leagues go 9vs9 up to under 12's.  FA plan is to go 9 vs 9 up to under 13's

[PaulWinch again]

The Bilbao model wouldn't work anywhere else I don't think. However the structure to follow is that of a passing, technique based game. Also mix that in with the Barca approach of having all youth, reserve teams at the club playing with the same tactics as the first team. However that being said, our first team would need some tactics first.

[luke25]

However the structure to follow is that of a passing, technique based game. Also mix that in with the Barca approach of having all youth, reserve teams at the club playing with the same tactics as the first team.

This word for word is the route we should be looking to take, its not exactly hard to implement either as our youth team and reserves play the same way, its just then when the players get promoted to the first time that the football is worlds apart.

[garyshawsknee]

The Bilbao model wouldn't work anywhere else I don't think. However the structure to follow is that of a passing, technique based game. Also mix that in with the Barca approach of having all youth, reserve teams at the club playing with the same tactics as the first team. However that being said, our first team would need some tactics first.

Arsenal do that as well,when they put their youth out in the league cup,they play exactly the same as the usual team. Our problem is that the youth play progressive,passing football for youth and reserves,then when they do reach the first team its a clash of cultures for them.

 Hopefully with a few more points on the board,it'll be a little easier to introduce some others into the first team.

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah actually it's kind of the reverse with us thinking about it, we need the first team to adopt the football approach of the youth and reserve teams.

[Trinitymiddle]

The cantera policy of using ONLY players from a defined geographical region wouldn't work at the Villa as the West Midlands doesn't have the same cultural identity as the Basque Region.

Also, I remember that only 2 or 3 years ago, Bilbao were very nearly relegated for the first time in their history, so lets not pretend that they have always been brilliant. I think they owe a lot of their standing this season to a crop of decent youngsters and a manager whose radical approach seems to have clicked with these players. A bit like Fergie and their kids in the mid 90's. So a bit of luck and a bit of good management.

The fact that they are a unique club in many ways just makes their success more noticeable.

Anyway, I thought we were copying the Cleveland Browns model??

[Ger Regan]

The cantera policy of using ONLY players from a defined geographical region wouldn't work at the Villa as the West Midlands doesn't have the same cultural identity as the Basque Region.

Was just about to post along similar lines. Pretty much impossible to compare the two, considering the autonomous nature of the Basque region (as with Catalonia etc).

[barrysleftfoot]

 Absolutely spot on EffDee, and exactly what i was thinking as i was watching it.A performance that proves tou don;t need star names to play good football.

   No prima donnas, fantastic work rate, fantastic attitude, fantastic resilience, and a fair amount of skill to add to it.

   If i was Randy, i would send McL there for a week to learn the philosophy, send Gabby there to watch LLorente on how to move off the ball, send Bannan and Albrighton there to see how their young lad, sorry don't know his name, on how to be small, but be top quality because of attitude, and both physical and mental strength.

  There is absolutely no reason why we can't /should'nt follow thei model.An absolute pleasure to watch.Not bad supporters either. 

[littlevillain]

I think Houllier had similar ideas on how he wanted his villa team to play eventually, it would have taken a few years but he may have succeeded , we'll never know.

[garyshawsknee]

   If i was Randy, i would send McL there for a week to learn the philosophy, send Gabby there to watch LLorente on how to move off the ball, send Bannan and Albrighton there to see how their young lad, sorry don't know his name, on how to be small, but be top quality because of attitude, and both physical and mental strength.

   

Iker Munain ?? This lad is something really special.

[supertom]

We're not the only club who should learn from Bilbao, nor are Bilbao the only Spanish club that English teams should take note of. The difference in quality between the two national sides is ridiculous. 10 years ago, Spain were footballs great underachievers, and now they're the pinnacle. They started from the ground floor, from the kids and sorted out the mess they had. England has to do the same.
In fairness to ourselves, we're embracing youth, and local kids more so than most of our fellow top flight clubs. We just need the right management and coaching. McLeish could possibly, and would certainly need to, adapt to get the best of our boys and bring a modicum of success with it, otherwise he's a goner.

Bilbao though, very impressive. You'd look at that squad of players and how they play football and it's probably been years in the making. Like I say, their not alone in Spain in doing that and bringing through local players and young talent from their academy. The last 4-5 years for England (if not more) should only emphasise just how badly we need to change our outdated ways. If Barca's total football is not inspiration enough I don't know what is. Why would kids and those teaching them not demand this now, in this day and age? It was talked up after the last World Cup disaster and we need to see more action so our national side and indeed the premiership as a whole, improves and we can be proud of the English game again.

Like a mate of mine told me, who had trials at QPR's academy. They picked the bigger, stronger, quicker players over those who could pass and control a ball better.

[Mister E]

Good comments above - interesting views.
TBH, I wasn't thinking too hard about the locals-only bit of the model; like others, I think that would be difficult to  achieve to say the least and is not really valid in B'ham / West Mids (the basque identity is somewhat more defined, I'd argue).

My main thrust in the OP was about the style of play and the use of players:

- a balance of youth and experience.
- each player technically gifted.
- a fantastic game of pressure and energy when not with the ball.
- a freshness and invention when in possession.

...  it (the squad) is full of enthusiasm, skill and focus ...  with our emerging core of academy-developed players, surely it's time to take a leaf out of the Basque book of footballing philosophy and play a fresh, energetic and positive game-play.

As someone pointed out above, this might not be peculiar to Ath Bilbao but it is certainly exemplified by them. Hence my (slightly tongue-in-cheek) suggestion that perhaps McL could do worse than spend some time with them over the summer.