Other Games - 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup Edition (+ warm-up matches): Villa-watch

[Meanwood Villa]

Presumably Amadou's story is relevant here

[Pat McMahon]

Is that a high proportion of second and third generation immigrants? Any particular reasons for this?

I played football in the Paris suburbs in the 90s and I reckon a sizeable minority of players and coaches in our club were second generation immigrants. In some teams and suburbs they would have constituted the majority.

I think it was the classic recipe of athletic kids in poorer areas looking  for an activity that didn’t cost a fortune. Also, most French immigrants back then came from cultures that seemed to love playing football. Here in England a lot of kids whose families arrived from S Asia would probably have been more interested in cricket.  Crucially, as well as the tarmac playground areas municipal French football facilities were much better than here. Every suburb had a multi purpose sports stadium with either an all weather shale type pitch or astroturf and multiple indoor sports facilities. Games and training were rarely cancelled. The local teams often had all age groups from 5 years old to adults, and were well run with several coaches. The French professional clubs also established the academy model long before we did, so it felt that football was more organised, focused on basic skills and simply easier to play.

Here in England I’ve generally played in teams set up by a group of mates but no junior or reserve teams. We rarely had a coach and pitches were often a mud bath in winter. Hot water in showers was the exception. I did play for one club similar to the French model, the Polytechnic which is around 110-120 years old, but that was an exception for me.

I think the UK has much better structure for kids now but I have no idea if the Sunday football game has changed.

[olaftab]

Great insight PM.

[Meanwood Villa]

Thanks Pat, interesting to hear some first hand experience

[olaftab]

"Here in England a lot of kids whose families arrived from S Asia would probably have been more interested in cricket."

Or Pharmacy and Accountancy. 

[olaftab]

And for the size of the population 67 is a remarkable number for Netherlands. A world nation.

I imagine Curacao is doing a lot of the heavy lifting for that total (I'd guess around 25 of the 67)

That's cheating

[Dave]

I think the UK has much better structure for kids now

I'm consistently amazed at how massive kids football is these days. Bath City are now in the seventh tier, but there are probably around a hundred people who organise / coach the age groups from U6 - U16, several hours every week. 

And we're a piddly little nothing club from a rugby city, I can only imagine how massive it is at bigger clubs / cities.

[Mellin]

Sorry if this comes across as a bit wanky and delusional, but I played centre half in amateur football my whole life and I've seen plenty of pros, including in the Premier League, who I was better than. I was never, ever coached and just played on the park with my mates as a kid and again with my mates at Sunday League. There are others I played with and against who I thought the same about. Quite a few over the years. There's tens of thousands of players of previous generations who would've never crossed paths with a scout or a coach.

You can see it in the number of stories about players climbing from the bottom of the pile in this country. It's also why I have so much respect for Ian Wright/Jamie Vardy/Tyrone Mings and the like. Could've quite easily missed out as the structure wasn't there, but had the will to go and do it anyway. Respect.

I don't think you'll see that much anymore in the future. If they're good enough someone will spot it these days, which can only be a good thing for the kids themselves and the country.

[Pat McMahon]

"Here in England a lot of kids whose families arrived from S Asia would probably have been more interested in cricket."

Or Pharmacy and Accountancy. 

Is this where you tell us about your off piste activities Aftab?

[Pat McMahon]

I think the UK has much better structure for kids now

I'm consistently amazed at how massive kids football is these days. Bath City are now in the seventh tier, but there are probably around a hundred people who organise / coach the age groups from U6 - U16, several hours every week. 

And we're a piddly little nothing club from a rugby city, I can only imagine how massive it is at bigger clubs / cities.

That’s brilliant and matches what I see with my nephew’s lad. I’ve played with people over the years who played alongside players they thought could have made it and often the missing ingredient was structured football and coaching from 14 -18.

Interestingly in our club in Paris  the coaches would often get the better players aged 14-16 to coach kids aged 6-10. They reckoned it made them think more and develop awareness of how to play. I heard Viera the other night say a defender should never clear through the middle of the pitch and could hear the cry in French from our old coach 😊

[Pat McMahon]

Incidentally the son of a schoolmate runs the Brentford academy. When they recruit now they focus on technique and athleticism. They would t sign a 16 year old Barry Bannan for example.

[ADVILLAFAN]

And for the size of the population 67 is a remarkable number for Netherlands. A world nation.

I imagine Curacao is doing a lot of the heavy lifting for that total (I'd guess around 25 of the 67)

Chong is the only squad member born in Curacão.

[Mellin]

Scotland were okay last night against a really good Morocco side. Thought they were good in the second half and could've easily got something. Does feel like I've seen that match a lot over the years, where they are half in it, but never quite get over the line. Hungary two years ago for a start. Is it because they know how to stay in games, but maybe don't have enough quality/inclination to go and win it?

[RamboandBruno]

Scotland were okay last night against a really good Morocco side. Thought they were good in the second half and could've easily got something. Does feel like I've seen that match a lot over the years, where they are half in it, but never quite get over the line. Hungary two years ago for a start. Is it because they know how to stay in games, but maybe don't have enough quality/inclination to go and win it?

Without wanting to patronise any Scots on this form, they have a small handful of real quality players-McGinn, McTominay, then a group of decent players, Gordon, Tierney, Adams, theres a few more, then a relatively small handful of players who are really not good enough for say the knockout stages of a world cup, Hanley, theres bald fella up front. So they have enough to mix it and have a go/get sone some results, but I think with this group, the sprinkling of the latter group, will mean they always will fall just short. Still if there is any WC they have a chance its this one with the 8 third place teams etc.
compare to Ireland in the late 80s through to the early 2000s, they just had more of the top quality players, McGrath, Townsend, Sheedy, Aldridge, Whealen etc in 1990