We asked why the craze towards poaching the best players from the area to create an elite team, who does this benefit? Is it best for the kids? Is it to feed a coaches ego to win everything?

I recall a conversation 2 years ago between 2 under 7 coaches at the end of season presentation. Whilst discussing plans for their respective under 8 season one coach said he was to advertise in local papers and social media for trials as he had a few “weak links” he wanted to bring in players who were better.

The second coach challenged this and said he thought it was wrong to have a team at this age for so long and then have trials to ultimately have them replaced.

He said a coaches job is to coach, develop and nurture his players, and not to cast aside kids he has and poach other teams kids for a better team. This he argued was not coaching.

Both coaches continued the debate for a while but could not agree.

Ultimately the trials happened and about 60% of the team changed, again he did this from U8s to U9s and was in his eyes extremely successful winning leagues/tournaments and cups.

At U10s things began to change, knowing that their own children’s positions on the team were constantly at threat, parents began turning their back on the trophies and uncertainty and instead turned towards consistency and certainty, the penny had dropped.

This wasn’t a sustainable or happy team, it was filled with stressed children worried about there place.

No child should have to have this worry, what had started off as something for the kids had turned into an ego trip for the coach.

The good news is that poachers are uncommon. Over time, clubs and parents figure things out as the poacher’s methods wear thin.

The short-term benefit of a league or Cup is overcome by the poacher’s reputation and remember, if your playing for a poacher’s team your very place on the team is under threat at all times.

If your child has a coach, and not a poach, take a moment to thank him or her for doing things the right way because ultimately something much more than football is at stake and a coach knows this, your child’s happiness and wellbeing.

And in the end, the U-7s premier or U-10s holiday park tournament won’t be nearly as important as the good character your coach displayed each day for your son or daughter.

Now every manager loves a good team talk. They are what motivates and inspires our players. They set instructions and guidance for what our players need to do in a game. What I bet most managers and coaches don’t think about is what their last ever team talk will be.

Unfortunately, I have to.

I have cancer.

Not the okay kind, not even the slightly harsh kind but the deadly kind. I am dying. This cancer will kill me and it can’t be stopped. Let’s be clear, I’m not happy about this. It sucks on so many levels, but what can I do? What it did was it got me thinking. I won’t be taking the Ravens all the way and I won’t see them fully develop into young adults. So I plan to take them as far as I can for how long I’ve got left.

Russ far left

Now this was a decision that it took me a few weeks to come to and to decide to enjoy the ride whilst I can. It offered a clarity that I’ve never had before. The clarity that football for children is all about enjoyment. That is what I’ll be teaching from now on. Football is called a sport, but it’s also a game. Games are there to be enjoyed.

For me this is a message that has gotten lost.

I’ve seen first hand children lose their love of the game because parents and coaches alike have sucked the enjoyment out of the game. Why as managers do we allow this to happen? We have a duty to make sure our players look forward to games with the same excitement week in week out. We as managers need to look forward to these games as much as the players.

We need to make sure that enjoyment is the main priority for everybody. The enlightening thing about being told you’re dying is you get to choose how to live your remaining days. For me I plan to spend as much time having fun as I can and making sure that the players around me have as much fun as they can. I simply refuse to make a player feel bad because they’ve missed as penalty, misplaced a pass or lacks natural ability in their game.

Now you may read this and dismiss it that’s your choice. The one thing to think about is, you never know when your last team talk will be or the last time you see your child play football. I know that time for me is soon and I want to make it an incredible experience.

Russ

KAFC Ravens

Yet, across English football, professional clubs are scouting children as young as five, persuading 11-year-olds to sign contracts tied to private school education, and even offering houses to parents of teenagers who show potential.

But the big question is: are clubs doing this to genuinely develop players, or simply to stop rivals from signing them?

The Harsh Reality of Academy Football

English football academies have come under heavy criticism in recent years. Despite millions being invested, very few academy players are breaking into first teams. Instead, many clubs are relying on big-money transfers in their pursuit of instant success.

The figures are stark:

• There are currently around 12,500 players in the English academy system.

• Only 0.5% of under-nines at top clubs are likely to make it through to the first team.

• Dropout rates between ages 13 and 16 are alarmingly high, with some research suggesting it could be as high as 76%—similar to rugby union.

For most young players, the dream ends before it even begins.

From Farming to Fast Food Football

Historically, football clubs were rooted in their communities. They invested in young, local players, nurturing them through youth systems with a visible ladder to the first team. These clubs were the heart and soul of their towns and cities.

But modern football has shifted. Many clubs are now owned by individuals or groups with little connection to the local area. Instead of sowing seeds and patiently developing homegrown talent, the focus has become short-term success—a “fast food” approach to football.

Academies are packed with talented youngsters, but opportunities are scarce. Many capable players are overlooked as clubs chase instant results, often signing ready-made stars from abroad. This shift has not only stifled academy pathways but also damaged grassroots football, leaving many questioning whether the system is broken.

Are We Missing Late Developers?

The current model leaves little room for late bloomers. Players like Jamie Vardy, who rose through non-league and became an international star in his late 20s, highlight how talent can slip through the cracks.

Thousands of children are being released from academies each year, many of whom might thrive if given more time and the right environment. Instead, they are discarded by a system obsessed with identifying the next superstar as early as possible.

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Time for Change in English Football?

With foreign players already dominating the Premier League, opportunities for academy graduates are becoming even harder to come by. So, is it time for a rethink?

• Should academies focus more on developing players for the long term rather than stockpiling talent?

• Should grassroots football play a bigger role in bridging the gap to professional clubs?

• And should the scouting process be redesigned to stop overlooking potential late developers?

Final Whistle

The current academy model feels unsustainable and unfair. While a lucky few make it to the first team, thousands more are left behind, often without the right support.

At grassroots level, we believe more needs to be done to ensure every young player has a fair chance to develop and enjoy the game, not just those who peak early.

What do you think? Are professional clubs getting it wrong with kids, and what changes would you like to see in youth development? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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We were unhappy as parents with how the previous manager, coach and club was run so we set up ours for our children to stay together and enjoy football! Our age group by the way is under 10’s.

We had an end of season meeting on Thursday to discuss plans for the future and our presentation night. We decided on the usual managers, parents and players player awards.

Discussions led to most improved and clubman. One thrown in to the mix was Top Goalscorer. There was a mixed reaction as it was seen as a trophy that not every single player was capable of winning.

There are only 4 or 5 maximum in a team of 11 who’d stand a chance of winning and it would go against the club’s philosophy of being a team.

There are no individuals. The team scores not the individual.

After getting a show of votes today to confirm 6 we’re against for the reasons mentioned and 5 for. This has led to abusive texts and threats from a parent whom believes his son has earned the trophy and if the club don’t give it him he’ll not turn up to the presentation and also leave the club.

My assistant has also backed this behaviour and comments from the parent.

I’ve since quit because of this. I’m appalled that I’ve personally been lambasted and blackmailed by a parent.

I’d like you to put this out to people. Let’s see how they see it. Week after week we train and encourage passing, to work together and that most importantly that they are a team not a bunch of individuals. It’s not about winning it’s about enjoying football.

They are just 9 and 10 year olds. Do certain trophies encourage individualism and isolate certain team players from being able to win them?

What do you think?

What exactly is Osgood Schlatters?

Essentially it is painful inflammation or irritation of the bone growth plate in the shin bone (tibia bone) which is just below the knee cap.

It generally happens in children between the ages of 9-14, when they have a growth spurt and is more common in boys and those who are particularly active in sport and exercise..

This condition normally goes away when your child stops growing and should not cause long lasting issues provided you manage it correctly.

What are the causes and symptoms?

If your child is very active with exercise and sport then this can lead to it. Pain below the knee cap is one of the most common symptoms, and it is often painful to touch and can be accompanied by a lump in the area of pain (the tibial tuberosity)

Your child may also find walking up and down the stairs hard to do as well and bending down onto their knees.

How can we help our kids?

Listen to your child and do NOT let your child play through the pain. This can only increase the amount of time it takes to recover, and lead to them to not being able to play the sport they love for a longer period of time!

Get an assessment from a therapist who can assess and treat where appropriate. Sports massage from a professional on the surrounding soft tissue can help reduce tension. REST is important for children with this condition. The tibial tuberosity should be pain free to touch before recommencing exercise.

Before a return to sport a period of supervised progression of exercise should take place to prepare the body. Make sure your child warms up correctly before exercise. When returning to sport a protective knee pad/support can help. Particular for sports played on hard ground. Correct footwear is important and shock absorbing insoles can help in some cases

A little foam rolling and stretching could help relieve symptoms and aid preventing the issue. Below is the links to a few exercises that could be used to help. There are plenty more out there so this is to give you a few ideas. If your child plays a lot of sport it is worth educating them on how to start to look after themselves. Its not hard and it can be done while they watch the TV too!

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Quad foam rolling
https://youtu.be/bCHk714PKW8

Hip flexor stretch – this is better with a cushion under the knee and would not be suitable if the knee is painful when rested on the floor
https://youtu.be/l8dlsdLqkxI

Calf foam rolling
https://youtu.be/NKD-vO0FGcs

Calf stretch
https://youtu.be/PJvrqVCtk7E

Hip strengthening exercises (one example here)
https://youtu.be/t_ZttZH7O-E

If you have any questions your welcome to email me at info@richknightperformance.com or even check out my facebook page www.facebook.com/richknightperformance which is full of useful self help videos which can be used by you and your family alike.

As I write this, I know  there are millions of great parents out there, and I apologise to them but unfortunately their voices are being drowned out by a toxic negativity I’ve seen sweeping the game.

This weekend I think is most likely my last involvement in coaching, hopefully my feelings will change but right after 4 years I’ve finally been worn down. The team don’t know this yet, I will tell them after the weekends game.

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I’m a Coach who has just had enough of too many parents doing everything but being happy.  All their kids love football and love coming, love being on our team and love our training. So the kids couldn’t be happier, but the parents on the other hand  seem to complain, whinge and moan about everything, even criticise other people’s kids,  Why do this?

Most coaches work full time, have families, other responsibilities, yet myself like others give up at least 1 night a week to coach your kids, plus more time away from that planning sessions, sorting fund raisers, chasing kits, sorting tournaments, answering emails, arranging weekend game, replying to text messages 11pm at night, Plus much more and we do this for FREE because we enjoy it and love seeing kids develop and grow.

YOUR kid develop and grow!!!!!

So why do parents find the need to send you messages a mile long slamming the performance of a young team in mini soccer despite the fact you win most weeks, and the messages I receive if we draw or heaven forbid lose, it’s like I have to do a press conference in front of them to apologise and explain why we lost. They’re 9 years old!!

 

Why when they are not happy about the littlest thing do they find it necessary to spread that with other parents and convince them they’re right and encourage them to hound the coach too?

 

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1. The point I am making is how many coaches have to walk away mainly due to how parents behave and conduct themselves and how they go on sometimes.

 

It’s simple….. no coaches means no grassroots, stop before it’s too late!!!!!!!!

 

Sometimes grassroots clubs, leagues and volunteers need help. They don’t look for handouts, but now and then they – and their volunteers – need a leg-up.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with the Utilita Football Rebooted movement to launch the Grassroots Fund.

What is the Grassroots Fund?

The fund offers help. It’s no nonsense, no strings attached support for grassroots football. It’s easy to apply and we make decisions quickly. All we ask in return is you let us talk about the support we’ve provided. Support is powered by support from the Utilita Football Rebooted scheme.

Who’s it for?

The fund is for grassroots clubs and leagues and the people who volunteer. We’re open to anyone who’s looking for a little help to make a big difference. If our help can make football better, we’re interested.

What’s our aim?

We want to put more smiles into grassroots football. So, if you have a project, an emergency or a brilliant reason to say thank you to someone, we want to hear from you.

How to apply?

To apply just fill in this form. Tell us who you are, which club you represent, why you need help and the difference you think it will make. If we agree, we’ll be in touch to show how we can help. All awards and funding is discretionary and our decision is final. There is no appeal. Clubs and leagues can apply for multiple grants or gifts. By applying you are agreeing to our privacy notice and privacy policy

Who can apply?

Applications must come from an FA-accredited club or league and be connected to individuals or projects involved in grassroots football. Cash funding must be paid into a bank account registered to a club or league.

What is expected of successful applicants

The main purpose of the fund is to help and improve the grassroots game we all love. If successful you may be required to take part in social media and press promotional activity through teamgrassroots.co.uk, Utilita High 5 and our communications partners.

Type of support

Support is tailored to the needs and aims of each application. It can be for anything to improve football and the lives of people who make grassroots football happen. It can be anything, but examples might include:

–          Vouchers for materials to fix up the clubhouse

–          Money to help pay for tradespeople to make improvements to your clubhouse

–          Gifts to show appreciation to volunteers

–          Support to recover from crime or vandalism

–          Funding to help make your facility safe

–          Help to improve your game and playing environment

How long will it take?

The fund is designed to offer help quickly for clubs and individuals who need it. We’ll aim to respond to all applications within 28 days with a  decision. Application is no guarantee of funding being awarded. The fund is limited, sadly we can’t guarantee support for all applicants. The decision to award funding or support rests solely at the discretion of Teamgrassroots.co.uk. There is no right of appeal.

For help or support contact  info@teamgrassroots.co.uk

1) Young children are not mini-versions of adults

As much as they will be adults one day, the young players in your care are certainly not there yet. We must understand and recognise that we can’t treat them in the same way as we would our peers.  We must always have the well-being of each of the children in our care as the priority. The session must fully engage the young players no matter what the weather.

2) Get the players moving as soon as they arrive

In poor weather keeping the players busy is vital. Young children will go cold quickly – almost without noticing –  and once they are cold they will really struggle to warm up again. Telling them to run around a bit more won’t help either unfortunately – it’s too late by then.

An arrival activity is vital. The children should arrive warm and getting them active early is crucial.  Little games of tag, mini 1v1s or 2v2s, and small fundamental movement games will all do this. Make sure you have this section in your session plan ready to go whatever the weather.

3) No queues and keep all the players involved

Having queues of children waiting for their turn is a big no-no in any session let alone on a cold, wet day.  Can you find ways to make sure all the players are all involved all of the time?  If you are struggling for equipment could you set up two or three smaller areas rather than one in order to cut down any form of waiting?

4) Use games during training

Consider what the players expect football to look like. What’s the first question they ask:  ‘When are we playing a match?’  Wet and cold sessions are perfect for match time as it keeps them all involved and active. Play mini 3v3s on a couple of pitches to keep all involved and then carefully manage how you intervene to coach.

5) Work with individuals rather than stopping the whole group

Children don’t like coaches talking for ages at the best of times but on a wet day it’s even more important to keep communication concise. Can you coach individuals whilst the game plays on around them?  Could you give quick challenges to players ‘on the fly’ as they pass you?  Could you set yourself a challenge to intervene for no longer than 30 seconds?  The kids would really appreciate this.

6) Consider practice design and progression

Spend time on planning the session. Will you use a technique-skill-game format or whole-part-whole or a myriad of other templates?  Which will increase playing time the most and which may lead to times of relative inactivity?  How can you create excitement and therefore engagement?  Can you always have a scoring system in place? Can you ensure that if any defender wins the ball they have a way to attack and score too to keep games flowing?

How you progress the session needs to be thought about too.  Can you progress some players without stopping all of them at the same time?  Think about working the session with players in groups; perhaps advance the better players first before gradually progressing the weaker players later on, meaning that they’ll get the extra practice time they need.  This also means that as you talk to each group two-thirds of your team are still active and warm.

7) If in doubt: play matches

If you’re ever in doubt or get caught by the rain or bad weather half-way through a session revert back to several small matches.  Smaller sized matches promote ball contacts, in and out of possession play, transition and game craft. They also ensure that players are never more than one pass away from the ball, so engagement and activity levels stay high.

8) Have some rules about correct kit

It’s important to have some rules or conditions regarding kit. I’ve had children arriving in t-shirt and shorts to sessions in December and I’ve had to take the hard decision to turn them away. Parents sometimes feel that it’s okay because they’ll be running around at football – yes, but they will only be warm if they start warm in the first place. Perhaps having a club wet-weather policy would be a good idea?

We can take note from cricketers playing in early April or late September. They wear lots of thin layers rather than a couple of large ones to keep heat in.  Encourage your players to do the same. It’s nothing different to what my mum used to shout as I ran off to training:  “You can always take some off, if you get too hot”.

9) Safety and welfare are top priority, but each individual is different

We have a responsibility to the children and their parents to look after them and always to make decisions in their best interests.  Safety and welfare are the top priority but we also mustn’t shy away from playing just because the weather isn’t great.

In a grassroots setting I worked in previously we had a rule – if the kids turned up then we would play. It was the choice of the group and their parents if we played.  This meant that sometimes we played for just 30 minutes instead of the full hour, sometimes the session plan went out of the window and we just played little games and sometimes we led sessions with only three or four kids.

What we must always understand is that every child is different, some will love and thrive in the terrible weather whereas others will hate it. Either way, they are both likely to remember it for a life time.

We must make certain that our coaching fosters a love of the game and a love of playing it. Make sure that when you are next faced with bad weather you make decisions and plans based on the best interests of the little people that turn up each week to play the great game of football with you.

10) Find a way to use the weather to create memories

Some of my fondest experiences as a kid were playing outside in terrible weather.  I still remember my first game in snow and the excitement playing with an orange ball for the first time gave us, the sliding tackles that seemed to last a full 30 yards through the midfield mud-pit and the diving headers that gave such a splash landing that if you timed it well could soak the watching parents.

We must appreciate that we could be building memories for our players; let’s make sure they are positive ones where the kids can’t wait to play the next time it rains. Starting to implement all of the above is a good foundation to start from.

Courtesy of The FA.

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I’m absolutely appalled by the response from some of the parents who openly said in front of other parents and players, “Your out of order, to keep things fair you should have chosen anyone but your son”

What!!!!

To keep things fair I should not even have considered one of the players!!! My own son, I wonder how anyone else would feel if I had said the same about their child.

If I had given this award to any other player, not an eyebrow would have been raised, I can’t believe how much animosity it has caused to award my son with something.

It was a difficult decision, I considered many factors:

• Attitude
• Going above and beyond
• Sacrificing for the team
• Willing to play in goal and Defence
• Virtually every game starting on the bench
• Helping me set up and put away whatever the weather
• Attending club and league meetings
• Patting me on the back when I was down

My son deserved the award, It wasn’t “Because it was my son” thats why it took me so long to make the decision.

I can stand with my head held high and say I made the right decision for the right reasons, Why does my son, also a team member not deserve to be eligible for managers player. I would love to know the general opinion on this if possible.