Gday Ben, My son has been selected to tour in Madrid (Real) and then onto a tournament in San Sebastian (Donosti cup). What is your opinion of such tours? Can it lead to being identified by a club in Spain or Europe. The tour is organised by a private Academy that is world renowned although i wont the mention the name. Your opinion would be great.

Do you have any contacts in queensland?

Arthur, PM me his club and I'll try to come along for a look.

If you're a regular at U13/U14 games in the East, you'll probably have seen me hanging around once or twice, usually watching from the highest vantage point I can find with a Coke and a Mars Bar purchased from the club (they're not for me, you understand, I just feel I need to contribute to club finances!!).

Now you've blown me away Benjamin, I'm involved in a junior Club in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne. And my son is an U13 player have to ask you to come and have a look at him.

I do know you will have a big job this year quite alot of talent comming from this age group from what I have seen in VCL. 1997 seemed to have been a baby boom year too.

Edited by Arthur: 16/2/2010 11:09:28 PM

Edited by Arthur: 16/2/2010 11:24:26 PM

NSR - provide excellent opportunities. College in the US is pricey, but the experience will be terrific. Plus (whisper this) you're competing with Americans to get decent grades, so the competition ain't exactly over-the-top. ;)

(the line of American forumites ready to bitch about the above comment starts.... here)

Benjamin
We left QLD and now call Newcastle home. Do you have any comments on NSR? A couple of Mackay girls we know just picked up 50% scholarships. Good result for them but cost a few bucks. Let me know and thanks

I watch 13-15 year olds. No links with Leicester, but the agent has contacts all over Europe, South America, the USA and South East Asia. If a player is good enough, he will find him a club!



The agent has connections with US colleges, but I'll have to check with him whether he can get scholarship deals for girls as well. If you're in Queensland it might be tricky for him to sort anything out as we're in Melbourne.

The selection system in Australia stinks - as you've suggested. The open trial system which appears to proliferate here really isn't an accurate way a gauge the ability of young players. I won't even mention a player to my mate until I've seen him play 2 or 3 full games - the open trial system basically means you've got to be fit and on your game, and you've got to rely on people you've most likely barely ever seen let alone played with. Watching kids play in their own teams, with their regular team-mates, etc., is a far better way to assess talent initially... Unless you can have some serious small group skills sessions between players and selectors.

Unfortunately, it's a lot easier and cheaper to hold an open session than it is to get out and scout the game.

Good luck Champ, hope it works out for you!!

NQ
not for much longer i hope.

Edited by krones3: 15/2/2010 03:33:49 PM

Nice contribution Benjamin, appreciate your input on how professionals look at things. You should offer lessons to QLD selectors!!!
Do you only do Males? Any USA connections for the female game.

Krones3, what part of QLD are you from?

How young?
Do you have connections with leicester city fc?

Just a brief contribution, from the point of view of a scout - when I scout for young players I principally look for the first touch. Flashy runs, great shots, strong tackles, etc., are all good - but if you can't control the ball when it comes to you, I'm going to lose interest really quickly. THEN - I'm looking at how fast you get rid of it, where to, and how.

My 'boss', the agent I work with, takes more of an interest in the way a player carries himself, the biomechanical approach - can he run, is he wasting energy, is his body shape correct when he hits the ball, etc.

True but if the best are left sitting on the bench and the Zone is a laugh at nationals.
Some one should be asking questions.
If they where putting in reasonable performances you would accept that but 12th out of 12

I will eventually do what you have done and relocate to another zone.

Totally agree but at least the boys have a Qld Country Team to tryout for!!

Queensland country selection process is absolutely crap.
If they ever get their act together and select the best players they would be deadly.

Would love for that to happen and dont worry we would remind them!!!

Interesting seeing Qld and Nsw finish so low down the table. I comes either down to coaching or selections and in some way proves the point. At least coaches have to do a course, selectors just get given the job and there is no formal training or courses they have to go through

You would agree with the selectors if they got the results but the standard suggests something is not working.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/2009GameDev/default.aspx?s=community_newsfeatures_news_news_item_new&id=32315

Just one more case of QLD selectors shooting themselves in the foot.
I hope your daughter does well and lines up against QLD one day.
Don’t forget to remind them she could have been playing for them.

No problem Silvergale. Just good to see that all is well and things are looking good. :)

Hi All

Just to refresh you all as this is part 2, sometime early last year I posted the subject "Tips on getting noticed" which related to living in a rural town in QLD and not getting noticed or fair selection oppurtunites due to location. This was for my Daughter

I didnt get a heap of responces but the people who did all said that to get noticed and selected you had to move to a big town.

So starts part 2 and this is only just 1 month after we have moved. If the girl does end up doing well I hope this story will have up to 4 or 5 parts to it. Rest assured if she does no good I will also let you all know.
Well we moved and I was lucky enough to get a job transfer to Newcastle although it took 9 months of waiting to come up. Not as big as Sydney or Brisbane but a hell of alot better than Mackay and being that we where originally from Sydney, close to being back home.
We arrived at the end of when they where putting the Emerging Athlete Program U16 (EAP) selections and got the oppurtinty to trial but the squad was pretty well pre picked from lasts years squad so that didnt go any good. We then looked at the next best option being the Herald Womens Premier League and she trialled for Broadmeadow Magic last years Grand Final winners and last week was announced in the squad which is great news. This is a high level comp and this team boasted no less then 6 current and former Matilda players and was coached by non other than Cheryl Salisbury the Australian Matildas Captain (recently retired)
This should show some merit to our moving but alot further to go. Part 3 should be if she makes the NNSW U17 Squad for the Nationals but again this may not happen this year as she has 2 years in this age group and will be a bit on the young side.
I would also like to take the oppurtinity to thank Midfield Maestro on all the help and interst he showed in giving me good information on Newcastle and options avialable.

It's never easy starting from scratch but off to a decent start. For the people who have the same problems I had, you wont want to read this because your selections chances are slim outside of main towns, especially in QLD (parting shot at the system)

Part 3 after April