We should always be interested in good, young, local players. At the moment we have a reputation for developing players so we should be capitalising on it whilst it lasts. I dont know if there is a scouting system as such, but the minimum should be to scour the local clubs looking for potential and keeping an eye on it.
At the Trusts meetings, I talked about cementing relationships with the 100+ junior sides around the Borough, if we also built relationships with the likes of Witton, Hyde etc, we could build a pyramid of talent, and ensure that young players had a pathway into senior football at Rochdale.
A story of 2 clubs.....
One of my colleagues son's played for Southampton schools and got to the final of the English Schools Trophy he then got a trial at Portsmouth with several other lads, an old pro addressed them in the changing room with a barrage of effing and jeffing, ask what positions they played, ignored their answers and decided where to play them according to size. The lad came home upset and disappointed.
By comparison, he later went on tour to Holland and during one game, a man came up to my colleague who had gone to watch and said " I am from Ajax, we like the look of your son, is it OK if we come to,the UK and watch him play occasionally"? Nothing came of the Ajax connection, but they did turn up when he was playing for Exeter University and Worcester City....I sometimes think we are more Portsmouth than Ajax. |  |
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