Youth development plan makes sense

Posted by Admin User on 20/01/2012

The FA's plan for the structure of youth football appears to carry a great deal of sense.......the hardest part might be getting acceptance from the hard-bitten traditionalists (parents and dyed in the wool league commitee members).

The recommendations include a very apt quote from John Maynard Keynes 'The difficulty lies not in the new ideas, but escaping from the old ones.' For most kids the old adage of jumpers for goalposts still holds good; give them a ball and they'll get on with it.

The suggestions for 5 v 5 at under 7 & 8 make perfect sense as does 9 v 9 up to age 12. Anything that gives the kids more touches of the ball and playing the games on appropriately sized pitches (with goalpost sizes to match) has got to be a good thing.

The objective of getting more and better players through child friendly football gets our vote; let's hope the adults take the suggestions on board with enthusiasm.