Bantams' bid to unearth hidden gems (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Great idea, I am surprised they dont do it every year. I think they could take it 1 stage further and have a look at the under 21's to catch the late developers.

I agree there jacko.
Im just waiting for the knockers to come on.
Let me be the first (lol).....Bloody hell, we are really scraping the bottom of the barrel now FFS...Fleetwood reserves and now folk pulled of the street kicking and screaming and forced to play for city.......

I suggested this in a post some weeks ago so I am particularly pleased with the decision to organise trials.

Schools will be contacted I hope in order to get the info out to the kids.

I think it's great that we are finally seeing promising young Bradford Asians playing at their Home Club. I am sure we will also see in the near future youngsters whose parents have recently settled from Eastern Europe.

I am unsure as to why only 'one youngster from each age group' will be taken on. If that is a guaranteed minimum figure then thats fine by me, but if that is a maximum then us City fans need to be looking at putting money in for supporting some sort of 'scholarship' so the Club can provide for more youth Coaches etc and finance for trials and Development.

lonniejockstrap wrote:
I suggested this in a post some weeks ago so I am particularly pleased with the decision to organise trials. Schools will be contacted I hope in order to get the info out to the kids. I think it's great that we are finally seeing promising young Bradford Asians playing at their Home Club. I am sure we will also see in the near future youngsters whose parents have recently settled from Eastern Europe. I am unsure as to why only 'one youngster from each age group' will be taken on. If that is a guaranteed minimum figure then thats fine by me, but if that is a maximum then us City fans need to be looking at putting money in for supporting some sort of 'scholarship' so the Club can provide for more youth Coaches etc and finance for trials and Development.

p.s. I think a phone number should also be provided to enable contact, not just e-mail, not all families have computers.

Even if we find anyone half good, one of the big boys will just come and swallow them up, like they do with everyone else.

Rambo wrote:
Even if we find anyone half good, one of the big boys will just come and swallow them up, like they do with everyone else.

You're right. We might as well just stop bothering. Let's just sit here, where we belong and never progress or develop. Because, ultimately, it's futile.

Look on the bright side mate.

A guy called Jamie Thompson told me that the player to sign for us is benito carbone.

lonniejockstrap wrote:

lonniejockstrap wrote: I suggested this in a post some weeks ago so I am particularly pleased with the decision to organise trials. Schools will be contacted I hope in order to get the info out to the kids. I think it's great that we are finally seeing promising young Bradford Asians playing at their Home Club. I am sure we will also see in the near future youngsters whose parents have recently settled from Eastern Europe. I am unsure as to why only 'one youngster from each age group' will be taken on. If that is a guaranteed minimum figure then thats fine by me, but if that is a maximum then us City fans need to be looking at putting money in for supporting some sort of 'scholarship' so the Club can provide for more youth Coaches etc and finance for trials and Development.

p.s. I think a phone number should also be provided to enable contact, not just e-mail, not all families have computers.

I have just read the article again and my concern is that the '1st come 1st served basis' will not deliver as good a quality of footballers as is possible. I think School 'PE' Teachers/Co-ordinato
rs could be asked to put forward youngsters that they know are decent players with potential -after all they will see the kids playing on a regular basis. This might help because the numbers attending the Trials obviously have to be kept to manageable numbers.

My concerns will be seen as constructive input I hope -P Horne and his colleagues are doing a fine job as far as as I am cocerned.

I am trying to avoid a situation whereby a large number of attendees get Trials on the bases of parents 'getting-in-there first' or because they own a computer and read the T&A as opposed to actually having the abillity and potential but not the accessibillty.

I help run a youth team and i have to say there are some unbelievable local talents but unfortunately they are unearthed by other clubs. One kid from our youth set up has been snapped up by Man City the other by Barnsley, Blackburn and Hudds.We had local youth tournaments at Otley, Apperley Bridge and Prospect and there were scouts from many clubs other than City.

Youngliver wrote:

Rambo wrote: Even if we find anyone half good, one of the big boys will just come and swallow them up, like they do with everyone else.

You're right. We might as well just stop bothering. Let's just sit here, where we belong and never progress or develop. Because, ultimately, it's futile. Look on the bright side mate.

Thing is, even Jim Jefferies nearly 9 years ago couldn't believe it when he saw bad our entire youth development/
training setup was.

There were talks of acadmeny this and that. Obviously with all the money problems that never happened but the standards now aren't that far off when we were in the PL.

Theres lots of other factors as well. How many kids in Bradford actually WANT to play for Bradford?

I've said before, teams like Man U and Arsenal scour the world and relentlessly take on thousands in the hope of finding the next Beckham and Rooney. Many would have had a sucesful career in the lower leagues but they get chewed up and spat out, and like Eddie Johnson and Murihead (to name only 2) end up on the football scraphead in their early/mid-20s, many never having played.

We've hardly had anyone come through in the last 20 years. You're looking at about a dozen.

It just annoys me because the ease at which big clubs can steal young players from anywhere they please needs addressing.

I know someone who used to play for a non-league team in the area. His mate (young lad) was the goalie and was signed up by a PL team. He was 5th choice or something stupid. They never played him, he knew this. But he wasn't bothered as he was still picking up £1000 a week for 3 years.

This was partly so no-one else could sign him. And it shouldn't be like that.

I was truly disgusted after reading the news that Richard Williams,a Bradford man from Queensbury is to front a consortium to take over Southamton F.C.

To think that he could overlook the plight that CITY have been in over the years,he has not come forward to help in any way.

I suggest he moves from Bradford @ moves into St Mary's ground at Southamton.

Get a life wrote:
I help run a youth team and i have to say there are some unbelievable local talents but unfortunately they are unearthed by other clubs. One kid from our youth set up has been snapped up by Man City the other by Barnsley, Blackburn and Hudds.We had local youth tournaments at Otley, Apperley Bridge and Prospect and there were scouts from many clubs other than City.

city,s scouting system has grown quite a lot over the past 18 months and are represented at most local tournaments within a 20 mile radius and I can definitely say they have been very pro-active especially in the last few weeks with a large amount of kids being offered trials starting in august

pudsey.bantam wrote:
I was truly disgusted after reading the news that Richard Williams,a Bradford man from Queensbury is to front a consortium to take over Southamton F.C.

To think that he could overlook the plight that CITY have been in over the years,he has not come forward to help in any way.

I suggest he moves from Bradford @ moves into St Mary's ground at Southamton.

I suggest that you mind your own business.

well said Albion---this article is about getting youth involved something we have never achieved to any great extent:we are trying something yet there are those who still see negativity in the idea.


get local youth involved and you will find a gem but more importantly it is to get youth involved with the club for that is the future.

Hi i am 12 years old and live in france i really want to go but my dad has lost his passport how long will it take to get another one? i hope i can go

please help!!!!

J4CKO wrote:
Great idea, I am surprised they dont do it every year. I think they could take it 1 stage further and have a look at the under 21's to catch the late developers.

My mate scouts for City and suggested a player who was far and above the best player on the pitch when we watched him but was told 'We had him down here when he was 12!" So much for late developers! Terrible system.

TirNaNog wrote:

J4CKO wrote: Great idea, I am surprised they dont do it every year. I think they could take it 1 stage further and have a look at the under 21's to catch the late developers.

My mate scouts for City and suggested a player who was far and above the best player on the pitch when we watched him but was told 'We had him down here when he was 12!" So much for late developers! Terrible system.

Scouting and talent identification are all based on opinions and at the end of the day the final decision on selection will lie with PH and AN. What they are looking for in a player may be totally different to what other Academies or C of E are looking for. This isn’t a bad thing as all clubs have different philosophies regarding training techniques and development of their players.

My son was not selected for City at U 9’s but was spotted by Barnlsey FC scouts shortly after and is now starting his third year in their Academy.

I’ve seen plenty of kids at local football levels and wondered why they were not registered with Professional clubs, I’ve also seen plenty of Academy and C of E players and wonder what the coaches see in them.

As I say it’s all about opinions.

Good luck to any trialists.

G'day everyone! been away for a while and looking forward to a new season ahead.
As regards to the new scheme to unearth gems. i am all for it. there is bound to be some youngster out there that needs to be found. Ther are schemes like that all over the place down here, just wish i could turn back the clock and have my skills found by a great football club

clubcoach wrote:

TirNaNog wrote:

J4CKO wrote: Great idea, I am surprised they dont do it every year. I think they could take it 1 stage further and have a look at the under 21's to catch the late developers.

My mate scouts for City and suggested a player who was far and above the best player on the pitch when we watched him but was told 'We had him down here when he was 12!" So much for late developers! Terrible system.

Scouting and talent identification are all based on opinions and at the end of the day the final decision on selection will lie with PH and AN. What they are looking for in a player may be totally different to what other Academies or C of E are looking for. This isn’t a bad thing as all clubs have different philosophies regarding training techniques and development of their players. My son was not selected for City at U 9’s but was spotted by Barnlsey FC scouts shortly after and is now starting his third year in their Academy. I’ve seen plenty of kids at local football levels and wondered why they were not registered with Professional clubs, I’ve also seen plenty of Academy and C of E players and wonder what the coaches see in them. As I say it’s all about opinions. Good luck to any trialists.

another prospect slips the net then.

If your Rubens parent, he was quality too.

well i think darlo will stuff us this year.

bcfc idle supporters wrote:
well i think darlo will stuff us this year.

Are you being serious? You think Darlo will beat us with their 'rag-a-bobbin' team! Other than the elderly Windass, they haven't really got any players. Personally, I think they will struggle.

Grimsby will be a sterner test than last season and may be the surprise package. Their signing of Sweeney, plus their other signings makes them a decent side.

That said, if we can bring in a decent winger, a good keeper, pref 2 decent central midfielders and take Boulding up on his pay-cut offer, we won't be far off ourselves.

Correct me if I,m wrong but isn,t this a thread about scouting and developing young kids ,why do you need to hijack a totally non connected article.PLEASE START YOUR OWN THREAD

Lets just do a way with our team and just play a full asian team as thats how all this is heading.

neil illingworth wrote:
Lets just do a way with our team and just play a full asian team as thats how all this is heading.

Trust me when i say this, asians have a **** sight more ability than the current lot in our team. I do scouting for the club and all i can say is whenever i watch the asian youngsters they tend to control the ball better. The problem the club has there arent ENOUGH asians. You see the good asian kids get in the age groups and are probably the best players but systematic bullying from the other non-asian kids means they eventually fail. Now skin colour is ridiculous and the anyone who is racist is even more ridiculous because every human being is the same no matter colour or religion. I think it would be nice to have asian youngsters in the team.

Equality...not racism.

Jammy2010 wrote:

neil illingworth wrote: Lets just do a way with our team and just play a full asian team as thats how all this is heading.

Trust me when i say this, asians have a **** sight more ability than the current lot in our team. I do scouting for the club and all i can say is whenever i watch the asian youngsters they tend to control the ball better. The problem the club has there arent ENOUGH asians. You see the good asian kids get in the age groups and are probably the best players but systematic bullying from the other non-asian kids means they eventually fail. Now skin colour is ridiculous and the anyone who is racist is even more ridiculous because every human being is the same no matter colour or religion. I think it would be nice to have asian youngsters in the team. Equality...not racism.

I have spent 3 years watching city,s C of E. teams and never once seen any form of bullying towards any Asian kids whatsoever and to say they have better control than other kids is a bit of a sweeping statement tbh, there are a lot of factors as to why some Asian kids dont progress a clubs like City and race is DEFFINATELY NOT ONE OF THEM. I suggest you have a talk to Peter Horne about your concerns and make them official if as you say you scout for the club