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Jewell: Town Would Ideally Opt for Category One
Jewell: Town Would Ideally Opt for Category One
Saturday, 10th Dec 2011 10:03

Manager Paul Jewell says that all things being equal the Blues would opt for Category One Academy status but echoed chief executive Simon Clegg’s earlier comments that no decision has yet been made. The Blues boss says he, the Academy staff, Clegg and owner Marcus Evans will sit down to work out the best way forward is for the club once the details of the changes to the youth system are clearer.

Jewell says that deciding to develop a Category One Academy would certainly be preferable, although he is yet to sift through the documentation with the wide-ranging plans changing on a frequent basis: “Ideally we would, but to be honest there have been that many changes to the academies and I’ve got that many drafts from [Academy manager] Sammy Morgan on my desk with one draft different to another that I’m waiting for the final draft before going through it to see what we think’s the best way forward.

“Then we’ll all have a meeting - the Academy staff, Simon Clegg, the owner and myself. I think that is the best way. What we want to do is the best for the club.”

Jewell says he was delighted that the U18s beat Leeds in the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday but believes winning matchesand competitions isn’t the be-all and end-all at that level: “The kids won the other night which is terrific, but it’s not just about winning.

“The team that won the FA Youth Cup, how many of them are still playing now? It’s not all about winning, although we want that winning attitude.

“You want them to win, but it’s about developing them. I never say to Russell Osman, ‘what’s the score?’, I know the score, I ask them how they’ve played going through each player.

“There’s only one result at the club that matters really, and that’s the first team. Everything else should be development to eventually get in that first team.”

Norwich’s much-publicised decision to choose Category One has put pressure on Town to do the same but Jewell questions whether the Canaries would have made such a commitment had they not been in the Premier League: “If Norwich were in the Championship, would they be going for Category One? When you’re in the Premier League you’re awash with money.

“I want the best, but I want the best of everything, but you can’t have the best of everything, not unless you can afford it. Everything costs money.

“You have to weigh up the cost against efficiency. I want the best for us, but it doesn’t always mean we can afford the best. I’ll look at what I think and what the coaches think is the best way forward.”

With the changes stretching to reserve team football being played on Friday nights and academies having to employ their own nutritionists, fitness coaches and goalkeeper-coaches amongst others, Jewell says it’s a very significant shake-up.

While the Blues boss sees some positives in the academy system, he has certain reservations: “It’s a big issue. I’ve got certain doubts about academies, whether they actually produce enough hungry players.

“They always play on fantastic pitches, they’ve all got different coloured boots, they play sidewards and backwards and have 20 touches on the edge of the box and don’t go anywhere.

“I think Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Terry, Carragher, all those top players, would have come through the system whatever the system was.

“Sometimes people in the system think it’s down to them. When I was at Liverpool we used to train on shale and if you made a tackle and slid on your arse, you had a big cut, and what that taught you was to stay on your feet.

“There’s a lot of pluses with the academies but also I think they produce a soft underbelly in footballers at times.”

Before the decision is made he says he’ll liaise with one of his former players who is in a position to provide better advice than most: “I don’t know [what decision we’ll make] because I’ve haven’t read it all yet, it’s like War and Peace.

“I will be speaking to David Wetherall, who I signed at Bradford, who is the [Football League’s head of youth development] and I’ll go through it with Wethers, weigh up the pros and cons, then will talk to the Academy coaches and the owner.”


Photo: Action Images



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Legend added 10:17 - Dec 10
Here we go again........
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Mark added 10:56 - Dec 10
CATEGORY ONE PLEASE! We must invest in our youth academy as this is our future.
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Elwood added 11:32 - Dec 10
Every successful team we have had contained some home grown talent. The soul of the club is at stake, there is no choice, It has to be category one
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RegencyBlue added 12:19 - Dec 10
More spin from PR to justify not going for Catogory One status!

You just know that without a revolt from the supporters on this issue Calamity Clegg will display his usual lack of ambition and it will be Catagory Two for us.

As I said on the previous story about this, that will be the time I decide not to renew my season tickets.

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Bluetone added 12:52 - Dec 10
Jewell if they have the ability and “they always play on fantastic pitches, they've all got different coloured boots, they play sidewards and backwards and have 20 touches on the edge of the box and don't go anywhere.
It is up to you and the coaches to provide the finishing touches to the finishing. Or are you trying to say playing the Barca way is a waste of time. If you are please leave NOW.

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PJ_Needs_Duncan added 14:52 - Dec 10
Then do it
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brogansnose added 16:28 - Dec 10
As no one really knows exactly what the difference between the categories are , then it would be premature and foolish to make a snap decision. Not a lot of point in spending a load of cash on developing players who can then be aquired by Premier clubs at bargain prices who in turn will be loaned out to Champoinship sides to pay their wages and give them match time. In fairness to Clegg he was one of the few who voted against this scheme.
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newboy added 10:25 - Dec 12
If academies produce soft players why do you scout out all of the talent from all of the local teams and remove them from grass roots at the age of 9 - are you softening everyone up for no academy then and just hope someone brilliant gets spotted at 16 and is willing to come and play for you - wake up and take your stupid ideas to someone elses club
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