Bombertalk

Interesting initiative that Terry Wallace is implementing at Richmond. All sons of past champions of the club will be invited to take part in a football academy from the age of approximately 10 years old. Apparently much of it will involve clinics and stuff run over the holidays with the aim of developing their skills sooner so that they can be drafted under the father son rule at a later date.

Sounds like a good idea, Essendon should look into it.

Like him or not, you've got to give Wallace credit for being innovative. This sounds like a very good idea.

I also like his idea for selection in the first preseason game where the best fifteen performers on the track get a guaranteed spot in the team.

swoodley wrote:Like him or not, you've got to give Wallace credit for being innovative.

Absolutely. He's hiding his diffuse balding very well through a combination of solarium visits, 'Just for Men' and i suspect some Rogaine as well.

hes been good for richmond and yet another good idea, i wouldnt mind seeing essendon adopting a similar approach. imagine the young kids doing skills clinics with todays stars. They'd find more passion to succeed and one day hopefully come back to play

he's a knob

Although there are definite positives to the idea, there are also some issues in my mind.

The first is whether its great having 10yr olds getting their hopes up way before they should have to figure out if they're any good at the caper.

The bigger issue is that if this 'school' means the F/S selections play better at U18 level than the others, but they're only better since they've had technical training the other draftees will catch up on after the draft, they may look better than they actually are. That combined with the pressure to select F/S selections due to the name might mean you pick up some players at a higher price than you should.

I hope all their Father Son prospects go on to be very very good...at lawn bowls.

I seriously hope these young kids aren't pressured to become Richmond footballers, I'd hate to see an 11 year old kid rocking up and seeing if he can better his 100 metre sprint time from last year, or see if he can now kick the ball further.

To be fair, I don't think he suggested starting them on a training exercise at 10, mearly to have them there at the club kicking a ball and getting some pointers on the basics, like many footy clinics run around the country.

As they get older, and show some promise, then they will step it up with more detailed help.

If it helps a 3rd round pick hit the park ready to go, then I can't see the problem myself. Having a life long link to the club would also be a benifit.

He's copied this idea from European soccer. There aren't too many new ideas floating around these days. It's usually more a matter of finding an old one and adopt/adapting it.

if ur father was a great footballer wouldnt he be helping you to become better?

snitzel wrote:if ur father was a great footballer wouldnt he be helping you to become better?

Yes, but we're talking about Richmond's Father/Son's (players from the last 10-15 years). They need all the help they can get!

lol... nice