The Newcastle Youth Academy held an open day at their facilities yesterday, and there are a number of reports out today about both the Newcastle Academy and the new rules that will soon be introduced.
Joe Joyce – Newcastle Youth Academy Manager
Newcastle currently are restricted in their ability to bring youngsters to Newcastle, because Academy rules do not allow them to sign under-18 players who have to travel more than 90 minutes from their homes to Newcastle.
Newcastle’s location can therefore work against them since the catchment area of 90 minutes travel from Newcastle is not huge, as it is for example in the Midlands or in London, or in the Manchester and Liverpool areas.
But this is about to change, if Newcastle can gain a new category one status – the highest – for their Youth Academy.
There will be four categories that will rate each Youth Academy, and of course Newcastle are going all out for Category One status.
Clubs have to submit their applications by March 31st, and the four category system forms the main part of the new Elite Players Performance Plan – EPPP.
The Premier League will carry out a four-day audit of clubs from April 10th, and will then decide which category each club falls into.
This new scheme will certainly change youth football in England, and will change the boundaries currently in place, and will enable top clubs to attract youngsters from all over the country and beyond.
This is how Academy manager Joe Joyce, who was born in Consett, explained this all yesterday:
“One of the main points is it would allow us to recruit players not just from the North East, but category one status would open up the whole country for recruitment.”
“If there was a player from Swindon, for example, Newcastle could bring that player in from Swindon from the age of 12.” “At the moment you can only recruit from within 90 minutes of your training ground.”
“That is a huge decision for the boy and his parents, and it is not something we would force.” “For the first year, that would only take us down to the age of 14, but within two years it would then be players from the age of 12.”
“We have to make sure when the market opens up we have a professional and appropriate recruitment mechanism so we can identify and select these young players.”
“What we also have to do is make sure what we have in the North East is the best the area can offer for any young player who is born and bred in the North East and wants to play for Newcastle United.”
“We can guarantee him and his family the program is going give him every opportunity to become that next No9, if that is the case.”
So there is a big push on at the Academy for Newcastle to be classed as a Category One Youth Academy, and that will greatly increase the catchment area for Newcastle from its current limitations.
We also find this interesting, because the great Lionel Messi was brought to Barcelona when he was just 12 years-old from Newell’s Old Boys in Rosario, Santa Fe in Argentina.
His father accompanied him to Spain, and of course he became the world’s best player over the last three years at the top Spanish club.
We wonder what rules were in place then to bring International youngsters to a Youth Academy?
But there’s little doubt these new rules will help Newcastle’s youth policy, and we fully expect Newcastle to be classed as a Category One Youth Academy in April.
Comments welcome.
58 comments so far
Rosted Pork
Feb 22, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Comment #1hi
Rosted Pork
Feb 22, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Comment #2good for the youngsters
o an yea ST JAMES PARK TILL I DIE 😐
jayphoto
Feb 22, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Comment #3Not sure I agree with this tbh! Uprooting kids from sat london to come play at newcastle when they’re 12 and discarding most of them when they turn 17 (usually about 75% don’t make it) could really impact on their futures, i know loads of lads from when I was at villa youth that had no fall back and all work dead end jobs now!
Niff in the USA
Feb 22, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Comment #4I hear if you tackle Tiote and get away with it, it’s not because you were a good tackler. Tiote just allowed you to do so in fair sport.
newcastle29
Feb 22, 2012 at 12:55 PM
Comment #5A french based journo has just tweeted this five mins ago.
“@mattspiro: Newcastle close to sealing a deal for a Ligue 2 MF player. Cant say who it is right now but interesting move. Should happen in next few days”
Niff in the USA
Feb 22, 2012 at 12:58 PM
Comment #6@5
Cwarr07 in disguise?
jayphoto
Feb 22, 2012 at 12:59 PM
Comment #7with any luck its Thorgen Hazard! That lad is going to be immense! Reckon it’ll be someone from Lens RC tho either way, we got abeid from there and there youth academy is excellent!
newcastle29
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Comment #8No , i dont follow that idiot.
He followed up with this.
“@mattspiro: Not Knockaert, not Giuly, he is young, but not a kid. Not gonna say more for now #NUFC”
Rosted Pork
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:10 PM
Comment #9Newcastle United vs.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
LOVE ON STARSPORTS 8.20 PM INDIA
Rosted Pork
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:10 PM
Comment #10LIVE*
TemuriKetsbaia
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:14 PM
Comment #11@8 This has to be Benjamin Corgnet. Very exciting prospect.
TemuriKetsbaia
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:17 PM
Comment #12Or not if he’s ligue 2… interesting…
Wor Shearer
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:22 PM
Comment #13Would that be for a summer transfer?
newcastle29
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:29 PM
Comment #14Yeah, it would have to be.
Level 7 Hero
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:30 PM
Comment #15That Matt Spiro seems like a pretty good source, writes for Ligue1.com. Good to see that Newcastle are actively scouting during season time. If the deals tied up, I wonder if it will come out in the media in the next week, or weather they’ll wait till june. i reckon the name will be in the papers in the next couple of days
Rowan Milsted
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Comment #16jayphoto @3
I agree with what you’re saying there, of course we want the best young talent for the good of NUFC but not at the potential cost of destroying these youngster’s future by robbing them of their education. But surely these days young players are given the chance to pursue their education whilst also joining a youth academy? I’d have thought that would be part of the contract, written in the rules. Any thoughts?
WWJBD
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:37 PM
Comment #17This is great for big clubs but as jayphoto says its not for the individual players football is very much behind the times in terms of looking after their players after their careers. Plus what’s the impact going to be on smaller clubs who are dependant on their youth setup?
check the toastie
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:38 PM
Comment #18Reckon it might be this guy – http://www.ligue1.com/joueur/pancrate-fabrice
Beattie25
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Comment #194Beattie25 // Feb 22, 2012 at 10:48 AM
Whilst I am very excited about the future of our club and our potential to find young talents that could help us one day push for glory I must say that it could all go to waste unless our first team is sorted in the summer.
If we want these youngsters to come through we need a first team that can push us forward over the next 3-4 years and breed a winning mentality and quality football into these young uns,
This would allow Nufc to be an exciting proposition for players and allow us to be an attractive club to future stars. It would also help us retain the services of potential world class players that we may unearth.
If we have a poor first team there is no use in a great young team. We need to add to the quality we have today in order to get the best out of tomorrow.
check the toastie
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:44 PM
Comment #20Beattie25 – i take it you like that post eh. one of your best?
WWJBD
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:44 PM
Comment #21mattspiro Mathieu Debuchy to #NUFC? Excellent Lille right-back says he’s been sounding out ex-teammates Rami about Spain and Cabaye about England
He always tweeted this a few hours ago. He would be a good buy imo
WWJBD
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:46 PM
Comment #22Also damned predictive phone
Level 7 Hero
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:49 PM
Comment #23Newcastle next 6 games after Wolves this weekend are all on TV:
Sat 25.02.2012 Wolves (h) 3pm (no UK TV)
Sun 04.03.2012 mackems (h) Noon (ESPN)
Mon 12.03.2012 Arsenal (a) 8pm (SKY)
Sun 18.03.2012 Norwich (h) 4pm (SKY)
Sun 25.03.2012 West Brom (a) 4pm (SKY)
Sun 01.04.2012 Liverpool (h) 1.30pm (SKY)
Fri 06.04.2012 Swansea (a) 4.30pm (SKY)
Mike done alreet there gettin the money in.
Beattie25
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:50 PM
Comment #24I loved it so much it got a 2nd edition publication!
jayphoto
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:55 PM
Comment #25from ligue 2, if it is a young player but not very young, theres only 2 or 3 players I could imagine it being! 1 would be Whabi Khazri, looks a player and i think the standout player in that league! Failing that Akim Orinel isn’t bad and is 24, the obvious choice would be Knockaert but didnt matt spiro say it wasnt him?
newcastle29
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:58 PM
Comment #26@wwjbd he tweeted that its a midfielder!
Rowan Milsted
Feb 22, 2012 at 1:58 PM
Comment #27Anyone know if youngsters these days are required to complete a formal education whilst training to become footballers?
martoon
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:05 PM
Comment #28Level 7 Hero @23 Good for TV fans, not so good for those going to away matches especially the Norwich game which seems to have been changed with less than a months notice. Got to feel sorry for Norwich fans who will have bought travel tickets in advance. The power of Sky is getting ridiculous.
-Tendo-
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:05 PM
Comment #29where on nufc.co.uk does it show waht games are on TV (UK or international) ? i know its there somewhere but can’t find it!
Beattie25
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:06 PM
Comment #30@ rowan
I don’t think they do or Danny Simpson would never have become a footballer
Rowan Milsted
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:09 PM
Comment #31Beattie
Ouch! Be fair, he’s not a bad player… just not great.
Rowan Milsted
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:10 PM
Comment #32martoon
They’ve changed the NUFC vs Norwich game? What’s the change?
bollance
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:21 PM
Comment #33Think this new signing to be confirmed in next couple of days will be a pre-contract free like Abeid last summer.
Good idea to bulk up squad with free transfers close to first team standard. Means we can loan out players who need first team experience coming through from the academy. Looks like we have a few potentials stars in the making!!
bollance
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:29 PM
Comment #34Although free transfers are never free when greedy agents are around!
Does anyone think the new FIFA fair play rules will mean teams tighten up on costs like agent fees?
We used to be a high fee paying club, probably because we were always active in the market and paying larger fees for player but that is something that has relatively been reduced since MA came in. We still pay a lot but overall are paying more and more each year to agents.
It’s a leakage that ultimately hits the fans pocket. I guess ultimately you pay a little more to see star names playing for your team?
markmac
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:31 PM
Comment #35Got to be good for the club, it does make me feel better about NUFC when i read these things, it shows that football does matter again…. i hope my lad makes it when he’s older!
martoon
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:51 PM
Comment #36Rowan Milsted @32 – It has just been anounced as the Sunday tea time game switched from the Saturday.
martoon
Feb 22, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Comment #37Tendo @ 29 not sure on nufc.co.uk but they are all listed down the side of nufc.com.
-Tendo-
Feb 22, 2012 at 3:00 PM
Comment #38martoon – that’s the one! wondering why i couldn’t see it anyhwere! cheers man
Level 7 Hero
Feb 22, 2012 at 3:36 PM
Comment #39I reckon we’re guna hammer the free transfer market in the summer, guna have 200K per week at least to play with.
Looking forword to see who this young mystery player is from the French league, if he exists.
When people say we need to sell some of our players who play now like Simmo and Obertan, I don’t think we do.
Obvo we need to sell Ranger, Xisco, we all know who, but not people who are in the first team squad now.
What we need to do, is make our current first team players squad players over time, thats how good teams are built. Theres no point selling Simpson, and buying for example, Nathaniel Clyne. We need both, unless we as a squad will never improve. We need to quality players for every position, and the free transfer market is the way to do it.
SurefootedShola
Feb 22, 2012 at 3:49 PM
Comment #40Seen as I’m at a loose end; I’d love to see us set up like this next season if we reach Europe (which is an imperative stipulation to acquire such a team, in my opinion), using a rotational system:
_______________Krul_______________
Santon_____Saylor___Mbiwa_____Fergy
___________Tiote____Cabaye
Hoillet__________Ba_________Ben Arfa
_______________Cisse
Subs from: Elliot, Raylor, Douglas, Tavernier, Williamson, Guthrie, Abeid, Jonas, Marveaux, Vuckic, Obertan, Sammy, Shola.
Think we’ll see Simmo, Colo, Gosling, Perch, Best amongst the already known departures of Loven and Smith, for various reasons. If that were the case, I’d expect a few of the established youngsters take more important squad roles ie Tav, Abeid and at least another non-African ST added.