Under 21 development league

[Jonno]

Our reserve side is now made up of a lot of kids, ie 19 and under and they are getting drubbed, week in, week out. The gap between youth football and adult SSMFL reserve football is still very large and therefore I think it's better to keep reserve team football and just bleed one or two of the best under 18 players into the reserve side, rather than enter a team into an under 21 league.

[MK_Coach]

I do not know what is best and SamC or Jonno could be right.

I never worked with under 21 or adult teams in UK so 

 

I only know the way French and German premiership teams play/train and will do the same training here.

Very technical and difficult at beginning but it works pretty well after 18 month of full time training.

 

The problem we have in Milton Keynes is that there is no under 21 league.

What happen to under 18 when getting  19.

If MKDons, Luton or Northampton were playing in the Under 21 professional league then maybe the need for such a local under 21 league would not be so critical locally.

We can not drive our boys to Coventry or Birmingham 3 times a week so only local football is possible today.

 

The problem is that the gap between the under 18 and adult football is to big. Young players stay on the bench almost all games. How many under 18 are playing more than 45mn per game in premier teams ? Very few...

They get disappointed, do not move to the next level and then drop from teams.

It is also difficult to explain to under 18 players why they should keep the ball and do short passes with adults in lower divisions just kicking the ball as far as they can and expecting a miracle rugby ball bounce  .

Edited March 5, 2015 by French_in_MK

[SamC]

I do not know what is best and SamC or Jonno could be right.

I never worked with under 21 or adult teams in UK so

 

I only know the way French and German premiership teams play/train and will do the same training here.

Very technical and difficult at beginning but it works pretty well after 18 month of full time training.

 

The problem we have in Milton Keynes is that there is no under 21 league.

What happen to under 18 moving once they they over 18 !!

If MKDons, Luton or Northampton were playing in the Under 21 professional league then maybe the need for such a local under 21 league would not be so critical locally.

We can not drive our boys to Coventry or Birmingham 3 times a week so only local football is possible today.

 

The problem is that the gap between the under 18 and adult football is to big. Young players stay on the bench almost all games. How many under 18 are playing more than 45mn per game in premier teams ? Very few...

They get disappointed, do not move to the next level and then drop from teams.

It is also difficult to explain to under 18 players why they should keep the ball and do short passes with adults in lower divisions just kicking the ball as far as they can and expecting a miracle rugby ball bounce .

You could look at the UCL development league if looking for something in MK. The UCL is the same level as the South Mids and established the league last season. MK College have a side along with Kettering Town, Histon Town, Rushden and Diamonds (I think) and one a few others.

I think your point about keeping the ball and playing short passes is one of the key reasons why a reserve league is better than a development league (but for entirely the opposite reason). Much of men's football (at anything below elite level) in this country IS more direct and physical at some point young players have to get used to reality of at least facing such challenges. Is keeping young players removed from this reality for 3/4 years longer really doing them any good? They will just be in the same situation when trying to break through- just a few years older. Learning the ability to be competitive and work harder than you have to in youth football are the biggest things most young players have to learn to break into senior sides (the technical ability is not usually a problem).

As I said earlier, the biggest change we have seen in the young lads at our club this season is their ability to mix it with adults and be competitive and the older lads won't let the younger lads sulk and give up (which is very prevalent in pure youth football).

[FootballMK]

You could look at the UCL development league if looking for something in MK. The UCL is the same level as the South Mids and established the league last season. MK College have a side along with Kettering Town, Histon Town, Rushden and Diamonds (I think) and one a few others.

 

That's right, there are six teams in the UCL's U21 division:

 

AFC Kempston Rovers

AFC Rushden & Diamonds

Football CV Reds (based in Corby)

Histon

Kettering Town

MK College

Edited March 5, 2015 by furtho

[SamC]

 

 

That's right, there are six teams in the UCL's U21 division:

 

AFC Kempston Rovers

AFC Rushden & Diamonds

Football CV Reds (based in Corby)

Histon

Kettering Town

MK College

There was quite a few from the league interested in the first instance and 9/10 team actually started the league at the start of the season I think. A few have fallen by the way side and 6 is what is left. The reserve league, however, is extremely strong (for a reserve section).

 

As I said earlier, not sure a thriving development league will work alongside a thriving reserve league. One will kill the other.

[MK_Coach]

Thanks Sam and Furtho for the information on the UCL under 21.

I know Mark Walsh who is doing a fantastic job at MK college sport Btec but did not know about this league.

[NeutralFan]

U-21 league... I'd count as two players

[NeutralFan]

(and that's just by weight without getting onto the age!!)

[tringarmy]

I played for Tring reserves earlier in the season & was 21 years older than one of my team mates !

[Munchkin]

Seems the development league was well received by about 16 clubs. Mainly midweek games I believe with roll on roll off subs and 3 officials.

 

Reserves currently looking at about 20 odd clubs. Clubs wanted around 24 league fixtures, mainly on a Saturday. couple of proposals about for either 1 or 2 divisions. Not keen on roll on roll off, but proposal that all 5 subs could be used was receieved postively. Further option of an additional cup to fill up fixtures. 3 clubs interested in development league also plan to enter reserves.

 

Will be interesting at the AGM anyway.