Youth News

[monkey]

Interesting post. I have used your site before and read all your threads on the youths as my nephew is part of the set up. Was at the game you comment on and I am amazed that you heard the comments of Tommy Campbell as the crowd are not allowed to be on the same side of the park as the coaches. I didn't hear any screaming or shouting. I asked my nephew why the player didnt go back on nd was told he spoke back to one of the coaches and that is not accepted. The standard of disapline is high at the club and the under 15's at saints are the only team I have seen wear collar and tie for games. On certain occasions people come on and have a go at the youth set up, I think the scorers at yestardays games speaks volumes for the youths at St Johnstone. The game you comment on, were St Johnstone not in the lead until 3, 13 year olds and an 11 year old came on? As for the suggestion that Cowdenbeath play at a higher level, that is rubbish they just have more teams than St Johnstone. How can you the keeper was better than the St Johnstone one, and who can forget his display at 1/2 time at Dens Cup Final Day, will the forwards score more goals than Dady or Neil? Certain threads on youths, I think there may be personal issues because some local boys to not meet the standard at St Johnstone. I my area in the west I know of many teams who would take any St Johnstone player. There was a letter in my local paper asking why St Johnstone are picking up the best kids in my area. It's just an opinion may St Kev or Soccer Chic can comment.

[Yogi Bear]

I was in my car behind the two benches with my window rolled down and I could hear everything he said, a few choice words I might add.

But yes, we did bring on a few younger players whiched allowed Cowdenbeath back into the game a little but it wasn't what I had expected having heard about this team so often. But my friends has both his sons playing for Cowdenbeath U13s and 14s and he says that there are 8 Perth boys in the U13s and 4 in the 14s and obviously 2 in the 15s. The two in the 15s looked good enough for us, and with all these Perth U13 and 14s kids surely we can meet the criteria for he Perfomance league? It's good to see we have highly rated Glasgow kids coming through but shouldn't we focus on getting more Perth lads in? I mean there will be more hunger for local young boys who support the club to make it and be hungry for success.

[soccerchic]

It's good to see we have highly rated Glasgow kids coming through but shouldn't we focus on getting more Perth lads in? I mean there will be more hunger for local young boys who support the club to make it and be hungry for success.

I think if you go through this thread you will find we've been over this old chestnut before, and before.

Not going to get into this as I find it pretty soul destroying coming on to hear some folks slagging off my family.

Kev thanks for putting up the reports for the games Saved me the job tonight

[monkey]

Quality not Quantity.In your car behind dugout how can you see the game?Think their is some issue with your comments. I can beleive my nephew as he said the player said sorry to the coach he spoke back to.

[Yogi Bear]

Hardly slagging just saying that speaking to young fourteen year old boys like that isn't right. There's disciplined and there's just screaming choice words towards a kid.

Are we going to see more Peth kids coming through or are we going to have to change our name to Glasgow F.C.?

[soccerchic]

As I said if you read the thread this has been discussed before. If you watch them regularly you will see they are worth having and hopfully holding on to.

Ok signing off now

[mainstand]

Hardly slagging just saying that speaking to young fourteen year old boys like that isn't right. There's disciplined and there's just screaming choice words towards a kid.

Are we going to see more Peth kids coming through or are we going to have to change our name to Glasgow F.C.?

Does it matter where a player comes from? TC and the rest of the coaches are there to put a team on the park and bring on players that are capable of playing for Saints. If we can get the best youngsters from Glasgow and Central belt then good on TC.

Soccerchic most of those on here are more than appreciative of the work TC does.

[ryangordon86]

Personally if i thought we could take lots of talent from accross Scotland in the door young enough to nurture them, play them for a couple of years then sell them on in for vast sums of money, I'd take that any day instead of having average youngster from Perth who end up plying their trade at Brechin, Montrose or Forfar

We should be aiming for the best we can, not jsut settling for average because they're local

[jamie]

Personally if i thought we could take lots of talent from accross Scotland in the door young enough to nurture them, play them for a couple of years then sell them on in for vast sums of money, I'd take that any day instead of having average youngster from Perth who end up plying their trade at Brechin, Montrose or Forfar

We should be aiming for the best we can, not jsut settling for average because they're local

i cannot believe some of the things I read.Perhaps it would be better if all our weegie players went elsewhere. Players like Quinn, Robson, Breslin, in the 16s and Dady, and McIntosh are first class prospects, and would be welcomed at any other clubs.What do people in Perth want. TCdoes his best ask Mooner or Jacko.The 15s have not lost a game in over a year, and still people moan.We should just get rid of our Glasgow scout and concentrate on local talent.Our standards are higher than boys playing with Cowdenbeath.No harm to them but we are wanting better.

[ryangordon86]

thats my point, its very small minded of people to that say we should be aiming for more local talent, you cant get what's not there. If we can get the best from the west then we should go for it

[Fred Aitken]

Some facts from someone who knows and can draw direct comparisons with other clubs:

1 TC and the rest of the youth set up people are doing a great job, treating all equally and fairly. The kids chances are based - quite correctly in my opinion - on performances and prospects and they are all given every opportunity.

2 Discipline amongst the players is first class with no ''billy big time'' kids tolerated and only good positive attitudes encouraged.

3 All of the players totally respect TC and his team (and I suspect most of the parents)

4 Nothing wrong and everything right in bringing through the best talent whether it be local or west coast. The end product is to put the best possible 1st team on the park every week and preferably in my opinion all from the youth set up

5 By only concentrating on local lads I'm afraid STJ would end up being at best an average 2nd division team or bankrupt by having to buy in other teams players

6 Remember the end product objective is a 1st team player not a great youth player. Plenty evidence of great youths who are lost to the game cause they couldny progress/improve.

7 Compare with DUFC - no decent end product for many years - plenty 1/2/3 Division players produced tho. Now they are buying in 18/19/20 year olds because their youth system just doesnt produce despite all the hype. DFC - just the same. Very average youth set up and only taking kids from Dundee area - wholesale clearances every year. Only 3 successess recently were from the previous youth coaches set up - KC/SC and RF.

8 As I said I know a bit about what goes on and rest assured STJ set up is in very safe hands and is already starting to pay fruit. Watch and be happy!

[Guest Nairn Saint]

Saints are very fortunate to have TC on board.

He deserves enormous credit for the work he does as do the rest of the youth set up.

[Yogi Bear]

Bringing in Glasgow players isn't good though!

With the astro-turf, the indor gym and the physiotherapy we have facilities of an extremeley high standard. That's enough to nurture young local talent through the ranks. Geting first team players to help young local lads and train them once and a while would help. What's the point in having Atholl's community coaching at McDiarmid if all the lads are ignored? Bringing them through the ranks and getting first-team members to aid their development is good for everyone at the club. The passion that these players will have would drive us on result in more youth players actually making it. If the youth system works how come only Mooner and Jacko have made it in the last while? Willie got his chance but has since moved onto Brechin. Cuthbert is the last youngster that comes to mind who has made it but he's even been more of a second choice keeper in the past. Why isn't loal lad O'Brien getting a chance when Cuthbert doesn't sem to want to stay and Main has been poor. I have close conections with a few pro-youth clubs and most of their squads are local lads with the occasional player from outwith the area. Lok at Hibs most of their youngsters are from Edinburgh and they all come through?

[Tranmere Saintee]

I have close conections with a few pro-youth clubs and most of their squads are local lads with the occasional player from outwith the area. Lok at Hibs most of their youngsters are from Edinburgh and they all come through?

If this is true, then I will guess most of them are with Edinburgh/Glasgow based clubs and surprise, surprise they have the pick of by far and away the largest population density in Scotland!!

For every kid at Hibs that makes it, how many do you think go by the wayside?

I would love to know how many Scottish born/bred footballers playing professionally are from the Glasgow/Edinburgh areas - I would hazard a guess at 60 to 70%.

[mainstand]

Bringing in Glasgow players isn't good though!

Geting first team players to help young local lads and train them once and a while would help. What's the point in having Atholl's community coaching at McDiarmid if all the lads are ignored? Bringing them through the ranks and getting first-team members to aid their development is good for everyone at the club. The passion that these players will have would drive us on result in more youth players actually making it. If the youth system works how come only Mooner and Jacko have made it in the last while? Willie got his chance but has since moved onto Brechin. Cuthbert is the last youngster that comes to mind who has made it but he's even been more of a second choice keeper in the past. Why isn't loal lad O'Brien getting a chance when Cuthbert doesn't sem to want to stay and Main has been poor. I have close conections with a few pro-youth clubs and most of their squads are local lads with the occasional player from outwith the area. Lok at Hibs most of their youngsters are from Edinburgh and they all come through?

That is not the case as from those that I know. Hibs were at Dunfermline recently and the players came from all over the place.

the ones that I have knowledge of are:

Aberdeen under 11's are mainly bussed from Glasgow every Saturday.

Hibs come from all over the are and a fair few from glasgow

Dunfermline come from Edinburgh and central

Alloa mainly from Lanarkshire

Hearts come from all over the place have a fair few from Falkirk area

Falkirk have a base in Glasgow and in Stirling for youth players

Celtic and Rangers have basis throughout Scotland and bring the best in for pro youth.

from your experience of pro youth you will realise that all of the coaches have to be qualified and disclosure checked so you can't just pick a player to go and train them.

[Yogi Bear]

That is not the case as from those that I know. Hibs were at Dunfermline recently and the players came from all over the place.

the ones that I have knowledge of are:

Aberdeen under 11's are mainly bussed from Glasgow every Saturday.

Hibs come from all over the are and a fair few from glasgow

Dunfermline come from Edinburgh and central

Alloa mainly from Lanarkshire

Hearts come from all over the place have a fair few from Falkirk area

Falkirk have a base in Glasgow and in Stirling for youth players

Celtic and Rangers have basis throughout Scotland and bring the best in for pro youth.

from your experience of pro youth you will realise that all of the coaches have to be qualified and disclosure checked so you can't just pick a player to go and train them.

Hibs are mostly Edinburgh I think you will find with a few exceptions which is okay. And all this disclosure stuff doesn't stop a few first-team players giving up a few hours after training and training WITH the young boys. Some of the things you point out here, Saints' area would be, Perth, Kinross, Perthshire and even Dundee or Fife as they are close. Glasgow is not exactly geographicaly close to Perth is it! Falkirk have a base in Glasgow as it is quite close and Sirling as it it close aswell. As far as I'm aware most of Aberdeen's youth is either Aberdonian or Dundonian with a few exceptions. Most of Celtic and Rangers are Glasweigen although they do have more exceptions than other teams which is expected as they have the ability to buy in players and it is not so bad as I bet most of their players support their club! And Hearts can't really be counted as they have many foreign youngsters that is not rigvht either.

[Fred Aitken]

''What's the point in having Atholl's community coaching at McDiarmid if all the lads are ignored? Bringing them through the ranks and getting first-team members to aid their development is good for everyone at the club. The passion that these players will have would drive us on result in more youth players actually making it. If the youth system works how come only Mooner and Jacko have made it in the last while?''

Oh dear! Dont you know that even the best coach cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear...but a bad coach can ruin a good kid?

Also I would only start measuring the success of the youth system from about now on as it takes several years for a kid to come through to 1st team level. I hope you will come that this is the start of the youth conveyor belt. 2 or even 3 good uns a year being introduced/breaking into the 1st team would be realistic and do me thanks!

[monkey]

My nephew started as a 12year old with St johnstone turning down the old firm and a few other premier league clubs training one night a week at Cumbernauld. I may be wrong but do St Johnstone not have the young kids in at Perth once a week, I mean under 9 to under 13.

[mainstand]

My nephew started as a 12year old with St johnstone turning down the old firm and a few other premier league clubs training one night a week at Cumbernauld. I may be wrong but do St Johnstone not have the young kids in at Perth once a week, I mean under 9 to under 13.

the last time I spoke to TC he was saying taht they bring the boys in for training at either Glasgow(cumbernauld) and Perth, the good thing about that is that the boys train with the Club but also stay with their Boys Clubs. Unlike some Clubs who are now taking the boys out of youth football at 9 year old.

Yogi

I find your logic hard to understand, you don't want Saints to take boys from Glasgow but it is okay for other Clubs as they are nearer Glasgow.

Falkirk are actually based in Stirling University for all of their youth set up, matches and training and bring the boys in from all round.

We will begto differ as to the area that other Clubs bring their players from.

As far as Atholl is concerned I think you are getting confused between Community coaching and pro youth. the player pathway sees the boys go from community coaching to Boys Clubs to Development squads and then pro youth.

[ryangordon86]

Some of the things you point out here, Saints' area would be, Perth, Kinross, Perthshire and even Dundee or Fife as they are close. Glasgow is not exactly geographicaly close to Perth is it!

To be fair mate we live in Scotland, everywhere is geographically close, i would class 1hr by car as geographically close

[jamie]

Does it matter where boys come from. You ask any of the Perth boys in the youth set up and I bet they all say that they would much rather have the weegies alongside them. The best prospects in both the 15s and the 16s travel miles to train and play with saints, and I FOR ONE HOPES THIS CONTINUES. Why do other teams complain about Saints getting players from under their noses, these boys can all play.Give TC AND HIS COACHES AND SCOUTS PEACE, they are doing a fine job.Just watch things taking off in the next couple of years, Saints have got some outstanding prospects.

[Saintkev]

I have followed Kevin Moon for years, and he is an exception to the rule, but local kids are just not tough enough... hopefully there are more to follow, Dods, O'Brien and Wilcox for example.

You see the West Coasters showing up and they have no fear, they have a good cockiness, and when they show up, the Perth boys retreat into their shells... that's not a good sign for being tough enough to play at a high standard. I have heard Tommy having a go at players from time to time, but surely that's his job... gets attention, shows he cares and toughens them up... Do you think these kids will get through a career in the game without a good roasting from time?

Nephew Neil had a spell where he just wasn't firing on all cylinders, and was told in no uncertain terms that he had to buck his ideas up... and he didn't take this very well at all... he's used to being a star in his youth team, and then he got a bit of abuse, and he was contemplating quitting... if he had decided to quit, then it would have proved one thing, he was a quitter and therefore not strong enough. I had to have a chat and point out that he's only shouting at you as he wants you to do better, he knows you're better and he's gone back and in his last game he was a lot better... hopeflly he's learned to take the criticsm on board and try and prove that Tommy was wrong... a good lesson learnt hopefully.

You have to remember that Tommy can play bad cop, and for each team there is a good cop providing the lifts they need.

And one last point for now to Yogi, that was their first game back after a long break, did you factor in a bit of ring-rustiness?

[Carse of Gowrie Saint]

Good point Saintkev.

Perth has never produced players over the years compared to towns of similar size.

For the last 30 yrs any sign of a west coast accent has had boys, amateurs and junior sides a goal down before the game starts. Perth youngsters have never had the same desire, devilment and self confidence that less affluent areas of Scotland seem to produce.

[soccerchic]

Todays results

Under 19s 2-0 down to Queens Park 2 goals last 2 mins

Under 16s 2-1 up Alloa (really good game) Robson and Lochhead)

Under 15s 4-1 up Dumbarton Neil, McCormack ,Dady and Clift

[blueheaven]

You see the West Coasters showing up and they have no fear, they have a good cockiness, and when they show up, the Perth boys retreat into their shells...

Well, I'd rather retreat into a shell than a shellsuit.