[Exharboroughspireite]

As predicted the FA have released their blueprint for youth football starting with the 2026 / 27 season

Under 7 = 3 a side
Under 8/9 = 5 a side
Under 10/11 = 7 a side
Under 12/13 = 9 a side
Under 14 onwards = 11 a side

[Goku]

Interested to hear people's opinions on this. More can be read here: https://www.englandf...update-20252102

[Exharboroughspireite]

I?m currently coaching at u9 and biggest problem there is is the lack of facilities. Up until under 11 fixtures are controlled by the league and known as mini soccer. There are 3 centres; the arc at clowne, one up at hollingwood and the other at Brookfield. Games constantly being called off due to waterlogged pitches; for example my lot have only played 10 league games since early September. The new changes will mean more facilities will be needed due to mini soccer theoretically being extended another year (my lot will now play 7 a side until they are under 12). And of course more teams will be needed and more volunteers.

I would have preferred a few years of serious investment in terms of pitches and facilities and then move to the smaller set up.

[JonB]

My daughter has just started with Hasland in their girls U7 team, plan was to play in the NDYL U7 girls league but they ended up with only two teams, us and one other, so the choice was then play in with boys\mixed teams or in a Sheffield girls league. Parents all opted for the girls only option so we've been travelling to play at a few places in Sheffield plus a couple over Rotherham way. Prior to Xmas there were very few postponements but have had a few with the weather post xmas plus gaps with no games so not played an awful lot recently.

Not sure i'd agree with the 3 a side, girls have been playing 5 a side this year and its worked fine from what i can see. Not sure what the theory is for even less on the pitch but suspect at that age it will just mean the better ones have even more of an influence on things.

[Exharboroughspireite]

JonB, on 21 February 2025 - 02:07 PM, said:

My daughter has just started with Hasland in their girls U7 team, plan was to play in the NDYL U7 girls league but they ended up with only two teams, us and one other, so the choice was then play in with boys\mixed teams or in a Sheffield girls league. Parents all opted for the girls only option so we've been travelling to play at a few places in Sheffield plus a couple over Rotherham way. Prior to Xmas there were very few postponements but have had a few with the weather post xmas plus gaps with no games so not played an awful lot recently.

Not sure i'd agree with the 3 a side, girls have been playing 5 a side this year and its worked fine from what i can see. Not sure what the theory is for even less on the pitch but suspect at that age it will just mean the better ones have even more of an influence on things.

My daughter is in the u12 wingerworth girls side, same in terms of travel - Rotherham, Barnsley - Maltby tomorrow

[Blue5]

For as long as I can remember there's been a gulf between youth and men's football. The transition proves too great and it results in a lot of technically gifted players falling through the trap door. You only have to look at some of the players we've had on loan over the years to see how some of their careers have fizzled out before they started.

For me, the proposals are likely to produce better individual players but at the expense of widening the already large gap between youth and men's football.

This post has been edited by Blue5: 21 February 2025 - 02:24 PM

[JonB]

Exharboroughspireite, on 21 February 2025 - 02:09 PM, said:

My daughter is in the u12 wingerworth girls side, same in terms of travel - Rotherham, Barnsley - Maltby tomorrow

Its definitely been worth it. They played a tournament at Brookfield in the summer and were the only girls side, couple of others had girls in the team but not many, and while they enjoyed it it was a struggle to be honest. Got far more out of playing against girls so far this season especially when the best player they had opted to go and play mixed football instead which was probably the right decision for her if a bit of a blow for the team. Hopefully they will stick together through a few more years.

[Arthur Cox’s Boots]

I spent to best part of 20 years heavily involved in this area. I have actually put together a paper on it. I was so disillusioned 25 years ago when I got into coaching at the sheer absence of any developmental thinking on this from our own FA. Other countries were light years ahead at what I call real grassroots not COE?s and Academies where it was a bit better. I could talk all day long on this topic but there is nowhere near enough space and to be honest I have moved on. Suffice it to say very very little progress has been made in our country since the same issues persist. The biggest problems are old cultured thinking, old establishment thinking, crap grassroots facilities, lack of collaboration amongst coaches and clubs, different philosophies between coaches, win at all cost mentality, design of league competitions ( too often ability gaps are too big and lack meaningful challenge). I could go on. Bottom line is at real grassroots we don?t have a real player development culture.
I have found 4 a side at earliest ages up to under 7 good as it gives both width and depth (3 a side won?t??). Move to 7 a side worked fine from age 8 to 10 then up to 11 a side at 12. Management of transitions is crucial and you need to plan ahead.
The whole issue of transition moving from under 16 or under 18 to senior football in Amateur football in our country is almost none existent, but that once again back to our club structure and overall organisation ( or lack of).

This post has been edited by Arthur Cox’s Boots: 21 February 2025 - 02:59 PM

[Goku]

Exharboroughspireite, on 21 February 2025 - 01:54 PM, said:

I?m currently coaching at u9 and biggest problem there is is the lack of facilities. Up until under 11 fixtures are controlled by the league and known as mini soccer. There are 3 centres; the arc at clowne, one up at hollingwood and the other at Brookfield. Games constantly being called off due to waterlogged pitches; for example my lot have only played 10 league games since early September. The new changes will mean more facilities will be needed due to mini soccer theoretically being extended another year (my lot will now play 7 a side until they are under 12). And of course more teams will be needed and more volunteers.

I would have preferred a few years of serious investment in terms of pitches and facilities and then move to the smaller set up.

Yes I agree, my son plays for 2 U8 teams and it's a nightmare, Hollingwood and Brookfield are borderline unplayable during winter. I'd say the area desperately requires better pitches, I know it's not cheap particualrly to lay and maintain a 4g pitch but atm it's a bit of a shambles and as you say, the rule changes will presumably exacerbate that.

That being said... theoretically I think it will produce better players overall. There's a podcast I listen to called It's Only Kids Football and they had a bloke on who's done professional coaching and he was saying there's studies been done with how many more touches kids get when fewer players are on the pitch and it's a massive difference, the more touches you get the more you learn and the better you get. So it makes sense. Hopefully things will be announced to help grassroots teams make the changes...

This post has been edited by Goku: 21 February 2025 - 03:19 PM

[Bonnyman]

Exharboroughspireite, on 21 February 2025 - 01:18 PM, said:

As predicted the FA have released their blueprint for youth football starting with the 2026 / 27 season

Under 7 = 3 a side
Under 8/9 = 5 a side
Under 10/11 = 7 a side
Under 12/13 = 9 a side
Under 14 onwards = 11 a side

3 a side , laughable, all the mug coaches just pick the 3 best kids, 2 outfield players does not have any representation on the game as you can?t form any triangles

[Goku]

Bonnyman, on 21 February 2025 - 05:58 PM, said:

3 a side , laughable, all the mug coaches just pick the 3 best kids, 2 outfield players does not have any representation on the game as you can?t form any triangles

Imagine it?ll be 3 outfield with small nets

[calvin plummers socks]

Bonnyman, on 21 February 2025 - 05:58 PM, said:

3 a side , laughable, all the mug coaches just pick the 3 best kids, 2 outfield players does not have any representation on the game as you can?t form any triangles

No keepers at this stage

[DerbySpireite59]

Bonnyman, on 21 February 2025 - 05:58 PM, said:

3 a side , laughable, all the mug coaches just pick the 3 best kids, 2 outfield players does not have any representation on the game as you can?t form any triangles

So kid C is unavailable. They play with 2?
They'll need a squad of 4-5 players, and be equitable with the minutes. That's what football's all about for 6 year old kids.

[Bonnyman]

calvin plummers socks, on 21 February 2025 - 06:30 PM, said:

No keepers at this stage

Well that kind of makes a bit more sense but the system isn?t broken, 5 a side is fine it was 7 when I started, the big problem is football being kicked out of them
I started at u7 and finished at u21 most of my players of which I had 5 incredibly from u7 have stopped playing
You are talking of kids playing Saturday Sunday training and probably going to some pro development centre 4 times a week, now although we had a lot of success, the idea was for them to be enjoying football in their 20s and that has not happened,
If I could change anything I?d ban players between 12-15 playing twice a weekend I?m sure it sours them, I wish I had not done it

This post has been edited by Bonnyman: 22 February 2025 - 09:05 AM

[calvin plummers socks]

Bonnyman, on 22 February 2025 - 09:04 AM, said:

Well that kind of makes a bit more sense but the system isn?t broken, 5 a side is fine it was 7 when I started, the big problem is football being kicked out of them
I started at u7 and finished at u21 most of my players of which I had 5 incredibly from u7 have stopped playing
You are talking of kids playing Saturday Sunday training and probably going to some pro development centre 4 times a week, now although we had a lot of success, the idea was for them to be enjoying football in their 20s and that has not happened,
If I could change anything I?d ban players between 12-15 playing twice a weekend I?m sure it sours them, I wish I had not done it

I agree.

[Painted Wagon]

calvin plummers socks, on 22 February 2025 - 09:07 AM, said:

I agree.

Screenshot this

[Exharboroughspireite]

The issue for me is more about investment in facilities. Smaller sides will mean more touches in one way but less game time if new clubs aren?t formed. And more teams will need more pitches. Which we haven?t got.

[calvin plummers socks]

Painted Wagon, on 22 February 2025 - 10:04 AM, said:

Screenshot this

Don?t be a bell end all day

[Painted Wagon]

calvin plummers socks, on 22 February 2025 - 10:29 AM, said:

Don?t be a bell end all day

Normal service has been resumed

[calvin plummers socks]

Painted Wagon, on 22 February 2025 - 11:04 AM, said:

Normal service has been resumed

Why do you always do this nonsense?