Opportunity lost?

[creaner]

I don't know the internal politics on this but have we the resources to pass up this kind of partnership? And for KHFC to benefit seems doubly wrong to me.
www.worcesternews.co.uk/sport/wcfc/16258397.Worcester_football_academy_secures_partnership_with_Harriers/

[Brooksiders Return!!]

I've never been a fan of academies, even at the lowly level of National League North / South. There's very little return, and you have to ask, would City have picked up the likes of Shab Khan if there hadn't been an acadeny? Yes they probably would. It was also a divisive system, and in my view, unfair on young kids. Think about it, you're a bloody good footballer, but you're at Kings School, or WRGS, do you really want to leave and potentially scupper your career, and your chances of heading on to University for the sake of doing two years at Worcester Tech College?
Now we are a regional pub team, why is there any need to resource an academy?

[jupu]

Maybe this set-up had run its course. Surely it makes sense to link up with the best club in Worcestershire? Let's not forget we're not even the second, third or fourth best club in the County now. Moreover our youth set-up still exists and it looks as if several players from this system will be playing first team football next season.

[The Verner]

Jun 2, 2018 15:54:27 GMT Brooksiders Return!! said:

I've never been a fan of academies, even at the lowly level of National League North / South. There's very little return, and you have to ask, would City have picked up the likes of Shab Khan if there hadn't been an acadeny? Yes they probably would. It was also a divisive system, and in my view, unfair on young kids. Think about it, you're a bloody good footballer, but you're at Kings School, or WRGS, do you really want to leave and potentially scupper your career, and your chances of heading on to University for the sake of doing two years at Worcester Tech College?
Now we are a regional pub team, why is there any need to resource an academy?

Kiddy Harriers make a decent return per student on their current link with a college. Around £1k per student.

[Brooksiders Return!!]

Sorry, I was talking return in terms of player value. I still believe that way too many of the better young lads in and around Worcester have been missed by WCFC over the years, because they had no desire to go to the Tech College, which is a fair call. So unless the academy brought in financial value, then there's little point to it at all.

[alwaysnextyear]

How would we ever know ? Wilcox and his chums keep our own youth set up monies to themselves as it is !