Kieran Scarff

[CGJ]

Leaving the Academy.

[weststander]

I hope this is not true, although his achievements will have brought him to the notice of bigger clubs.
I see the club is advertising vacancies for a senior physiotherapist and a kit man.

[selby]

  That is a loss to the club, he has been very good at his job, he has progressed the youth set up under the financial restraints of a small club, and we will be hard pushed to replace him, although some one will step up.
  CGJ do you know where or why he is leaving? I wish him well and hope it is to enhance his career.

[CGJ]

https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2018/october/scarff-moves-on/

[roverstillidie91]

He has joined Northampton Town F.C

https://www.ntfc.co.uk/news/2018/october/kieran_scarff/

[DonnyOsmond]

Sounds like he just wanted to be closer to home. Wonder if we won't be progressing to Cat 2.

[silent majority]

Sounds like he just wanted to be closer to home. Wonder if we won't be progressing to Cat 2.

Exactly it, travelling each day was proving to be a burden. Moving to Cat 2 might not be that easy though, a massive financial commitment would be needed, some would say the money could be spent better elsewhere.
 

[DonnyOsmond]

Sounds like he just wanted to be closer to home. Wonder if we won't be progressing to Cat 2.

Exactly it, travelling each day was proving to be a burden. Moving to Cat 2 might not be that easy though, a massive financial commitment would be needed, some would say the money could be spent better elsewhere.
 

You'd hope it'd pay for itself with better quality players coming through and us being able to hold onto them easier too.

[graingrover]

Yes the money could be spent elsewhere BUT .Terry Bramall has been excellent at BUILDING projects that have a community value...indoor facilities would provide a long lasting legacy of his benevolence under the Club Doncaster Foundation banner.


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[DonnyOsmond]

Yes the money could be spent elsewhere BUT .Terry Bramall has been excellent at BUILDING projects that have a community value...indoor facilities would provide a long lasting legacy of his benevolence under the Club Doncaster Foundation banner.


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Could use it for futsal or Danum Eagles aswell.

[Alickismyhero]

Yes the money could be spent elsewhere BUT .Terry Bramall has been excellent at BUILDING projects that have a community value...indoor facilities would provide a long lasting legacy of his benevolence under the Club Doncaster Foundation banner.


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Could use it for futsal or Danum Eagles aswell.

DO,
I am really in to the Futsal system and anything to develop it I would fully support. My two grandsons play futsal and are coached by Rob Ursell who is the best coach at this level I have ever seen. If you want to know what I mean just google him.

 I went to watch training a few weeks ago at the request of my son to watch a boy in the team. He was absolutely incredible. At 11 he was a tall boy and with skills that you would expect from any Brazilian team. Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea were after him and his father has now taken him to Chelsea. What I found interesting is that when a club sign a player that young they normally don't allow them to play for a team elsewhere obviously Chelsea have confidence in Rob and his Futsal coaching scheme and I can see why.
I would love to have taken a clip of film of this kid but you can't do that sort of thing now.
If that is the skill that Futsal develops then Donny should develop our own teams with the facilities to go with it.

[The Red Baron]

I don't think there is a lot wrong with the Academy in terms of what it produces. What does worry me is the Professional Development phase, ie under-23. We have had a lot of lads who have looked real prospects but not kicked on - think Fairhurst, Nelthorpe, Middleton, Lund, Mandeville and now Beestin looks to be going the same way. Maybe the new Academy Director needs to focus on that area.

[dickos1]

Thing is the under 23s don’t come under the academy’s remit
Once they’ve been given their professional contract they’re in the hands of the first team manager.
That age group 17/18 - 22/23 is the hardest for youngsters they need to be getting into the first team otherwise they get released

[DonnyOsmond]

They just need to be given minutes or they'll never develop. Sitting in the reserves won't get them anywhere.

[keith79]

If you want the team to be self funding then the youth team must be a priority.

[godlike1]

Sounds like he just wanted to be closer to home. Wonder if we won't be progressing to Cat 2.

Ironically not me. If this was where money in the club was being invested then I'd wholeheartedly support it. This would back up the claim that they are trying to create the self sustainable club and would help go a long way towards that as well as both competing against bigger local club's to get some of the best local youngsters to go to rovers

Exactly it, travelling each day was proving to be a burden. Moving to Cat 2 might not be that easy though, a massive financial commitment would be needed, some would say the money could be spent better elsewhere.
 

[Bessierover]

I think talk of DRFC becoming a CAT2 academy is nothing more than a pipe dream....it’s just not going to happen. Hard to see the club making that kind of investment. If they did would it stop bigger clubs picking up the most promising lads - probably not - Brentford is a prime example. Reality is the best lads will continue to be picked off by bigger clubs. Over the last few years we have lost a couple of lads to Forest and at the beginning of this year an U14 to Leeds. Kieran Scarff will be a big loss and will be interesting to see if it is filled by an internal appointment.

[DonnyOsmond]

Wonder if the lads who move on have any more chance to make it than if they stayed here. Look at Owen Gamble. He's about 19 now and disappeared. Would he be further developed with us already if he had stayed?

For me the systems broken. Why not invest in coaching and facilities so more clubs have too facilities not just categories them and have all the best at the same clubs. Clubs will be hoarding youngsters in the hope of having one decent one then they won't be developed after 18 as we've seen multiple times and they'll end up having 10 loans to lower clubs like ours before being sold on never to reach their potential.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Wonder if the lads who move on have any more chance to make it than if they stayed here. Look at Owen Gamble. He's about 19 now and disappeared. Would he be further developed with us already if he had stayed?

For me the systems broken. Why not invest in coaching and facilities so more clubs have too facilities not just categories them and have all the best at the same clubs. Clubs will be hoarding youngsters in the hope of having one decent one then they won't be developed after 18 as we've seen multiple times and they'll end up having 10 loans to lower clubs like ours before being sold on never to reach their potential.

This is true and the USP of our system should be in providing those opportunities.  Unfortunately as we know, there are many incentives offered by other clubs to attract the youngsters over (often to parents).  For example a first year pro at a big club playing youth football will in many cases be paid more than our first team players - it's bonkers!

[Draytonian III]

Owen Gamble played at Old Trafford about 10 days ago in the U23s and he was on bench vs Carlisle in the last Checkatrade round of matches. Retford Rover drinks with his dad so he’ll know a bit more

[roverstillidie91]

I see the logic behind it to be honest.

https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/brentford-academy-closed-scouts/

[DonnyOsmond]

I see the logic behind it to be honest.

https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/brentford-academy-closed-scouts/

Yeah, in reality a club like ours will only get the second pickings of Doncaster lads. The others even if they start here will move on to bigger clubs in the area or the country. So we're fighting a losing battle. Clubs are made to have a certain amount of investment every year into the youth team so if your losing more a year than what you're bringing in from young assets or getting from them going to other clubs then you will have to look at alternatives and think outside the box, which has led to a number of academies closing under EPPP.

[JonWallsend]

Tha academy system as it stands isn't working for the vast majority of clubs. Sunderland who have excellent facilities are more than likely to lose Cat 1 status this time round and similarly Newcastle are considering if running a Cat 1 academy is any longer viable. Rumours are they may follow Huddersfield, Brentford in getting rid.

Sunderland have produced a lot of good players in recent times such as Henderson, Pickford and good pros Chris Brown, Waghorn etc. They won the u14 International Cup this year beating Chelsea in the final but the financial impact of not being in the premier league is taking its toll. Newcastle haven't really produced anyone for some time that has impacted on their first team or been sold for a healthy profit. Carroll, Dummett are only two I can readily recall.

I think that going back to the old centre of Excellence system might be the way to go. There is very little between good local league teams and the Cat 3 academies. Infact Wallsend 16's play Rovers today so that may offer some idea.

Having said that I saw Doncaster 16's draw 2-2 with Newcastle last season and Rovers played them off the park. These lads as people have alluded too seem to disappear at 16/17.

The only ones getting it right consistently are Southampton. Sheffield United and possibly Barnsley.

[Adwick Rover]

Some interesting views on this thread so far. I can speak first hand about the Rovers Academy system. My son is currently a second year scholar with the youth team and has been at the Academy since he was 9. Whilst I agree with the issue of development from 18-23 being fraught with lack of game time and first team opportunities, I think an Academy environment has only benefitted him from an early age. Rovers have taught him consistency, professionalism, stability and a mental approach to football that isn't available elsewhere for lads who want to take football seriously. During his 10 years with Rovers he has had the likes of Tottenham and Leicester interested in his services but to Rovers credit he has remained a player they think is worth keeping. This season I have seen Man U, Wolves, Huddersfield and Burnley scouts regularly attend at Cantley Park, but it would seem the prospects in the youth team aren't going anywhere - under the direction of the staff at the academy. It would seem GM is a big believer in nurturing talent from within. They just need the time to learn from the people around them.

[DonnyOsmond]

To be fair if Leicester and Spurs are interested I'd be worried if Rovers didn't want to keep him ha.

I think it depends on the lad anyway, like with your son having family who support the club, being from Doncaster and maybe not wanting to upsticks at a young age has some say in it. Someone who has less hold from the club/area might think different.

[idler]

When my daughter and son-in-law lived in the New Forest he used to help run a Sunday side. One lad was very good and got talked into going to Portsmouth. He was then rejected. He then went to Southampton and was rejected. He was then approached by another Portsmouth scout for another trial. He was eventually rejected for a third time aged about 10. He would have been better just enjoying his football with his mates and deciding later. The pitches were next to Bournemouth's ground but they were only League One then.

[sedwardsdrfc]

at the age of 10 talking about multiple rejections is crazy that just shouldn't come into the game at all until later. I don't get why academy teams have players so young surely 12-13 is early enough to pick up talent. Very few who are with the club at 9 or 10 end up making in into the u18 let alone the 1st team so i just don't see the benefit