Arsene Wenger has concerns about the way young footballers are being educated suggesting the specialised path they take at such a young age ends up reducing their opportunities in later life.
Highlighting the huge pressure that is now exerted on academy players and the sacrifices that they have to make, the boss – channelling his wisdom like a wizened Gandalf figure – reflected on the current state of affairs.
“The modern education in the youth teams today has many questions,” he said on Friday.
“Do we specialise them too early? Do we give them too much coaching too early and not enough freedom? Do we isolate them too early from other sports? Should they not practise other sports at an early age and transfer their skills to our sport? Do we isolate them too early from normal social life?
“Would it not be better for them to go to a normal school and practise after school rather than at 16 give them every day only football as a professional life, knowing about the success rate?”
“We know that in France 12% make their living in football, in the first, second, third or fourth division. That means 88% are there every day living like a professional football player and not having a future.
“Another question that raises is how we manage the parents as they have a lot of expectations and put a lot of pressure on the boy. They are under pressure very early to be successful and come in with the fear of not being successful every morning.”
The boss also took a moment to reflect on how and why he fell in love with the game as a youngster contrasting it with how he sees things today.
“For me, when we played football it was happiness – let’s enjoy it. I developed a passion for the game by contrasting it with boredom. Today the pressure is on the game and in the game. From very young. Today, they start at nine, 10, 11, 12. It raises questions and I do not say I have the answer. But I just think the longer you live a normal life the better.”
Wenger Knows
Just when uou think it doesn’t get to be smarter, he comes with this…
French rugby legend Rapha Ibanez did not play his first game (ever) until the Lycée (lower 6th) at the age of 17. His first sport was basketball so he was always training and competing and his dad was a retired rugby international. Because he was coaching the local club, his son didn’t want to play the game… Eight years after that first game, he received his first cap as French team Captain…
Cheers for that. Destiny is sometimes a center half hitting you broadside at full tilt.
Meanwhile Mourinho is plotting his next narcissistic media rant, Pep is sorting out his baldness, Klopp is insanely yelling at a child and Conte is losing his shit at Luiz completing a pass in training. Wenger sorting out the future of Europe’s football playing youths and casually managing a European mainstay club. One Arsene Wenger! 😉
Very relevant in the context of the sexual abuse scandal around academy talent in football.
One of the key ways these predators have power to do what they’ve done is cause they dictate the futures of kids with no other choice really.
Got to protect those that are easily exploited or we get Savile/Bennell types.
Arsene for Arsenal football director! Seriously, would love him to continue working at the club and contribute more with these ideals and continue to make our club even greater! #OnlyOneArseneWenger
I don’t think that would interest him. He’d be more interested in coaching the U23s or U19s.
Wenger is a true legend in his own time
Wenger for Fifa President, seriously.
Lets get flamini in. He’ll be able to teach a thing or two on how to open a biochemical company aside from football.
Love the man, but this ish ain’t new. The move against early specialisation has been going on for 20 decades or longer. Even research on motor cortex development has shown that multi-sports kids are likely to be better at a specific sport later in life (my initial Master’/ Thesis was on this basis, with my case being that academies should focus on; taekwondo, ballet, tennis, and another sports I don’t recall along with football to develop players with the great motor cortex development for football). FYI the Ajax model, largely regarded as the best academy, don’t specialise. They get their… Read more »
Who is Zlatan?
If you were passing by Manchester, you surely have bumped into his ego. It spreads around town like Stephen King’s dome.
AW needs to look at his own academy. The 14yr old Messis’ and Neymars are being cluttered week in week out by 6.3,12St uncoordinated kids. How on earth are boys going to develop their skills amongst flailing arms and legs. There ought to be a height and weight limit therefore allowing the normal boys best to practice their skills.