# Son Scouted at his local football match - what to expect



## tmitch45

I was on the sidelines as usual chatting away to other parents and watching my son play football. He totally loves the game and is pretty good but (in my opinion) is only an average player not even the best on his team. It was only his second ever match and he scored a goal (so proud) and set another up to help he team onto a 6-0 win. Its all very chilled with all parents supporting all players on both teams and supporting good play. 

After the match our manger/coach walks over to me and I shake his hand and say thanks for organizing the team etc. He tells me there has been a scout here from Notts County FC (No jokes about football teams please) and hes really interested in my son and would I agree to talk to him. I said yes and this guy comes over and introduces himself as the Notts county scout and says hes watched the game and was really impressed with my son. I said I though he didn't play that well (he has played better and missed 3 open goals) anyway the guy says I don't care about how many goals hes scored we can teach that, what he has is totally natural ability which you cannot teach someone. Hes goes on to talk about development groups and teams etc by which time its all a bit of a blur. He gives me his card and I give him my contact details and he tells me he will write to me with more info.

This is all new to me so I guess I wondering what to think about it. Firstly I've nailed my sons feet firmly to the ground and told him very little about this as its not fair to get him too excited if it comes to nothing. Secondly I'm very proud of him and its great that someone who knows wht they are talking about thinks he is good. I don't know if he will be invited to training sessions or if this is something that will start to cost us a huge amount of money? My son also loves tennis and we have been advised to get him in a performance squad which costs £100 a term. Before anyone says it we are not pushy parents and I'm very keen that anything he does is because he wants to not because we ar pushing him.

SO has anyone else experienced this? what can we expect? Is it going to cost us loads in coaching for the potential for him to get spat out of the system?


----------



## Kerr

If he's invited along to train in a youth setup for a professional football outfit they won't be asking you for a penny.

As odd as it sounds, there's tons of weirdos that turn up to kids football matches with stories of being scouts. I'd make sure the person is genuine and always be on gaurd.

Just looking at Notts County Academy and they are actually holding open trials anyway.

http://mobile.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/notts-county-academy-trials-3372715.aspx


----------



## tmitch45

Thanks kerr, I've done a little research and found a few bits like the above link. As it was all a bit of a blur I cannot remember exactly what the guy said. He seemed on the level, had notts county headed paper and card. The thing that made me feel happy was he listed two other kids from the same team who were at Notts County and I know these kids and therefore know thats true.

What were don't want is to firstly deny our son the opportunity if he really does have potential and secondly we dont want to sign up to a load of money for coaching and end up taking him to 2-3 training sessions a week which we also have to fit in with his swimming and tennis. I'm sure kids have far more going on these days


----------



## Guest

How old is your son?

A friend of mine has a son (they are a football loving family) who over the past 4 or 5 years has spent time and trials at all the big premier league and lower league clubs in the north west.

Dad has spent an awful lot of time driving his son around to matches and training (on school nights). I get the impression you have to be very dedicated or love football a lot to make the commitment the clubs are looking for.

The boy no longer enjoys it (having gone from the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Everton to clubs like Wigan). He's now a teenager and he's far happier playing football with his mates locally. 

Make sure you and your son want to do it. If you join a club he's no longer playing football for fun with his mates.


----------



## tmitch45

Hugh said:


> How old is your son?
> 
> A friend of mine has a son (they are a football loving family) who over the past 4 or 5 years has spent time and trials at all the big premier league and lower league clubs in the north west.
> 
> Dad has spent an awful lot of time driving his son around to matches and training (on school nights). I get the impression you have to be very dedicated or love football a lot to make the commitment the clubs are looking for.
> 
> The boy no longer enjoys it (having gone from the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Everton to clubs like Wigan). He's now a teenager and he's far happier playing football with his mates locally.
> 
> Make sure you and your son want to do it. If you join a club he's no longer playing football for fun with his mates.


Thanks Hugh for the reply. My son is 7 which in my opinion is way too young for being asked to give up so much time to one sport. I want him to enjoy playing not to feel like he is constantly being assessed.


----------



## klw7me

I am a PE teacher so have lots of experience of different students going on day release and training with teams from Tottenham, West Ham etc to Dagenham & Redbridge. From seeing them grow up and develop and then following them in the future, here is my advice.

1. Don't go to a premier league team, go to the most local team as the commitment to travel is large, so the more local the easier it is.

2. Ask if you can come down and have a look at what they are doing before bringing your son down so you can discuss with parents there the commitment, you said there were two others at the same club so it would be useful to discuss with them.

3. Another reason I would say to not go to a premier league team is, your child would have a greater chance of playing regularly at a lesser team, which will aid his development and if he is good enough there is time to go to bigger teams when he gets older.

4. He will get a better standard of training at a professional team and will play with better players, which will develop him far quicker than a local amateur team. He will probably only train once of twice a week with the Under 7's or 8's and play a game at the weekend, which is similar to what he will be doing with his current team.


----------



## Natalie

A friend of mine son was at Hull City, he's left them to play at a local non-league (much to Carl's dismay lol) side as he said playing at a big side was sucking the enjoyment out of playing for him  
A lot of kids say similar about the bigger teams 

Obviously NC are a bit lower down, but still a pretty big club really. Can you pop along to a youth match at some point and see if there's any parents available to chat to?


----------



## tmitch45

klw7me said:


> I am a PE teacher so have lots of experience of different students going on day release and training with teams from Tottenham, West Ham etc to Dagenham & Redbridge. From seeing them grow up and develop and then following them in the future, here is my advice.
> 
> 1. Don't go to a premier league team, go to the most local team as the commitment to travel is large, so the more local the easier it is.
> 
> 2. Ask if you can come down and have a look at what they are doing before bringing your son down so you can discuss with parents there the commitment, you said there were two others at the same club so it would be useful to discuss with them.
> 
> 3. Another reason I would say to not go to a premier league team is, your child would have a greater chance of playing regularly at a lesser team, which will aid his development and if he is good enough there is time to go to bigger teams when he gets older.
> 
> 4. He will get a better standard of training at a professional team and will play with better players, which will develop him far quicker than a local amateur team. He will probably only train once of twice a week with the Under 7's or 8's and play a game at the weekend, which is similar to what he will be doing with his current team.





Natalie said:


> A friend of mine son was at Hull City, he's left them to play at a local non-league (much to Carl's dismay lol) side as he said playing at a big side was sucking the enjoyment out of playing for him
> A lot of kids say similar about the bigger teams
> 
> Obviously NC are a bit lower down, but still a pretty big club really. Can you pop along to a youth match at some point and see if there's any parents available to chat to?


Some great advice thanks guys. I'm very aware from my links to higher level tennis that sport has now got what I call the X factor syndrome. Just like with X factor where these stars get churned out and dumped with only the judges actually winning, the same is true of sport. These poor kids get put under pressure, parents usually pay around £100 a term for coaching in group sessions and then the kids end up dumped. The only winners are the coaches scooping up the £100 a term plus individual lessons at £25-£45 an hour.

I'm very aware of this and the commitment in terms of travel etc but there is the nagging doubt of could he be good, could he make it, am I denying him the opportunity just because we don't want to loose our evenings???


----------



## K777mk2

One of my directors is Chairman at big local youth team club, his father played for Leeds and Scotland, and is father is also a scout for Leeds.
He lives and breaths football. 

So i here a lot of talk, between him and my biz partner who also coaches at a different youth team club. We often debate the nature v nurture argument.

My son also had trials for Leeds. He didnt make it, mainly as he felt he wasnt good enough. 

klw7me has some good advice.

7 years old seems to be the age they start scouting for kids, it does seem young, but they want them before anyone else gets them.

The commitment needed from you will be high, really high. If you want him to enjoy lots of other sports or classes like we all do/did as parents, you will struggle.
The commitment from your son will need to be high too. I see that to make it you need to live and breath football.

Go for the trial, and make sure your son is focused ( can a 7 year old focus ? - ok make sure hes not stood looking at a worm).

The other parents will have their kids so wound up. With their eyes on the England captaincy. The truth is theres a very high percentage of trials that never get anywhere.

Importantly - play for himself !! Believe me they want to see skills (with a ball plus body movement) and speed, not good passing or good teamship. (thats from my sons experience).

Im still very proud of my son, we still play 5 a side, and I still cant get the ball off him.


Good luck.


----------



## kh904

tmitch45 said:


> Thanks Hugh for the reply. My son is 7 which in my opinion is way too young for being asked to give up so much time to one sport. I want him to enjoy playing not to feel like he is constantly being assessed.


7 is faaaaaaar too young.

Only a minute percentage go on to make it professionally and the others are left forgotten about fall out of love of the game - they are usually burned out by 14/15 yrs old

My old boss's son always gets invited to train at Chelsea.
My old boss has the boy's feet truely rooted tot he ground, and currently trains at Millwall. 
Even then he puts conditions


----------



## Vimpyro53

My son did it all pal played for Sheffield Wednesday academy went to America to play with his team went to a lot of academy's all over the country got really fit all to get dropped at 13 for not growing enough! He then went onto play for Sheffield United until he was 16 and then released as they had an England under 18 goalkeeper on the side!!
Yup it's heart renching when they drop them for him and us!!!!! But the expieridnce was great for him! 
Just go with the flow with no expectations as 1 in a 1000 make it to pro!!


----------

