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Jayson Molumby



PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 15, 2004
18,721
Hurst Green
If i was 6 - 15 and looking to join a club I'd definitely join Chelsea. Mixing with high quality players from around the world and getting coaching which is second to none would be a huge draw for me. However, if I was above 15 I think Brighton may be a bigger draw for me. Once you hit that age game time starts to matter more than training techniques and at Chelsea you'd have to be something special to get regular game time for the development squads, whereas at Brighton there's actually a good chance of progressing to the first team if you perform well in the DS. How many players have come from the DS from Chelsea compared to Brighton in the last few years?

Having some experience of both camps I would not advise any kid to join Chelsea.
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Apparently unless you are near 6ft and big for your age Chelsea are not interested unless you are in the 5 -8 age group and they can afford to wait to see if you grow,
 












hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,420
Chandlers Ford
Apparently unless you are near 6ft and big for your age Chelsea are not interested unless you are in the 5 -8 age group and they can afford to wait to see if you grow,

Where does this particular little snippet of insider knowledge come from BG?
 


Gordon the Gopher

Active member
Jul 16, 2003
988
Hove
Apparently unless you are near 6ft and big for your age Chelsea are not interested unless you are in the 5 -8 age group and they can afford to wait to see if you grow,

Not entirely true...Charlie Wakefield who hails from Southwick nowhere near those stats and signed recently with them!
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
The father of boy who was there from 5 years old until 17 then to be told he was too small so not offered anything. Had they said he was not good enough, in their opinion, he would have acepted it more. Like the boys father I cannot see the logic as they dont sign big chaps for the first team.
 




PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 15, 2004
18,721
Hurst Green
Sounds interesting. What experience?
Ive been involved with lads from our club going to Chelsea and we also been a number of times to Cobham training as a club. They do not treat either the kids or their parents very well. For example one lad having been with them for a period was informed that they no longer wanted him, by text!

I can't speak for Brighton other than my son recently had a trial and it was a pleasant experience for him even though they ended up not wanting him.

I recently spoke to Dean Wilkins and he has a very low opinion of Chelsea's academy amongst others.
 




Diego Napier

Well-known member
Mar 27, 2010
4,416
Yes agreed, we can then sell any half decent players that come through to a small club like Bournemouth for a few hundred grand and see them head towards the top flight whilst we scrap around the lower reaches of the Championship

I agree it's all very exciting, but it's still jam tomorrow - and tomorrow seems to be getting further and further away. Unless we're playing regularly in the PL, I can see those talented 11 year olds (if they've developed on) wandering through the gates of the COFE in six or so years time, heading in the general direction of Arsenal, Chelsea, ManU, Spurs, etc.

You two should get together, it'd be laugh-a-minute.
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,420
Chandlers Ford
The father of boy who was there from 5 years old until 17 then to be told he was too small so not offered anything. Had they said he was not good enough, in their opinion, he would have acepted it more. Like the boys father I cannot see the logic as they dont sign big chaps for the first team.

I imagine they were just letting the lad down gently, and thought it was kinder than telling him the truth that he wasn't good enough. I've personally, in the last 12 months, watched Chelsea's U9, U12, U13 and U16 sides, and they have plenty of small and slight players.
 


Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,680
Fiveways
I imagine they were just letting the lad down gently, and thought it was kinder than telling him the truth that he wasn't good enough. I've personally, in the last 12 months, watched Chelsea's U9, U12, U13 and U16 sides, and they have plenty of small and slight players.

Is Chandlers Ford near Cobham; are you obsessive; do you have too much time on your hands; or, is there some other explanation?
 




hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,420
Chandlers Ford
Is Chandlers Ford near Cobham; are you obsessive; do you have too much time on your hands; or, is there some other explanation?

Yes. My two teenage sons, are both qualified referees who officiate regular games at the Southampton Academy.
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I imagine they were just letting the lad down gently, and thought it was kinder than telling him the truth that he wasn't good enough. I've personally, in the last 12 months, watched Chelsea's U9, U12, U13 and U16 sides, and they have plenty of small and slight players.

That is possible or even a bitter father because everyone thinks his son is the next Georgie Best.
 


Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
46,075
at home
Personally I think the academy will be our finance package for years to come. We get youngsters in, train them up...flog them to premier clubs.

The money is reinvested into the team to keep us in this division.....simples
 


WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
25,907
Apparently unless you are near 6ft and big for your age Chelsea are not interested unless you are in the 5 -8 age group and they can afford to wait to see if you grow,

A friend of mine had exactly that experience as a youngster at the Albion, in 1972.

It's the same way its always been.
 






mr sheen

Well-known member
Jan 17, 2008
1,555
A friend of mine had exactly that experience as a youngster at the Albion, in 1972.

It's the same way its always been.
Indeed, I know of boys released because their fathers weren't very tall. Which backfired when it turned out it was the stepfather. Not just football either, they do exactly the same in rugby union.
 


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