Will Mere Mortals Ever Get to Visit the Academy?

[Willy Dangle]

For things like watching training or any development team matches or just to lick Sami's office chair?

Anyone?

There are also private residence on site. Temporary accommodation I would suspect.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

All this 'confidential stuff' sounds a bit OTT. I can't imagine there are two many opposing teams keen to get their hands on something like Kaz's diet sheet - Nando's Peri-Peri Chicken in a lime and coriander marinade etc.

 

[AZ Gull]

He did indeed say this. He also said later, in response to a different question, that 150 sets of parents a week went round the academy to assess it for their offspring as part of their decision-making concerning which academy to send their kid too. So, I guess the club:

1) take down all the confidential stuff every time parents go round - which they therefore could do for fans, but won't. OR
2) don't mind parents seeing the confidential stuff - which should therefore apply to fans, but doesn't. OR
3) show parents around only those parts of the facility which doesn't have confidential information on noticeboards - which they could with fans too, but won't.

Come on PB - if you can allow 150 parents a week around the facility, you can allow fans to tour on occasions too.

Unless, of course, it's something other than people seeing confidential information that's stopping you? Something like, it's quite a hassle to organise it - it's worth the hassle to do it for parents because they might send the next Peter Ward to our academy, but not worth it for fans who only, err, spend lots of money on tickets, merchandise and catering.

I heard Paul Barber same something different: he mentioned the effect of the facility on "the younger players", the fact that "every day we get 100-150 parents come through the facility". My interpretation of what he said is that these are the parents of the kids in the younger age groups, players already within Albion's academy (and I assume he is talking about the parents bringing the kids for coaching/training/matches etc).

I would imagine that the academy is organised to support this parental "traffic" on a daily basis; we certainly know that the facility is designed to be "aspirational", so that the young age groups use different areas/facilities compared to the scholars, and then the DS, and then the first team. I would very much doubt that these parents have access to the first team part of the facility.

Isn't it strange how people can hear a few words and interpret them completely differently?

 

[Goldstone1976]

I heard Paul Barber same something different: he mentioned the effect of the facility on "the younger players", the fact that "every day we get 100-150 parents come through the facility". My interpretation of what he said is that these are the parents of the kids in the younger age groups, players already within Albion's academy (and I assume he is talking about the parents bringing the kids for coaching/training/matches etc).

I would imagine that the academy is organised to support this parental "traffic" on a daily basis; we certainly know that the facility is designed to be "aspirational", so that the young age groups use different areas/facilities compared to the scholars, and then the DS, and then the first team. I would very much doubt that these parents have access to the first team part of the facility.

Isn't it strange how people can hear a few words and interpret them completely differently?

Having listened to the relevant part of the vid again, I think your interpretation of what he meant is a much better one than mine.

However, if there are 150 parents a day seeing at least part of the academy, surely there's no reason why fans couldn't also see those parts in small organised groups? Of course they would like to see the 1st team areas too, but there PB's bit about confidentiality might stand up.

 

[Justice]

I can understand a Stadium tour but would anyone seriously pay to look round an expensive gym and a few football pitches?

 

[Ali_rrr]

I get to go into it for refereeing.