Around in circles. I could care less if Declan doesn't win, but he seems to be doing something right with his current philosophy with YOUTH players which appears to be similar to Barca... , either that or something in the Waikato water!
Similar to Barca? Let's not get carried away. Can we take this convo to the coaching chat forum? I like it, but it doesn't belong here. Someone start (or rejuvinate) a Declan thread...
Why is it that Declan and Barcelona gets mentioned together? I used to play basketball but I was no Earl Monroe..
WFA I don't really think we are talking about results. I think in terms on football development, some of his players are well a head of other Kiwi kids on the curve in some areas. I then see Tyler Boyd and I see a kid who has a base raw talent which I think Declan is good at getting them to, but then, they are so woefully deficient in other areas. He hasn't got a left foot and when you know that, it's extremely easy to shut him down if you position yourself right. Yes he has Ryan (and I believe he probably had the talent anyway) Tyler, Jesse and Harry. In terms of ratios, what is the success rate vs the amount of kids he has had? I know that is a bullshit stat because youth schemes in the UK spin kids out all over the place. I just think this whole 'Barca/700 passes' is bullshit. Again, the ideas are right, but don't spin them up as the next million dollar footballers when all they have ever done is the equivalent of knocking 700 kicks against a brick wall. Let's see these kids create an attack with their passes, read the defense and change things, anticipate the next option, move and alter with what the defense give them. Combine that with what base he has created, and then we can start talking about the footballers he is producing and how successful his schemes are. It's not results orientated, it's playing football whereby the football is effective and efficient, or if you like 'quality' cause when they leave Declan, they have to produce more than just being a part of 700 passes and saying to the gaffer 'but I made mine' won't cut it in a team where they ARE results orientated.