It is an important job for several reasons: most academy players start as local residents who support the local club, so playing for the academy provides extra motivation. Second, it’s typically cheaper to develop first-team players rather than to try to buy them through the transfer market. There are many more reasons.
“…the measure of our success is not by how many championships we win, it’s about how many players we can develop and take through the pathway,” Money said.
Questions and answers have in some cases been edited for clarity.
Q: Eales said the club is going to hire someone to help the players with their academics, kind of like a college liaison.
A: I think it’s important to stress that not everyone who joins us on this pathway will be there at the end. It’s a really tough journey.
The end goal for us is to create players as pros, to be able to play for our MLS team eventually through the various pathways. It might be MLS first. It might also be going to college first. So, education is going to be a major part of our program.
At the high school level, we may look at some types of relationships where we develop an education and soccer program that works alongside each other.
College is crucial to us. If you come to our U16, U18 tryouts in May, you’ll find 10 or 12 of the best soccer colleges around the U.S. And in the future, they will form big relationships with our academy. As ever, a college’s first look will be at the MLS club. They want to see who you are developing at 14, 15, 16. We want to help everybody who can’t make it as a pro go to the best soccer college, if that’s their second goal.
Q: If I’m a parent and have a son who I think is pretty good at soccer, what are the one or two things that you look for when you are out scouting talent?
A: A bit of personality and an understanding that wherever he is on the pitch he knows what he’s doing, and then good technique, initially.
It’s nothing to do with size. It’s nothing to do with where he is on the pathway. I think we have to try to look for players with potential. Not necessarily the players that look the best right now. They might be the same person, but sometimes they are not.
It’s going to be a long process. Our initial rosters, the time frame is going to be a big factor. We won’t get everything right on the first roster. But over the next 3-5 years we have to put a program in place whereby we are working with all of the coaches, working with all of the parents so that we as Atlanta are helping them develop but also that we know where the best players are.
We have to have some type of program so that we can influence those people that are just underneath the academy program. It’s a big challenge, a big job. It’s an exciting job.
Q: Now, as a parent, sell me on you. Why should I entrust my son’s future with you?
A: Because our program is doing to be different. If you want to be a pro, the only pathway is through Atlanta United’s academy if you want to play for Atlanta United as a homegrown player.
That’s the first thing.
The second thing is we will be a little bit different. Everybody wants to win. Sport, soccer, whatever sport you do. Winning is important, but it won’t be our No. 1 priority. We don’t have to win. It’s about developing, teaching, learning and encouraging people to try things.
It will be a different type of environment where you won’t be criticized. We will be pushing, we will be challenging, we’re going to be demanding. We’re going to want standards. But we will allow people to make mistakes because that’s how people learn.
I’m not going to say it will be a better environment because that’s disrespectful to everybody else. Look at this way: if your son has the ability to be the best, then we will promise that we will make him the best that he can be. I can’t promise any more than that.
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