Academy Future To Be Decided

Last updated : 25 April 2008 By Cosupport News Service
Wenesday April 23rd is to be a landmark day for the Coventry City Academy.
City's board which includes Ray Ranson, Gary Hoffman, Joe Elliott, Secretary Pam Hindson and Financial Controller John Street will sit down and discuss the future of the Academy.

The Sky Blues were amongst the first clubs to have an Academy when they were introduced in 1999. The team have been successful winning once winning their league against the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea, but for the last two seasons, the U18's have struggled with only keeper Neil Collett being considered worthy of a contract this time round.

With the supply line of players which has produced the likes of Chris Kirkland, Gary McSheffrey,Callum Davenport, Andy Whing,Isaac Osbourne and Kevin Thornton, seemingly dried up although an attempt to close the Academy by Geoffrey Robinson in 2005, hindered the recruitment of players deemed by the staff good enough to progress to the first team squad, one option the Board may consider, woud be to downgrade the Academy to a Centre Of Excellence.

Under FA/FL rules, City could say at what age groups they wanted for Centre Of Excellence players. Some clubs have younger age groups whilst others are for 14-18 year olds.

Academy players at City currently get paid wages for five days a week training plus a college education but under a Centre Of Excellence, they would not have to pay the players and only provide them with a training session or two during the week and a game at the weekend.

These games would be a series of friendlies upto a maximum of twenty five three periods a game matches a season. Matches do not have their results published and all the club have to do is to record the players who play in them.

Less players would mean less coaches and all the other staff who are required under Academy regulations could be dispensed with.

It is certainly a poor mans version of the Academy but it could tie the club over until the new purpose built training ground is up and running.

Another option is to do what Chris Coleman did with Zavon Hines and raid another club's Academy for players with first team potential to take on-loan.

A decision on the Academy is expected to be made public when all staff have been notified.