EPPP's first casualty

[Mr_Moon]

http://www.buckinghamshireadvertiser.co.uk/south-buckinghamshire-sport/2012/06/08/blues-shut-youth-academy-82398-31140603/

WYCOMBE Wanderers have taken the dramatic step of closing its successful youth department as it continues to try and cut costs.
The club, in the middle of a takeover from the Wycombe Wanderers Trust supporters group, has a proud history of developing young talent.
The likes of Blackpool's Matt Phillips, Wolves' Roger Johnson, Cardiff's Kadeem Harris (pictured) and Liverpool's Jordon Ibe have all come through the Adams Park youth ranks and earned Blues a tidy profit in recent years.
But that is now a thing of the past after the Centre of Excellence was shut down as the club attempts to balance the books.
The closure is being blamed on new Elite Player Performance Plan rules which will see Football League clubs limited in the transfer fees they can receive for young players.
"The long-term stability of the club is the number one priority and all resources are going towards ensuring the club is financially secure," said a Wycombe statement today. "Both parties understand this is extremely disappointing news, but it was unavoidable in ensuring the club becomes sustainable.
"The club will do all in its power to assist in helping players find new teams, whilst they also reserve the opportunity to offer professional contracts to selected scholars."
It means a host of budding young footballers at Wycombe will hope to be picked up by other clubs while the coaching staff are left to look for new jobs.
The news comes after it was announced goalkeeping coach Martin Brennan was leaving the club and physio Stuart Ayles and sports scientist Mick Quinn were both let go.
Wanderers also still remain under a transfer embargo after failing to file their accounts with boss Gary Waddock being left behind when it comes to rebuilding his squad for a season back in League Two and with their pre-season schedule starting in just five weeks.

[MasterHaynes]

Sad to say that this will be one of many, why the FA think this will help I do not know.

[elgreenio]

They probably would have done this anyway in their situation

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[Gozorich]

I find it unbelievable that in today's market place where young British players are a scarce commodity that the Football League should choose to close off a vital source of revenue for the clubs and a vital source of opportunity for the youngsters; or is it European wide for all nationalities?

[ScalleysDad]

Alas this will be the shape of things to come and those that can afford to stay operational they will ultimately be dragged down as well. The FA refuse to change the ruling for Academy and Centre players whereby they get signed up, wrapped in cotton wool and cannot play for their parent Clubs, schools etc but some Centre fixture lists only have six fixtures providing central locations can be found. We hosted a club recently where the logitics became as important as the development of players. By playing several age groups the cost of transport was spread out but ultimately with the coaches spread so thin very little was learned. The Hodgson era has so much work to do whatever the current bunch of clowns achieve is irrelevent. God help us if they rattle off a couple of one nils and a couple of draws as suddenly everybody will think all is well and we are the Brazil of the northern hemisphere. At grass roots level we are probably ten years behind and some facilities are worse than that.

[leonffc]

A massive shock!! Wycombe had a great academy set up which was very succesful. I know that their U11 academy of this year has been setting the standards for the last few seasons.

I was on a course a couple of weeks ago 'taught' by their head of development (or something), Andy Ritchie. He seemed a bit aprehensive about his job (a comment he made) which I found odd at the time.

[ScalleysDad]

A massive shock!! Wycombe had a great academy set up which was very succesful. I know that their U11 academy of this year has been setting the standards for the last few seasons.

I was on a course a couple of weeks ago 'taught' by their head of development (or something), Andy Ritchie. He seemed a bit aprehensive about his job (a comment he made) which I found odd at the time.

Blimey his knee's must be shot to bits. The focus will be on Academies/Centres being forced to close but I bet the job losses will barely get a mention even though they were all the starting point for the next generation of managers/coaches and development officers. Even from senior local league to Blue Square Conference level there are fewer and fewer learning opportunities being made available now so with League clubs now struggling it is not much of a career path. Out of the recent class of 32 students all fully versed to degree level in sports development/coaching/science and medicine two have got jobs in sport, a receptionist at a sports centre and an 'ambassador' on a six month contract. Nine have gone off to 'Soccer Schools' and the rest will simply drift into something else. Not sure how other sports fair these days but what an Olympic legacy.

[leonffc]

A massive shock!! Wycombe had a great academy set up which was very succesful. I know that their U11 academy of this year has been setting the standards for the last few seasons.

I was on a course a couple of weeks ago 'taught' by their head of development (or something), Andy Ritchie. He seemed a bit aprehensive about his job (a comment he made) which I found odd at the time.

Blimey his knee's must be shot to bits. The focus will be on Academies/Centres being forced to close but I bet the job losses will barely get a mention even though they were all the starting point for the next generation of managers/coaches and development officers. Even from senior local league to Blue Square Conference level there are fewer and fewer learning opportunities being made available now so with League clubs now struggling it is not much of a career path. Out of the recent class of 32 students all fully versed to degree level in sports development/coaching/science and medicine two have got jobs in sport, a receptionist at a sports centre and an 'ambassador' on a six month contract. Nine have gone off to 'Soccer Schools' and the rest will simply drift into something else. Not sure how other sports fair these days but what an Olympic legacy.

It wasn't the ex Oldham striker Andy Ritchie, or do you know the guy I'm on about? I'm not sure how his knees were  092.gif

[ScalleysDad]

A massive shock!! Wycombe had a great academy set up which was very succesful. I know that their U11 academy of this year has been setting the standards for the last few seasons.

I was on a course a couple of weeks ago 'taught' by their head of development (or something), Andy Ritchie. He seemed a bit aprehensive about his job (a comment he made) which I found odd at the time.

Blimey his knee's must be shot to bits. The focus will be on Academies/Centres being forced to close but I bet the job losses will barely get a mention even though they were all the starting point for the next generation of managers/coaches and development officers. Even from senior local league to Blue Square Conference level there are fewer and fewer learning opportunities being made available now so with League clubs now struggling it is not much of a career path. Out of the recent class of 32 students all fully versed to degree level in sports development/coaching/science and medicine two have got jobs in sport, a receptionist at a sports centre and an 'ambassador' on a six month contract. Nine have gone off to 'Soccer Schools' and the rest will simply drift into something else. Not sure how other sports fair these days but what an Olympic legacy.

It wasn't the ex Oldham striker Andy Ritchie, or do you know the guy I'm on about? I'm not sure how his knees were  092.gif



My bad as the yuff say. I would'nt call him a mate and he would'nt call me anything but we have been on courses and I have seen him at tournaments and the Oldham AR is almost bow legged. Because the 'Oldham AR' has had so many jobs I thought this was one of the stints he puts in as a coach and mentor. Tough on the Wycombe AR as backroom/boiler room jobs in football are harder and harder to come by. Good luck to him and the rest of the staff.

[leonffc]

I must admit I thought it was THE Andy Ritchie at first.
The one I met was head of youth development but also U18 manager so maybe he has been spared.
It's a sad state of youth football when the FA are harping on (rightly) about player development and making all these changes but are letting academies such as Wycombes go under