interview with coach Colin Walker
This is the time of year where players’ futures are being decided at football clubs up and down the country. Spare a thought then for the youngsters, many of whom have been with clubs since the age of 10, have made it all the way through the system and are then told they are not to be offered a full time contract.
Aberdeen U17s coach Colin Walker has, over the past ten years, worked with almost all our best young players and is one of a number of people who will be deciding which players will be rewarded with professional contracts this year.
“It is not easy, it’s the worst part of the job. You just have to be honest. We have conversations with the boys throughout the season and say you need to start being a bit more influential in the games or you need to try and do more of this, to point the way. We support each player, but obviously not all of them are going to make the step up. All you can do is give them the best chance possible.
“We point out to them they need to work hard, that their behaviour and attitude has to be right. They cannot perform to a high standard in every training session, in every game, but their behaviour can always be good. We give the players the opportunity then it is very much up to them. You cannot tell a player everything. You just need to create an environment for them to develop. The good players will then pick it up.
“There are a lot of people involved in the final decision on who comes in full time but there is no exact science to it. With the financial climate now, the numbers are getting less and, with the creation of the U20 league, it means more players are getting kept on for another year and that reduces the numbers coming in at the younger end even more. It is difficult to get a contract but it means the quality of those who do has to be very good. “Sometimes it can be a very difficult decision and we have let players go who maybe we should have kept. We have also let players go for financial reasons. I believe a scholarship system, similar to what they do in the US would be worth a look at, something that would involve the local universities. We have spent at least five years with these kids, invested a lot of time and money in them, but because there is no room in the U20 squad, they have to leave the club. The scholarship would give a safety net for the ones who are borderline.
“I have been with the club since 2000 And there have been quite a number of changes to the Youth Academy since then. In the past, for whatever reason we were not getting enough players into the first team squad, although the managers at the time would argue there was not the quality. Over the past four or five years we have produced better quality players. There is not a magic formula, but I think we have sourced better players. For me, the most important part is recruiting them, scouting is key. You have to source the right players, identify the top talent and get them in. Then, in the correct environment, they can flourish, but they need to have the natural talent in the first place.
“Everything is now connected within the Academy from the youngest lads all the way through to the first team. For a club our size, it has to be like that. Neil Cooper plays an important role in that pathway. I also work very closely with Peter Weir. 40% of the boys are coming from the Glasgow Centre – Murray, O’Neill, Storie, Low and McManus. We also have Michael Kelly and Michael Jones at U17 level and we have high hopes for them.
“The other change I have seen is the creation of the Sports Village. It is vital in this part of the world because of the weather. We used to spend half the night chasing after the cones! It is a much better environment for them to learn.
“It has been a good year for the U17s. The highlight was playing against the Scotland national team in a training match! The feedback from Gordon Strachan was that they did very well and the boys thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great experience for them.
“The reality now is that some of the boys will be moving up this summer, some will not. When it comes to releasing players, there is a right way of doing it and this club does. I still keep in touch with a lot of the players who have left, which is the biggest compliment I can have”
