This must be the most common question that emerges during my work with players and their families. This has surfaced over and over again during the work I have done in the past couple of weeks and I wanted to blog about it and, hopefully, put your mind at ease.
Are we doing the right thing?
Instead of thinking "are we making the right decision?", we should be asking "what is the decision we feel most comfortable with right now?" And once that decision has been made, ask "How do we make sure, we make the most of the opportunities that flow from that decision".
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30-1 Shot
We might look at the high number of under-21 players used by Sunderland and think, this is a good place for a career. BUT, a further move or loan has been necessary for these players.
Moving the needle
The confidence of being on the pitch, present, in the moment, unshackled, unburdened, all because you have a plan, that is where performance peaks. That is how you shift the needle.
The first cut is the deepest
Biological age in a football academy refers to how physically developed a player is compared to their actual chronological age. What does the research say about the impact of this?