Market Research (Truro City FC)

[frazer7]

I am currently studying a degree in sports development and coaching. One of my modules is business planning.

Having thought about it a lot I have come up with an idea but would like your feedback. My question like i would like feedback on is do you think that Truro City Fc should develop there own academy. Surely this would create massive opportunities to young players to shine at the biggest club in Cornwall and maybe one day go on to play for the 1st team. Having worked with West Cornwall U'13s and 14s I can safely say that there is a tremendous amount of talent out there. I personally think that Truro City could be doing more to keep hold of the youngsters. Please give honest feedback. Thanks

[Sharky]

Given that the module is business planning, my first questions would be how much will it cost and who is going to pay?

I'm not sure how you quantify 'massive opportunity' to young players but I would imagine that the current set up of junior teams at Truro is more than capable of producing players for the level the first team is currently at. In addition to which there are similar well set up junior teams around the County capable of producing players to the standard of the top placed team in Cornwall whoever it is.

Also consider that a Truro Academy consisting of cherry picked Cornwall talent is going to have a knock on effect. The Academy team would no doubt steam roller local teams and therefore need to travel out of county in order to get meaningful games meaning more expense.

My personal thoughts are that an Academy already exists in Cornwall in the guise of the County Representative Teams. Maybe a different model to the one you are considering but for me it helps keep local players playing for their local teams.

[Sharky]

You seem to have posted the same question virtually everywhere on the forum. Not sure why you have done that but its not going to make for a good discussion with responses on different threads.

[frazer7]

You seem to have posted the same question virtually everywhere on the forum. Not sure why you have done that but its not going to make for a good discussion with responses on different threads.

I posted them on all the threads as some people may only go on 1 particular thread. i have done it to get as much feedback as possible to see wether or not it would be viable. This post isn't to cause arguments but simply to get some market research for my degree.

[frazer7]

Given that the module is business planning, my first questions would be how much will it cost and who is going to pay?

I'm not sure how you quantify 'massive opportunity' to young players but I would imagine that the current set up of junior teams at Truro is more than capable of producing players for the level the first team is currently at. In addition to which there are similar well set up junior teams around the County capable of producing players to the standard of the top placed team in Cornwall whoever it is.

Also consider that a Truro Academy consisting of cherry picked Cornwall talent is going to have a knock on effect. The Academy team would no doubt steam roller local teams and therefore need to travel out of county in order to get meaningful games meaning more expense.

My personal thoughts are that an Academy already exists in Cornwall in the guise of the County Representative Teams. Maybe a different model to the one you are considering but for me it helps keep local players playing for their local teams.

Thanks for your reply sharky. some good valid points. Not sure if it would be able to happen but could academy teams play in the same leagues as plymouth, torquay and exeter academies. Obviuosly if they were in the kernow youth league there would be no point in an academy being set up anyway. some food for thought.

[Martin McHugh]

I think that it is a great opportunity and would say yes to the question. Any club within the pyramid system should encourage this where possible, the bigger the club the bigger the spectrum should be.

MQx

[YoungPercy]

What would you define an academy as?? A club that has a few youth teams, one that has a number of teams and encourages the young players to play in the right way, or A fully functional football club, that educates the young players not just in football but in everyday life of being a footballer??

I cant imagine that Truro would have the budget to develop their own academy, or have the potential income to be able to sustain one.

We have seen them struggle financially recently, so I don't think that it would be a viable option to develop an academy.

However I do believe more needs to be done to help and offer the young players that are coming through in Cornwall the chance to progress and improve.

[Jenko14]

Short and sweet, but I dont think it would be worthwhile for any non-professional football club to set up an academy.

Pro clubs, like Argyle, will pick up anything from Cornwall that they think has a sniff of 'making it' as such.

[TheolderIgetthebetterIwas]

To have an academy, you need a facility. At present, Truro look like they will have to move, so, there's their first problem.

Secondly, money ... these type of facilities are expensive to run, however - not a bad idea. Bit of a dampener, but, that's my initial thoughts.

I don't think a lot of other clubs will sit well with a Truro academy, pinching all the good young un's.

[pointers]

On another note I hope you get someone else to go over your homework before you hand it in.....Jesus!!!!

[MOUNTAINEER]

Fraser, when you talk of Academies there is a need to define what formation that should take, most people think that when having an academy it is all about football. IT IS NOT, grants are available via the football Association usually around £30,000 per club, they are closely monitored and provided to assist the academy requirement of providing EDUCATION for the youngsters, there is not a club in Cornwall with the facilities needed for an academy to be successful, as for Truro City an academy would stretch the clubs resources too far, in saying that I doubt if any club has the resources available.

There are outlets for budding stars of the future in the guise of Torquay United, Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle, these clubs already scour the County for potential talent, as established football League clubs they will always be a thorn in the sides of many cornish clubs who having nurtured youngsters through their youth schemes have them snapped up by the big boys who find they have potential geniuses on their hands without any expenditure cultivating their talent through the early years.

What we end up with is the next level of talent that although showing potential may not be quite good enough to risk spending enormous amounts of money on. Many clubs or individual groups run various age range teams there to improve and provide the facilities to play and be coached football but they are not academies, as mentioned earlier academies have to provide education because when it comes to the nitty gritty they still remain part of the governments education system.

Good luck with your project but I think you may find this to be limited in content to help towards an educational degree or whatever qualification you may hope to achieve, I say this with the best intentions whereas if it were combined with the requirements needed to form an academy the project may be expansive enough to be of interest to any examination board.

I repeat - Good Luck.

Ivor.

[The Professor]

I currently teach on various Sports Development/Coaching degree programmes. I also lead a programme in Football Coaching & Development at degree-level. This together with my background as an FA Coach Educator and former FA employee means that I know a bit about this topic!

Please PM me and I'll be happy to give you some pointers. If you are local, I'd be prepared to meet up for a chat.