Nurturing pre-set youth team

Ladies/Gents,

I am wondering what methods you all use for nurturing starlets already at your club.

I have had numerous occasions in which there have been decent/good player aged 16-19 etc but I have neevr had much fruition in having them rise through the ranks.

Do you

a) keep them in the youth team

b) promote them to reserves

or c) give them their own training schedule and tell them which traits to pick up (i have found I 'offend' players or upset them when I ask them to play certain ways

At the age of 16 i'd let them play in the youth team until they get 18 or so. Then you let them play in the reserve and on special occasions (such as cup games against weak teams) in the first squad. If you get the opportunity that a team one or two tiers below you are searching for your youngster to strengthen their team, you should loan him out, if they have good training facilities and a team that lacks good players in your player's position.

When he's 19 or 20 and he's playing well, give him a shot in your first 11s.

Get them on full-time contracts as soon as possible (pre-contracts so you dont forget) then move them up to reserves. I play my best youths in U18 and reserve games to give them more match experience, and the odd first team subs run-out.

Upgrade training facilities as much as you can.

Make special training schedules - more physical emphasis since this will not develop much after c. age 23.

Tutoring to increase hidden mental atts + determination. Det, Workload, Professionalism and Ambition are key to getting the most out of training, and can be increased with succesful tutoring.