Barcelona Escola Friendly last night

[Anonymous]

I think the FCB boys looked lost, maybe it's the fact that they don't play in matches too often, but our boys didn't seem to play as a team. A few had good footskills, but not many of them displayed the soccer IQ one would expect. For those that were there, what are your thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I'm not a FCB parent, but we tried out and opted to stay with our current club. I'm a bit shocked that the soccer IQ part wouldn't have been good since most parents i know that are in the program love the focus on true possession with purpose philosophy. They have a few teams at the U12 playing at the Shootout in a few weeks. Will be interested in how they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the FCB boys looked lost, maybe it's the fact that they don't play in matches too often, but our boys didn't seem to play as a team. A few had good footskills, but not many of them displayed the soccer IQ one would expect. For those that were there, what are your thoughts?

Can you clarify so that i can follow. When you say fcb, they and our... they refers to fcb and our refers to your (not fcb). so both looked marginal as teams?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the FCB boys looked lost, maybe it's the fact that they don't play in matches too often, but our boys didn't seem to play as a team. A few had good footskills, but not many of them displayed the soccer IQ one would expect. For those that were there, what are your thoughts?

I've seen them working out at Evergreen alot, but am not familiar with the age groups that they have. What age group friendly did you watch last night?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the FCB boys looked lost, maybe it's the fact that they don't play in matches too often, but our boys didn't seem to play as a team. A few had good footskills, but not many of them displayed the soccer IQ one would expect. For those that were there, what are your thoughts?

I've seen them working out at Evergreen alot, but am not familiar with the age groups that they have. What age group friendly did you watch last night?

FYI, each age group has many players per age group—80 in some. This just started two months ago with players that had never met before. There are many different levels at the escola. Kids are moved constantly. There are no set teams and winning is not the goal, not external competitions. They are working on specific set things.

It’s a very hard concept for travel people to understand/grasp—even the travel coaches. I mean, seriously? Even Pep laughed when people gave him crap about Man City after 2 months and look where they are now..nobody can catch them. Development isn’t an overnight thing.

[Anonymous]

They also play many kids up in age which is smart developmentally. Some of the kids are 1-2 years younger than the teams they are scrimmaging. So there’s that.

[Anonymous]

It's still the en vogue thing -- do nothing but footskills, then toss the kids into games and don't worry about the fact that they don't understand it at all.

I'm told it pays off in the long run. I think it's just because everyone else quits playing soccer, so the kids who were in Division 7 move up to Division 2 and the parents consider it "progress." But maybe someone will find the right balance somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's still the en vogue thing -- do nothing but footskills, then toss the kids into games and don't worry about the fact that they don't understand it at all.

I'm told it pays off in the long run. I think it's just because everyone else quits playing soccer, so the kids who were in Division 7 move up to Division 2 and the parents consider it "progress." But maybe someone will find the right balance somewhere.

My friend’s kid is in FCBE, and he said it’s footskills but also teaching them how to read different game situations. So I don’t think it’s footskills and nothing else, and I would expect the kids to get better at “winning” as they develop the game IQ more. You could argue this stifles creativity, or you could argue this helps them develop more of an instinct of what to do in game situations, which makes way for creativity. Will definitely be interesting to see how the young teams pan out once they compete and get older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the FCB boys looked lost, maybe it's the fact that they don't play in matches too often, but our boys didn't seem to play as a team. A few had good footskills, but not many of them displayed the soccer IQ one would expect. For those that were there, what are your thoughts?

What was the age group for the scrimmages?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the FCB boys looked lost, maybe it's the fact that they don't play in matches too often, but our boys didn't seem to play as a team. A few had good footskills, but not many of them displayed the soccer IQ one would expect. For those that were there, what are your thoughts?

What was the age group for the scrimmages?

U13-U14

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's still the en vogue thing -- do nothing but footskills, then toss the kids into games and don't worry about the fact that they don't understand it at all.

I'm told it pays off in the long run. I think it's just because everyone else quits playing soccer, so the kids who were in Division 7 move up to Division 2 and the parents consider it "progress." But maybe someone will find the right balance somewhere.

Exactly, I hear that a lot of players in the 3rd and 4th team end up on the 1st team by the time they're in U15 or higher. My thinking is with DA, other sports, HS, it would make sense for the outstanding athletes that were chosen for their speed in U10 maybe moved basketball/football or some other sport and by the time the age group got to U14 with 11 a side there was only enough players left to field 1 team, two teams in the bigger counties. I don't think that necessarily demonstrates development.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the FCB boys looked lost, maybe it's the fact that they don't play in matches too often, but our boys didn't seem to play as a team. A few had good footskills, but not many of them displayed the soccer IQ one would expect. For those that were there, what are your thoughts?

I've seen them working out at Evergreen alot, but am not familiar with the age groups that they have. What age group friendly did you watch last night?

FYI, each age group has many players per age group—80 in some. This just started two months ago with players that had never met before. There are many different levels at the escola. Kids are moved constantly. There are no set teams and winning is not the goal, not external competitions. They are working on specific set things.

It’s a very hard concept for travel people to understand/grasp—even the travel coaches. I mean, seriously? Even Pep laughed when people gave him crap about Man City after 2 months and look where they are now..nobody can catch them. Development isn’t an overnight thing.

So Pep did inherit a team, but he also has spent a ridiculous amount of money on new players. What Pep mainly has done in organize them in and show them the tactics that plays to the strength of the team. Now for Bayern and Barcelona, he is credited with elevating some of the players on the team to an even higher level of consistent excellent results. Even then, I don't think he can receive credit for "developing" those players, such as Messi, Puyol, Iniesta, Busquets, Ronaldinho, Ibrahimovic, Sanchez, Xavi, and Et'o.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They also play many kids up in age which is smart developmentally. Some of the kids are 1-2 years younger than the teams they are scrimmaging. So there’s that.

It's not for everyone, some kids just shy away from contact from older/bigger players. It's usually the players that love the sport, or already play with older/bigger players like with their siblings, parents, local pickup, that can be placed in an older age group and still shine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the FCB boys looked lost, maybe it's the fact that they don't play in matches too often, but our boys didn't seem to play as a team. A few had good footskills, but not many of them displayed the soccer IQ one would expect. For those that were there, what are your thoughts?

Are you a FCB parent or the parent of the opposing team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They also play many kids up in age which is smart developmentally. Some of the kids are 1-2 years younger than the teams they are scrimmaging. So there’s that.

It's not for everyone, some kids just shy away from contact from older/bigger players. It's usually the players that love the sport, or already play with older/bigger players like with their siblings, parents, local pickup, that can be placed in an older age group and still shine.

Who said that the kids were placed as playing up simply to play up? Of course playing up is not for everyone. The point was kids are placed where they belong developmentally.