The Academy (1 Viewer)

Can confirm that training has been on at the Higgs since admin as my son is there. However training was cancelled last night don't know why? and I don't know about tomorrow.

Hmm, this should be getting a lot more attention that it is...we're meant to be growing Franchise Players, after all.

You need to keep us informed Covey.

Nonleagueherewecome said:

Hmm, this should be getting a lot more attention that it is...we're meant to be growing Franchise Players, after all.

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Thought that was one of the main reasons they gave pressley the job.He wants to bring the kids through.We might not have any soon.

if there's any truth in the Conor Thomas thread then this allied to that does not bode well,
as a mere fan i really think we should get on board with the SBTrust,
all can have a voice with COVENTRY CITY in our hearts & minds

The Academy is definitely not at the Higgs - Have they been locked out or has the Administrator closed the Academy? Bleak future for the Club

'We need to trust in our Academy'
Fri 05 Apr 2013


Author: Kieran Crowley

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City boss Steven Pressley wants more trust to be shown in Academy players...
Coventry City manager Steven Pressley wants more trust to be shown in Academy products as he side prepare to face Brentford.


With Jordan Stewart suspended and Blair Adams out injured, Academy left-back Ryan Haynes could feature at the Ricoh Arena against the Bees.


Academy products Cyrus Christie, Callum Wilson and Jordan Clarke have all played under Pressley but he wants more trust to be shown in youngsters.


Pressley said: “We have a situation this weekend where Jordan Stewart is suspended but the loss of him may give young Ryan Haynes a chance.


“That’s why we have a youth Academy and develop our own players. We should never be frightened to play them because if we think they’re ready, you must trust them.


“We’ve won our last three Under-21’s games and there is a real hunger about the youngsters coming through the system.


“We beat a very good Wigan side but not just that, the performance was outstanding. I could see parts of the philosophy coming through in their play and I am really excited by what we have coming through.


“All the top clubs develop their own talent and have Academy players coming through into the first team. To become a top club, we need to show trust in our Academy.”


Brentford are currently 3rd in the League One table, still in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot.


Pressley is expecting a tough test and will use the remaining four games to analyse what players can bring the club forward.


He added: “There are plenty of difficult games at the moment and we need to make sure we keep up our performance levels until the end of the season.


“Brentford have a lot of strengths but our home form has improved recently and the players should have plenty of confidence.


“We have to impose ourselves on the game and make sure we improve in the final third. Our passing and pressing game has improved but we are far from the finished article.


“There is a lot of improvement to go with the side. With the players, there are a few players out of contract at the end of the season so everyone will want to perform.


“Over the next four games, I am going to analyse what players at this football club are the players to take the club forward whilst expecting to get results.”

Sky Blue Trust is trying to find out the facts of this serious development - we don't want to jump the gun and start pointing fingers until we have established exactly what has happened. The Academy is the future of this club, especially with the FFP rules being even stricter next season and Waggott already saying we will be losing first team players at end of season.

Also we have been told that if for any reason we lose our Academy status it will be very difficult to get back as football authorities are trying to cut back on number of individual club academies and instead want to create satellite academies for the Prem clubs - the thought that our academy could become a feeder for Aston Villa is horrific.

I wonder how long the Academy can continue without a home, when do the FL step in? Can the SBT help?

It's a worrying development. If I recall correctly didn't SISU also stop paying the rent on the academy for a period last year?

I suspect that this would be down to the Administrator - if so this is starting to make a mockery of his promise to be open to the fans, in my opinion.

Having said all that, this is hearsay rather than fact at the moment. Even if true I would hope that there would be scope for a temporary agreement to be thrashed out down the line, a bit like the current arrangement for the remaining games at the Ricoh.

The Trust has helped to rescue the Academy before when it was going to be closed for short sighted financial reasons and that is why we are trying to establish the facts here. It appears that it is a victim of SISU putting CCFC Ltd into admin and the academy being allied to where the illusive golden share is located, rather than a cost cutting measure from the club/holdings. Whatever the reason its hard to imagine anywhere locally can offer all the facilities needed for a proper academy but maybe the football authorities would give a short term dispensation whilst this whole sorry mess is sorted out as we are near the end of the season.

Trust recognizes the vital role of the academy for the future of the club and as soon as we have established the facts we will make them public.

Would think that they just more to ryton where Pressley could keep a close eye on them.

ashbyjan said:

The Trust has helped to rescue the Academy before when it was going to be closed for short sighted financial reasons and that is why we are trying to establish the facts here. It appears that it is a victim of SISU putting CCFC Ltd into admin and the academy being allied to where the illusive golden share is located, rather than a cost cutting measure from the club/holdings. Whatever the reason its hard to imagine anywhere locally can offer all the facilities needed for a proper academy but maybe the football authorities would give a short term dispensation whilst this whole sorry mess is sorted out as we are near the end of the season.

Trust recognizes the vital role of the academy for the future of the club and as soon as we have established the facts we will make them public.

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Thanks Jan, can you keep the forum updated on any progress?

I can confirm that at the moment the Academy is not operating from the Higgs Centre. The Trustees of the Centre have been in communication with both the Administrator and "Holdings" and since writing on Wednesday have heard nothing.

To head off any confusion before it starts: the Alan Higgs Centre Trust and the Higgs Charity are two totally separate registered charities with no trustees in common.

Certainly explains Pressley's pleas to trust the academy.

Very worrying. Hopefully it gets sorted out soon.

I guess that this means that the agreement to rent the Higgs center is with CCFC ltd? As a result im guessing, as with the stadium they have moved everything to Ryton??? If i remember rightly Ray Ransons vision was the academy and first team to be based in one place, that place mind wasn't Ryton.....

*Awaits the obligatory "scaremongering" comments from the usual suspects* ;-)

If as Fisher contends the operational arm of the club is CCFC (Holdings) Ltd then they are in a position to resolve the issue as an acedemy is surely an operation of the club.

Not holding my breath however.

FFS they really are a shambles

oldskyblue58 said:

Academy is attached to the share though Jack

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I was being sarcastic about TF's posturing.

I think the FL & Courts will have to rule first, then no doubt further legal challenge(s) will be launched. This mess is likely to rumble on for some time unless the court comes down heavily against SISU's position.

What is Ryton used for then?

christmas partys an a warehouse for stock

lordsummerisle said:

What is Ryton used for then?

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First team training what else do you expect?

skybluegod said:

First team training what else do you expect?

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Why can't the Academy train there as well?

No wonder in such a state if have a perfectly good facility at Ryton they can use and we're paying for somewhere else as well.

True. However, there's no news to the contrary. OSB "heard" they hadn't been training and then someone says they have as their son trains there.

Probably best not to get too excited until we actually know the truth.

Nonleagueherewecome said:

Hmm, this should be getting a lot more attention that it is...we're meant to be growing Franchise Players, after all.

Click to expand...

torchomatic said:

True. However, there's no news to the contrary. OSB "heard" they hadn't been training and then someone says they have as their son trains there.

Probably best not to get too excited until we actually know the truth.

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BUT the poster who said his son trains there did state that the last session was cancelled & PWKH confirmed that they are not training at the Higgs.....

...So on balance, I'd say it looks like another fine mess......

I have a lad at the academy, the last two nights training have been cancelled whilst paperwork between the Higgs and administrator are sorted. The under 18s have been training as normal and all academy games both Saturday and Sunday are on as normal. At most there is a slight inconvenience to younger age groups at the academy as the paperwork is sorted. Expect to be running 100 % again next week.

Jack Griffin said:

If as Fisher contends the operational arm of the club is CCFC (Holdings) Ltd then they are in a position to resolve the issue as an acedemy is surely an operation of the club.

Not holding my breath however.

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Well... apparently they are talking
http://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/article/statement-on-alan-higgs-centre-talks-754494.aspx

As far as validity is concerned, who knows?

Trust has been in contact with administrator and have been told that the original agreement to use the Higgs Centre was between Higgs and Ltd but as this agreement is not an asset he is not involving himself with it. Therefore the club/holdings is going to try and come to a new arrangement with the Higgs Centre for the academy to continue there. All sides acknowledged the value of the academy and hoped for a swift resolution to the situation.

Can't see why they can't just train at Ryton. We'd save ourself some money that way.

ashbyjan said:

Trust has been in contact with administrator and have been told that the original agreement to use the Higgs Centre was between Higgs and Ltd but as this agreement is not an asset he is not involving himself with it. Therefore the club/holdings is going to try and come to a new arrangement with the Higgs Centre for the academy to continue there. All sides acknowledged the value of the academy and hoped for a swift resolution to the situation.

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I assume if the club cannot come to an agreement the trust will help out. Although not a trust member (no real way for me to be properly involved as live out of coventry) I would be more than willing to donate some money towards keeping this running in the short term.

The requirements of a Grade 2 Academy that gets us a £500k grant from the FL is demanding - with indoor pitches, classrooms, etc etc and Ryton simply doesn't have these facilities. The Higgs Centre was purpose built to satisfy these requirements and I doubt if there is anywhere else in the area that does. I would assume that short term, a few weeks we could get away with it but not long term unless investment was made at Ryton.