Clubs went so far backwards it's not remotely surprising we're so far down the rankings.

Having said that the whole project brave thing is a complete pile of shite.

Instigated to cull the game’s overblown ‘Pro Youth’ system, which previously had more than 2300 kids from ages 10 to 17 in 29 so-called elite academies, the plan was to create a top tier of ‘best v best’ and for the SFA’s £2.2 million budget to be spent on outcomes rather than grant funding.

Any idea what the 2300 number is reduced to?

SlatefordArab wrote:

I actually see this as a great opportunity for Utd to do their own thing.

Just needs somebody to see the wider picture to run our youth set-up...

 
Fair point. Thinking similar but the limited detail leaves me in the dark bud.

If the fuckers make a cunt of this as I expect they might some clubs could sweep up on the players ditched en mass.

We still have a no bad rep for being a platform for youth, at least maybe the best of the 3rd level talked of here and players like Andrew Robertson were cast offs off the previous set up anyway.

Depends on a lot of factors currently unknown.

Looks really bad on 1st impression.

SlatefordArab wrote:

I actually see this as a great opportunity for Utd to do their own thing.

Just needs somebody to see the wider picture to run our youth set-up...

Problem is though will we be able to attract any players of real quality now?
 

Project Brave will be another nail in the coffin of Scottish football. Like other recent decisions and 'innovations' Project Brave is being put in motion to help two clubs, one of which doesn't run a team in the development league this season, contrary to SPFL rules.

The same two teams would jump at the chance to escape from the Scottish league system, hence Project Brave being the instrument to shoehorn Colt/B teams into the lower leagues (and the present Irn Bru cup being used to set a precedent for such inclusion).

Certainly, United have done themselves no favours by letting their youth set up wither, but the major problem we have isn't really much to do with that, or the employment of the six specialist staff to run an elite academy. 

A major reason Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Hamilton, Partick Thistle and so on, all west coast based, are ahead of successful youth groups such as Ross County is to do with access to indoor facilities. It's convenient, of course, but the stipulation about access to indoor pitches containing specific facilities appears to rule out many clubs. 

The Edinburgh sides have Oriam (Scotland's Sports Performance Centre), while the west clubs can access Toryglen Regional Football Centre, and the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility. I'm unsure about Aberdeen, but they have perhaps promised use of the Aberdeen Sports Village's indoor pitch. 

We are too distant from any such facility to qualify, so from the outset had no chance of being in the top eight. I'm unsure why St Andrews isn't considered, but neither is Stirling University (Falkirk's base) for the purpose of Project Brave. What this may mean is that the best prospects from the Dundee area will be attracted north or south if they want to be considered 'elite'.

If anyone has further information contradicting this, I'd be happy to take that on board.

Last edited by PatReilly (13/11/2017 10:09 am)

Pat,my boy plays in the Glasgow youth leagues and i can tell you the indoor Centre at Toryglen is hardly ever used for these teams.Infact he has only played in it once and even that was a friendly his own club arranged.

His team and all the other Glasgow and Lanarkshire teams just all play on either the grass or astroturf pitches outside the centre.Same pitches you would play on all across the country.

So i am not sure if it has anything to do with Toryglen tbh.If that is being used as a reason then it's a total cop-out.

https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/news/5415/DUNDEE-UNITED-ACHIEVE-PERFORMANCE-PROGRESSIVE-STATUS.html

Tek wrote:

Pat,my boy plays in the Glasgow youth leagues and i can tell you the indoor Centre at Toryglen is hardly ever used for these teams.Infact he has only played in it once and even that was a friendly his own club arranged.

His team and all the other Glasgow and Lanarkshire teams just all play on either the grass or astroturf pitches outside the centre.Same pitches you would play on all across the country.

So i am not sure if it has anything to do with Toryglen tbh.If that is being used as a reason then it's a total cop-out.

Tek, it doesn't matter whether Toryglen has been used in the past or is being presently utilised by the other clubs: it is the proximity to such facilities which is a requirement, and there isn't one on Tayside. This highlights the stupidity of Project Brave, but the simple fact is, no matter how well United, Dundee or St Johnstone (or ICT, Ross County or even Falkirk) have done in youth development in the past, none of these clubs can achieve 'Elite' status.

I'll have a go at the board as much as the next person, but there is not a thing they could have done to allow us into the Elite group, as the requirement for proximity to an indoor facility with a strict specification was added later during the Project Brave process.............. some say to deliberately cut certain clubs out of the funding.

Today, on United's official pages, this question was put to Brian Grant, our academy direrctor: "Did you consider going for Elite level at this first stage?"

His answer: "No not at this moment as to achieve Elite status specific criteria are unattainable due to factors out with our immediate control, an example being indoor facilities of a standard that does not exist in Tayside or the surrounding area."

For the record, the Project Brave working group has/had two SFA representatives, one SPFL, and one each from the following clubs: Aberdeen, Celtic, Hearts, Ross County, Hibernian, Hamilton and Annan with nuRangers having two. Scandalous that the richest clubs once again will be awarded the large sums of money paid in by the smaller clubs.

The SFA's own Forth Valley Academy has been snubbed, and in realistic terms it means clubs such as Stenhousemuir will be paying towards youth development for Parkhead and Ibrox.


 

The new facility at Caird Park will allow Utd to be elite then?
Brian Grant kinda saying  that nothing has changed, whats the f**king point of trying to get elite status then. 

Im gonna hazard a guess here and say the clubs skint and even if they did want it they couldnae afford it.

Malky Mackay, SFA performance director regards United as a 'smaller' club than Killie, Motherwell and Hamilton.

Funnily enough, Dundee are rated 'smaller' by Mackay's reckoning than all of the above sides, plus the likes of ICT, Ayr and Ross County.

We are paying Mackay's wages.

Quote: "The 'Progressive' category was designed to ensure 'smaller' but ambitious clubs with academies could find their natural place in the system, with scope to push on."

Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41997062