Arsenal scout 4yr old...

[GodIsADeeJay81]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-58988254

This is a bit too young to be scouted and recruited for a "pre-academy" by a professional club, in my opinion.

[Burnley1989]

It’s total ********, I think 8/9 is about the right age to start academy type football.

[claretonthecoast1882]

It's vile at that age

[TheFamilyCat]

My kid's school (he's year 1) were sending them home with flyers for a "football fun day" run by Manchester City coaches. Struck me that it was probably a thinly disguised mass-scouting exercise.

[Vino blanco]

Apparently if another youngster comes near him he dives to the floor, screaming and crying. A natural for Arsenal.

[elwaclaret]

They are going to grow up fully rounded individuals aren’t they. It’s child abuse. Parents used to send small kids up chimneys, now they sign them up for football clubs to spit out with broken dreams often before they are old enough to deal with failure.

[gawthorpe_view]

They'll be scouting pregnancy scans next.

[Quickenthetempo]

City have been doing it for a while.

I was told they have play areas at the side of the pitch, for kids to just wander off to if they get bored.

[Lowbankclaret]

Whilst I agree it’s too young.
There was a kid, a brother of a lad around nine who was coming to training when I helped at Burnley COE. He was 5 and holding his own having kick a bouts with his brother and the other kids. You could see he was way above his age and had something about him.

So I get you can see something in a kid that age, but he should be left to play with his mates for a few years.

[alf_resco]

My grandson was scouted by a Premier League club 12 months ago aged 4. Covid halted training sessions but when restrictions were lifted he went back to training with them on a Sunday and spent 2 full weeks with them in this year's school summer holiday. He's not 6 until the end of November. His Dad has also had enquiries about him from another PL club, one in the Championship and one semi-pro outfit. So yes it does happen.

[DCWat]

The next Maradona - in more than one respect!!

[GodIsADeeJay81]

My grandson was scouted by a Premier League club 12 months ago aged 4. Covid halted training sessions but when restrictions were lifted he went back to training with them on a Sunday and spent 2 full weeks with them in this year's school summer holiday. He's not 6 until the end of November. His Dad has also had enquiries about him from another PL club, one in the Championship and one semi-pro outfit. So yes it does happen.

Are you comfortable with it all?

[Lowbankclaret]

Are you comfortable with it all?

If he becomes the next Messi, all the family will be comfortable.

[IanMcL]

City have been doing it for a while.

I was told they have play areas at the side of the pitch, for kids to just wander off to if they get bored.

Don't they call it 'Dugout'?

[gandhisflipflop]

This sort of thing is why footballers these days are devoid of any individuality like the footballers of yesteryear. It’s because they’re being coached and coached from a young age and essentially football just produces robots. Leave the kids to have a childhood and get valuable experience and let them be individuals.

[Winstonswhite]

If a kid is going to be the next Messi, coaching from a premier league club ages 4-10 won’t make a blind bit of difference. It’s f@cking ridiculous IMO and something should be done about it.

[dandeclaret]

I saw Mason Greenwood playing when he was 4, and Phil Foden when he was 5. They stood out a mile at that age too.

[Sheedyclaret]

No harm in it at all as long as the kids enjoy it whatever the age..

[houseboy]

I think child abuse here. What the fck are clubs doing looking at pre school kids. It’s bloody sick. I have an 8 year old grandson who is a good player but if some sick bar steward from a PL club took an interest I would, if it was up to me, tell them to fck off for 5/6 years.

[houseboy]

This sort of thing is why footballers these days are devoid of any individuality like the footballers of yesteryear. It’s because they’re being coached and coached from a young age and essentially football just produces robots. Leave the kids to have a childhood and get valuable experience and let them be individuals.

Could not agree more.

[HunterST_BFC]

He is 4 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So wrong.

Should not happen before teens and even that raises questions.

[KRBFC]

I think child abuse here. What the fck are clubs doing looking at pre school kids. It’s bloody sick. I have an 8 year old grandson who is a good player but if some sick bar steward from a PL club took an interest I would, if it was up to me, tell them to fck off for 5/6 years.

What's the harm in it though? It can't be too dissimilar to play Sunday league football. It gives that kid the best chance at becoming successful and I'm sure the kid would love to represent a PL club. Certainly something for him to brag about at school.

[Billy Balfour]

As I see it, the problem isn't so much the 4-year-old, who must enjoy playing because you couldn't force a kid at such a young age. The problem lies with the parents and maybe the wider family. No matter how hard they try not to, their expectations and dreams will be forced upon the child, and he's too young for that kind of pressure. And if he doesn't make the grade - you have a young kid living with failure when all he wanted was to enjoy kicking a ball about.

[houseboy]

What's the harm in it though? It can't be too dissimilar to play Sunday league football. It gives that kid the best chance at becoming successful and I'm sure the kid would love to represent a PL club. Certainly something for him to brag about at school.

And it could easily shatter his confidence when rejected, as most are. You can’t explain logically to a 4 year old that he might get dumped. Terrible idea.

[TsarBomba]

I saw Mason Greenwood playing when he was 4, and Phil Foden when he was 5. They stood out a mile at that age too.

Which begs the question what are parents drilling into their kids at ages 4/5 to make them stand out?

My eldest is 4 and when I chuck him out in the garden, I just let him crack on with whatever he wants to do. We have a football and a net, but I wouldn’t make him stand there for an hour taking penalties?

[jollyjack]

Lots of kids who are identified as prodigies run the risk of being set aside as special and neglecting the all round education/socialisation required for a happy, secure life. One severe injury as a teenager/young adult, or rejection by the club and they can be devastated, cast aside having missed the boat into normal adult life and prone to all sorts of social problems. Let kids be kids, and grow into adults under their own terms.

[Silkyskills1]

It's immoral and just downright wrong. Something for him 'to brag about at school' is an incredibly crass statement. We hope that children grow up together not isolated from their peers before they learn to read and write.

[evensteadiereddie]

Yet when we hear of tennis champions having played since being a toddler when they could first pick up a racquet , we chuckle and think how cute that is.

[Lowbankclaret]

Which begs the question what are parents drilling into their kids at ages 4/5 to make them stand out?

My eldest is 4 and when I chuck him out in the garden, I just let him crack on with whatever he wants to do. We have a football and a net, but I wouldn’t make him stand there for an hour taking penalties?

I would say from the experience I had, they havnt done anything to them. Natural talent stands out a mile when you have watched as many kids kick a football that people like Dande has.

[BigChaCha]

When practically no sport is played in schools these days, it's no surprise that the clubs have had to be more proactive and go to them so I have no problem with it as long as there's nothing official signed at that age.

[BigChaCha]

I would say from the experience I had, they havnt done anything to them. Natural talent stands out a mile when you have watched as many kids kick a football that people like Dande has.

I agree... I spend more time with cricket than other sports but it is the same. They either have it or they don't! Of course, training helps but from a very young age, even if they have had no coaching, it is very easy to see which ones have the natural talent.

[KRBFC]

And it could easily shatter his confidence when rejected, as most are. You can’t explain logically to a 4 year old that he might get dumped. Terrible idea.

So you would rather he didn't try due to fear of rejection?

[houseboy]

At 4 years old yes. Absolutely. Too many kids lives have been ruined by being pushed into something by over zealous parents, even those who make it. Not just in football but in other areas as well. Let them be children without making career decisions at that age.

[alf_resco]

Just seen that the unnecessary comment from Sidney1st last night has been removed.
Thank you mod(s) and also the person(s) who complained - it wasn't me.