Wilkommen bei RvK

I witnessed something special this week. Pressure on, players so nervous before

Adidas Chris Conner Authentic Jersey a game they could hardly speak knowing their individual and collective performances would be analysed, studied and scrutinised by the people who

Adidas Flyers Jersey have

Adidas Flyers Authentic Jersey the

Eagles Jersey power

Eagles Authentic Jersey to determine their careers. These 90-odd minutes would be a significant indicator as to which way the team were heading and whether they had the ability to play at the highest level.You might think I’m describing the atmosphere before one of the key World Cup qualifiers being played this week but I’m not. I’m talking about the numerous games being played up and down the country in front of small crowds – usually to a maximum of 2,000 fans.Some supporters of lower-league clubs complain the introduction of under-21 Category One academy sides to the Checkatrade Trophy has devalued the competition but my personal experience is very different. I was a lucky participant at the age of 17 in the final of this tournament having played and scored for Bristol City many moons ago and this week as an aspiring coach I travelled to a Checkatrade Trophy game with a young Brighton Under-21 side who were drawn away to Oxford, a team full of professional experience.

Five minutes before the kick-off I was in the dressing room, putting a reassuring arm around

http://www.authenticphiladelphiaflyers.com/authentic-claude-giroux-jersey the shoulder of 17- and 18-year-old players who were being thrown in at the deep end against seasoned professionals. Their greatest fear

was that maybe they weren’t ready for the physical test or that with their naive ambition and potential they’d be “found out” as players, take a sound beating and be told they were nowhere near ready or good enough to cut the mustard in the professional ranks. I know that feeling; I’ve been there, just like them.My nerves as the game developed were unfounded as I saw young boys turn into men who not only relished the physical challenge but also expressed themselves technically to a level that resulted in an outstanding performance, a draw then victory in a penalty shootout. In the dressing room after you could feel the pride and belief emanate from every player and a game that to many was peripheral had become a stepping stone to a career in the professional game. It can’t be overstated how important winning a match in a real competition – physical battles, taking charge of the ball – is to a young player’s self-belief.

In one game they

Chris Long Youth Jersey probably learned more about the career they crave than any number of coaching sessions or tactical briefings over the previous three years – you might not believe it but experience of the job is just as essential in football as it is for an apprentice in any walk of life. It’s fascinating to see the makeup of this England squad where the likes of Dele Alli, Jermain Defoe, Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane, Harry Maguire, Michael Keane, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Jamie Vardy all had first-team experience outside the Premier League from a very young age.Playing down the divisions is very much football’s school of hard knocks and minutes before I made my debut in League Two for Torquay United, a senior pro pulled me to one side, looked me dead in the eye and warned me that if we didn’t win the game there would be no bonus and he wouldn’t be able to pay his mortgage. I could tell from the vice-like grip he had on my shirt that if I failed to perform he would be paying me a visit afterwards and there would be less chat and more violence.There is no comparison to experience like that against the nice, pressure-free

http://www.nfleaglesofficial.com/WOMENS_YOUTH_DARREN_SPROLES_JERSEY.html football played against fellow academies and players the same age. It doesn’t prepare young players in any way for the rigours of winning three points on a Saturday and, given how difficult it is to break into a Premier League team, the involvement of under-21 teams from the top tier in the Checkatrade Trophy is beneficial across the divisions.