By Tony Attwood
Next season we have the Youth Cup and Next Gen for our young players.
Next Gen
In 2012/13 Arsenal will enter Next Gen – the European Trophy for under 19 year olds (plus three over age players).
Arsenal have been drawn against Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Olympiacos in Group Four of next season’s NextGen Series.
This elite European youth tournament competition is based on the Champions League format and is competed between 24 European sides with the final to be played in March 2013.
This is the second season of the competition – and the first time Arsenal have been involved.
The six Groups for the NextGen Series 2012/13 are:
Group One – FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Anderlecht, Vfl Wolfsburg.
Group Two – Manchester City, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Fenerbahce.
Group Three – Chelsea, AFC Ajax, CSKA Moscow, Molde FK.
Group Four – Arsenal, Athletic Bilbao, Olympique de Marseille, Olympiacos.
Group Five – Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Internazionale, Rosenborg BK.
Group Six – Sporting Clube de Portugal, Celtic, Aston Villa, PSV Eindhoven
So, no Real Madrid, no Manchester United, no AC Milan. They will perhaps be along later.
Clubs are limited to a squad size of no more than eighteen members. Each club has the option of having three players who are one year older than the under 19 rule stipulates, although only a maximum of two of them are allowed to be on the pitch at any one time.
Match rules are the same as normal, and after the home and away round of group stages the teams will move forward into a home/away knock out competition.
The FA Youth Cup
This domestic trophy is run for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part. Over 400 clubs normally enter, and Arsenal are the second most successful club in the competition having won it seven times.
The competition starts with a Preliminary round in September, followed by qualifying rounds. The first round proper is in November. Arsenal are exempt until the 3rd round proper which takes place on 15 December.
And who will be charge of all this? Just like we said a few weeks ago : Terry Burton has been appointed as the man to bring this all to the best possible end. It now also has been confirmed on arsenal.com
Since it is now official Untold Arsenal wishes him welcome in his new job and hope he can bring lots of success to the Youth development.
Burton knows a few things about success at that level. He himself won the youth cup playing for Arsenal in 1971 en he was involved as a youth coach in the education of players like Tony Adams, David Rocastle, Michael Thomas, Paul Merson and Martin Keown. More of those please!
It will be nice to see players like Serge Gnabry (huge German talent), Eisfeld, Jon Toral, Hector Bellerin play in these competitions. I also heard that a certain Jack (whats in a name) Jebb looks a big talent but I think it might be a bit early for him to play on that level.
———————————————–
The best of the rest can be found here:
- THE EPL REFEREE REVIEW 212: A regional view of the North East
- How can we avoid such RVP situations?
- Van Persie a poem to say goodbuy
- Van Persie, gone in 60 seconds
- Van Persie won’t renew – a first impression
- DONT CLICK IF YOU CANT LAUGH – Don’t say we didn’t warn you
- THE EPL REFEREE REVIEW 2012: A regional view of the North West
- THE EPL REFEREE REVIEW 2012: Showing some bias
- THE EPL REFEREE REVIEW 2012: Releasing the first numbers
- Arsenal appoint new reserve boss
- A Van Persie-Giroud Partnership?
- Are Rangers about to follow the Royal Arsenal approach to football
- George Graham – Arsenal’s second most successful manager
- Giroud is in – but who could it push out?
- Stewart Houston – managed Arsenal twice
- Giroud will score 14 next season
- Football has changed into a killer instinct game
It’s gonna be a lot of fun; the next gen tournament. Is it televised Tony? In a way I’d love to watch it; in a way I don’t coz the all knowing AAA would then target the kids as well.
Arvind, I still am gutted by the decision of whoever made it that Anderlecht and Arsenal were taken away from each other. If Anderlecht would have stayed in the same group as Arsenal as was said first I would have had the chance to drive some 40 minutes and see for them myself. I can tell you that I have said some not really nice swear words when I found out about the change.
So yes lets hope it will be shown somewhere. I know the semi finals and final was shown on some channel but the group games I really doubt it.
Come on Arsenal.com what are you waiting for? Give us value for money for our membership 😉
Will this be televised?
I really hoe they televise some games of the next gen series.
@Tony: I thought that terry burton was incharge of the reserves and has replaced neil banfield. Do you know who the new under 18’s coach is?
The NextGen Series is very good idea. It makes youth player have international game. They can meet another club with another style.
I hope Arsenal youth can take a lot of experience there.
And also they will have more game to play, more competitive game.
@ Tony, thanks for this article. Somewhere along the way I missed the official announcement with all the other stuff happening! The new youth development role is going to have even more teeth than before. I like the fact that Burton has prior with the club as well as external experience.
I too would love to watch the Nextgen games on A.Player as well as the Emirates if possible as I think there would be enough demand to host them there. I was told that due to the European buzz about the competition, UEFA have quickly decided to launch their own competition from next year also. This does put the competition in jeopardy, as potential sponsors are now hedging their bets.
I am looking forward to seeing Martinez along with other the other names already mentioned. I think that this comp alongside the League Cup will be a massive step forward in blooding the Arsenal stars of tomorrow.
Martinez in action along with all the others mentioned. I think this competition alongside the League Cup will help us
Erm, sorry about the last sentence, I am struggling with my phone!