Arsene Wenger: Academy system doesn't prepare young footballers for normal life

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Arsène Wenger has proposed a debate about the pressures young footballers are under as he is far from convinced that today’s environment for hothousing talent is the best way to prepare tomorrow’s players.

“The modern education in the youth teams today has many questions,” he said. “Do we specialise them too early? Do we give them too much coaching too early and not enough freedom? Do we isolate them too early from other sports? Should they not practise other sports at an early age and transfer their skills to our sport? Do we isolate them too early from normal social life?

“Would it not be better for them to go to a normal school and practise after school rather than at 16 give them every day only football as a professional life, knowing about the success rate?”

“We know that in France 12% make their living in football, in the first, second, third or fourth division. That means 88% are there every day living like a professional football player and not having a future.

“Another question that raises is how we manage the parents as they have a lot of expectations and put a lot of pressure on the boy. They are under pressure very early to be successful and come in with the fear of not being successful every morning.”

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