"But how do big clubs make sure their young talents fulfil their potential, both on and off the pitch? What are the signs that a teenager's ready to make the step up to first team football, and how do a club's staff help players who are still children face the challenges of a professional career?"
"Huw Jennings has spent more than 25 years working in youth development, as academy director at Southampton and now head of football development at Premier League side Fulham. In that time, he's worked with the likes of Gareth Bale, Luke Shaw, Theo Walcott and Adam Lallana; in his current role, he's also helped oversee the development of one of the Premier League's most exciting prospects, Josh King."
"He explains how clubs develop players from childhood to adulthood, and the personal qualities that top clubs look for when assessing a young player's potential. He also shares his experiences of what happens when players don't make the grade - how can you support a teenager when things don't go to plan? And he also explains why 'wonderkid' isn't a term he's keen on using."
Some of the most exciting footballers are teenagers, including Lamine Yamal, Lennart Karl and Max Dowman, who have already achieved major club and international milestones. Top clubs use structured youth development systems to help players progress from childhood to first-team football, emphasizing technical, physical and personal qualities. Experienced academy leaders with decades of work in youth development draw on past players' pathways to identify potential and manage transitions. Clubs assess readiness for senior football, provide off-field support for young players, and create pathways for those who do not make the top level, avoiding reductive labels such as 'wonderkid'.
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