Post by QPR Report on Jun 2, 2010 8:40:46 GMT
Back to August 2003 on the Official Site
YOUTH STRUCTURE CHANGES
Queens Park Rangers Chief Executive David Davies has today confirmed that the Club's Youth set-up is to be radically overhauled.
He admitted that financial constraints have forced the board to take very tough decisions which will see the removal of four age groups from the Centre of Excellence set-up - the Under 9s, Under 11s, Under 13s and under 19s.
Remaining are the Under 10s, 12s, 14s, 15s and 17s in their current form. The players who would normally play for the under 19s will now be available for reserve team fixtures.
Davies spoke to qpr.co.uk this morning and explained why this decision had been taken.
"The brutal truth is that the Centre of Excellence structure at Loftus Road is not currently producing the players to justify its cost and given the uncertainty surrounding our funding from Sport England, who still owe us £40,000, and the proposed investment in the Club, we have been faced with the reality of a terribly difficult decision.
"We will save over £100,000 per year by reducing the youth set-up and although I cannot overestimate our sadness at the personal cost to young players and their families, the safeguarding of this Club's future is our primary concern.
"The fact remains that this summer we were able to bring in three excellent players at no financial cost to the club beyond their wages and their impact on the squad is there for all to see.
"Nevertheless, it is important to stress that we have avoided the necessity to disband the set-up altogether and that myself, Ian Holloway and Gary Waddock all genuinely believe that the Club can still look forward to producing outstanding home-grown players in years to come.
"A core group of young players remain who will face a tough challenge this season, but I have no doubt that everyone will rise to this challenge and justify a tough but necessary course of action."
Davies also reacted to criticism from families of the boys who are being released for the way in which they were told.
At a meeting at Brunel University yesterday Davies broke the news - and felt there was no other way of making what was always going to be an upsetting announcement.
"The method of communicating this news was a huge dilemma. Naturally it would have been better to have been able to make this announcement a lot earlier, but the funding issues that brought this matter to a head, only arose in mid-summer.
"But it was always going to be better to tell everyone together in person. To visit every family would have been enormously time-consuming and would have almost certainly meant that many families would have found out second hand from those who had been told first - and we could not allow that to happen. To have told everyone by letter would have been impersonal and disrespectful.
"There was a lot of anger, frustration and tears and I would like to apologise on behalf of the club to all the families concerned for having to take this decision - but there was no better way to let people know and there was never going to be a good time or a good way to do this."
Rangers manager Ian Holloway admitted that the situation was "dreadful", but that under the circumstances, he is certain the Club has no choice.
"This decision has come at terrible personal cost and I am praying that the lads we have had to let go will be able to find new clubs. We are only one out of 92 and I wish them all the very best of luck.
"These are tough times, but I am grateful we have not had to abandon the youth set up altogether. You need a good youth structure and a good scouting network and hopefully we will retain both. Home grown players are vital and we are desperate to ensure that we produce excellent young players in the future through a new streamlined Centre of Excellence.
"It will be run differently and although this is a sad day for so many youngsters, it is vital that we preserve this Club. There has to be a QPR and no individuals are more important than the Club. It is a harsh reality, but I know that this has to be the right decision, because the current system is in desperate need of an overhaul.
"The transfer market has changed enormously and whilst in the past we were able to develop players and sell them on for large sums, those figures just don't add up any more and we have to take a more realistic line.
"As I said, this is a decision we would all have rather avoided, but the Board and Management team have to do whatever is best for the Club."
Centre of Excellence Director Gary Waddock also admitted that he was upset and disappointed that the Club were forced to make this decision, but was at pains to stress that he offers his complete backing to the board and fully appreciates the thinking behind this course of action.
"This is a sad day for everyone. Players who just turn up and play and have nothing to do with the financial problems associated with football clubs are being terribly affected. But we have been left with little alternative and I believe that other clubs will soon be forced to follow suit.
"We have produced players in the past and we will continue to produce players - but we will all just have to work twice as hard to ensure that young players come through and it is a challenge that I am prepared to take on.
"Sadly we are paying the price at Loftus Road for problems in the past and again it is not the fault of the boys or the families who we are having to let go. I came up through the youth system at QPR myself and I know how hard it is and the distress that being released can cause.
"But I am 100% behind David Davies and Ian Holloway and I have to stress that they are doing everything they can to look after the future of this Club. It's a sad day, but we have chosen a tough course of action that I hope will ensure this Club has a prosperous future."
The Club would like to give YOU the opportunity to put your questions to David Davies. Therefore QPR World will be hosting a live Q&A session with Mr Davies on Thursday afternoon at 2pm.
If you have a question you would like to be answered, email it to Billy Rice billyr@qpr.co.uk putting the words 'Q&A' in the subject line.
YOUTH STRUCTURE CHANGES
Queens Park Rangers Chief Executive David Davies has today confirmed that the Club's Youth set-up is to be radically overhauled.
He admitted that financial constraints have forced the board to take very tough decisions which will see the removal of four age groups from the Centre of Excellence set-up - the Under 9s, Under 11s, Under 13s and under 19s.
Remaining are the Under 10s, 12s, 14s, 15s and 17s in their current form. The players who would normally play for the under 19s will now be available for reserve team fixtures.
Davies spoke to qpr.co.uk this morning and explained why this decision had been taken.
"The brutal truth is that the Centre of Excellence structure at Loftus Road is not currently producing the players to justify its cost and given the uncertainty surrounding our funding from Sport England, who still owe us £40,000, and the proposed investment in the Club, we have been faced with the reality of a terribly difficult decision.
"We will save over £100,000 per year by reducing the youth set-up and although I cannot overestimate our sadness at the personal cost to young players and their families, the safeguarding of this Club's future is our primary concern.
"The fact remains that this summer we were able to bring in three excellent players at no financial cost to the club beyond their wages and their impact on the squad is there for all to see.
"Nevertheless, it is important to stress that we have avoided the necessity to disband the set-up altogether and that myself, Ian Holloway and Gary Waddock all genuinely believe that the Club can still look forward to producing outstanding home-grown players in years to come.
"A core group of young players remain who will face a tough challenge this season, but I have no doubt that everyone will rise to this challenge and justify a tough but necessary course of action."
Davies also reacted to criticism from families of the boys who are being released for the way in which they were told.
At a meeting at Brunel University yesterday Davies broke the news - and felt there was no other way of making what was always going to be an upsetting announcement.
"The method of communicating this news was a huge dilemma. Naturally it would have been better to have been able to make this announcement a lot earlier, but the funding issues that brought this matter to a head, only arose in mid-summer.
"But it was always going to be better to tell everyone together in person. To visit every family would have been enormously time-consuming and would have almost certainly meant that many families would have found out second hand from those who had been told first - and we could not allow that to happen. To have told everyone by letter would have been impersonal and disrespectful.
"There was a lot of anger, frustration and tears and I would like to apologise on behalf of the club to all the families concerned for having to take this decision - but there was no better way to let people know and there was never going to be a good time or a good way to do this."
Rangers manager Ian Holloway admitted that the situation was "dreadful", but that under the circumstances, he is certain the Club has no choice.
"This decision has come at terrible personal cost and I am praying that the lads we have had to let go will be able to find new clubs. We are only one out of 92 and I wish them all the very best of luck.
"These are tough times, but I am grateful we have not had to abandon the youth set up altogether. You need a good youth structure and a good scouting network and hopefully we will retain both. Home grown players are vital and we are desperate to ensure that we produce excellent young players in the future through a new streamlined Centre of Excellence.
"It will be run differently and although this is a sad day for so many youngsters, it is vital that we preserve this Club. There has to be a QPR and no individuals are more important than the Club. It is a harsh reality, but I know that this has to be the right decision, because the current system is in desperate need of an overhaul.
"The transfer market has changed enormously and whilst in the past we were able to develop players and sell them on for large sums, those figures just don't add up any more and we have to take a more realistic line.
"As I said, this is a decision we would all have rather avoided, but the Board and Management team have to do whatever is best for the Club."
Centre of Excellence Director Gary Waddock also admitted that he was upset and disappointed that the Club were forced to make this decision, but was at pains to stress that he offers his complete backing to the board and fully appreciates the thinking behind this course of action.
"This is a sad day for everyone. Players who just turn up and play and have nothing to do with the financial problems associated with football clubs are being terribly affected. But we have been left with little alternative and I believe that other clubs will soon be forced to follow suit.
"We have produced players in the past and we will continue to produce players - but we will all just have to work twice as hard to ensure that young players come through and it is a challenge that I am prepared to take on.
"Sadly we are paying the price at Loftus Road for problems in the past and again it is not the fault of the boys or the families who we are having to let go. I came up through the youth system at QPR myself and I know how hard it is and the distress that being released can cause.
"But I am 100% behind David Davies and Ian Holloway and I have to stress that they are doing everything they can to look after the future of this Club. It's a sad day, but we have chosen a tough course of action that I hope will ensure this Club has a prosperous future."
The Club would like to give YOU the opportunity to put your questions to David Davies. Therefore QPR World will be hosting a live Q&A session with Mr Davies on Thursday afternoon at 2pm.
If you have a question you would like to be answered, email it to Billy Rice billyr@qpr.co.uk putting the words 'Q&A' in the subject line.