Wednesday, April 02, 2008
The Arsenal Way
The Laos Under 23 squad will soon be undergoing training with Vietnamese side Hoang Anh Gia Lai as part of their preparations for the SEA Games which they will host in 2009.
What's this got to do with the price of cheese? Well, Hoang Anh Gia Lai are an Arsenal 'feeder' club if you like. The Gunners provide technical knowledge to the Vietnamese who in turn are setting up a training academy aimed at developing the best of local young talent.
The Vietnamese of course will be hoping they can identify promising young players who they they groom through their academy.
Contrast if you will Arsenal's softy, softly approach to grassroots development with Chelsea and Manchester United's 'look at us, aren't we massive' approach.
Next week on ESPN I will have an exclusive interview with Arsenal Soccer Schools Business Development Manager Paul Shipwright and we will be looking in detail at Arsenal's approach to football in this region. Notice I use the word football, not just fans!
What's this got to do with the price of cheese? Well, Hoang Anh Gia Lai are an Arsenal 'feeder' club if you like. The Gunners provide technical knowledge to the Vietnamese who in turn are setting up a training academy aimed at developing the best of local young talent.
The Vietnamese of course will be hoping they can identify promising young players who they they groom through their academy.
Contrast if you will Arsenal's softy, softly approach to grassroots development with Chelsea and Manchester United's 'look at us, aren't we massive' approach.
Next week on ESPN I will have an exclusive interview with Arsenal Soccer Schools Business Development Manager Paul Shipwright and we will be looking in detail at Arsenal's approach to football in this region. Notice I use the word football, not just fans!
# posted by Me @ 10:50 PM 
