Grassroots Football

[The Berlin Wall]

Again, you don't know what I am or am not forgoing?

The point wasn't about kids enjoyment in community football, the comment was about how much "talent" is falling by the wayside because of the cost of higher development. The counter point is that even back in Timmy cahills day and earlier his mother worked 2 jobs and his brother quit school to work to pay for his football.

The insulation that it has EVER been easy or cheap to get to that level in this country is the fallacy, like things have somehow changed?

Mat Ryans mum - "When I played junior football and went to Westfields High she did things like negotiate the fees were paid off in instalments because, as a clerk for a transport company, it was impossible to pay them in one lump sum."

Craig Johnsons parents sold their house to send him overseas.

When you are talking poverty at the levels of not putting food on the table, the issues are MUCH bigger then playing football. Clothing, Health, Education, Housing affordability, public transport all need to be addressed. You'd could make football free and those kids would still miss out because their parents don't have a car, or can't afford fuel, or can't afford to buy boots to play. It becomes a significantly more complex issue for society then the cost of football fees.

I would argue for those in poverty just about any organised sport even just in the community is inaccessible for them and its just as crap as the public transport system, housing affordability and petrol prices. we live in a country with an extremely high cost of living.

Seeing Google has educated you about Mat Ryan’s mum’s payment plan let me give you some real world news. Get down to the parks in Jesmond and watch some of the African community boys down there and tell me they couldn’t just walk into any NPL youth team in the area. they would run rings around half the players in the comp on talent alone. But why don’t they play NPL youth? Google that and let us know the answer

[KITZ]

Seeing Google has educated you about Mat Ryan’s mum’s payment plan let me give you some real world news. Get down to the parks in Jesmond and watch some of the African community boys down there and tell me they couldn’t just walk into any NPL youth team in the area. they would run rings around half the players in the comp on talent alone. But why don’t they play NPL youth? Google that and let us know the answer

have you asked them? why do you assume kids want more or less from football? maybe they don't even know about NPL, or their parents want them to focus on their education. Not all talented players want or have the support of their parents to go further with any sport.

for example, I'm sure theres heaps of girls who are talented football players who aren't allowed to play for cultural reasons. I try not to assume because someone is doing or not doing something ie 'playing at Jesmond and not playing NPL' is because they are too poor to play NPL or don't have other life plans.

frankly it's a little racist and offensive to make assumptions about people at all without actually asking them, I would never assume someone isn't living the life they want or choose to without involving them in the discussion.

[The Berlin Wall]

have you asked them? why do you assume kids want more or less from football? maybe they don't even know about NPL, or their parents want them to focus on their education. Not all talented players want or have the support of their parents to go further with any sport.

for example, I'm sure theres heaps of girls who are talented football players who aren't allowed to play for cultural reasons. I try not to assume because someone is doing or not doing something ie 'playing at Jesmond and not playing NPL' is because they are too poor to play NPL or don't have other life plans.

frankly it's a little racist and offensive to make assumptions about people at all without actually asking them, I would never assume someone isn't living the life they want or choose to without involving them in the discussion.

If you think saying that kids in the African community are better than half the kids running around NPL is racist then you are more woke and over-privileged than you appear. Which is frankly amazing. To steep to the lowest of the low because your only lens is via a middle-class rose tinted bubble is pathetic.

Like my new best mate Jess Pinkman I have spent plenty of time around the clubs playing in those suburbs that you refuse to drive to and it is super clear that those kids have the same dreams your kids do. I won't repeat Jesse's reasons why thousands of dollars for soccer isn't achievable, other than to say he's right. But go ahead and tell us again that you taking time away Married at First Sight is the REAL sacrifice here.

Just stick to moaning with your friends about how hard it is to get your $50K SUV to all the grounds your kids need to and stay away from social comment because you clearly do not have a clue.