Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2009 15:38:20 GMT
That’s a good question and I hope somebody better-placed than myself can provide a more suitable response.
Certainly, from travelling around some of Devon’s non-league grounds last season, I saw signs of promise in terms of facilities. Other users of this site would have noticed the large expanse of floodlit pitches at Cullompton and there’s a pretty major development in the pipeline at Tavistock. There also appears to be a fair number of clubs achieving the FA’s Charter Standard and, of the larger clubs in the area, Dawlish and Ivybridge seem to be ahead of the game.
But places such as Tavistock, Cullompton and Ivybridge are essentially commuter settlements where you might find a lot of children playing but relatively few adults. I really don’t know about the progress being made in the more-challenging parts of the larger towns and cities or whether facilities like Brickfields in Plymouth reflect the general standard or are exceptions. And, from travelling around the country and seeing those multi-pitch five-a-side places (Power League and the like), I’m not sure what exists for the recreational adult player other than a good old-fashioned sports centre.
The lack of state-of-the-art five-a-side facilities is something of a double-edged sword because you read stories elsewhere of traditional outdoor leagues shrinking due to players switching to indoor football. I sense in Devon - with the possible exception of Plymouth - the district leagues are surviving relatively well aside from the growing problem of a lack of referees (perhaps Ant can provide a SDL view on this?).
As for coaching – and the style of football being encouraged – Merse makes telling observations about the beneficial effects of an infusion of a variety of cultures in Inner London. Although those benefits may be largely absent in Devon I’d like to think local coaches are having a positive influence at youth level. However, at adult level, I rather think a rugged approach to the game still applies. You see mention of Adam Shearer and his coaching team in the local press – more at www.shearsoccer.co.uk – and I wonder if anyone has any insights into their influence?