I want to quickly pre-face this blog by linking to the first blog post of the season, in which I outline the ideology I want to employ as Aberdeen Manager. Here is discuss the Ajax model of youth development I want to emulate in more detail.

Read here: The Aberdeen Adventure 1.0 – The ideology

Facilities wise the youth set-up is in a good state

As I’m new to the club, I won’t be pressuring the board to improve our facilities straight away. Improving the facilities will happen gradually as we increase the money in the club coffers.

As a result of the current youth set-up, there are several young players I will be looking to integrate into the youth squad in coming years.

When planning ahead for youth development, I first think long-term. Is this player ever going to be good enough to play in the first team? If so, where does he fit into the current set up?

In the short-term, I look to develop players in three ways.

Game time Training Tutoring

Scott McKenna

Aberdeen’s most exciting prospect in real life is undoubtedly young centre-back Scott McKenna. McKenna’s rise has been meteoric, going from getting relegated with Ayr to captaining his country in the space of a year. In football manager he is portrayed as a physically commanding centre-back, if a bit rough around the edges.

Game time: Good enough to feature in the first team, certainly. Will look to play 25-30 first team games.

Training: Mckenna is lacking in some AberDNA stats such as first touch and passing. He will, therefore, be trained as a ball-playing centre-back to train both technical and defensive attributes. Additional focus on first touch through the year. May look to develop his weak foot in coming seasons.

Tutoring: In Mark Reynolds, Mckenna has the perfect tutor. Mark Reynolds boasts years of experience at this level as well as a resolute personality.

Scott Wright

Scott Wright is an exciting but unpredicatble winger who has seen his development in real life stall due to a lack of game time. I am determined not to make the same mistake.

Game time: Good enough for the first team. Will look to play him 15-20 games overall, playing on both the (w)right and the left, while also being allowed to feature for the reserves when suitable.

Training: training in the inside forward schedule. Additional focus will shift between composure and finishing.

Tutoring: Already has a determined personality 🙂 which is lucky as I’d have no-one to tutoring him!

Frank Ross

Frank Ross announced his breakthrough into the first team with a fantastic free-kick against Rangers, before swiftly being loaned out to Morton. For me he will suffer the same fate. I will look to loan him out as I don’t think he’s good enough yet for the first team, but would be wasted in the reserves.

Daniel Harvie

I was gutted to see this man released in real life as I saw him to be the natural successor to the aging Andrew Considine.

Game time: I’ll look to rotate him with the aforementioned Considine, looking to play him 15-20 times.

Training: Full-back on support schedule. Additional focus to rotate between passing, marking, and composure

Tutoring: Tutored by Graeme Shinnie (leader personality) before being trained by Mark Reynolds then Andrew Considine

Craig Storie

Sadly, it seems Craig Storie will not fulfill the promise that lead Sir Alex Ferguson to try to bring him to United. But at 21, Storie’s still a decent player, providing back-up for the first team.

Game time: Backup to Shinnie, McLean, and Tansey, I’ll look to play him about 10 times over the course of the season.

Training: Ball-winning midfielder on support schedule. Additional focus on first touch

Tutoring: At 21, I probably won’t bother.

Archie Mair

16 year old goalkeeper with a lot of potential, but some way off first-team level.

Game time: Will play as first choice goalkeeper for the under 21s.

Training: Sweeper keeper schedule with the additional focus on first touch.

Tutoring: Will be tutored by Joe Lewis for now, but after the expiration of Danny Roger’s contract, I will bring in an older goalkeeper to tutor Archie.

Dean Campbell

The member of the Under 21 squad I’m most excited about. Dean Campbell become the youngest ever player for Aberdeen when he came on against Celtic at the end of last season, and made another appearance against the same opposition as Aberdeen secured a 1-0 victory at Parkhead. Made Scotland under 19’s captain at the age of 16.

Game time: I’ll look to bring him into the first time for about 5-10 easier matches, but will be ever present for the under 21s.

Training: Ball-winning midfielder schedule with additional focus changing between acceleration and passing

Tutoring: Would really like to have him tutored by Graeme Shinnie, but while he’s otherwise engaged he’ll be tutored by Greg Tansey.

Ethan Ross

Despite his potential and young age, I can’t see Ethan Ross ever making the first team. This is partly due to his 4 determination, but mostly it’s because too many crucial attributes are too god damn low. He has attributes and 3 or 4 that need to be around 10 at a minimum for me to play him. A rise of 6 or 7 attribute points is possible but extremely unlikely.

Game time: Regular play time for the reserves, he’s not good enough to do anything else

Training: Set to box-to-box midfielder schedule to work on as many attributes at once

Tutoring: Whoever’s available, not wasting Shinnie’s time on this guy

Joe MacPherson

For some reason I’m very positive about this young Peruvian. I think it’s this consistency across the board at such a young age.

Game time: A year or two in the reserves, before hopefully being loaned out

Training: Full-back on support

Tutoring: I’ll initially tutor him with Shay Logan