Manchester’s Soccer ProFormance Academy is on the lookout for the next Class of ‘92 as they hold free trials for promising young footballers at their Whitefield centre in Bury this August.
The search for the next Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs or David Beckham will take place on Friday August 8 and Friday August 15 at Philips High School, where they have run trials since October 2013.
These will last from 6pm to 7pm and advanced players aged 7-12 years are eligible to attend to strut their stuff on the pitch.
The trials will give budding professional footballers a glimpse of what it takes to make the grade and successful trialists will have the opportunity to train with players already on the academy’s books.
Footballers who catch the eye will also be invited to play a trial fixture away at Morecambe FC on August 16.
The Manchester Soccer Pro-Formance Academy was set up to recruit talented footballers in the local area by bridging the gap between grassroots and professional sides’ academies.
They give the successful youngsters the chance to train with others of above-average ability, but still train and play for their grassroots team alongside the scheme – a marked difference from the youth experience at professional clubs’ academies.
The players will receive FA and UEFA qualified coaching, working specifically on techniques and skills.
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After they are handed a spot, youngsters of all years will be given regular feedback reports to assist their performance and development as individual players.
The company has a large network of scouts from academies and centres of excellence and youngsters can be put forward for trials at any stage by coaches.
There has been talk in wider football circles at large over the dismal state of the grassroots game and stunted youth development.
Calls for the increase in publicity and funding for projects like the Pro-Formance scheme have been growing after the timid performance of the England national side at the World Cup in Brazil.
Labour MP for Bolton North East, David Crausby, has also campaigned nationally for the revival of grassroots football through levying taxes on the Premier League’s broadcasting spiralling profits.
The @savegrassroots e-petition campaign launched by the Labour politician has been widely supported by many grassroot clubs in Greater Manchester and currently has nearly 8,000 signatures.
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This latest drive by Pro-Formance Global to invest in youth football in Manchester will be a welcome sign that grassroots football is beginning to receive the attention it desperately needs.
If England want to produce the likes of local stars Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville on a regular basis, projects like these at Whitefield will be crucial to achieving that aim.
For more information on how to register for the ProFormance Global trials, visit the website or call 0161 414 8792.
