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Zhou Buqi attached great importance to this matter. The next morning, he went to the Carrington base, intending to continue to understand the situation on the spot.

The results of the feedback are really not very good.

Manchester City's Middle Eastern tycoons are really tycoons. They don't play according to the routines of British football clubs. They don't regard money as money. They really work hard to surpass Manchester United at the youth training level.

For traditional professional clubs, like Manchester United, the lowest formal youth training echelon actually starts with U14 or U15. There are also younger age groups such as U13, U12, and U11, but they are not formal enough.

The so-called lack of formality means that the relationship between those players and Manchester United is very weak, mainly because the financial support is very limited. For some players whose homes are far away or out of town, only some transportation expenses will be provided.

Players at the U15 level and above not only get transportation subsidies, but also living subsidies. They can get 100 pounds a month, and that's it.

In this regard, the Premier League teams are really not doing well.

This is related to the arrogance and arrogance in the bones of the British. Manchester United has a typical temperament. It is as if good prospects from Manchester and surrounding areas come to Manchester United for youth training.

In comparison, other leagues are much better.

For example, La Masia Youth Academy.

At that time, Messi was very weak and suffered from dwarfism. His football skills were quite good, but his parents took him to visit many clubs, but no one wanted him at all. They said that this child was very talented, but it was impossible to play professional football. .

Then, I went to Barcelona on someone’s recommendation. This was my last hope.

As expected, Barcelona took a fancy to Messi and provided him with medical expenses to help him treat his illness. At the same time, his family was too poor and his parents came from abroad. Barcelona also helped their parents find houses and provided jobs.

Without Barcelona, ​​Messi would not be the world's best player, and he might not even be taller than 1.4 meters tall, making him half disabled. Under this kind of growth background, even if Zhou Buqi had money, he would not be able to lure Messi from Barcelona to Manchester United.

There is no such case at Manchester United.

In the final analysis, it is just too arrogant and not paying enough attention to the youth training field. The condition is this: the young players come and go as much as they like, but they don't want to pull them down.

This is not possible!

Zhou Buqi was born in the Internet industry and has always been user-centered.

Manchester United's traditional concept is seriously out of date!

Especially now that a strong competitor has emerged - Manchester City.

How did Manchester City do it?

In addition to transportation subsidies, living subsidies, and scholarships, in order to allow young players from far away to take care of their studies and training and avoid the trouble of commuting, Manchester City will provide children from foreign countries, other places, and distant places to attend private schools nearby. opportunity, with all costs borne by the club.

Mainly starting from high school students in the U15 echelon.

In other words, as long as the young players have good skills and can advance from the U11, U12, U13, and U14 age groups one after another, and are selected into the official youth training echelon U15, they can enjoy it with the support of the club. Better education.

In the UK, clubs attach great importance to the academic performance of young players. If a young player's academic performance is too poor, his training time will be limited and he will not be allowed to participate in echelon competitions.

Because the road to becoming a professional player is too difficult and requires countless attempts. No one can guarantee that he will become a professional player in the future.

Studying is the real way out, and football is a path that will most likely fail.

For the sake of young players, if they are kicked out halfway, their studies will be too poor. They can continue to study and jump to work in other industries.

In this way, the overall development of the country's industrial structure will not be affected by the participation of all people in football, and there will be a very healthy ecological system of football and social relations.

This is also the reason why many young players from China, Japan and South Korea traveled to Europe to play in Europe when they were young. They had to go to countries such as Spain, Germany, Belgium, and Portugal, but they could not go to the United Kingdom.

There are too many restrictions in the UK. If you don't study well, you won't be qualified to play in the official echelon.

Like Brazil and Argentina, it's completely finished.

Children haven't studied since they were young. They all act like fools and just play football every day. If you are kicked out, you will be a world star; if you are not kicked out, you will be useless for the rest of your life, and you can only wander on the edge of crime.

After Zhou Buqi grasped the situation, he immediately made a decision, "The relationship between education and football is inseparable. Our youth training echelon and youth training academy should not only cultivate the football level of young players, but also provide them with a good educational environment.”

After some calculation, it actually doesn’t cost much!

If you want to play professional football, you can't go to college.

After graduating from high school, you have to bid farewell to your study career and enter a career path. In other words, if the club wants to support young players in their studies, they only need to attend high school for three years, and high school tuition is much less than that of university.

Because the official youth training echelon starts from U14 or U15. In some special circumstances, 1-2 years of junior high school education support may be added.

If we cooperate with private schools in the name of Manchester United and conduct large-scale "purchases", the tuition fees can be reduced appropriately, which is 8,000-10,000 pounds a year.

There are about 120 young players in all the formal youth training echelons at the Carrington base.

In other words, the club only needs to spend about 1 million pounds per year to completely solve the worries of the youth training players.

For Manchester United, 1 million pounds is really a drop in the bucket. What it gets in return is the reputation and reputation of Manchester United's youth training, as well as social care that no one in the industry can match!

"Youth training only focuses on football, which is too selfish. The Carrington Training Center should not only cultivate the best football players, but also maintain the talent base for future social development! This is just like hunting. Our hunters have to go up to the mountains with shotguns. Look for prey, instead of setting fire to the mountains. If you set fire to the mountains, the prey will come out and the mountains will be destroyed. That is not hunting, it is a great damage to the ecosystem!"

Zhou Buqi's words moved everyone at the Carrington training base.

The big shot is indeed a big shot.

Have a broad mind and a unique vision.

In addition, Zhou Buqi also discovered a problem, "Are we lacking a few youth training coaches?"

David Gill immediately understood, "Yes, it's less than Manchester City's."

Zhou Buqi frowned slightly, "What's going on?"

David Gill said: "Our youth training coaches are general managers, and they are all part-time. Manchester City is under direct control, and each echelon will be equipped with two full-time coaches."

The more coaches you have, the more money you have to spend.

The salary of this kind of youth training coach is about 120,000-200,000 pounds a year. There are currently about 10 youth training coaches in Manchester United's youth training center. In addition to being responsible for the three official youth training echelons of U15, U17 and U19, they will also be responsible for the echelons below U14, including those in the youth training academy who regard football as Children in interest classes.

In short, there are too many children, and each coach has to be responsible for several businesses at the same time.

A youth training coach may not only be responsible for teaching at the youth training academy, but also leading the U13 children to play football, and also managing the U15 children to start formal and scientific training, so that they can truly start. The gateway to football tactics.

Only after the official U15 youth training echelon, youth training players will begin to learn and train football tactics. Children under the age of 14 basically just find someone to play casually, with almost no tactical design, and mainly focus on discovering talents. host.

Zhou Buqi shook his head, "Human energy is limited. The more focused, the greater the achievements. A coach is responsible for too many players, and the care and attention allocated to each player is not enough. This is not good. "

"Then expand the youth coaching team?"

"Yes, expansion!"

…

At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, Manchester United's top leaders gathered in the small conference room in Old Trafford, and Zhou Buqi hosted an executive meeting.

Under the attention of the big boss, the youth training department and the financial department are very efficient and have already given a financial plan.

It is necessary to provide all young players above the U15 level with the opportunity to study in private schools. Whether they are from out of town or local, they can come to Carrington to study and receive football training at the same time.

At the same time, the youth training coaching team will be expanded from 10 to 22 people.

It also listed a total of 7 measures to improve the youth training environment and strengthen the relationship between the club and young players.

Through a series of measures, it is expected that Carrington's annual investment in youth training operations will increase from 3.5 million pounds to 6.5 million pounds, almost doubling!

Zhou Buqi is still not satisfied.

But this matter is not urgent. Let’s talk to Rangnick later and let him lead the reform. He will be Manchester United's future sporting director and it will be up to him to make further plans.

Three more plans were launched next.

First, build a five-star hotel.

Second, build player dormitories for the youth training echelon.

Third, for the substantial expansion of the Carrington base, we need to apply to the city hall for more land, further renovate the training center, expand training equipment, and increase the number of stadiums...

However, the specific investment budget cannot be determined yet.

You must first come up with a plan and contact the authorities to see how much interest-free loans they are willing to provide. For this kind of interest-free loan, of course, the longer the better, and the longer the repayment period, the better.

According to David Gill's estimation, interest-free loans will not be too much, just 200 million pounds.

This is a fiscal loan, and the interest is actually paid back by British taxpayers.

The British government issues national bonds to raise funds, and then lends the funds through financial loans at low or no interest to companies that plan to carry out large-scale infrastructure projects, providing employment and promoting economic vitality through infrastructure. The interest on national debt is borne by the Ministry of Finance, so it is unlikely to take too much money.

£200 million is almost enough.

It's not about money or not, but these things are related to the future development of Manchester United, and it is necessary to do it!