Greorge Green: Paid too much, too young

Would be good if he could make a career of it. He's still young enough

But the amounts of money being paid to kids like this is just ridiculous. I wonder if the top clubs simply look upon it as a gamble? You can do everything possible to make sure the support is there, but some are inevitably going to go off the rails...

Yet you could argue that the loss of talent at this level is exactly what is damaging England at the highest level.

"They did everything they could but unfortunately I threw it back in their faces," he says. "Everton knew I had ability but they wanted to see that I could be more professional and unfortunately I didn't show that.

"I was sent to see a psychologist to get my head right but he didn't really help. He gave me some tablets which I didn't take because I didn't want to be known as someone who needed that to feel right. It all hit me at once. I pushed away all my friends and family because you don't realise they are there to help."

Sounds like the club did everything they could. He also didn't like a manager to shout at him, so a lot of growing up required.

Apart from the fact that it would give them financial security, possibly for life, it might also dissuade some of them from poncing around in camouflage Bentleys and further alienating them from the fans. I recall reading that Gascoigne had a large some invested for him so that he'd have an income as he got older, presumably because he wasn't thought of as being sensible enough to manage his own affairs. Just a thought.

And yes, I KNOW it's their money and they can make as big a tool of themselves as they want.

Wonder what percentage of those stories work out really well, compared to those that end up with the kid getting fuck all, or being (one way or another) fucked up?

My guess is the former would be tiny fractions of 1%.

'Yeah but Green behaved like a nob-head'?

So did I at his age (nb: that's what being that age is all about – any 16-year-old lad who behaves like Martin Bryce is fucking odd).

From the age of 12 to 16, my mate's son was at Man City, Blackburn and Liverpool and then he just knocked it on the head – hasn't really played since.

When I spoke to him (the lad) about it, it was clear he could see it for what it is – just a big machine that takes in thousands of kids but only produces a few players.

Thousands of kids 'looked after' by self-serving, grasping, cynical adults who will say and do anything to get the best for themselves.

My mate's lad will finish school in the summer and go to college and seems more than happy about it (and about not being bellowed at by narky red-faced shit-house coaches, hoping someone pays a few mill for a kid he 'coached' so he gets his cut).

Perfect analogy. I give the same answer when talking about Rooney.

For those of us brought up on working class streets, I would ask one question:

How many of your 16-year old mates would have kept a level head given the same media attention and the money thrown at them?

Very few manage to claw their way back and as old Pro say,it is a case of acquiring good habits early No matter how good the support is the player has to be willing and reading Greens attitude to coaches he doesn't sound like someone who would follow good advice.

Shame – I had high hopes for him.

Trying to reach peak fitness and recover from the odd knock, he has been on and off the bench. On the pitch he has looked different class, which he is. In this Evo-Stick League, a tackle is usually an assault.

Since his first game against Mossley where he ran the show, his team, Osset Albion, have played 6 and won 5.

If he was arrogant, he wouldn't be playing in this lowly league. I hope he gets back on his feet. He is also a mad Evertonian.

After the match the Clitheroe striker made love to a woman in the manager's dugout. It was filmed from the away dugout and put on social media. Sadly the striker was sacked to save the good name of the club and his girlfriend was not too pleased. He has since begged her forgiveness.

Good luck with that one, son!

For some with that special aptitude to succeed at Premier League clubs the system works, it's a Darwinian, survival of the fittest system, working to produce an elite player. If you don't have all the attributes: skill, work ethic, determination to succeed, dedication to learning and a stable personality you won't make it.

Unfortunately you have to have these at a very young age and few have anything but skill when they start out.

Their dads then live their dream through their son:

"My boy's in the excellence squad now, they have great hopes for him."

"I thought he was only 6!"

"Yeah but he's a real player!!"

These academies need to be more accountable! As some posters have pointed out, they use a scatter gun approach – sign thousands up and hope one makes it and sod the consequences!

I hope the young man can sort his situation out; maybe education is key?!

When someone on here comments on a player who is performing a utilitarian role in the Premier League saying 'I could do that' or 'What is he doing in the team every week? He's crap...' then think again. He is probably first in, last out every day. Attitude.

Agents should be barred as they seldom bring anything to the table. Of course they won't be forced out of the game, the authorities are just as bent. If they wanted to make a start, they would force the agents to be paid by the players, not the clubs. It might make the players question exactly what these agents deliver for them.

Apparently, these agents have now also got into the female game – with clubs apparently concerned that costs are starting to rocket – and of course BBC don't pay much for the TV rights.

Some of the young players are millionaires before they've even kicked a ball for the first team. It's not exactly motivating them when all they're interested in is fast cars and banging models.

Terrible, isn't it?

I know of one case at Everton young lad was being released by David Moyes and Duncan Ferguson asked Moyes to give him another year and he (Ferguson) would pay the lads wages, Moyes refused the request.

The lad went on to make a living at the game (in lower leagues, one and two) and he might still be playing. If Moyes had given him another year, who knows how he would have fared? Unlikely probably but you never know.