Cultured Football #49
Calendars, Harsh Academies, Non-League Boom, Jagoba Arrasate, AFCON Preview
Welcome to the first issue of Cultured Football of 2022. New year but same formula: five great football articles for you to enjoy.
Footballers appearing on calendars in years they never played for the club
The Guardian
I haven’t bought a club calendar for many, many years but still feel the unease of turning to a month that features a player who has already left. So I really appreciated this feature about the highest profile inclusions of departed players.
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Harsh realities of academy football
By Sam Cunningham for iNews
97% of players who come through youth academies never make it to the top flight. 70% never even get a professional contract. Football, like any professional sport, is hard to break in to but these are still very distressing stats.
Reading Time: 5 minutes
Non-league football is enjoying a surprising post-lockdown renaissance
By Ian King for F365
The hype around the Premier League and the almost daily presence football on television were expected to starve smaller clubs of attention. Fortunately it hasn’t turned out that way and crowds across the non-league structure are booming.
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Osasuna's Arrasate talks coaching, being called Spain's 'Jurgen Klopp' and soccer during pandemic
By Sid Lowe for ESPN
As I kid I knew that I didn’t have the talent to be a player so I fantasised on being a manager instead. Which, given the popularity of management simulation games, I’m not alone in doing. Jagoba Arrasate was the same, only that the 42 year-old teacher has actually gotten the opportunity to live out that dream.
Reading Time: 14 minutes
What to expect from every Afcon nation and the key players to watch
By Daniel Storey for iNews
It might be considered an annoying distraction by clubs losing players to it but the Africa Cup of Nations is a wonderful competition filled with incredible talent. Some of whom you might be aware of, others which you need an in-depth guide like this to learn about.
Reading Time: 15 minutes