Latest news with #FootballAcademy
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rudy Matondo signs professional contract with Auxerre
AJ Auxerre have officially announced that Rudy Matondo (17) has signed his first professional contract, which will keep him at his training club until 2028. The midfielder made his debut with Auxerre this past season as a substitute in the 1-0 victory over Stade Rennais on the 6th of April. He then went on to appear in four other fixtures for Les Ajaistes, as the newly promoted club secured an 11th place in Ligue 1. Securing Matondo's long-term future was a key priority for the club, with the teenager impressing during a run to the UEFA European Under-17 Championship final with France during the off-season, where the nation was defeated 3-0 by Portugal. Matondo scored and assisted against Belgium in the semi-finals (3-2). Advertisement Auxerre have been working towards tying down their young players to professional contracts, with Matondo making it five academy products that have been provided their first contracts since the season ended: Ryan Rodin, Louis Mezerette, Tidiane Devernois, and Elikya Legros. GFFN | Nick Hartland
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What next for highly-rated Motherwell teenager Miller?
Lennon Miller could be on the move this summer after another standout campaign [SNS] With the transfer window open, one of the big stories in Scottish football is the future of Motherwell teenager Lennon Miller. The 18-year-old midfielder has just one year left on his Fir Park deal, which means it is the club's final chance to get a significant fee for another successful academy player. Advertisement Miller has turned heads in the last two seasons in particular after initially making his debut six days after his 16th birthday in August 2022. Last term he captained Motherwell several times and had another fine campaign, which culminated in his first Scotland cap and start. His dad Lee, himself a former footballer, joked at an SPFL event marking the release of the new season's fixtures that "there's a different club every day" mentioned online as his son's next move. However, as yet there have been no bids made. But what might the future hold for Scottish football's brightest young talent? Advertisement Why is Miller so coveted? Clearly an 18-year-old who has played 76 first-team games, captained his club, and made his international debut possesses talent which is going to attract attention. Since his debut Miller's close control, passing range, and vision have caught the eye. Clubs across the world are data driven, always looking for young players with positive numbers who can be bought at a relatively low price, developed, and sold on. A look at some of the numbers for central midfielders in the Scottish Premiership last season demonstrates why Miller would appear in lots of databases. Already an adept set-piece taker, Miller grabbed eight assists for Motherwell, a tally only bettered by Rangers' Nicolas Raskin among central midfielders in the league. Advertisement Mostly a deeper-lying midfielder, he was deployed as one of two number 10s in the early part of the campaign for Motherwell, and ranked third among midfielders for chances created by the end of the season, as well as deliveries into the box. As for the dirtier side of the game, only Celtic captain Callum McGregor won the ball back more times than Miller. The teenager was also the most fouled central midfielder in the league, a nod to his ability to use his body to protect the ball in tight spaces, and his dribbling prowess too. His passing accuracy as a whole is further down the charts, which hints at an area for development, but Motherwell's direct style and Miller's tendency to play riskier passes forward could also be behind the lower figure. Advertisement Of course individual statistics are not themselves the basis for signing players. But what has been striking about Miller has been the calmness and confidence with which he has played since his debut. He has often been keen to take responsibility, for example scoring an injury-time penalty against Dundee United to send Motherwell to the semi-finals of the League Cup. Miller was similarly unbothered by his first Scotland start against Liechtenstein, putting in a standout display. "He makes football look easy regardless of what game he plays in," his Motherwell team-mate Tony Watt posted on X after that game. Is a switch abroad Miller's next move? Miller and his dad have always maintained playing regularly is the priority. Advertisement Moving away from these shores might be his best chance to do that, while others also think it would be a good fit for his game. Both Udinese and Union Saint-Gilloise reportedly had bids rejected for Miller in January, and they will unlikely to be the last offers coming in. Talented young Scottish players have increasingly looked to move abroad in recent seasons. Whether it is Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson enhancing their careers while playing at Bologna, or Max Johnston tasting title success and Champions League football after leaving Motherwell for Sturm Graz in Austria, the template is there. Advertisement Others like recent Scotland debutants Josh Doig and Andy Irving have also progressed in their careers through playing regularly abroad, while there is the influence of more senior players Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour at Napoli. "Lennon's next move is so important, because a lot of players will get sucked into going to just a massive club and going, right, I've arrived," dad Lee said. "But there needs to be a lot of thought process, and there has been a lot of thought process of his next move, because it's a development move again. "This is what we planned out for him, in terms of playing loads of games in the first team, doing really well, and it's on him to do that. Advertisement "There was a pathway there at Motherwell, and the next one, for me, is important because he has to play, he has to develop, he has to then kick on again. "Once he's round about better players, no disrespect to the Motherwell players, but once he's round about top class elite players, he will then kick on again, in my opinion. "And I think he has that inner belief, and it's not arrogance, it's just a belief. And he wants to play football." What about the Premier League? Lots of Scottish teenagers have moved to Premier League academies before even playing a first-team game since Brexit, but Miller has chosen a different path. Advertisement And given his dad's comments about much he relishes playing regularly, a move to the top level in England seems less likely. The only Premier League side linked so far is newly-promoted Sunderland. With the club's owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus employing a strategy focused on young players, plus the record sale of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund, it makes sense they would be interested in Miller. Whether it materialises into an offer remains to be seen. Could Celtic keep Miller in Scotland? The Premiership champions are the only Scottish club talked about when it comes to signing Miller from Motherwell. Advertisement A young Scottish player with lots of potential is exactly the type of signing Celtic would hope to make, especially given the lack of academy players making the first team in the last few years. But with 32-year-old McGregor still the undisputed first pick at the base of Brendan Rodgers' midfield three, it could come down to how much time on the pitch Miller thinks he would get. That, and whether Celtic can, or want to, meet Motherwell's asking price in a potentially competitive market. For Miller's part he has stayed as calm as ever about what the future holds. "I've got a year left on my contract so my focus is to go back into pre-season, work as hard as I can and get ready for the season," he said after his first Scotland start. Advertisement "You get these big clubs mentioned, but it is only speculation. "You just need to try and focus on what you're doing and that will all take care of itself."
RNZ News
17-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Kaltak moves to Perth, set to launch football academy
Brian Kaltak in action for his former club, the Central Coast Mariners, in the A-League. Photo: Facebook / Brian Kaltak Football Academy Vanuatu national men's football team captain Brian Kaltak has signed a multi-year deal with Perth Glory, the A-League club has confirmed. The Western Australia based club said the 31-year-old Vanuatu international had enjoyed a remarkable run of success in the A-League since debuting for Central Coast Mariners in 2022. In that time, he helped the Mariners claim the Championship in 2023 and an unprecedented Championship/Premiership/AFC Cup treble in 2024. And as he makes his move to his new club, Kaltak has also announced that he is ready to launch a football academy at home in Vanuatu. The project is set to launch in July, with the Australian government stepping in to partner with Kaltak with funding. Playing at centre-back, Kaltak started all but one of the Mariners' games, taking his total number of appearances past the 80-mark. Statistics for the last season showed he made 21 tackles and completed 37 interceptions. Kaltak hopes he can achieve the same success with Glory. "This a new chapter for me and I'm excited for it," he told Perth Glory. "I was with the Mariners for three years and now it's time to try something new. I think this move will be good for me and good for my football. When I spoke to [Glory Football Director] Stan Lazaridis, he was really passionate about what the club is trying to do. "This club has a huge history of winning titles, Stan is trying to get it back to where it belongs and I want to be a part of that in my new journey. "Creating a good environment and getting a good bunch of boys that gel well together, that's what makes the biggest difference and that is what I want this club to be." Lazaridis believes that Kaltak has the potential to become a huge favourite with the club's Members and fans. "It's impossible not to love the way Brian goes about his business," he said. "He's an incredibly strong and explosive defender who puts his body on the line every time he steps onto the field and is 100% committed to everything he does. "Those qualities, plus his know-how in terms of what it takes to win the A-League, will make him an invaluable member of our squad and an ideal mentor for our younger defenders in particular. "Securing Brian's services is a genuine coup for the club and I'm really excited to see the impact he will make on and off the field for us this year and beyond." Brian Kaltak, left, during a meeting with Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat in Port Vila discussinghis project to develop football and sports in general in the country. 13 June 2025 Photo: Facebook / Ministry of the Prime Minister - Vanuatu Meanwhile, Kaltak has secured support from the Australian government to help launch his youth football academy. Vanuatu Daily Post reported this week that the sponsorship was announced by the Australian High Commissioner, Max Willis, during a ceremony in Port Vila. "We are really excited about partnering with Brian on his academy," Willis said. "Sport plays such an important role in bringing people together, promoting healthy practices, and building strong community bonds." Kaltak said he was delighted with the support for the academy, which will offer free programs for Vanuatu's young players. "I'm sure that what we have can help mentor our next superstars of Vanuatu in the future," he said. Kaltak said the academy hopes to cater for young people who are faced with limited access to structured football programs. He hopes this initiative will create a strong pipeline of talent capable of reaching international standards.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why U's fans shouldn't be fearful of midfield ace ‘transfer rumours'
AS another summer transfer window rolls back around, there are few Oxford United players who create more speculation than Cameron Brannagan. The U's midfield maestro has reportedly gained more interest from a trio of Sky Bet Championship clubs since the end of the 2024/25 campaign, leading to renewed summer speculation surrounding his future. Leicester City, Sheffield United and Stoke City have all apparently expressed their interest in tempting Brannagan away from the Kassam Stadium, however for now, the speculation appears to be nothing more than that. After playing a key role in the Championship throughout the season, United fans can be reassured about Brannagan's future as he looks towards a fresh campaign. READ ALSO: Simon Eastwood announces United contract extension The former Liverpool academy graduate signed a new long-term contract in the summer of 2024, tying him down in OX4 for at least a further two seasons from this point. Another statement of Brannagan's intent was mapped out in July 2023, launching the Cam Brannagan Football Academy with fellow teammate Simon Eastwood. Brannagan came up with the idea with the U's goalkeeper on a car journey home and now oversees about 300 children at six different locations in what has been a resounding success across Oxfordshire, with sessions at Abingdon, Bicester and Kidlington. Only in October, Brannagan said: 'This is where I see myself for the rest of my life, never mind the next couple of years.' And even as recently as the end of April, Brannagan stated: 'Keep writing us off, and me being optimistic, and me wanting to push for the Premier League, I've said that I want to push for the Premier League, and I stand by that.' READ AGAIN: Midfielder restates Premier League ambition with Oxford United After a famous promotion to the Championship under the Wembley arch last May, the midfielder said United should look to aspire to the example of Ipswich Town. With one of the smallest budgets in the division, the U's exceeded expectations of many outsider opinions to actually survive the drop this season. However, with previous head coach Des Buckingham dubbing him 'one of the best players in League One', Brannagan put pen to paper, undoubtedly propelling the club into a better position with the number eight staying. The 29-year-old started 33 times for United this season, assisting four times and scoring three goals including a staggering long-range strike away at Cardiff City in a crucial relegation six-pointer. After suffering a knee injury which saw him sidelined for just over two months during the early stages of the season, Brannagan will hope he can enjoy a less interrupted year with the U's as they look to build on their solid first season back in the second tier for 25 years.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Girona starts pre-season 2025-2026 on July 8
On Tuesday 8 July, Girona FC will kick off the 2025-2026 pre-season with the team's first training session. These first few days will also be dedicated to carrying out the corresponding medical check-ups to ensure that all the players are in the best condition to face the new season. The team will work at the Girona Football Academy by Puma, located in Vilablareix, where they will begin preparations to face the challenges that await them in this new campaign. In the second week of the pre-season they will also work at the Royal Verd Training Center in Vall d'en Bas.
