Working on Aberdeen's Future

For fans of a certain vintage, Aberdeen will forever be the club that in the early eighties broke the Old Firm dominance in Scottish football as well as beating Real Madrid in the Cup Winners’ Cup final.  It was a team led by a manager who would go on to achieve legendary status elsewhere – Alex Ferguson – and made up of players who had been developed within the club.

Indeed, of the sixteen players that played in that glorious European final, twelve had come through the ranks:  Jim Leighton, Doug Rougvie, Alex McLeish, Willie Miller, John McMaster, Neale Cooper, Neil Simpson, Eric Black, Bryan Gunn, Andy Watson, Ian Angus and John Hewitt.

Following Ferguson’s departure, the club slowly went into decline but it never lost its tradition for producing good players.

This season Aberdeen are once again challenging for honours but, regardless of what happens in the next few months, the club looks to have a bright future ahead of it. Having looked at what European’s top clubs are doing to develop talent, they have re-engineered their youth set-up to ensure that the flow of talent is even more consistent in the future.

The full article can be read on Blueprint for Future.

[Featured Article] January 2015 Twitter Feedback

@paul_grech enjoy your 'Blueprint' articles. Some interesting ideas.

— Les Rosbifs (@LesRosbifs) January 5, 2015

Looks like a good read...@steviegrieve @bentrinds @guidoseerden @PedMenCoach @CoachDanWright @jasonwithe pic.twitter.com/SJ3snuFIcs

— NFDP Malaysia (@nfdpmalaysia) January 9, 2015

@nfdpmalaysia Great insight it is. Both volume. Must have. @paul_grech

— Hazri Z Ziswandy (@ziswandy) January 9, 2015

@paul_grech @StMirrenAcad Good article and good sense from David Longwell

— Graeme Kerr (@kerrgj) January 19, 2015

@paul_grech this is another absolute gem Paul and I'm fascinated - great work buddy #finefootballwriting

— Kevin Graham (@webblyhead) January 20, 2015

@paul_grech is the man! RT @skillylewis: @royhendo @dundeeunitedfc http://t.co/nH71HWcOtK Whoops :)

— Roy Henderson (@royhendo) January 23, 2015

Great article RT @paul_grech: Wrote this for @TheBotafogoStar about the strange story of former #LFC striker Flora. http://t.co/2CQV2XbwBt

— Sierra Godfrey (@sierragfootball) January 28, 2015

Really enjoyed this interview with Liverpool youth coach Tim Lees by @paul_grech on @thesetpieces: http://t.co/dcHKkj2eWR

— Jack Pitt-Brooke (@JackPittBrooke) January 29, 2015

Interview with #LFC youth coach Tim Lees (by @Paul_Grech) http://t.co/OW9NW9GzNQ if you fancy a lunchtime read

— Kop Magazine (@TheKopMagazine) January 29, 2015

@CoachingFamily Finding potential - well worth a read “@paul_grech @sfraserRed http://t.co/1nseFlzqOw”

— Andy Williams (@BTLC_coaching) January 29, 2015

Top top top interview by @paul_grech .Fantastic insights http://t.co/Sn3UCStZF6

— Srikanth B (@srikanthbala) January 30, 2015

@paul_grech @sfraserRed excellent points raised. Totally agree, and feel that this needs to be given greater consideration. #character

— Jonathan Henderson (@JonnyHenderson) January 30, 2015

@sfraserRed This is art . @paul_grech

— Hazri Z Ziswandy (@ziswandy) January 30, 2015

Uncovering Potential: Looking Beyond the Obvious http://t.co/F994hRZ0xI Great piece by @sfraserRed via @paul_grech #mindset @Inspirethegame

— Andy Edwards (@andyeeeee) January 30, 2015

@paul_grech I just finished the Tim Lees interview on TSP. A great read, nice one!

— Bri (@patoman77) January 30, 2015

.@paul_grech on the whereabouts of Vitor Flora – Liverpool’s unknown boy from Brazil http://t.co/vUnfYgMrRh

— James Nalton (@JDNalton) January 30, 2015