KennyCarroll

Michael Olise’s journey is not evidence that every released academy player will reach the very top. That is not the message. The message is this, young players are still changing far too much for adults to make final decisions about who they can become. Olise joined Chelsea at nine, where he spent years inside an elite academy environment. Then, at 14, Chelsea released Michael, following his exit he moved north Manchester City's academy, this stint lasted only a year before he was released again. For a short period, the route forward looked uncertain. • No major academy. • Obvious next step unclear • Uncertain that another club would take the chance. Then Reading opened the door. Olise continued his development, earned his opportunity, and made his senior debut in the Championship at 17. By 19, he was a Premier League player with Crystal Palace. At 22, he had joined Bayern Munich. Now 24, he's representing France on the World Cup stage. So what changed? • Time • Patience • Confidence • Maturity • Opportunity • Technical growth • The right environment Children do not all develop on the same timetable. One player may look ahead early, while another needs longer physically, socially or emotionally. A few may simply need enough support to stay in the game while the rest of their development catches up. That is why early certainty in youth football can be so misleading. The job of youth sport should not be to close doors too quickly based on a snapshot. It should be to leave enough room for children to grow, change, struggle, recover and continue. The player who looks like they have fallen behind at 9, 10, 11 or 14 may still be a long way from their ceiling. How much can anyone really know about a child’s future at nine? @SundayShare10 | #SundayShare