cutting established players

[sheppeyblue]

hi to everyone
im after advice after being an assistant manager for 2 seasons ive been given a team(boys u.16) the only trouble is theyve lost all but 1 of their games in the last 2 seasons so ive got a big challenge!
the advice im after is how do i cut established players who have been at the club 5 years or more in favour of new blood that have just started training with us who i believe will improve the team,i aim to keep the enjoyment factor in football but a few wins wouldn't hurt basically im after advice on what to say to the players who wont make it next season

[ian.curry]

I feel as so I will soon be in the same predicament shortly with some of my players. With promotion looming there is a distinct possibility of better players arriving and duly replacing weaker ones.
Gladly a couple of the players are not so well established and may well be cut with more ease, but with the others, I'm less sure.
Right now some players are showing less respect than they should - talking whilst I'm talking, questioning ideas beyond sense, laughing with others whilst I try to coach and be unwilling to come to extra training sessions.

I've started warning them about the summer, no one is signed to me(thats ME, not the club/team) in June and I choose who I want, simple. Hopefully they will heed this warning now and work hard for their place come June.

I like the idea of speaking with them one to one, and then their parents, long before any thoughts of cutting come to mind. Let them know how they can improve, where they require more commitment etc, and what the consequences may be if they don't conform to your demands.

If a player is showing so little respect and will to play for the team's improvement then the reason for cutting them is easy.
Leaving it until the selection day to tell them they are out is harsh and could lead to arguments you don't want to be a part of.

I have a player of 5 years and a player of 7 years(all with me) who will have to improve sharpish, otherwise they are going to give me the hardest decision of my coaching life.

[sheppeyblue]

at least im not the only one in this situation the comments you made about players not showing enough respect and talking over you i have noticed this with a couple of them already, these are the ones that i think should maybe be cut for the good of the team they only seem to hold back the others who seem willing to learn

[Chris_Shipley]

I don't have this trouble because I don't do the hiring and firing. However, one thing I can add is that if you have made your decision in your head, it is much better to tell the player/parent ASAP. This way the player has a better chance of finding a new team before the new season begins.

[74offsuit]

It may worth thinking a little bit about the developments of these players in a non-footballing sense. At U16 it's very unlikely that a group of players are going to stand to rapt attention while you explain coaching concepts, like they may have done at a younger age.

This is because of their personalities developing into adults. It is natural that they may question more, have their own ideas etc. It is just another challenge of coaching to continue to get them working together for the common football good.

[GaryO]

I am having to face the same situation with my 12 year olds. We were (unfairly) promoted last year thus having a difficult time this season and will probably be relegated back down to the bottom division. At this point I should say I am Managing the "B" team for our club thus the more able players move over to our Premier Division team and I am left with the also rans.
There is no real pressure for results in my team as I am more interested in the social and development side of things. Unfortunately, I have four boys in the squad who are experienced but are just not improving year on year. Their basic skills are weak, they are the slowest and unfittest boys in the team and they don't seem to care when dreadfull errors or lack of workrate cost the team goals. I am at the stage where I believe that they should be discouraged from registering next season to allow the other boys in the squad to progress.
The real dilema is the fact that one of the boys is the son of one of my coaches who does alot of things for the team, if the son showed half of his fathers dedication then he would improve.
I might get enough boys to create a 7-a-side team for these boys to join but as a unit they would be target practice for everybody else in that league.

What a dilemma has anybody got any views on this?

Gary