Cork players get to live the dream of being a professional thanks to Cork's PDA

Thirty Cork kids recently got the opportunity to train like professional soccer players thanks to Cork's Player Development Academy (PDA).

Run by former professional player and now coach Joe Gamble and his team oversaw a week’s training for the boys and girls that replicated a week’s training for professional players.

It was a week these young Cork footballers will never forget — swapping their usual training pitches for a taste of the professional game. 

From gym work to tactical video analysis, friendly matches to recovery sessions, players from the 2014 age group came together from clubs across the county to train like pros, bond as teammates, and test themselves against some of the best in the country.

Coach Craig Donnellan talks about the success of the week and how he is looking forward to another week with another group of kids this week.

“We wanted to give the players an insight into what the day to day life of a professional footballer is like,” said Donnellan. 

"So, throughout the day the players did gym sessions, technical sessions, video analysis and pitch sessions working on shape and patterns of play.

“We had 30 kids from our 2014 age group from different clubs throughout Cork. 

"We spent days in Fota and MTU which were top class facilities. 

"We then played a friendly against Dublin outfit Cherry Orchard, all in preparation for our tournament in Dublin last Saturday.

“It was a superb week where we saw our kids swap summer holidays for a crash course in the professional game, combining high-intensity training, tactical know-how and top-level competition in a week that proved as rewarding off the pitch as it was on it.

“They gelled really well and we made sure from the start that the lads weren’t sticking to the same lads from their clubs. 

"To be fair most of the lads already knew each other from attending our weekly sessions with the PDA in our different locations.” 

Sessions for the boys and girls were led by Gamble, Donnellan, Lee Moore and Jesse Mendez and the standard from 10-13 year olds is looking really bright for Cork football. 

The demand for extra sessions is incredible, so much so that PDA have a waiting list of young aspiring players waiting to get onto their programmes.

“The standard was outstanding. 

"The level of knowledge they already have at such a young age is brilliant and we have no doubt that a lot of those boys and girls will go onto high levels in their careers. 

"In terms of how the camp was different I suppose the variety of the camp in terms of pitch sessions, gym sessions, recovery sessions in leisure world pool, guest speakers such as Liam Kearney and Derek Weldon, Cork City athletics coach Pa Murphy, all would of made it different to other camps.

“There was so much learning for us as coaches from the whole week. Even though the players are so young they took on what we were trying to teach them in terms of shape, playing out from the back, different patterns etc.

“The feedback from all the parents was really nice and they were all delighted with how the week went. 

"We always say that we are nothing without the parents support and we are extremely grateful to all the parents who bring their kids to our camps and weekly sessions and trust us with the football development of their kids alongside their local clubs.” 

Cherry Orchard manager David Saul was full of praise for Cork's PDA performance.

“The lads had an excellent and challenging day,” said Saul. 

"I don’t think there is another group in the country we would travel that distance for, for a game other than PDA. 

"The environment they have created, the player quality, behaviour and attitude is exceptional and it’s always a pleasant experience.

“What they are doing on the pitch is exceptional. 

"The players understanding of the game the principles that they’re been taught is second to none and will stand to them wherever they play in the future. 

"I don’t believe there is an academy in the country that can put out that quality of player in that volume and be as well coached in game play as the PDA lads are. 

"Supplementing what they are doing at club level with the knowledge and detail PDA bring is a perfect mix, it’s almost identical to what all the top teams up here in Dublin now do.”