Team FFD: From honing the skills of Jadon Sancho and co to a full fledged academy
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From Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport
Jadon Sancho, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tammy Abraham, Reiss Nelson... millions of pounds' worth of talent that would get some Premier League academy boss purring.
Throw in Tottenham winger Ryan Sessegnon, Manchester United starlet Angel Gomes along with Leicester's Demarai Gray and there is the foundation of a England side that is future that is strong.
These kids have something in common - their very first taste of the spotlight has been showcasing their talents during"street" abilities sessions with friends in west London.
Dan Gayle is the man who started capturing the prodigies on video as they honed their technique in the nation among the kids.
He did so throughout his networking video station FFDTV, which he set up to reveal a free-spirited fashion of soccer, with an emphasis on flair and style.
Now, seven years on, he has built on the first bunch of stars' achievement by launching an academy that aims to give young hopefuls the chance.
FFDTV started with partners meeting up to perform tricks and abilities and ballooned into an online sensation.
Gayle would bill videos of his friends and the clips began to find traction, but the channel's big break came when future celebrities Nelson and Sancho started attending sessions.
"It just blew up from there - everyone began speaking about it, the movie reached about 60 states," said Gayle, 31.
As word spread, young players from throughout the nation needed to get concerned to showcase their talents.
"It was a specific calibre of player and everyone knew what they were in for when they came ," said Gayle. "Should you get nutmegged, you get nutmegged and it may go viral - that's just part of it!
"It had been skills-based sessions, only three v
three or four v four where you state yourself. No rules - they learned to perform with.
"There's nothing like playing in the park with your mates, but competitively - and you know that the cameras are there and you do not wish to get embarrassed. It's so different to being at the academy."
'Team FFD', as the stable of players who participate in the sessions of Gayle have become known, brought together a number of their players. The essence of the football on show meant most were talented flair gamers.
And they were beginning to enjoy success on the field as well - many of the Under-17 World Cup-winning squad in 2017 of England had been at some point into a FFD session.
"It's just like a soccer family, off the pitch that the boys are extremely near," said Gayle. "There is a team people now who believed years ago that the English game would shift and you would see a good deal of youthful, skilful players. That's what we thrive on.
"When we startedwe desired to demonstrate England have got players that people more often than not you would connect with South American nations or Spain - that was a particular time since that age group has been only world class."
That Under-17 World Cup-winning side boasted Team FFD celebrities like Monaco defender Jonathan Panzo, Crystal Palace midfielder Nya Kirby and Sancho Gomes City playmaker Phil Foden - the first player born in the 2000s to appear in the Premier League.
Sancho has excelled both in the Bundesliga and Champions League since his move to Borussia Dortmund and has been a routine in the recent England squads of Gareth Southgate.
Chelsea winger Hudson-Odoi, significantly linked with a move to Bayern Munich in January, also forced his Three Lions debut before suffering an Achilles injury.
Forward Abrahamback with Chelsea after several loan spells, is yet another to have been set with England, while Foxeswinger Gray includes a Premier League winner's trophy and left-sided player Sessegnon featured regularly from the top-flight for Fulham last term before linking Spurs in the summer.
Meanwhile, one of those members of Team FFD, along with childhood friend of Sancho, is Arsenal ahead Nelson. This year last season impressed in German facet Hoffenheim on loan and has emerged as part of the Gunners squad.
With lots of the first members of Team FFD now fledged professionals, co and Gayle workers have set about trying to create a route to the professional game for other aspiring kids.
They put up an academy two years to train and polish their players, and give them a chance to put themselves"at the shop window" with matches from pro clubs; there's also a intelligent mobile program where scouts can follow their progress.
It has proved effective.
After whittling tens of thousands of applicants to a pool of gamers they felt comfortable working with, the academy team have seen two of the charges sign professional contracts in Championship outfit Derby County, many go on trial together with Premier League sides along with others make moves to Portugal and Sweden.
"We take pride in having the ability to identify and develop young players," said Gayle, that has established good connections with a lot of professional clubs.
"The principal purpose is to demonstrate that you can play totally free, which being yourself is the best method to be. You do not need to worry skilful but you've got to understand your strengths.
"Everybody's journey is different - a few players are in clubs since before they are 10 years old and some arrive afterwards. We are offering something different, something extra. That is something I take a lot of pride in. That represents us."
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