soccer icon USA

gillbaby

My grandson has been offered a scholarship with these people. As money is required upfront (£2450), I am wondering if anyone has heard of them and is it above board. There doesn't appear to be any guarantees, just a lot of 'maybes'. Their website looks Kosher, but America is a long way away!

Anybody's feedback would be gratefully accepted.

Thanks.

Lokolo

I'm not really entirely sure about this.

They are basically setting the student up to study in USA, all can be done without going through them.

As for the football, well honestly. If your grandson isn't playing for a club by now (at 18+) he's very unlikely to be picked up by clubs afterwards apart from very very lower leagues.

For me, it would seem a waste of money, he can go through other routes to study in USA. And if he wants to play football, why can he not do that in England?

scottishblondie

There was a thread on here recently with some complaints about similar companies - can't remember if this one was mentioned - and the upshot was that after paying out up front the poster's son did not receive a scholarship.

As far as I can tell they're only a very expensive middle man. You can get all the info without them.

gillbaby

Thank you for your replies to my post. I feel as if I am treading on eggshells. My grandson is actually only 17, but as you say I would have thought that any decent club would have picked him up by now. The main object with him is the football - the education is secondary in his mind. I'm treading on egg shells because as a grandmother how do I shatter a young man's dreams? My daughter and my husband are going to speak to the people offering this scholarship next week. My husband is more 'grounded' than my daughter, and he's been very, very sceptical from the start.

Lokolo

I would ask them what they actually do for the money and what the chances of a scholarship actually area. They do say on their website you can get 0%-100% of the scolarship.... I suspect a lot of people that apply get 0%!

Browntoa

this guy is the head consultant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_McLaughlin_(footballer)

not sure if its worth the money though

gillbaby

All this upsets me so much. My grandson has worked so hard and wants it so badly, so you can imagine how I'm feeling. We try to encourage him in everything he does but my hubby and I feel as if this could be a step too far. The £2450 is only a start - they might also be expected to find £6000 towards their first year's board and lodgings and college fees. Depending on their academic abilities and athletic skills the scholarship could pay all of this. Those pigs flying overhead are causing quite an aviation problem I hear!! Thanks for your interest and for 'listening' to me rabbit on, but I'm being torn apart here!

stevenhp1987

Isn't the age of 17 rather old to be going into a football academy?

If he was any good, he would have been picked up long ago.

I wouldn't waste any money with this, if he really is worth it, then would be worth going to some trials, but again, might be too late for that.

gillbaby

Thank you Stephen. Unfortunately, I don't know the first thing about football, but I'm sure you're right. If he went to this football academy in America he would possibly 22 before he finished and I believe that is definitely over the hill for a footballer! It's very difficult to talk to him as he has this dream and I don't want to be the one to shatter that dream. Thank you for your interest.

The_One_Who

It's not about shattering a dream, it's about being realistic. The chances are that he will not make a career in football, very few people do. But there are other routes, like coaching for example. There are options to go abroad with that as well, through things like summer camps and the like.

Frankly, I wouldn't ever dream of paying a middle-man for something like this. It's quite a lot of money for what will probably be nothing.

gillbaby

Thank you The One Who. I totally agree with you. I am having a terrible time trying to get this through to my daughter though.