CHAIRMAN VISITS BALDRAGON ACADEMY

Dundee United Chairman Mark Ogren, Vice Chairman Scott Ogren and Sporting Director Tony Asghar recently visited Our Academy’s Performance School at Baldragon Academy paying tribute to the crucial role of the Club’s youth development programme in their vision for Dundee United. 

Following a warm welcome by headmaster Hugh McAninch, they met the new six S1 players coming onboard the Dundee United Academy Project at Baldragon this summer and watched them train with the S2 in a session led by Individual Development Coach Analyst Liam Ross and Position Development Coach Analyst Andrew Steeves.

Subsequently, Andy Payne (Head of Player Development), Paul Cowie (Head of Academy Coaching) and Ryan Moon (Under 18s Head Coach) gave presentations evaluating the Club’s Performance Strategy to date and outlining individual development plans in place to maximise the potential of every young player at the Club. 

Chairman Mark Ogren said: "The Academy is the cornerstone of our Club and arrangements like this are key.  

"The pupils need to get their marks and act accordingly but to have that engagement of football and education on a daily basis is great."

Sporting Director Tony Asghar added: “When we first came into the Club two and half years ago, the Academy was the key pillar of what we were trying to achieve. Trying to determine young players through education was another of our key pillars. Having the partnership with Baldragon has worked fantastically well. We have known for years, back to the 1980s, that Dundee is a hotbed for talent. We want to try and engage with that talent. We want to utilise it from within where they are from and thereafter make sure we can get boys from outside regions."
 
Baldragon Academy Headteacher Hugh McAninch stated: "Being able to offer Dundee United and Our Academy at Baldragon is a dream come true. We can offer the whole learning side and complement that with the added value for young people in terms of their football and sports development. We get them learning and achieve qualifications and then they get the football. When we looked at what Andy wanted to do through the academy and what we are aiming for, our values aligned. We know what we are trying to achieve in terms of football and the education are the same."

Academy Director Andy Goldie explained: "We have a very clear vision here that we want to produce and develop Champions League players. When we assessed the programme when I first came into the post, it was evident we weren't providing enough hours, support or service to the players for them to go on and achieve that. Looking at the Scottish FA performance school model where I came from, it was clear we had to get some hours instilled into their school timetable. 
 
"We are very fortunate that we have a great partner in Baldragon Academy that is able to facilitate and support that programme with us. When I came up here, there was a culture of just wanting to be the best in the street. That can only get you so far. That’s not going to enable you to develop a Champions League player. We wanted a school that matched our values and ambitions and could deliver the same cultural values that we want to deliver. When I met Hugh McAninch, we knew it was the perfect choice for us."

Please click the play button for the video of the visit and hear from Chairman Mark Ogren, Sporting Director Tony Asghar, Baldragon Headmaster Hugh McAninch and  Academy Director Andy Goldie at Baldragon Academy. Alternatively use this link.