Dated 2008
[article=http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Pennock-puts-Welsh-lads-Swans-list/story-12385873-detail/story.html#ixzz2mIQK8sXD ]TONY Pennock's email address is known in Alberta, Alabama and Argentina.
Swansea City's fledgling head of youth development gets CVs all the time from players all over the world looking for a chance to develop at the Liberty Stadium.
But for the moment at least, there is little prospect of a foreign invasion to match the one masterminded by Roberto Martinez at first-team level.
"I'd never say never," says Pennock, who is three-and-a-half months into a three-year contract.
"We get a lot from North America and South America, especially, but at this time I'm normally saying 'Sorry, but we're not holding any trials'.
"If somebody finds a gem somewhere then nobody is going to be naive enough to say 'They're not Welsh, I'm not looking at them'. That would be foolish.
"But our first port of call is Welsh lads.
"I'm interested in seeing how Welsh lads are doing and where they are playing."
So Swansea's recruitment policy is a far cry from those of most top-flight clubs these days, where overseas players are taking over youth teams as well as senior sides.
Realistically, Swansea cannot compete for foreign starlets because the chances are that if they are aware of them, a dozen other British clubs are too.
And even when it's teenagers rather senior pros, money talks.
So Pennock's focus is on finding professional footballers of the future closer to home.
"We have kids in the centre of excellence coming from as far away as Milford Haven and Newport," he adds.
"And the big thing for me is trying to make our department more attractive so that if kids are choosing between us, Cardiff and Bristol City, they pick Swansea City.
"The good thing is that the club is becoming more successful, so people want to come and play for Swansea now.
"We have a lot on our side.
"Hopefully soon we will be able to announce another facility which will benefit our youth and centre of excellence players.
"And already our youngsters get a big opportunity to play reserve-team football — a lot of my under-18s are playing at that level every week.
"That filters down — I have already played 11 different under-16 players in the under-18s this season.
"We try to give lads the opportunity to play at a higher level earlier because you don't really know until you throw them in."
One of Pennock's key targets is to get more pairs of eyes watching more Welsh youngsters on Swansea's behalf.
"We have got to improve our coverage and, hopefully, within a year we'll have a better structure in place," he says.
"I want to be able to say we've seen and made a decision on a player, not that it's too late and he's already signed for Cardiff or Bristol City."
Pennock admits he hasn't struggled to fill his days since taking the youth reins from David Moss in July.
"It's time consuming," he smiles, "but it would be wrong to call it hard work.
"Hard work is being a fireman or working in a mine.
"There's always someone who wants to speak to you, but I'm lucky that the club have appointed Glenny Davies, who has great experience, to work with me full-time.
"I don't think we've had two people working full-time with the youth team for a number of years."
In all Pennock is in charge of nine age groups, though the flagship under-18s side is the only he coaches.
Results this season have been terrific — a 2-1 triumph over Torquay at St Helen's last weekend made it eight wins out of nine.
Yet Pennock, a Swansea-born goalkeeper who played for the likes of Yeovil and Farnborough, insists he is not too bothered about the contents of the win column.
"For all our teams, results are immaterial really," says the 37-year-old.
"Don't get me wrong, the boys have to learn to win games and that's something we try to help them with.
"But if we win every game this season it doesn't mean my nine second-year scholars will get professional contracts next year, and if we lose every game it doesn't mean they definitely won't get something.
"It's the performances of the boys that count."
A former goalkeeping coach at the Liberty, Pennock had spells in charge of the Wales semi-pro side and Port Talbot and had a long stint as Swansea Council's football development officer.
Like Martinez, he likes his teams to get the ball down and play.
"There wouldn't be much point us playing one style and then the boys going up to the reserves and being asked to do something totally different," he adds.
"We all want to pass the ball, although I can't play exactly the same system as the gaffer right now because I haven't got out-and-out wingers."
There are some bright prospects in the Swansea youth ranks, with Pennock saluting his predecessors for "some good decisions" when they assembled the squad he inherited in the summer.
"There is some talent there," Pennock goes on, "and there are a few coming through our younger age groups as well.
"Success for me would be to get these lads into the professional ranks.
"I will be judged on who makes it through to the first team, and not what results we get."
His task hasn't been made any easier by Swansea's climb up the Football League.
Youngsters who might have made the breakthrough in League Two a few years back may not have the extra quality required at Championship level.
But Pennock is excited by the challenge.
"My aim is to make a difference," he says.
"The club is going in the right direction, and I want people to say that the youth department has moved forward as well," he added.[/article]
Apr 2010
[article= http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Pennock-gets-tips-best/story-12423549-detail/story.html#ixzz2mISB3R8I ]TONY Pennock will pass on top tips from the Continent to Swansea City's youngsters after linking up with Italian giants Juventus and La Liga club Espanyol.
Swansea's head of youth travelled to Italy and Spain along with academy goalkeeping coach Clive Williams to take part in training sessions with the teams over five days.
As part of the Welsh Football Trust group, the Swansea duo were taught how to develop the skills and training methods of British footballers.
Aside from training they took part in seminars and a Q&A sessions to get to the heart of the philosophies, practices and player development strategies used by European team managers and training staff.
Williams said: "Being a part of the coaching trip to Espanyol was an amazing opportunity to gain a real insight into how football is developed from a very young age.
"We were lucky enough to observe and participate in training sessions, analysis and debrief meetings and speak with the key staff — all of which provided a very different approach to developing the game from what we are used to in the UK.
"One distinct difference that we found is the focus on building core strength and stability in players from a young age, which ultimately provides the competitive edge later on.
"We found that mentally as well as physically, more focus is given to increasing players' strength, which meant that even very young players were focused on their goals and how to reach them."[/article]
Jun 2010
[article=http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Pennock-defends-club-s-youth-set/story-12438949-detail/story.html#ixzz2mISs8Ep7 ]TONY Pennock has launched a stern defence of Swansea City's youth set-up.
The club's director of youth football has hit back at claims that Swansea were stunting the growth of footballers in the area.
There were also complaints about the release of youth players from the club, in particular the timing. One letter to the Evening Post claimed that the Swans delayed their recruitment plans until after the deadline date for the Swansea Junior League — which would deny released youth players the chance to feature for a local club.
But Pennock insists Swansea's youth set-up has simply adhered to deadlines given to them by the English FA and Football League.
"People need to realise that our youth set-up is governed by the FA and funded by the Football League — not the FAW or West Wales FA," said Pennock.
"I've heard from some parents and clubs that they are disappointed that we delayed the date to release players.
"In fact we haven't delayed a thing. We have to give the retained list for next season to the FA by April 17 — that is not negotiable. We told the players on April 14 — that allowed them every opportunity to show us their full potential.
"Unfortunately, the registration deadline for the Swansea Junior League was March 31, which meant some of the boys couldn't feature for their clubs during the final push of the season.
"But the FA won't change their deadlines to help local junior clubs.
"Some parents have said we are stunting the growth of these footballers, but I can't accept that.
"The weather didn't help us in terms of game-time last season, but everyone was given as long as possible in order to take their chance."
Swansea's youth set-up involves teams from under-9s to under-16s, with older players potentially being offered apprentice- ships at the club.
Most recently, local boys Lee Lucas and Jamie Grimes earned spots on the bench for the senior squad.
They add to the likes of youth graduates in Wales international Joe Allen, Wales Under-21 trio Shaun MacDonald, Jazz Richards and keeper David Cornell, along with Kerry Morgan, all of whom featured for the Swans last term.
And Pennock insists there is more to come from the club's young guns.
"Someone recently told me that we struggle to produce good local talent, but that's rubbish," said Pennock.
"Just look at players like Joe, Shaun, Jazz, Dai Cornell and Kerry — they all played senior football last season.
"Lee and Jamie were also on the bench, and despite the club being in the best position for around 20 years we are still providing players for Paulo's squad.
"Of course, the idea is to get more and more involved, especially with the new rules coming into force, but I think the youth set-up continues to move in the right direction."[/article]
