Jeremy Sauer on FA Youth Cup
This is the first season the new Elite Player Performance Plan system is in effect and a lot of hard work has gone on in the background to get our Academy established, as Jeremy explained: "we've worked hard over the Summer to meet our EPPP application, which all academies have been going through. We've provisionally been given a category three status which is the equivalent of a Centre of Excellence, which we is what were in our first season of professional football." With the FA Youth cup tie against Cheltenham looming, we took the chance to talk to Jeremy Sauer about the game and about the youth development programme generally.
"We’re waiting for an audit in probably twelve months, but there has been a massive rush over the Summer to get our provisional categorisation which means we get central funding from the Football League, which trickles down from above. We've had to get everything in order and at the moment the Football League are happy with it.
He was very impressed with the talent down there and the set-up we've been running. We feel that within the schoolboys, from nine to sixteen boys, we've got potential. "With Neal Ardley at the helm we've had some good conversations already and he's been down to watch us on a Sunday.
"We hope to get everyone down from the youth system and create a real buzz for the Youth Cup game a week Thursday against Cheltenham (at The Cherry Red Records Stadium). It's a new experience for us a team, but hopefully they'll be more familiar with the surroundings after the Farnborough tie."
And, of course, if the Young Dons win, the reward is a home tie against Tottenham in the next round.
The full video interview with Jeremy is available on Dons Player along with an interview with Monday’s two goal hero Charlie Strutton.