The first thing you should know about youth development is that results really are not that important. All youth development is equal parts laboratory and tea leaf reading, as scouts, coaches, and coordinators try to identify and mold players from adolescent talent into professional player. Games are played and trophies are awarded, but those things are secondary to forming players that can eventually contribute to a club’s first team, or in some cases, a national team.
The second thing you should know about youth development is that results are definitely important to us soccer nerds that are obsessed with finding the next big thing.