Learn to play the rojiblanco way
Atletico de Madrid host training sessions in Cavan
One of Spain’s most celebrated clubs, Atletico de Madrid, is set to host a football clinic in Cavan, offering young local players the rare opportunity to experience the rigours and rhythms of training under one of Europe’s elite academies.
On Friday, April 10, the Cavan Leisure Complex in Drumalee will host an official Atlético de Madrid Football Clinic for kids born between 2012 and 2018 - an opportunity to train under UEFA -licensed Spanish coaches, while immersing themselves in the rojiblanco’s famed methodology.
“They’ll see what professional training looks like at one of the top academies in the world,” says Piotr Gagatek, manager of the affiliated Atlético de Madrid Dublin Academy, of the experience that young participants will receive. “Even if reaching that level is extremely difficult, one in a million even, it shows them what can be possible.”
The clinic promises more than just drills and skill exercises. It is a window into the mindset that has made Atlético Madrid the recognised global brand it is: a reputation built teamwork, resilience, tactical intelligence, and a work ethic measured in minutes practising to someday prepare them to play under the bright lights of the Metropolitano.
“We focus on small groups - 30 players maximum - so every child gets direct instruction from our coaches,” Gagatek explains. “It’s hands-on. They learn what it means to be part of the Atlético family.”
Scouting, too, is never far from the mind.
“The primary goal is not scouting - it’s more about brand awareness and education,” Gagatek notes. “That said, if a coach spots exceptional talent, naturally that information could be shared. Ireland has great players in small pockets, and clubs are always looking for the next opportunity.”
But Gagatek is under no illusions about just how difficult it is to “make it” to the upper echelons - to eventually one day see their name emblazoned across the back of the shirt.
Margins
Professional football is a game of fine margins, and yet international scouting practices now penetrates further into Ireland than ever before. German, Danish, Swedish, and Finnish academies are combing through League of Ireland sides and grassroots clubs alike, looking for players who might be one per cent better, one split-second faster, or one scintilla more disciplined than their nearest peers.
“One per cent, that is the numbers we’re talking about,” says Gagatek.
Despite all the reasons to doubt, this region has had its fair share of so-called ‘one-percenters’- players who’ve progressed to have a respectable career within the professional ranks. Jake Doyle-Hayes from Ballyjamesduff, a product of Aston Villa Academy, now plays in EFL League One with Exeter City. Cillian Sheridan from Bailieborough has taken a globetrotting path - from Celtic to APOEL in Cyprus, with stops in Bulgaria, Poland, Israel, and New Zealand. Then there is Leanne Kiernan, also from Bailieborough, who transitioned from boys’ futsal with Kingscourt Harps to Liverpool and the Republic of Ireland national team.
The latest batch include Finn Sherlock, now 17, who went from Cootehill Harps to graduating TSG Hoffenheim’s German academy, and Senan Mullen, currently on loan at League of Ireland side Bohemians from Serie A club Torino.
It’s a reminder that elite football can sprout from even the quietest corners. Gagateck though suggests that success is rarely accidental, and the availability of local infrastructure, dedicated coaches, and opportunities to play and compete at the highest level matter most.
“The biggest issues are lack of professional coaching and limited access to facilities,” Gagatek suggests. “Grassroots football in Ireland is mostly volunteer-led. That makes it hard to compete with continental academies where coaching is a profession.”
Standards
The “opportunity” though to experience professional training - even for a day - is still “invaluable”, Gagatek says.
“Young players see the standards expected at top academies. It’s one thing to dream of Madrid.”
Large academies have intensified their scouting intent here in recent years, partly in response to post-Brexit regulations.
The likes of Shamrock Rover’s starlet Victor Ozhianvuna recently signed for Arsenal for a record breaking fee for a League of Ireland fee, and the feeling is that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Irish players are increasingly on continental radars Gagatek observes. Distance, resources, and support structures are “challenges” - but talent can be “spotted anywhere”.
“Most won’t end up in Madrid,” he admits. “But every player benefits by learning professional standards, how to train properly, how to work as a team, how to handle pressure.
That is what can make them stand out later. It’s an experience that can shape how they approach football for years to come.”
Spots are limited at the football clinic. For more, see campusatleticodemadrid.com/en/ireland-clinics, or email julia@atleticodemadriddublin.com.