The Dream Factory: Inside the Make-or-Break World of Football's Academies

by Ryan Baldi

Overview

Shortlisted for the Sunday Times Football Book of the Year 2022

'A forensic insight into how our football academies operate. Every angle covered by a splendid author' - Daniel Taylor, The Athletic

With unparalleled behind-the-scenes access to academies at all levels of English football, The Dream Factory: Inside the Make-or-Break World of Football’s Academies is a journey deep into the heart of youth football, revealing in gripping detail how home-grown Premier League stars such as Marcus Rashford and Trent Alexander-Arnold are created, and at what cost.

The Dream Factory introduces a rich array of characters – players, coaches, directors – behind talent production lines at several Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City, zooming in on the stories of Alexander-Arnold’s unique development, how Rashford’s sense of social responsibility was nurtured, and how Phil Foden has become a beacon to City’s young hopefuls.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781913538392
Publisher:	Birlinn, Limited
Publication date:	10/26/2021
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.15(w) x 9.20(h) x (d)

About the Author

Ryan Baldi is a sportswriter and author with years of experience covering major live events, interviewing key figures and producing popular and insightful features. His work is featured by BBC Sport, The Guardian, World Soccer magazine, FourFourTwo, The Independent, the i newspaper and more. His first book, The Next Big Thing: How Football’s Wonderkids Lose Their Way, was published in 2019.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

1 The Greater Manchester Divide 1

2 Gateway to a Golden Generation 21

3 Doorstep Diamond Mine 41

4 The Talent Arms Race 54

5 Raising a Rashford 78

6 Dear Parent/Guardian 97

7 How Many Times Can You Face Rejection? 112

8 The Platinum Production Line 141

9 A Soul Worth Saving 160

10 System Reboot 180

11 La Masia of the Lower Leagues 193

12 Breaking Through 217

13 Staying the Journey 225

Acknowledgements 233

Index 236

Editorial Reviews

A forensic insight into how our football academies operate. Every angle covered by a splendid author'

The Athletic - Daniel Taylor

This is one of the most holistic books on academy football I've ever read. It is all here, the scenery, emotion and triumphs of our youth game, delivered in the craftsman fashion that Ryan Baldi is now rightly known for'

Daniel Fieldsend

What a book: Ryan Baldi has the reader living the blood, sweat, tears, triumph and despair of chasing the ultimate dream of making it'

The Guardian - Jamie Jackson

Ryan Baldi's The Dream Factory is an engrossing, gripping look into the underworld of academies. This book should be read by every coach, player, parent, and anyone who loves football and cares about the exploitation and capitalism rampant in these institutions. The next generation deserves better'

The Ringer - Mirin Fader

An in-depth look at the youth game, in conversation with the people who know it best. Baldi has gone deeper than anyone before to understand what really goes on inside academies'

Sky Sports - Adam Bate

Tells a story never told before in quite such forensic detail, full of glory and heartache. Exhaustive, comprehensive and detailed'

John Nicholson

The Dream Factory goes beyond the glamour and gives a real insight into how football works. There are very few fairy tales. It is an important book for anyone who cares about the game and a must-read for any parent whose child dreams of being a star'

Tony Evans