Bad news, good news and hope.
The first night he got up at the Rangers Football Centre Sean went into a bounce game between his age group colleagues. Afterwards he said it was tough - the fitness, speed and skill were on a different level to what he normally faced in boy's club football. In tackling he said "no-one takes any prisoners." It was a bit of a shock to the system for him to be involved in a game where everyone was around his standard - in his own team he was a bit of a star - at Auchenhowie he was in with a team where everyone was on his level and above.
Right off his parents commented on the type of training. I saw some of it myself and unlike the normal West of Scotland training - a run around the park and a kick about afterwards - even the youngest start off with a scientific warm-up followed by athletics and American football style circuit training designed to promote agility and speed. Coaches up there come from a variety of backgrounds - a lot of them from athletics - and use their regimes to build up proper athletic fitness in the kids.
The training gives them the proper athletic base to work from when developing football skills. Sean found the training tough but nothing he couldn't handle - it certainly opened his eyes to what he needs to work on to be able to get into and stay in the Rangers squad.
On the field he was made aware that he had to be part of the team - what he did at boys club level wasn't enough - whether making or scoring goals he had to be hunting the ball more and looking to get himself into the game. He was also taken aback a bit by the amount of chat amongst the players and how supportive they were of one another - no ranting and raving, no moody sulks.
He was up there for six weeks before being given the bad news that he hadn't secured a spot in the squad. He's a quite lad and both his parents and I have been amazed at how well he took the news. He's responded not with anger or frustration but with determination. He's had offers from other clubs but he has set his heart on getting back into Auchenhowie. He says himself that another year playing at the level he did would be a waste and wouldn't make it any more likely to improve. So at the moment he's looking for another pro-youth club to get into which will see him getting the sort of training and competition he needs - he also wants to be in the same league as the Rangers so that they can see him again for themselves in a truly competitive setting.
His dad said to me "I don't know what they did to him up there, but his attitude to football has definitely changed" - since going to Auchenhowie the American Cream Soda bottles have gone - he drinks water and Powerade, in the morning before school and when he comes home he goes for training runs - he knows this is what he needs to do. He's developing good habits on and off the field.
At the moment he's playing a few games for a decent team south of the river but he's been honest enough to say he would prefer a higher standard and the family are taking their time deciding on which club would be best for him. For a family of Celtic supporters to be so keen on getting him back into Auchenhowie tells it's own story. The "Blue Heaven" documentary series has back in his video player.
UPS AS WELL AS DOWNS
There are a few areas which Sean's experience can be used by the club to improve. There were three areas which the Youth Department can sharpen up on I feel.
1/ It took a lot of time and effort after he was first offered a trial to actually get him up to Auchenhowie. Perhaps there was a breakdown in communication between RFC and his boys club but it was only a series of personal interventions which got the process kick-started again. Once a trial has been formally offered I think the management of the process could be better.
2/ He was there for six weeks - but he was never told until the final week how long his stay would be. That uncertainty was unhelpful. He would admit himself he needed a bit of time to get up to the fitness levels of the other squad members but having a target date would have made the trial period a bit easier and more certain.
3/ When he left he got confused messages - they might call him back in August, they might be able to find him a club where he can progress and then come back. There was a lack of clarity in what exactly the club wanted him to do to improve himself, where he should go, how they would able to keep an eye on him and whether he should make his own plans for next season or wait for another date with Rangers.
OVERALL THE REPORT CARD WAS GOOD
However, these three issues are mere details compared with his overall experience. There is no doubt the youth system in place is working well. Sean and his family are full of praise for Rangers "out of this world" is a phrase they have used more than once. The quality of the systems and the supportive culture around Auchenhowie has meant they have turned into an advert for Rangers whenever they talk to people about the club's youth set-up. That says a lot for them.
For Sean, it gave him a glimpse of what could lie ahead if he works hard to bring out his talent. It has raised his expectations and his workrate. When one of the other neighbours, himself a Celtic fan, asked where he would go to if both the the Old Firm wanted to sign him he replied without hesitation "Rangers."
That says a lot about him and of the magic George Adams and his staff are working.
"This is our magnificent new Main Stand. It holds ten thousand people and we could fill it ten times over with young boys who want to play for The Rangers."
Jimmy Bowie, Rangers Chairman, at the opening of the new Main Stand, 1st January 1929