FOOTBALL: HARD work and dedication appears to have paid off for Solihull Moors Academy student Tyrese Shade after he received an invitation from Leicester City to attend a week’s assesment with the Under 23s squad.
The 17-year-old will head to Leicester’s Aylestone training ground on Sunday, July 16, and start raining the following day.
During the week, the six foot forward will play in two friendly matches, one of those being against Sheffield Wednesday.
Shade impressed Moors coach Liam McDonald last season after he was dropped from Birmingham City’s Academy following seven years with the Blues.
His work immediately paid off when unleashing a 25-yard strike in his away debut against Guiseley, his effort was just tipped onto the bar by the home keeper.
More recently, Shade bagged one of the two goals Moors put past Barwell in the club’s opening pre-season fixture on Monday night.
The academy, which earlier this year entered a partnership with CTC Kingshurst Academy, provides Moors with some of the region’s most talented players.
The club’s academy gives players a second chance if they do not make it first time around – proven by the re-signing of Blues youngster Kieran Daws – The Moors Academy in hope of enhancing his ability as a footballer.
Similarly, Marshall Willock, released from Walsall, joined Moors’ Academy this year and has grown into an impressive centre-half.
The 16-year-old has been out on trial at Birmingham City, Scunthorpe United and most recently Grimsby Town after impressing in a game he played against them.
Mark Fogarty, head of sport at the academy, said: “We have attracted players from far and wide.
“Some have chosen to join us ahead of Football League clubs while others have already had that experience.
“Our aim is to give them the best training and pastoral care possible.
“Our success on and off the pitch in our first year is one of the reasons so many want to join us.”
Teaching staff at CTC will provide academic tuition while Moors coaches will look after the football side of players’ education.
Having started with 40 boys between the age of 15 and 18, Moors’ academy completed its first successful first year just months ago.
But the new partnership at CTC has created massive interest and enabled Moors to offer places to over 100 boys.
He added: “The staff that we have in place at the Academy are top class and cemented by the brilliant teachers at CTC.
“We cannot fail but be successful in our target which is to make players the best that they can possibly be.
“We want to attract the best to clubs.
“Players are often let go too early, but with the quality of staff we have here, anything is possible.
“With the evidence of such excellence already produced from the club, the future of the region’s community is in finer hands than ever before.”
