View source for RC Strasbourg Alsace Academy

{{Short description|Academy of French football club RC Strasbourg Alsace}}
[[Image:Arsene Wenger.JPG|thumb|upright=0.9|[[Arsène Wenger]], head of the academy from 1981 to 1983.]]

The '''RC Strasbourg Alsace Academy''', officially the '''Racing Mutest Académie''', is the [[Youth system|youth academy]] of French [[Association football|football]] club [[RC Strasbourg Alsace]]. It was founded in 1972.

==History==
RC Strasbourg Alsace's academy was created for the training of young players in 1972.<ref name="un_centre_en_formation">Véronique Bouvier and Raviraj Beechook, "Un centre... en formation", in {{Harvsp|CUEJ|2006|p=13}}</ref> The first training center, located on the east side of the [[Stade de la Meinau]],<ref>Tatiana Vazquez, "Le berceau de la Meinau", in {{Harvsp|CUEJ|2006|pp=4–5}}</ref> was created in 1974 under the leadership of athletic director [[Robert Domergue]] and Jacques Berthommier, first coach of the training center.<ref>[http://www.racingstub.com/page.php?page=news&id=4153 Un fondateur oublié]</ref><ref>[http://www.racingstub.com/fiche/pe/11489-robert-domergue Fiche de Jacques BERTHOMMIER], from racingstub.com (viewed 11 September 2010)</ref><ref>[http://www.racingstub.com/fiche/pe/9149-jacques-berthommier Fiche de Jacques BERTHOMMIER], from racingstub.com (viewed 11 September 2010)</ref> Among the champions of France in 1979, [[Albert Gemmrich]], [[Jacques Glassmann]], [[Jean-Jacques Marx]], [[Léonard Specht]] and [[Roland Wagner (footballer)|Roland Wagner]] were trained by Racing. Another member of the champions of France in 1979, [[Arsène Wenger]], was head of the academy between 1981 and 1983 at the end of his playing career. In the 1980s, [[Vincent Sattler]], who died accidentally when he was a top prospect of French football,<ref>{{Harvsp|Collectif|1991|p=141}}</ref> and [[José Cobos (footballer)|José Cobos]] passed through the center. In the following decade, players like [[Olivier Dacourt]], [[Martin Djetou]] and [[Valérien Ismaël]] were products of Strasbourg's academy.<ref>[http://www.rcstrasbourg.fr/centre10.php Palmarès de la formation] viewed 7 February 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.racingstub.com/page.php Djetou : les yeux loin des Bleus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624013823/http://www.racingstub.com/page.php |date=2014-06-24 }} viewed 28 August 2010</ref>

Because of the age of the old building,<ref name="un_centre_en_formation"/> a new training center was built near the Meinau stadium under the leadership of President [[Patrick Proisy]]. The new center, which opened in October 2000, includes a covered field with synthetic grass 40 meters by 60, also used by the professional group in inclement weather.<ref>Stéphane Godin, Racing - Sale temps et embellie, L'Alsace, 12 February 2010</ref> The buildings, originally owned by RC Strasbourg, were built on municipal land<ref name="Les actionnaires mettent la main à la poche">Olivier Arnal, Racing : les actionnaires mettent la main à la poche, L'Alsace, 20 July 2010</ref> which was leased to the club until 2045.<ref>Stéphane Godin, Où s’arrêtera la chute, L'Alsace, 3 July 2010</ref> In 2010 the city of Strasbourg bought for €4,074,000 the buildings of the training center at the club, which was then in financial difficulty.<ref name="Les actionnaires mettent la main à la poche"/><ref>S.G., Echos de la Meinau - Premiers départs, L'Alsace, 20 September 2010</ref> The center's budget for the 2010–2011 season was €2.5 million and was funded in the amounts of €1.5 million by the local authorities and 1 million by the company RC Strasbourg.<ref>Stéphane Godin, Le centre de formation en sursis, L'Alsace, 9 Dec 2010</ref>

In 2010–11, the club was deemed "too expensive" by the National President Jafar Hilali, who wrote in ''Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace'' "I ask myself a simple question. What good is it to keep a training center with a budget of € 2.5 million, equal to three-quarters of the clubs in National?"(translated).<ref>[http://www.racingstub.com/page.php?page=forumThread&msg=910357 Jafar Hilali: "Tout pour empêcher un dépôt de bilan"], 2 April 2011, viewed 31 October 2011</ref> In case of merger with [[FC Mulhouse|Football Club de Mulhouse]], the training center would have remained in Strasbourg but the club have played in [[Mulhouse]].<ref>[http://www.amateurdefoot.com/12516/mulhouse-le-president-n-en-peut-plus/ Ludo, Mulhouse : le président n’en peut plus], 9 May 2011, viewed 31 octobre 2011</ref> After the announcement of the bankruptcy filing, the players were free to choose their future course.

Although it was likely that it would disappear at the end of 2010–2011, Racing retained its training center after filing for bankruptcy, and in October 2011, the city of Strasbourg awarded a grant of €300,000 to the association for its operations.<ref>[http://www.dna.fr/actualite/2011/10/29/mise-a-disposition-gracieuse-du-stade-de-la-meinau-au-racing-club-de-strasbourg  Mise à disposition gracieuse du stade de la Meinau au Racing Club de Strasbourg], 29 October 2011, viewed 31 October 2011</ref> Since filing for bankruptcy, the center is no longer franchised. It became a school of elite soccer.<ref>Stéphane Godin, [http://www.lalsace.fr/sport/2012/07/12/le-centre-se-recentre Le centre se recentre], 12 July 2012, viewed 12 juillet 2012</ref> In 2012–2013, there will no longer 34 but 15 permanent residents at the training center.<ref>S. G., [http://www.lalsace.fr/sport/2012/07/12/15-pensionnaires-au-lieu-de-34 15 pensionnaires au lieu de 34], 12 July 2012, viewed 12 July 2012</ref>

==Operations==
The center welcomes young players 16 years of age and older. Aspiring players, aged 16 to 18 years, participating in the [[France national under-18 football team|Under 18s]] and students up to 21 years, play on the reserve team.<ref>[http://www.rcstrasbourg.fr/centre2.php Présentation du centre de formation], viewed 7 February 2009</ref> Since 2000, players such as [[Cédric Kanté]], [[Yacine Abdessadki]], [[Éric Mouloungui]] or [[Kevin Gameiro]] were trained in Strasbourg. In recent tournaments, the 18-year-old team reached the national [[Coupe Gambardella]] final in 2003 and won the event in 2006. The reserve team competed for the championship and the CFA Cup Alsace, which they have won several times since the 2000s.<ref>[http://www.rcstrasbourg.fr/centre9.php Palmarès sportif du centre], viewed 7 February 2009</ref>

The National Technical Director of the French Soccer Federation (Fédération française de football) conducts an annual ranking of the training centers of all professional teams. This ranking takes into account the so-called efficiency relative to young home-grown players (number of professional contracts, number of games played by professional team and the national team, school diplomas) and the status of educators.<ref>Ligue de football professionnel, ''Charte du football professionnel saison 2008-2009'', 2008, [http://www.lfp.fr/reglements/pdf/charte/2008_2009/chartePro.pdf chartePro.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113033621/http://www.lfp.fr/reglements/pdf/charte/2008_2009/chartePro.pdf |date=2008-11-13 }} sections=25-28</ref> Of a total of 32 training centers, the RC Strasbourg ranks 17th in 2007<ref>[http://www.lfp.fr/telechargement/CLASSEMENT_DES_CENTRES_DE_FORMATION_2007.pdf Classement des centres de formation 2007 ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006223753/http://www.lfp.fr/telechargement/CLASSEMENT_DES_CENTRES_DE_FORMATION_2007.pdf |date=2012-10-06 }}, 26 June 2007, viewed 7 February 2009</ref> and 16th in 2008<ref>[http://www.lfp.fr/actualiteLFP/lireArticle.asp?idArticle=10389 Le Stade Rennais n°1 de la formation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815002019/http://www.lfp.fr/actualiteLFP/lireArticle.asp?idArticle=10389 |date=2008-08-15 }}, 26 June 2008, viewed 7 février 2009</ref> and 12th in 2009,<ref>[http://www.lfp.fr/actualiteLFP/lireArticle.asp?idArticle=13536 Le Stade Rennais FC, maître de la formation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712024837/http://www.lfp.fr/actualiteLFP/lireArticle.asp?idArticle=13536 |date=2009-07-12 }} 29 June 2009, viewed 2 July 2009</ref> then in the second division, Racing ranks 8th in 2009-2010 of all professional clubs and ranks first among clubs not playing in [[Ligue 1]]<ref>''Échos'', L'Alsace, 14 June 2010</ref>

==Honours==
{| cellpadding="3" style="font-size:95%; background-color:#F9F9F9; text-align:left; border:solid 1px #74BEEB; border-collapse:collapse; margin-bottom:12px;" cellspacing="1" border="0" width=90% align=center
|- style="color:white; background:#10A3D4;"
!width=50% align=center |Youth teams
!width=50% align=center style="border-left:solid 1px #74BEEB" |International Competitions
|-
|
* Gambardella Cup (2) (Coupe Gambardella)
** Winner in 1965<ref name="rsssf Gambardella">Erik Garin, [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-var-champ.html Coupe Nationale des Juniors], 21 February 2007, viewed on 5 février 2010</ref> and 2006.
** Finalist in 2003 <ref name="rsssf Gambardella"/>
* France Championship under 18 (Championnat de France des moins de 18 ans) (1)
** Champion in 1992<ref>[http://www.fff.fr/palmares/2132.shtml Championnat National U19, ancien 18 ans jusqu'en 2008-2009 et 17 ans jusqu'en 2001-02] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127222925/http://www.fff.fr/palmares/2132.shtml |date=2013-01-27 }} 30 May 2005, viewed 25 May 2011</ref><ref>Erik Garin, [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-var-champ.html Championnat National (U-17/U-18)] 21 February 2007, viewed 3 February</ref>
* Quevilly tournament (Tournoi de Quevilly) (16 years)
** Winner in 2008<ref>[http://www.stade-rennais-online.com/+2162-Jeunes-les-resultats-du-week+.html Jeunes : les résultats du week-end - 16 ans Nationaux - Tournoi de Quevilly], 24 August 2008, viewed 25 August 2008</ref>
* France Cadet Championship (1) (Championnat de France des cadets)
** Champion in 1976.<ref>[http://www.fff.fr/palmares/2134.shtml Palmarès du Championnat national des cadets] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127222810/http://www.fff.fr/palmares/2134.shtml |date=2013-01-27 }}, 1 February 2001, viewed 3 February  2009</ref>
** Finalist in 1975.<ref>Erik Garin, [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-var-champ.html Coupe des Cadets (U-16)], 21 February 2007, viewed 5 February 2010</ref>
* National Benjamins Cup (Coupe nationale des benjamins)
** Finalist in 2004<ref>Erik Garin, [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-var-champ.html Coupe Nationale des Benjamins (U-12)], 21 February 2007, viewed 3 February 2009]</ref>
|valign="top" style="border-left:solid 1px #74BEEB"|
* Division 3
** Winner of the East Group in 1980.<ref>[http://www.footballenfrance.fr/ligue416.php?niveau=Division%203&poule=Est&annee=1980 Division 3 Gr. Est 1980], viewed 28 April 2011</ref>
* Division 4
** Winner of Group C in 1986<ref>[http://www.footballenfrance.fr/ligue514.php?niveau=Division%204&poule=C&annee=1986 Division 4 Gr. C 1986], viewed 28 April 2011</ref> and 1988.<ref>[http://www.footballenfrance.fr/ligue514.php?niveau=Division%204&poule=C&annee=1988 Division 4 Gr. C 1988], viewed 28 April 2011</ref>
* CFA 2
** Winner of Group C in 2011<ref>[http://www.footballenfrance.fr/ligue516.php?niveau=CFA%202&poule=C&annee=2011 CFA 2 Gr. C 2011], viewed 25 December 2011</ref>
* Alsace Cup (10) (Coupe d'Alsace)<ref group="note">Since 2000, the Alsace Cup is played exclusively by amateur reserve teams, professional or semi-professional players are not allowed to participate. Alsace association football league, Ligue d'Alsace Football 2010/2011 Directory - Cup Regulations Alsace - Article 3, [http://lafa.fff.fr/common/ressources/543059.pdf section 40]{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>Ligue d'Alsace de football association, Ligue d’Alsace de Football, Annuaire 2010/2011 - Règlement de la Coupe d’Alsace - Palmarès de l'épreuve, [http://lafa.fff.fr/common/ressources/543059.pdf section 41]{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
** Winner in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
|}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{citation |ref={{sfnref|CUEJ|2006}} |title=News d'Ill, numéro 86 |location=Strasbourg |publisher=[[Centre universitaire d'enseignement du journalisme]] (CUEJ), [[Robert Schuman University]] |date=January 2006 |issn=0996-9624}}
* {{citation |ref={{sfnref|Collectif|1991}} |title=Il était une fois le Racing, toute l'histoire du club omnisport strasbourgeois |author=Collectif |editor=Ronald Hirlé |publisher=Berger-Levrault |date=1991}}

{{RC Strasbourg Alsace}}
{{coord missing|France}}

[[Category:BlueCo]]
[[Category:RC Strasbourg Alsace]]
[[Category:Football academies in France]]
[[Category:French reserve football teams]]
[[Category:Association football training grounds in France|Racing Club]]