Video and picture gallery: Big strides for Shropshire's little kickers

But even the manager most committed to this philosophy would be impressed by the work being done to nurture young talent at a Shropshire junior football academy, where children as young as two learn how to play the beautiful game.

The Little Kickers scheme, which runs sessions in Telford, Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, provides football training for two to seven-year-olds. Demand has been so great that another group, based at Bridgnorth Leisure Centre, will be launched on Saturday.

And from next month, there will also be a Little Kicks class for children aged 18 months to two years, three months. The scheme is run by Telford mother-of-four Jo Heath, who found there were few activities in the area for her sons.

She employs 11 coaches and two support staff, and 300 youngsters now go to the classes which are held at Hadley Learning Community in Telford, Sundorne Sports College in Shrewsbury and Smestow School in Wolverhampton. The sessions will be launched at Jungleland in Trench Lock, Telford, on February 24.

Mrs Heath, 42, of Wellington, says: "We've had quite a lot of inquiries from parents of children who aren't quite two, up until now we've had to put them on the waiting list, but now they will be able to take part too."

Jon Dale-Jensen has been coaching youngsters at Hadley for the past nine months, and says he finds it a greatly rewarding experience. "When you start, it's not just about the football, it's about making friendships, it's about team interaction."

Of course, you have to learn to walk before you can run, and it is probably asking a bit too much to expect two-year-olds to bend it like Beckham.

But Mr Dale-Jensen says: "We focus on ball control skills for the young ones, and we give the children a theme, we might tell them to pretend they are going into the sea.

"At the same time we will give them clear skills, such as how to stop the ball with the foot."

For the intermediate group, for ages three-and-a-half to five, the sessions are a little more formal, while for the oldest children, aged five to seven, there are structured training sessions with a warm-up at the start, and finishing with a short game.

Mr Dale-Jensen, a teacher at Ercall Wood Technology College in Wellington, says the parents are encouraged to take part in activities with the youngest children.

Is it possible to spot football potential at such a young age?

Perhaps echoing the theory that top footballers are born and not made, Mr Dale-Jensen says there are some who have a natural stand-out ability even at such a young age.

"There's always a few who are ahead of their years, right from the start, especially when they have older brothers," he says. "They tend to be more confident kicking the ball."

But he is keen to stress it is not so much about producing the footballers of tomorrow as building confidence and encouraging teamwork.

And while the majority of the youngsters who come along are boys, there is no reason why girls cannot play too, he says. "A lot of the girls are better than the boys at some things. We have more girls going to our Shrewsbury session."

Mr Dale-Jensen himself has a young son who attends the classes, although not the one he teaches.

"I think if my son was here, I would have very little time for the others," he jokes.

The Little Kicks classes at Jungleland run from 10am and 11am every Tuesday.

Mrs Heath said: "Our 'learning to learn through play' programme assists with a child's early education development where we learn colours, numbers and social skills.

"For Mr Dale-Jensen the real reward is seeing how the children develop under his guidance. He says: "Usually they are shy to begin with, but once their confidence starts growing and they are doing new things it's really nice to see."

Little Kickers offers football coaching for youngsters aged two to seven at Hadley Learning Community Bridgnorth Leisure Centre and Sundorne School every Saturday, and at Smestow School on Sundays.