s2h
I agree with you (in part at least!). Your underlying point is correct; high acedemic ability does not translate into natural piloting skills and this is where the pre-training selection process can be tailor made to seek out those candidates who show those qualities and characterics in aptitude tests.
It is not clear where you're writing from but I sense an understandable frustraion in your comments about the standards of the F/O's your company employs. Am I assuming correctly that this is occuring outside of the UK?