I've seen a fair bit of the youth this season, are we going to see any..... Well no, obviously not, given our youth history. Let me start again. Which of our youth professionals do you think might have a chance at first team football this season? Watson - If we don't get another keeper in, I don't see why he couldn't break through. Townsend - Having played in the SPL and League 1 and done pretty well, I think he'll be decent cover at LB Lenihan - Provided he has recovered from injury and has a good pre season, could be a solid RB option. Jahraldo-Martin - Wasn't really that impressed with him if I'm honest, he has a decent turn of pace but if you can't break into a struggling Alloa Athletic side, you aren't going to make it at a Championship club. Clark - Could be the breakthrough this season, must be ready for at least a shot at the cup games/one of the weaker Championship sides. He needs a loan to a competitive side this season if we aren't going to use him, otherwise he'll just stagnate. Luer - Looks pretty handy, but then it's not hard to against York reserves. Another that I reckon we'll see a bit of in the cup games. ter Horst - Not sure about him, I was expecting him to come in and get stuck into the development league but he hasn't scored too many, as he's mostly deployed out wide. Not sure about him. Dixon - Captain of the development squad and a pretty tidy player. Was training with the first team from Burnley onwards, another cup hopeful. If we can't unearth some potential now, we'll never do it, there are no youngsters of PL quality in that academy, but there might be one or two who can do a job in the Championship if required.
Margetts was better than any forward we have now and we let him go. As you say Clark is either in the first team squad or needs a good loan to Div 1 or 2. I'd get Josh Tymon in to the squad. Just 16 but he's going to make it barring injury.
Ive seen enough of Townsend and Max Clark to know that they are good enough now for the first team squad. Rory Watson needs to go out on loan to get first team action. I suspect that SB will give a few of the lads some game time as part of our first COC game in august. btw, we enter at the first round stage now. The Football League has said that ALL 72 clubs will start from round one.
It's very hard to judge the lads when they're playing against Gateshead, Scunny. I think anyone performing well next year will have a much better chance of breaking into the first team. I hope they're given the chance in the League Cup
I take your point but Clarks only 19. Agree he needs to be on the bench, coming on in games at least. Tymons only 16.
I was meaning Townsend and Margetts mainly. But we talk about Oxley 'stepping up' too. How old is he? He's our longest serving player!
It might make more sense for us to start trying to pick up more players around the age of 19 and putting the final touches on them to make them the player we want. Our record on taking young players and turning them into decent players is pretty poor. The U20 tournament has a ton of really good prospects who are all cheaper than the finished product but probably far better than anyone we have at that same age.
Pretty random suggestion. I've seen the kid play and I agree he'll make it. Maybe another year though first.
thing is most of these are early twenties pretty much they should be well into football league careers if they are going to make it. we have possibly the worst academy in english football though oxley is 24.. he should leave our club asap, for his best interests clappison is 20/21 this year and played at a lower conference side clark is almost 20.. not even been playing in a lower league townsend, he shoud leave aswell.. for his own interests it's pathetic how bad the whole setup is at this club the fact the only professional to come through our full ranks is cooper, says it all
I'm confused, you're saying we're bad at turning young players into good players but are suggesting we buy young players and try and turn them into good players? Would that mean we 'keep doing something we're not good at'?
No I am suggesting we are bad at taking 15 year old players and turning them into 21 year olds who are good enough to make our squad. Why not take someone who is farther along the path lets say 19 or 20 who is already playing for their national team or is already just starting to break in at their club and then finish their development off. It would cost more upfront than a 15 year old but it would be cheaper than buying a ready made player. Right now we are just wasting money on kids who we do not seem to have the ability to turn into professional footballers. So I am basically saying pay more upfront for our development team by buying older better players, it will save money in the end, instead of having to waste money and then buy people anyway.
Maguire and Robertson were purchases made in that vein, and the jury is out. Robertson started well but seems to have gone backwards.
Yea thats basically what I am saying, although Maguire would probably be more the type than Robertson as I was implying we would actually have to develop them to make the squad where Robertson basically was good enough to get games and we are developing him further.
I would argue Maguire was good enough for our PL squad, we just had a lot more depth at CB than fullback.
Mark Cullen (although we nabbed him from Ashington), Will Atkinson, Sonny Bradley and Danny East all came through our ranks and are all current professionals, albeit at other clubs.
