[Archived] Rovers Young Guns

[Paul Mellelieu]

That's not what R6 is saying. (At the moment anyhow). His argument is that Hughes is responsible for not giving the young players their chance.

[Exiled in Toronto]

That's not what R6 is saying. (At the moment anyhow). His argument is that Hughes is responsible for not giving the young players their chance.

Maybe the accountability should fall beyond the hapless Downes. Hughes sacked a 30-year employee to install another member of the Taffia, on the basis that he was better qualified to bring young players through. Hughes has had his man running the reserve team for 3 years now, and we seem to have little to show for that appointment.

Whether or not Joe Schmoe is or isn't good enough isn't the point. The current regime have been here long enough to get something of a production line going, and it isn't there.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Maybe the accountability should fall beyond the hapless Downes. Hughes sacked a 30-year employee to install another member of the Taffia, on the basis that he was better qualified to bring young players through. Hughes has had his man running the reserve team for 3 years now, and we seem to have little to show for that appointment.

Whether or not Joe Schmoe is or isn't good enough isn't the point. The current regime have been here long enough to get something of a production line going, and it isn't there.

What I don't understand is, if the set up is so crap that you, R6, and others know, how come Hughes and co can't spot it. It really does mystify me. Honest.

[Exiled in Toronto]

What I don't understand is, if the set up is so crap that you, R6, and others know, how come Hughes and co can't spot it. It really does mystify me. Honest.

I'm sure he can spot it, but why should he care? Every time a big job comes vacant his eagerness to get an interview is palpable. He's clearly not here for the long term. Though he might start caring if he's still here in a year or two when the transfer budget remains at its current level and players need to be replaced.

It's Williams that should care.

[Paul Mellelieu]

I'm sure he can spot it, but why should he care? Every time a big job comes vacant his eagerness to get an interview is palpable. He's clearly not here for the long term. Though he might start caring if he's still here in a year or two when the transfer budget remains at its current level and players need to be replaced.

It's Williams that should care.

your first point doesn't convince me. Your second if just daft.

[John]

Not saying it is correct, but a criticism from the Welsh press and Toshack of Hughes when Wales manager is that he did not plan for the future. Hughes is still a young manager, so who is to say that he knows how to make a youth set-up work well?

Personally, I think it is too early to judge, as it takes time and luck to get youth players of the required quality through.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Not saying it is correct, but a criticism from the Welsh press and Toshack of Hughes when Wales manager is that he did not plan for the future. Hughes is still a young manager, so who is to say that he knows how to make a youth set-up work well?

Personally, I think it is too early to judge, as it takes time and luck to get youth players of the required quality through.

A bit of sense, at last.

[Hanks]

The problem lies with the need for results now, not in a few years time. Why should Hughes or any other manager in the premiership plan for a few seasons ahead when it might cost them there job in the short term. The influx of quality foriegn players means it is it is a lot more difficult for english born players to make a mark at premier level. The top teams cream off the talent and they don't produce a lot for the national team. Would Bentley be a england international now if he had stayed at arsenal? In the long term the loser will be the england national team.

[Exiled in Toronto]

your first point doesn't convince me. Your second if just daft.

Daft for the Chairman to care about the longer term sustainability of the club? Pleckgate must have been worse than I thought

[Paul Mellelieu]

Daft for the Chairman to care about the longer term sustainability of the club? Pleckgate must have been worse than I thought

Bloody hell. Daft to suggest that Williams doesn't care.

[waggy]

in the telewag last night,vince overson [who by the way refused to let his son join the rovers academy because he did not like the way things were run at brockhall] had a coloum about burnley's youth team,i wonder if the telewag could get the rovers intrested in writng about our youth team

[den]

I often wonder what effect, if any, taking the best facilities away from the youngsters, for the first teams benefit, has had at the club.

Anyone know?

[speeeeeeedie]

I often wonder what effect, if any, taking the best facilities away from the youngsters, for the first teams benefit, has had at the club.

Anyone know?

Den, I would say that it's minimal. It's not like the youth team went from Wembleyesque pitches to Blacksnape. The youngsters still have quality facilites, but they are now sort of cut off from the first team. Before the top pitches were developed (the ones by the main road) both youth and professionals trained on the same pitches, used the same dressing rooms, and ate at the same caf. Maybe now that the separation is there lads can't see what to aim for. Do the youth team still clean the pro's boots, clean up, and sweep the stands like they used to do?

The reserve team is not what it was. It's now an extended youth team as others have pointed out. Gone are the days when a youngster would line up with a seasoned pro every game. I wouldn't put this at Glyn Hodges' door, Tony Parkes couldn't have done anything either; it was either an FA, Premier League, or all clubs in unison decision.

As I've said time and again the success of our youth policy comes down to the talent brought in. The output is only as good as the input. A good system can improve the input but it won't make Prem players out of mediocre ability. Living within shouting distance of old Trafford and Anfield will never help.

[roversmum]

The Academy was in the superior facilities at the top of the hill when Mark arrived. He swopped things round to give the youngsters 'something to aim for'. He also said only recently (I can't remember exactly) something along the lines of the youngsters need to find out about life in the real world.

[den]

The Academy was in the superior facilities at the top of the hill when Mark arrived. He swopped things round to give the youngsters 'something to aim for'. He also said only recently (I can't remember exactly) something along the lines of the youngsters need to find out about life in the real world.

Yep, I remember that mum. I was just wondering if that has anything to do with rovers not attracting the top lads.

[cn174]

Yep, I remember that mum. I was just wondering if that has anything to do with rovers not attracting the top lads.

Maybe, but the facilities down at the bottom are hardly shoddy

[unleaded]

The currant Academy/Researves regime have not produced anything of note and Mr Williams should do something about this very soon..I find it strange that Rovers have scouts all over the world and give trilas to 100`s of players but if you look at there final squads for each section they are all no hoper's.......The current batch has maybe 2 0r 3 outstanding starlets(Aron Doran and Josh Morris) and the rest well the least said the better........

How they dealt with the German Players in particular was not good and the club should look into that but it looks that Mr Williams just does not care.It is believed that he had to rubber stamp the deals...............

I heard recently that the Rovers Academy sent over to Cercle Brugge one of their bright hopes(A striker)who they thought highly of but he was even rejected!!!!......................Footballs about opinions and taste and the fact is that the people who run the Academy have bad taste and there opinions are even worse...............

[waggy]

man city beat sunderland away 2-0 in the 1st leg of the youth cup last night,sven this morning said he expected at least 3 to feature in the 1st team next season,WHAT IS GOING ON AT BROCKHALL

[den]

man city beat sunderland away 2-0 in the 1st leg of the youth cup last night,sven this morning said he expected at least 3 to feature in the 1st team next season,WHAT IS GOING ON AT BROCKHALL

We're not poaching youngsters from other clubs, as Man City do.

[LeftWinger]

We're not poaching youngsters from other clubs, as Man City do.

Well maybe we should be.

[rover6]

We're not poaching youngsters from other clubs, as Man City do.

I don't know the details about Man City, Den, but half our reserve team are Irish. Doesn't that constitute cross-channel poaching? What about the German guys who are in our academy side, or were there before they got constructively dismissed?

[den]

I don't know the details about Man City, Den, but half our reserve team are Irish. Doesn't that constitute cross-channel poaching?

No. They weren't previously attached to anyone's academy.

[rover6]

Yes, but the fact that we are recruiting Irish, Scots, Germans, Faroe Isles, Congolese, Italians, is evidence that Rovers are casting their net far and spending money trying to find and recruit the best talent from everywhere possible. They are not coming through the academy system but being recruited at the final stage with a view to playing reserve football and then, hopefully, first team.

It is churlish to insinuate, as you seem to be doing, that Rovers academy do not have access to decent youth players because they don't poach from British club academies. Bjorn Bussman is a 16/17 year old keeper who is rated as one of Germany's biggest prospects and apparently, we fended off many a Bundesliga club in signing him. Mamadi Keita, Mario Pokar, Kevin Pezzoni (all German recruits who have now left) are all Germany youth internationals.

Francis Zenaba has a cap for Congo, despite being a teenager. Apparently, he will be in their World Cup qualifiers squad.

We don't have a bunch of Damien Duffs - or even one Damien Duff - but we have some potential which is not being developed.

Several seasons back, we got the FA Youth Cup final. Even more recently, we won the U18 academy league. Generally, our academy sides compete well (although this season hasn't been great) and we have a good reputation of puttign out strong sides. Where does that promise go?

[den]

It is churlish to insinuate, as you seem to be doing, that Rovers academy do not have access to decent youth players because they don't poach from British club academies.

What the heck are you talking about Rover6? If you're going to reply, at least reply to something I've actually said. You asked if signing Irish lads was poaching. Pretty dumb question that got the reply it deserved.

As for your insistence that our academy lads are good enough - and the coaching/academy/manager/ canteen staff are all at fault because they're not making the grade as Premiership footballers is getting tedious to say the least.

[waggy]

well den are you happy with the way the academy is being run,i'm not for one.over the years rovers have done there fair share off poaching now we produce players for the coca cola leagues,the academy needs a shake up