[Archived] Rovers Review Academy And Reserve Set Ups

[JAL]

An Andy Neild scoop in tonights Telegraph, talks about how John Williams, Mark Hughes, Bobby Downes are currently reviewing all aspects to do with the acedemy and reserve set ups on how to improve the development of young talent and progress them into the first team.

Seems very positive, changes are, setting up a new scouting department headed by Mike Rigg who is joined by Martyn Glover who will concentrate on the 15 -21 year olds.

Steve Nickson,Mark Curran and Tony Hartley will concentrate on the 6 -14 year olds.

Creating a new 'scouting co-ordinator' (Kevin Cruickshank) who will report daily to the manager.

Mike Rigg actively looks to appoint more scouts to work at the club home and abroad.

Introducing a new state of art computer system which will enable the club to track possible targets.

Strengthen existing links between the academy, reserves and the first team.

Seems like the club are taking some positive steps in improving the way they operate and the way they can achieve success for the club in future, wether it works or not, who knows, at least they are trying something that is positive which should be commended.

[waggy]

lets pension bobby downes off thats what i will call refreshing

[Hughesy]

Yeah i applied for that scouting co-ordinator job - didnt stand a chance.

The new system isnt new - its scout7 - lots of clubs use it - you can get on their website and see who. Its basically a tracker so scouts can load up their reports on there instead of having to wait until they can reach the office on a monday or whenever. Also monitors performances and things like that - not sure how

[roversmum]

all about it on the Official Site

[den]

Good reading - and nice to know that they see the key to progress with the academy is the scouting and recruitment with the emphasis on the 15-18 age group. Not that I've ever doubted them on that one. We have a good set of people running the club. We're in capable hands.

The only part of what I've read, that they will IMO struggle with, is bringing lads as young as 6yrs old all the way.

[CAPT KAYOS]

The only part of what I've read, that they will IMO struggle with, is bringing lads as young as 6yrs old all the way.

So do I den , however and this is my opinion - they should not be able to start 'courting' these youngsters until they are at least a secondary school or equivalent ie 11+ and only on a part time basis - and then taken on at 16 for the academy and not allowed to move club etc until 18 at least - there may be some 'legality' restricting this but I'm sure a contract should cover the elements.

[baxendenblue]

Shouldn't we have been scouting like this before? Common sense tells you the best way to find players is to get out and watch matches.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Young Kiwi Given Four-Year Scholarship

[rover6]

"We need young players pushing for the first team to be of a very high standard."

Like that set by first team fringe stars, Aaron Mokoena and Bruno Berner? Or is it the immensely high standard set by Gamst for the first half of this season?

[Silencio]

"We need young players pushing for the first team to be of a very high standard."

Like that set by first team fringe stars, Aaron Mokoena and Bruno Berner? Or is it the immensely high standard set by Gamst for the first half of this season?

I kind of agree with most of what you say re the youth team R6 but I think you might need to see a doctor about your obsession with the issue. Are you sleeping okay?

[den]

Rover6, you really are posting silly things.

Re-Mokoena. He's used by you, to justify every/any youngster as being worth a run in the first team. Hughes and Co obviously don't see any academy lad as being even as good, as Moko. You obviously do see someone good enough. Now do you want to share his name, or are you sticking to the same story that the kids should be played in the first team in the "hope" that eventually they'll make the grade. If it's the latter, which lad?

The truth is, we don't have anyone as good as Moko, or even deemed ready for the first team.

I really did expect you to come back with some comments on the actual topic. I thought you would comment on the article regarding Rovers concentrating on the scouting side of things and the focus on recruitment. Something that I and others have been saying for a long while. There was nothing in there, to suggest that the club was going to concentrate on pushing young lads into the first team - no comments on that at all. Could it be that the club don't believe that the current group of youngsters are in fact good enough? God forbid that to be the case.

[JAL]

Shouldn't we have been scouting like this before? Common sense tells you the best way to find players is to get out and watch matches.

Got to agree with you 'baxendenblue', after giving it plenty of thought it does seem to be neglect in the way Rovers recruited young players.

This seems to be an open admission about the shoddy way Rovers were going about their business in recruiting youngsters that gave rover6 and co. the ammunition to have a go, and quite rightly so, at the running of the academy

[ABBEY]

"We need young players pushing for the first team to be of a very high standard."

Like that set by first team fringe stars, Aaron Mokoena and Bruno Berner? Or is it the immensely high standard set by Gamst for the first half of this season?

ask paul sturrock he knows best

[Paul Mellelieu]

All organisations have ongoing review processes in order to maintain and improve their functioning, or services, and the club is no different.

[JAL]

All organisations have ongoing review processes in order to maintain and improve their functioning, or services, and the club is no different.

Yes, but you'd have thought what they are implementing was already in place.. wouldnt you.

[ally]

i never realised bruno berner was 29, surely Martin Olson would be a better choice for reserve left back

[tcj_jones]

"Introducing a new state of art computer system which will enable the club to track possible targets."

I'd like to know more about this.

Sounds just like Football Manager!

[Paul Mellelieu]

Yes, but you'd have thought what they are implementing was already in place.. wouldnt you.

Erm.. they are.

[RibbleValleyRover]

"Introducing a new state of art computer system which will enable the club to track possible targets."

I'd like to know more about this.

Sounds just like Football Manager!

It probably is

[Alan75]

"Introducing a new state of art computer system which will enable the club to track possible targets."

I'd like to know more about this.

Sounds just like Football Manager!

Or TOM TOM Finn

[roversmum]

i never realised bruno berner was 29, surely Martin Olson would be a better choice for reserve left back

I'm sure he would have been if he hadn't spent most of the season injured..........

[rover6]

Re-Mokoena. He's used by you, to justify every/any youngster as being worth a run in the first team. Hughes and Co obviously don't see any academy lad as being even as good, as Moko. You obviously do see someone good enough. Now do you want to share his name, or are you sticking to the same story that the kids should be played in the first team in the "hope" that eventually they'll make the grade. If it's the latter, which lad?

The truth is, we don't have anyone as good as Moko, or even deemed ready for the first team.

My belief, Den, is that Mokoena gets picked because of his experience not his talent. It's cautiousness which is prevalent in footy management. It's why Lampard/Gerrard/ have been ENgland regulars for years despite usually performing like damp squibs. Bringing in a new guy is deemed a massive risk because it's a step into the hypothetical, so managers stick to the tried (and failed).

Imo, given a chance, a guy like Nolan could do as well in the utility role (although he hasn't played midfield much in his career, he has played CB and RB). And now that Vogel is back-up CM on the bench, having another is not so important.

Obviously, if Nolan was thrown in into the next game, he might struggle with nerves and the pace of the game. But if he was given concerted games to find his feet, I think he could do as well as Mokoena. However, Hughes is not prepared to give him that transition time or for that matter, any of the other young players who don't do a Derbs and make immediate impact.

The transition time that was given to Mokoena.

This claim will be deemed to lack credibility unless some people who watch the reserve team/Ireland U21 side/Hartlepool back me up, so anyone...? If you don't back me up, can anyone see where I'm coming from.

I really did expect you to come back with some comments on the actual topic. I thought you would comment on the article regarding Rovers concentrating on the scouting side of things and the focus on recruitment. Something that I and others have been saying for a long while. There was nothing in there, to suggest that the club was going to concentrate on pushing young lads into the first team - no comments on that at all. Could it be that the club don't believe that the current group of youngsters are in fact good enough? God forbid that to be the case..

It is very disappointing that the club do not see, apparently, any need for review of the approach to pushing young lads into the first team. But that is Mark Hughes' exclusive remit, so I guess he feels he's doing it right.

[rover6]

Den, leaving the above aside for a moment, surely you accept there is something wrong in the following-

Mamadi Keita - zero Rovers reserve team appearances, zero reserve substitute bench appearances. NOW: Hamburg II [second tier of German football]

Keith Barker - many Rovers reserve team appearances: NOW: Northwich Victoria

Joel Byrom - many Rovers reserve appearances: NOW Northwich Victoria

Jerome Watt - ditto - NOW: Fleetwood FC (seventh level of English footy)

Gary Stopforth - ditto AND captain: Now: Clitheroe

Even if Keita never plays another game - that is intrinsically very, very wrong.

[den]

"Imo, given a chance, a guy like Nolan could do as well in the utility role (although he hasn't played midfield much in his career, he has played CB and RB)"

What do you mean "a guy like Nolan"? The only youngster we have like Nolan, - is Nolan. Then you said, "(although he hasn't played midfield much in his career, he has played CB and RB)."

I mean where are we going here? I'm saying that Mokoena, in his duties of coming on for the last 20/30 mins to protect a lead [which is pretty much all he ever does nowadays], does OK. You say we have better kids, but then come out with "a guy like Nolan".

Pity you can't see that the problem with the academy is that they're not getting the right lads in. If they do that, it will succeed.

[Parsonblue]

I watch all the home reserve games and most of the away reserve games. If I had to chose between Nolan and Mokoena to play in the first team in midfield I'd have Mokoena everytime. If I had to chose between Nolan and Mokoena to play in defence, I'd have Mokoena everytime.

Nolan is a defender, not a midfield player. He is playing at right-back for the reserves at the moment. But, again, he is not better than Ooijer or Emerton in that position.

The reason Hughes sticks with the players he does is because they are better than what we have in the reserves. If Olsson hadn't been injured over the past few months I suspect that he might have been involved in the first team squad more than Berner. However, apart from Olsson, I would certainly select Berner over the other players who are playing at left-back for the reserves.

With large sums of money available for final League placings, the days of developing young players in the first team are not realistic for clubs like the Rovers. Every point is vital as it can provide the manager with extra funds to spend in the summer.