[Archived] Producing our own players

[pick32]

After the emergence of Hanley, Jones, Lowe, Henley and Kean in recent years do we now have an academy that is steadily producing first team players for the future?

Who do you think is going to be next to break on to the scene?

Personally in the next couple of years I think we could see Fernandez, Devarn Green, John Osullivan, O'connor, Edwards, Rittenberg, O'connel, Raheem Hanley and Forrester all breaking into the first team.

[Rover_Shaun]

Hard one.

Is it because the club has fallen to the level of those 5 or would they have made it in a world without Venkys?

[pick32]

I'd say Jones, Henley and Hanley would of made it eventually couldn't say the same for Lowe and Kean.

[joey_big_nose]

To be honest we have been producing decent Championship talent for fifteen years now. Now we are a Championship club we can use more of them rather than selling them on....

It's a good investment which is producing the goods for us. Duff and Phil Jones were truly outstanding. Dunn also obviously talented though unfortunately injury prone. Hopefully we can get another outstanding one along in the next few years. Though it doesn't sound like we have a potential at the moment? Kean, Hanley, Lowe, Henley all decent Chapionship uality without really seeming much more than that.

[patrickvalery]

I'll be honest, Dunn was the best youth team graduate I've seen us produce. I think its very easy to forget just how good he was before his injuries. I genuinely think he could have been the next Gazza.

Jones was also exceptional but I'd be a little concerned if I were him. By now I would have expected him to be well on the way to becoming an established PL centre half. Sadly I think his versatile reputation will harm him in the longer term unless he manages to tie down a regular position very soon.

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Both Henley and Hanley have the potential to go higher than this league imo. They've already played very well in the PL anyway, albeit briefly in Henley's case.

The rest you just never know, not just the academy ones now but Lowe and Kean as well.

[Baz]

I'll be honest, Dunn was the best youth team graduate I've seen us produce. I think its very easy to forget just how good he was before his injuries. I genuinely think he could have been the next Gazza.

Jones was also exceptional but I'd be a little concerned if I were him. By now I would have expected him to be well on the way to becoming an established PL centre half. Sadly I think his versatile reputation will harm him in the longer term unless he manages to tie down a regular position very soon.

Duff was better than Dunn.

[West Yorks Rover]

Have'nt seen him but Dean Rittenberg seems to be getting some good reports, anyone seen much of him ?

[Andy]

Duff was better than Dunn.

Duff was, and still is, several shades better than Dunn.

[briansol]

I agree on Duff. He was a world class player for some seasons and showcased that by winning Premier League, performing well in Champions League and the World Cup. 95 international caps and a whole career in the Premier League also confirms consistency and maturity.

Dunn was a great talent, however the mental aspect of a player and the application needed is why Duff had a different career than Dunn. It was not just injuries that hindered Dunn's career. Souness was right being frustrated with Dunn, I think Dunn has admitted as much.

On the current crop, I'm very impressed by Kean. Even if his recent form hasn't been as great, he has all the attributes and the age to be a top keeper for years to come.

[Sparky Marky]

I'm very impressed by Kean. Even if his recent form hasn't been as great, he has all the attributes and the age to be a top keeper for years to come.

Errm..no he doesn't. Lucky boy in the right place at the right time, bowyer, another luck boy in the right place at the right time, knows him or otherwise he'd still be where he should be and that's playing down in the U21s...

[Guest Norbert]

He was pretty good last season though.

[briansol]

Errm..no he doesn't. Lucky boy in the right place at the right time, bowyer, another luck boy in the right place at the right time, knows him or otherwise he'd still be where he should be and that's playing down in the U21s...

Difference of opnions then, but your facts are wrong. It was Berg who gave him the chance, dropping Robinson in the process. Appleton also persisted with him.

I agree that he was lucky to be given the chance at that age. The highlight was his perfomance vs Arsenal in the FA Cup win.

[McClarky]

It's funny how young players come through in groups, probably to do with getting better by playing with other good players as youngsters. In my time there have been a few good periods and many periods where next to none have come through for years:

Late 80s - Wilcox, Skinner, Hill & May.

Late 90s - Dunn, Duff, Taylor & Johnson

Current- Kean, Hanley, Henley & Lowe (and Jones)

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

It is all about opinions - but Lowe showed enough in the last two home matches to demonstrate that played with the right partner he could be a key player for us.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Duff was, and still is, several shades better than Dunn.

I disagree. If we're using patrickvalery's point of looking at Dunn before his injuries, which I think is fair enough if we're talking about raw talent coming through the academy, then Dunn wasn't far off Duff in my opinion. The fairest period to compare them at Rovers is 2000-03 when they were both established first-teamers and both fully fit. During those 3 seasons Dunn scored 34 to Duff's 22. He also kept the likes of Hignett and Berkovic out of the side and held his own in terms in the face of competition from Tugay and Thompson. I rate Duff as the best left-winger I've ever seen at Rovers, but Dunn was and still is a master in possession and wasn't far off him.

[AJW]

i'm sure i read somewhere that since start of PL only Newcastle have made more money from selling home grown players than Rovers , and when you consider Carroll went for £35m i think it makes our record even more impressive

[onlyonejackwalker]

Duff and Dunn, two truly great players to come through our ranks. The fact Dunn has clearly underachieved, does not affect how good he was before injury and losing a yard of pace.

Vital for a club of our size to keep producing decent quality younger players to fill the squad and make money. Hopefully the Venky's seeming committment to our youth development and policy will bear some rewards going forward.

[patrickvalery]

I honestly believe Dunn could have gone on to forge a good international career. He has always had that barrel chest which makes him hard to push off the ball and in his younger days he could beat a man too. He has always had an eye for a pass and he weighs in with a good number of goals too. Not too often we see a genuine english number ten but Dunn had all the attributes to be a top player. Sadly, what isnt up for debate is the fact he never hit those heights. Be it injuries or attitude, I think its a real shame the world didnt get to see how good he could have been.

[92er]

I agree on Duff. He was a world class player for some seasons and showcased that by winning Premier League, performing well in Champions League and the World Cup. 95 international caps and a whole career in the Premier League also confirms consistency and maturity.

Don't forget he had 2 seasons in whatever the championship was called.