Academy & U21s

[RoversClitheroe]

Mystery that Jack Doyle isn't ahead of Hart. I don't understand the Hart signing appears to me like a waste of money when we have perfect youth! 

[roversfan99]

As much as one or two youngsters are a good thing we need to not be overly reliant.

Tomlinson is ok but hes still a bit raw, Nuttall has looked particularly out of his depth to be honest lately, we cant rely on them to get promoted, just give them time as and when we can.

Have talent and im all for including them but for example, id be reluctant to chuck Doyle etc in the league if we could avoid it. Going for promotion. Send a couple on loan ideally.

[Oldgregg86]

I agree . Doyle should be in front of hart in the pecking order. Hart should never have signed. I don't know who he knows but to play at Liverpool even at youth level into his 20s and then get a move here , someone owes someone a favor.

Having seen nuttall play u23 and first team football im not sure I would even offer him a contract being honest. 

Agree with the sentiment though, that we need proper seasoned players and have the young lads around the fringes , coming off the bench etc. 

Without trying to contradict myself are we not better playing the likes of Tomlinson over Evans and whittingham. If you factor in the wages of Evans and whitts, plus age and how injury prone they are, I'd even question whittinghams desire at times, to a young local lad, on low wages (which would of freed up a decent wage for a winger at the start of the season) Passionate with the potential to grow and improve. The other two don't put in better performances even with all their experience. I suppose TM would be damned if he did damned when he doesn't. Ala nuttall 

[roversfan99]

I personally feel that we look alot more balanced with Whittingham, he was excellentv Scunthorpe and his passing complimented Smallwoods tenacity whereas Tomlinsons passing in the last few games ive thought wad a bit all ovet the place.

[Stuart]

U23s cancelled again tonight, in case anyone was going.

[Tom]

Surprised to see the under 18s called off, was meant to be at Ewood but frozen pitch 

[Hanks]

28 minutes ago, Tom said:

Surprised to see the under 18s called off, was meant to be at Ewood but frozen pitch 

As Stuart mentioned above, the under 23 game at Leyland was called off due to a frozen pitch, the under 18's are due to play at ewood on Saturday 20th, KO currently scheduled for 19.30 which seems a bit odd.

[Tom]

Just now, Hanks said:

As Stuart mentioned above, the under 23 game at Leyland was called off due to a frozen pitch, the under 18's are due to play at ewood on Saturday 20th, KO currently scheduled for 19.30 which seems a bit odd.

Ah misread a tweet I thought it was odd that a game at Ewood would be off due to a frozen pitch 

[bazza]

With regard to youngsters playing for the first team, from what I've seen recently I would say Travis is ready, Tomlinson and Nuttall need to improve a bit, Wharton looks ready, don't know about Jack Doyle, Charley Doyle, Matt Platt, Butterworth, Hardcastle or Rankin Costello.

I'm glad to see TM trying them out; something Sparky would never do.

[Stuart]

2 hours ago, Hanks said:

As Stuart mentioned above, the under 23 game at Leyland was called off due to a frozen pitch, the under 18's are due to play at ewood on Saturday 20th, KO currently scheduled for 19.30 which seems a bit odd.

I thought that was an odd day/time too. I had it down as Brockhall though.

Just double-checked. It’s Ewood but that has been changed earlier this evening. They could have done to have moved the U23s to Ewood tonight. They’ve not played for a month!

Very poor of the LFA.  Should have been called off this morning not at half three.

Edited January 8, 2018 by Stuart

[JacknOry]

On 1/8/2018 at 07:11, Oldgregg86 said:

I agree . Doyle should be in front of hart in the pecking order. Hart should never have signed. I don't know who he knows but to play at Liverpool even at youth level into his 20s and then get a move here , someone owes someone a favor.

Having seen nuttall play u23 and first team football im not sure I would even offer him a contract being honest. 

Agree with the sentiment though, that we need proper seasoned players and have the young lads around the fringes , coming off the bench etc. 

Without trying to contradict myself are we not better playing the likes of Tomlinson over Evans and whittingham. If you factor in the wages of Evans and whitts, plus age and how injury prone they are, I'd even question whittinghams desire at times, to a young local lad, on low wages (which would of freed up a decent wage for a winger at the start of the season) Passionate with the potential to grow and improve. The other two don't put in better performances even with all their experience. I suppose TM would be damned if he did damned when he doesn't. Ala nuttall 

You wouldnt give Nuttall a contract? I agree he still needs to develop a bit more but he did score for fun at u23 level and has bagged a few in the first team. Im not sure that Samuel is much better than him and we paid half a mil. Keep him as he is as a bit part player from the bench (and Tomlinson) and hopefully he will improve.

[Stuart]

They’ve moved it again! Date change this time.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/january/youth-cup-watford/

Weds 17th Jan (can’t go now)

Maybe they’ll get around to changing the academy fixture page at some point. ?

[Parsonblue]

A thrilling game at Bishop Auckland this afternoon when Rovers youngsters played a very experienced Middlesbrough side.  A cracking end to end affair between two teams challenging for promotion.  Lewis Travis had another outstanding game and there were good performances from Charley Doyle and Tomlinson again.  With Mowbray again watching from the stands, these lads have again shown that they are ready for first team football when needed.

[blueboy3333]

1 hour ago, Parsonblue said:

A thrilling game at Bishop Auckland this afternoon when Rovers youngsters played a very experienced Middlesbrough side.  A cracking end to end affair between two teams challenging for promotion.  Lewis Travis had another outstanding game and there were good performances from Charley Doyle and Tomlinson again.  With Mowbray again watching from the stands, these lads have again shown that they are ready for first team football when needed.

Bloody hell, you get around. You're like the Alan Whicker of Rovers fans. Fair play to you.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

24 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

A thrilling game at Bishop Auckland this afternoon when Rovers youngsters played a very experienced Middlesbrough side.  A cracking end to end affair between two teams challenging for promotion.  Lewis Travis had another outstanding game and there were good performances from Charley Doyle and Tomlinson again.  With Mowbray again watching from the stands, these lads have again shown that they are ready for first team football when needed.

Was there a score ?

[blueboy3333]

5 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Was there a score ?

Yes.

[blueboy3333]

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/january/report-middlesbrough-u23s-3-rovers-u23s-3/

[Parsonblue]

55 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Was there a score ?

A 3-3 draw which was probably a fair result for all concerned.  Middlesbrough had a number of overage players on view who Pulis wanted to look at so it was a pretty good performance by our lads to hold them and, but for some rare defensive lapses we might well have got all three points.  A cracking game of football though - end to end for ninety minutes.  A bit of a shaker when you realise that you actually watched the Middlesbrough 'keeper's father play in goal for 'Boro.  Felt the same a couple of years ago when we had Wally Joyce's grandson playing for the second string!

[rog of the rovers]

On 1/14/2018 at 23:47, Parsonblue said:

A 3-3 draw which was probably a fair result for all concerned.  Middlesbrough had a number of overage players on view who Pulis wanted to look at so it was a pretty good performance by our lads to hold them and, but for some rare defensive lapses we might well have got all three points.  A cracking game of football though - end to end for ninety minutes.  A bit of a shaker when you realise that you actually watched the Middlesbrough 'keeper's father play in goal for 'Boro.  Felt the same a couple of years ago when we had Wally Joyce's grandson playing for the second string!

Based on what you've seen would you sell Wright for £1m?

[Manchester Blue]

Does anyone know if he's actually signed a pro contract?  If he hasn't I'm led to understand we'd get a fraction of that due to academy rules in place.  Hoping he is in that case.

[blueboy3333]

7 minutes ago, Manchester Blue said:

Does anyone know if he's actually signed a pro contract?  If he hasn't I'm led to understand we'd get a fraction of that due to academy rules in place.  Hoping he is in that case.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/teams/academy/profiles/midfielder/callum-wright/

It says 'signed 1/7/16' according to his profile. He came to the club before that so it could relate to the date he signed a Pro contract.

[JacknOry]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

https://www.rovers.co.uk/teams/academy/profiles/midfielder/callum-wright/

It says 'signed 1/7/16' according to his profile. He came to the club before that so it could relate to the date he signed a Pro contract.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/everton-make-offer-blackburn-rovers-14166292

That article above says he left Everton in 2013. So ether they are wrong, the writer who filled his profile on the club website is wrong - or 2016 is the date he perhaps signed a contract.

Also, if they released him in the 2015/16 season, he must have developed extremely quickly within a year and a half for them coming back to get him for a mil.

Edited January 17, 2018 by JacknOry

[blueboy3333]

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/15857058.FA_YOUTH_CUP_MATCHDAY_LIVE__Blackburn_Rovers_v_Watford/?ref=mac

Wright playing well by the look of it. Rovers 2-0 up with 15 mins left.

[Manchester Blue]

You'd presume if they're talking about a million then he must has a contract of some kind.  However the Rich Sharpe article today suggests he doesn't have a pro contract yet.  Don't know the exact figures but there are set fees now for players dependent upon length of time at the club, category of academy etc, it's been one of the criticisms of the new EPP as it lets the big clubs come in and pick up 15/16 yr olds for peanuts.  I'd say unless we get him to sign up we'll be getting nothing like a million sadly.

[JacknOry]

35 minutes ago, Manchester Blue said:

You'd presume if they're talking about a million then he must has a contract of some kind.  However the Rich Sharpe article today suggests he doesn't have a pro contract yet.  Don't know the exact figures but there are set fees now for players dependent upon length of time at the club, category of academy etc, it's been one of the criticisms of the new EPP as it lets the big clubs come in and pick up 15/16 yr olds for peanuts.  I'd say unless we get him to sign up we'll be getting nothing like a million sadly.

Hopefully the kid will remember that Everton deemed him not good enough and dumped him off. He has since obviously developed and improved enough for them to now want him back. Firstly he should remember that we were there to give him a second chance and secondly, it was within our academy where he saw this development and improvement to now make him one of the most in demand kids of his age group in this country.

If I was him I would stay put and continue to take advantage of the further increasing development that we are helping him to achieve. Plus - a far greater chance of breaking into the first team and getting minutes under his belt.