Academy & U21s

[rigger]

45 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Not sure that's true. Leonard is highly thought of and is in front of Burns in the pecking order.

Who is Harry Leonard? Blackburn starlet putting injury woe behind him | jobs4football

Do you see much of the academy players ? I can only comment on the performances that I have seen.

Edited August 20, 2022 by rigger

[Sparks Rover]

7 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Fee? I doubt there will be much of one. He's 14 isn't he? Don't think you get a decent fee at that age. Dunno if you even get any.

Bit naive there....I know of lots of players who clubs have paid for under 16 years old.  Happens all the time.

[Sparks Rover]

9 minutes ago, rigger said:

Do you see much of the academy players ? I can only comment on the performances that I have seen.

Leonard is by far the best prospect.  

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Are the under 21s playing the same 'system' as the first team?  No goals in 3 games.

[rigger]

22 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Are the under 21s playing the same 'system' as the first team?  No goals in 3 games.

It is probably a knock-on effect, from so many young players being in the first team squad. The academy teams become weaker.

[riverholmes]

Arguably, it's going to be harder for Rovers U21s playing concurrently with the first team with it putting more strain on the squad and, perhaps, less likely that fringe senior players will play with the reserves.

Moreover, there's the potential for the games to receive less attention from the club - the official website is not carrying a match report until Tuesdays, I think. Though, what is really important is how much attention the management can put on the games.

There's a long way to go, but staying in the top flight looks like it might be another struggle. As far as I know, we let go Stergiakis, Brennan, Nolan, Durrant, McBride and a few others and only brought in Walker from PNE and other gaps filled by those promoted from U18s, Looks like there's potentially been some significant cost cutting done in terms of player wages and fees at that level - but  this I base on guesswork and without the data. It'd be fine, but with the first team squad stretched too, I wonder if a one or two other slightly more experienced additions (or retentions) could've been made to aid with the U18s transition to the next level. (Or maybe, will yet happen).

Edit: Against Liverpool, I read that there was a 16 year old ex-City keeper on our bench (Solomon Honor) and a recent recruit from Liverpool's academy, Paul Murphy-Worrell.

Liverpool won 1-0, with Klopp in attendance, and are said to have dominated, with Rovers AIdan Dowling keeping the team in it, according to the Liverpool report.

 

Edited August 22, 2022 by riverholmes

[Darrenbot]

Another terrible day for the youth teams,u21 lost 4-0 and u18's losing by the same score so far,lost every game so far this season.

[Mashed Potatoes]

2 minutes ago, Darrenbot said:

Another terrible day for the youth teams,u21 lost 4-0 and u18's losing by the same score so far,lost every game so far this season.

The decision to schedule the U21 games at the same time as the senior games is really hurting as players who could otherwise have been available are absent with the senior team.

[bluebruce]

On 27/08/2022 at 14:01, Mashed Potatoes said:

The decision to schedule the U21 games at the same time as the senior games is really hurting as players who could otherwise have been available are absent with the senior team.

Said at the time I don't see the logic really. We should try to get them playing the day after senior games. Then anyone who doesn't get any/enough game time in the league match can still get their minutes in the next day (perhaps with the exception of long-travel away games). To me this would benefit both sides. Players on the fringe of the first team stay sharp, and the U21s field a stronger side so they don't get relegated. It also means we don't have to leave anyone out of either team on account of the other.

[riverholmes]

An additional challenge is that the U18s also play on Saturdays, at times, I believe. For example, Rovers U18s lost 4-0 to Newcastle on 27 August. It's clearly an increased strain on our reduced squad. It would appear that the U23s had no sub goalkeeper at the weekend, in the defeat to Leicester, with Hilton starting in goal. 

I would guess that many of the more experienced U23 players, especially, those who are heading out the door in 2023, would be eager for loan spells  - but with the squad so short, Burns, Saadi, Annesley, Pike, Hilton are, seemingly, being kept here.

No doubt, this will be reviewed once transfer business is completed for the first team and we may yet see AFC Fylde or FC Halifax swooping for one-month loan deals for some of them... or, if the club were sensible, they'd seek to plan ahead and organise more secure and longer loan spells aimed at a higher level for the better players.

Edit: I would qualify all this by saying that I think that there might be a transition spell when U23s team breaks up and leaves, and U18s step up. So, whilst, reduced squad size and playing at the same time might be contributing to the defeats, they're likely not the only reason.

 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by riverholmes

[Upside Down]

2 hours ago, riverholmes said:

An additional challenge is that the U18s also play on Saturdays, at times, I believe. For example, Rovers U18s lost 4-0 to Newcastle on 27 August. It's clearly an increased strain on our reduced squad. It would appear that the U23s had no sub goalkeeper at the weekend, in the defeat to Leicester, with Hilton starting in goal. 

I would guess that many of the more experienced U23 players, especially, those who are heading out the door in 2023, would be eager for loan spells  - but with the squad so short, Burns, Saadi, Annesley, Pike, Hilton are, seemingly, being kept here.

No doubt, this will be reviewed once transfer business is completed for the first team and we may yet see AFC Fylde or FC Halifax swooping for one-month loan deals for some of them... or, if the club were sensible, they'd seek to plan ahead and organise more secure and longer loan spells aimed at a higher level for the better players.

 

 

We don't do forward planning at Blackburn Rovers. 

[bluebruce]

Been a couple of weeks, no academy news?

[rigger]

34 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Been a couple of weeks, no academy news?

We play Brentford tonight

[Sweaty Gussets]

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

10 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Montgomery Burns heh ?

[roverandout]

3 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Montgomery Burns heh ?

There's also a waylan and smithers

[Oldgregg86]

3 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Montgomery Burns heh ?

Excellent 

[roversfan99]

https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/report-blackburn-rovers-u21-2-brentford-b-3

The under 21s lost tonight. Sounds like Markanday had a good game.

[bluebruce]

4 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/report-blackburn-rovers-u21-2-brentford-b-3

The under 21s lost tonight. Sounds like Markanday had a good game.

The U21s are really struggling this season. They did last season too initially, hopefully they turn it around the same way or we might not be in the top league next season.

I know a lot of U21 players are involved with the first team and that won't be helping, but this side still had at least 4 players with first team experience (Hilton's being elsewhere). Brentford didn't even have an academy until this season, and it's a category four. Their U21s (well, B team) don't play in a league as far as I can see. I don't know if this means they're a fairly experienced bunch with some on the cusp of Brentford's first team tbf, or if they're mostly just kids who only play matches Brentford manage to arrange.

[riverholmes]

I wonder if motivation, even at a subconscious level, is an issue for some. I  have no evidence of this and am only speculating but I can imagine that 'senior' players like Annesley, Burns, Rankin-Costello, Saadi especially, really would prefer to be out on loan, having had a taste of first team football and/or knowing that they're being released before too long.

The concurrent games does create a clearer delineation between firsts, seconds and thirds, I suppose, and risks a greater sense of demotion for those overlooked. In which case, loan transfers becomes even more important for players, I feel. The management have to work even harder, I feel, to encourage players that they are being assessed just as closely and have a decent and equal chance.

Edit: I do feel that some planning could have got some players a good level loan spell. For example, Burns, who is, apparently, behind Leonard in the pecking order, would possibly have a chance of a League 2 loan, as he got with Scunthorpe last year.

Like Butterworth, having given him a one-year deal and decided that, apparently, he's not in the picture, it seems productive for all to try to get him out on a season long or half-season loan somewhere, preferably, in league football. 

 

Edited September 14, 2022 by riverholmes

[Sparks Rover]

1 minute ago, riverholmes said:

I wonder if motivation, even at a subconscious level, is an issue for some. I  have no evidence of this and am only speculating but I can imagine that 'senior' players like Annesley, Burns, Rankin-Costello, Saadi especially, really would prefer to be out on loan, having had a taste of first team football

I can't imagine anyone wanting them.  Maybe NWCL or maybe Conference North

[K-Hod]

We’ve just beaten one of the favourite for promotion and we are receiving reports of baiting. Had to hide a lot of posts just now. Really sad that people are more focussed on point scoring than enjoying a win. Very strange behaviour. Can we stop doing this please?

[rigger]

12 hours ago, bluebruce said:

The U21s are really struggling this season. They did last season too initially, hopefully they turn it around the same way or we might not be in the top league next season.

I know a lot of U21 players are involved with the first team and that won't be helping, but this side still had at least 4 players with first team experience (Hilton's being elsewhere). Brentford didn't even have an academy until this season, and it's a category four. Their U21s (well, B team) don't play in a league as far as I can see. I don't know if this means they're a fairly experienced bunch with some on the cusp of Brentford's first team tbf, or if they're mostly just kids who only play matches Brentford manage to arrange.

It was a cup game.

Injuries, first team call ups, and moving on, players unlikely to make the first team. Have all contributed to the poor start. That is the lot, of the academy teams.

Edited September 14, 2022 by rigger

[BRFC4EVA]

What's happened to the u21 coverage? Last season there were twitter updates whilst matches were on, match reports etc. This season nothing? You have to go to the opossition websites to find out anything. 

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, BRFC4EVA said:

What's happened to the u21 coverage? Last season there were twitter updates whilst matches were on, match reports etc. This season nothing? You have to go to the opossition websites to find out anything. 

I would hazard a guess and say that due to the irrational decision (my view) in which the seniors and under 21's are invariably playing at the same time there are none of the media team at the under 21's as they are with the first team.