Academy & U21s

[Torgeir]

4 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

Technically a bit of a donkey too....

He was a bit 'stiff' and awkard but knew where the goal stood. 

[Sparks Rover]

Just now, Torgeir said:

He was a bit 'stiff' and awkard but knew where the goal stood. 

Oh yes, was like that as a boy at 11.  He played with my brother in the town team...proper big and awkward even then.  

My point was that we haven't produced a technically excellent forward since we had a centre of excellence in the late 80s/early 90s and an academy after that....shocking really.

[Sweaty Gussets]

2 minutes ago, briansol said:

Matt Derbyshire and Joe Garner 

I wasn't going to count MD as we bought him from Gt Harwood, but Garner is a good shout. 

[Sparks Rover]

Gaz Ainsworth came through just before the Cof E.....decent career, and maybe could class him as a forward/winger

[joey_big_nose]

2 hours ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Peter Thorne had a good career in the lower leagues. 

Paul Gallagher could be classed as 'decent', played most of his career in the Championship and bits in the Prem. 

And the guy who got done bombed out of the club on a disciplinary had a good career - scouser who played for Stoke - cant remember his name. 

Paul Gallagher was really more of an attacking midfielder/number 10.

I think culturally there has been a real focus on producing technical attacking midfielders rather than proper strikers across football for a long time. The volume of number 9s coming through is so low across the leagues. But think the tide is turning a bit. Players like Toney, Pukki, Watkins etc are really the ones who will get you promoted, and clubs are waking back up to it.

We have to absolutely have find someone like that. Our entire scouting framework should be focused on it.

Edited January 16, 2023 by joey_big_nose

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

Most successful teams buy in their center forwards. There will be examples against this, but not that many.

Somebody must be producing them for other clubs to be able buy them. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

47 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Gallagher was really more of an attacking midfielder/number 10.

I think culturally there has been a real focus on producing technical attacking midfielders rather than proper strikers across football for a long time. The volume of number 9s coming through is so low across the leagues. But think the tide is turning a bit. Players like Toney, Pukki, Watkins etc are really the ones who will get you promoted, and clubs are waking back up to it.

We have to absolutely have find someone like that. Our entire scouting framework should be focused on it.

Gallagher needs to try his hand at basketball. I’ve come around to thinking football isn’t his game. You could have got somebody off the supporters bus to play as badly as he did on Saturday.

[Sparks Rover]

18 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Somebody must be producing them for other clubs to be able buy them. 

They normally trickle down from the elite clubs.  Anyone round here who shows any signs is quickly signed by Liverpool,  Utd, City.

There's a young boy at Liverpool, Preston lad who's a forward just about to break through....I've known him since a 11 year old, quite a player. Isaac Mabaya

Edited January 16, 2023 by Sparks Rover

[Snarley02]

41 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

They normally trickle down from the elite clubs.  Anyone round here who shows any signs is quickly signed by Liverpool,  Utd, City.

There's a young boy at Liverpool, Preston lad who's a forward just about to break through....I've known him since a 11 year old, quite a player. Isaac Mabaya

Thought he was a right back ?

[joey_big_nose]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Gallagher needs to try his hand at basketball. I’ve come around to thinking football isn’t his game. You could have got somebody off the supporters bus to play as badly as he did on Saturday.

Sorry I meant Paul Gallagher! Like Ronaldinho compared to Sam Gallagher.

[Sparks Rover]

4 minutes ago, Snarley02 said:

Thought he was a right back ?

He was a forward as a kid.  I'm sure he played midfield preseason but might be wrong 

[Torgeir]

2 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Oh yes, was like that as a boy at 11.  He played with my brother in the town team...proper big and awkward even then.  

My point was that we haven't produced a technically excellent forward since we had a centre of excellence in the late 80s/early 90s and an academy after that....shocking really.

Duff? Or would you not rate him as a forward perhaps?

[Sparks Rover]

25 minutes ago, Torgeir said:

Duff? Or would you not rate him as a forward perhaps?

He came in at 16, I thought we were on about local lads...but obviously Duff is the best to come out of our "academy " after 16....technically not a CF but a fine player

Edited January 16, 2023 by Sparks Rover

[rigger]

2 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Somebody must be producing them for other clubs to be able buy them. 

Yes mainly lesser clubs who cannot afford to keep the players themselves. But with central strikers there are very few of these players compared to the amount of clubs. That is why I don't think it is particularly strange that the Rovers haven't produced their own central striker.

[Torgeir]

5 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

He came in at 16, I thought we were on about local lads...but obviously Duff is the best to come out of our "academy " after 16....technically not a CF but a fine player

Didn't realise/remember he came her so 'late'. 

[simongarnerisgod]

21 hours ago, SuperBrfc said:

Butterworth and McBride too. Exact same rhetoric with those two. Vale will likely end up at a similar level to them.

i think butterworth is better than vale and thats a damning indictment,at least he runs about like a maniac for 20 minutes and gets involved  before looking completely shattered🙂,vale does absolutely nothing,i swear he looks where the pass is likely to be and runs away from it

[Guest]

Mabaya is great. Was an 8 last year but been moved to right-back now. Physical specimen, very much a Nyambe type with loads of raw speed and power. Think they'd like to get more from him technically over time but can definitely see him making it.

[rigger]

Todays U21s game against Posh is a game with nothing at stake. We have already qualified, but can't catch the team above us. Posh can't qualify. Most of our better players won't be risked, yet Lancashire FA in their wisdom are charging £5 to get in on a Wednesday afternoon. Utter madness.

[arbitro]

Today's match has been called off.

[bluebruce]

4 hours ago, rigger said:

Todays U21s game against Posh is a game with nothing at stake. We have already qualified, but can't catch the team above us. Posh can't qualify. Most of our better players won't be risked, yet Lancashire FA in their wisdom are charging £5 to get in on a Wednesday afternoon. Utter madness.

I get what you're saying from a fan perspective, but they will have running costs for putting the match on, I imagine?

Edited January 18, 2023 by bluebruce

[arbitro]

35 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

I get what you're saying from a fan perspective, but they will have running costs for putting the match on, I imagine?

Under 21 league matches are normally free for season ticket holders which is usually stated when the game is advertised but we had to pay for the International Premier Cup. Perhaps Swag has seen a loophole to differentiate between league and cup games and it trying to capitalise on it.

[bluebruce]

4 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Under 21 league matches are normally free for season ticket holders which is usually stated when the game is advertised but we had to pay for the International Premier Cup. Perhaps Swag has seen a loophole to differentiate between league and cup games and it trying to capitalise on it.

Highly feasible, but do the club decide the pricing for it though or do the Lancashire FA?

[arbitro]

38 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Highly feasible, but do the club decide the pricing for it though or do the Lancashire FA?

I know that Rovers pay a set fee to play there (as do Burnley) and that the LFA keep the gate receipts but I don't know who sets the admission charge. 

[bluebruce]

27 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I know that Rovers pay a set fee to play there (as do Burnley) and that the LFA keep the gate receipts but I don't know who sets the admission charge. 

I would guess the LFA do if they keep the gate receipts. So probably not entirely in our hands, though it wouldn't surprise me if it was a Swag move.

[bluebruce]

" [U21] Games had previously been scheduled alongside first-team matches, but the majority have now been switched to Sundays, allowing players around the senior side, but lacking in minutes, to get opportunities to feature. " (LT article)

Good, I said in this thread as soon as it was announced that this way made more sense.