Academy & U21s

[philipl]

Crikey, the Academy results had been recovering!

The whole club is disintegrating.

[rigger]

54 minutes ago, philipl said:

Crikey, the Academy results had been recovering!

The whole club is disintegrating.

Everyone at the club is at a level higher, than where they should be. Hence failure everywhere.

[KentExile]

16 hours ago, arbitro said:

Only four substitutes named?

Very odd given how many players we have.

Only 3 players named on the bench for the U18s today, and a schoolboy in the team who has not featured so far this season, maybe we are running out of players? (injuries which have not been disclosed etc)

Edited March 15 by KentExile

[arbitro]

9 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Only 3 players named on the bench for the U18s today, and a schoolboy in the team who has not featured so far this season, maybe we are running out of players? (injuries which have not been disclosed etc)

I'm pretty sure I'd seen that Stephen Edmondson has been released.

Strange.

[KentExile]

30 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I'm pretty sure I'd seen that Stephen Edmondson has been released.

Strange.

Not seen anything stating he was released,

He has been fairly regular for the U18s this season (14 appearances, which given the player with the most appearances has 19, doesn't sound like someone who would be released)

He also came off the bench for the U21s about a month ago, so would be even stranger if so

 

Edited March 15 by KentExile

[arbitro]

4 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Not seen anything stating he was released,

He has been fairly regular for the U18s this season (14 appearances, which given the player with the most appearances has 19, doesn't sound like someone who would be released)

He also came off the bench for the U21s about a month ago, so would be even stranger if so

 

I heard his name mentioned as released along with Jackson Shorrocks.

[KentExile]

6 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I heard his name mentioned as released along with Jackson Shorrocks.

Shorrocks has definitely played at least one game on trial at Huddersfield

[riverholmes]

53 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Only 3 players named on the bench for the U18s today, and a schoolboy in the team who has not featured so far this season, maybe we are running out of players? (injuries which have not been disclosed etc)

It’s a relatively small point in the mess of the U21s, but If you give Saadi a one year extension, then keep him at the club to play U21 games to support the youngsters and paper-thin squad.

Instead, he has sent out on what seems like effectively a secondment (holiday?) in Cyprus. 
 

Edit: I suppose an explanation is that they realised they had too many overseas players..

Edited March 15 by riverholmes

[Tom]

3 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Shorrocks has definitely played at least one game on trial at Huddersfield

I understood he was going down the road to the ugly bunch 

[KentExile]

19 hours ago, riverholmes said:

It’s a relatively small point in the mess of the U21s, but If you give Saadi a one year extension, then keep him at the club to play U21 games to support the youngsters and paper-thin squad.

Instead, he has sent out on what seems like effectively a secondment (holiday?) in Cyprus. 

That was one of the stranger contract renewals ever given out, not quite Ben Gladwin levels, but right up there.

The only thing that would make any sense was that Rovers originally had an even lower budget than what we ended up with, and Saadi was going to be a squad option, before someone decided that a pound & a Mars bar wasn't quite a big enough budget and that they should maybe throw in a bag of marbles & a half smoked cigarette too

Edited March 16 by KentExile

[KentExile]

6 minutes ago, Tom said:

I understood he was going down the road to the ugly bunch 

Not sure what he has done since playing that game at Huddersfield (or before then to be honest), but he was playing for Huddersfield on trial in late February.  Played against Preston B on the 25th Feb

Edited March 15 by KentExile

[KentExile]

U18s lost 1-0, Sergeant went off with an injury late in the first half.

It would seem that Rovers did name 5 subs on the bench, but neither Google nor the Premier League seems to know the names of 2 of them, despite the 2 unnamed players both getting on the pitch

 

[B16Rover]

Given the number of players leaving over the summer, is there anyone in the academy/out on loan pushing on the first team door? 

 

[simongarnerisgod]

23 minutes ago, B16Rover said:

Given the number of players leaving over the summer, is there anyone in the academy/out on loan pushing on the first team door? 

 

no

[B16Rover]

1 minute ago, simongarnerisgod said:

no

[MarkBRFC]

On 16/03/2025 at 16:15, B16Rover said:

Given the number of players leaving over the summer, is there anyone in the academy/out on loan pushing on the first team door? 

 

Probably not, but wouldn't be more beneficial to have someone like say O'Grady Macken in the squad rather than Forshaw? (Don't know if he is any good by the way but only midfielder could think of who must be 19/20 by now?)

[KentExile]

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/25017665.blackburn-rovers-beaten-bolton-wanderers-lfa-youth-cup-semi/

 

Rovers’ youngsters missed out on a place in the LFA Professional Youth Cup final following a late 3-2 defeat against Bolton Wanderers.

Valentin Joseph and Joseph Boggan both got on the scoresheet during an entertaining second half at Brockhall.

But the visitors netted twice in the last 10 minutes to set up a final against Blackpool, who overcame Burnley on penalties in their last four tie.

Bolton started brightly and Connor Lewis sent an effort over the bar after some good work by David Abimbola.

Rovers’ fight sight of goal came from Frank Vare’s free kick but the midfielder, who has been around the senior squad at times this season, saw his strike fly over.

Abimbola continued to cause problems and thought he had opened the scoring from close range, but a Rovers defender made a crucial block.

The towering striker also delivered a dangerous ball across the face of goal after using his strength to get down the left, but nobody gambled at the far post.

The opener came when Daeshon Lawrence picked out the bottom corner with a low drive from the edge of the area.

Jamie Grayson had a chance to double the lead but couldn’t convert at the far post after getting on the end of a corner. Harrison Rice also saw a header clip the top of the crossbar as Lewis’ deliveries caused problems.

Rovers didn’t have many chances in the first half but nearly got back on level terms minutes before the break when George Barlow made an impressive save to deny Joseph Boggan.

The hosts improved in the second half and Nathan Dlamini forced Barlow into another smart stop at his near post after a mazy run.

The equaliser came after more good play by Dlamini down the left. The visitors failed to clear his cross and Valentin Joseph pounced to slot home.

Bolton had a big chance to regain the lead when Lewis seized a sloppy backpass but Blake Wolsoncroft made a good block.

Moments later at the other end, Rovers were awarded a penalty and Boggan kept his cool to send Barlow the wrong way from the spot.

The tie had turned on its head but Bolton got back level 10 minutes from time when Wolsoncroft couldn’t keep hold of a cross from the left and Lewis reacted quickest to prod home.

There was one final twist in the tale as Leigh collected the ball on the edge of the box, beat his man with a clever turn and fired into the bottom corner.

Lewis had a chance to wrap up the result in stoppage time but dragged an effort wide of the near post after Corey Nuttall had won back possession high up the pitch.

Tobias Ritchie also tried an audacious effort from near the halfway line, but Wolsoncroft was relieved to see the ball drop just wide of the post.

Rovers applied plenty of pressure in the final stages but couldn’t find a breakthrough, with Bolton defending resiliently to get over the line.

Rovers: Wolsoncroft, McIlroy, Pates, Davies, Eze, Vare, Dlamini, Mansbridge, Potter, Boggan. Subs: Decandia, Thompson, Kelley-Quinn, Shaw, Sandhu.

Bolton: Barlow, Taylor, Oliver, Grayson, Rice, Smith, Irwin, Mawditt, Abimbola, C Lewis, Lawrence. Subs: Kendrick, Lomax, Leigh, Nuttall, Ritchie, Thomas, L Lewis.

Edited March 18 by KentExile

[rigger]

On 15/03/2025 at 13:23, riverholmes said:

It’s a relatively small point in the mess of the U21s, but If you give Saadi a one year extension, then keep him at the club to play U21 games to support the youngsters and paper-thin squad.

Instead, he has sent out on what seems like effectively a secondment (holiday?) in Cyprus. 
 

Edit: I suppose an explanation is that they realised they had too many overseas players..

Or they realised Saadi is garbage

[...]

Eh?

[KentExile]

14 minutes ago, ... said:

Eh?

 

Look at the rest of that U20 squad, several have not featured at first team level.  some are on loan at League 1 & 2 clubs, at least one is on loan in non league.

So I do not think it is a ringing endorsement of ACDs form this season

 

Goalkeepers: Elyh Harrison (Manchester United), Max Merrick (Hampton & Richmond, on loan from Chelsea), Matthew Young (Salford City, on loan from Sunderland)

Defenders: Max Alleyne (Manchester City), Kaelan Casey (West Ham United), Kellen Fisher (Norwich City), Ben Nelson (Oxford United, on loan from Leicester City), Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Genoa), Ashley Phillips (Stoke City, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Oliver Scarles (West Ham United)

Midfielders: Tobias Collyer (Manchester United), Darko Gyabi (Plymouth Argyle, on loan from Leeds United), James McConnell (Liverpool), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Sydie Peck (Sheffield United), Jacob Wright (Norwich City, on loan from Manchester City)

Forwards: William Alves (Cardiff City, on loan from Leicester City), Amario Cozier-Duberry (Rovers, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), George Earthy (Bristol City, on loan from West Ham), Romain Esse (Crystal Palace), Divin Mubama (Manchester City), Trey Nyoni (Liverpool), Dane Scarlett (Tottenham Hotspur)

Edited March 18 by KentExile

[bluebruce]

He's also already been capped up to U19 level (8 caps, 3 goals), so no shock he's going up an age group as he ages and plays competitive football.

If he was in the U21s, now that would be a big shock. But all the truly good young players are in the U21s already (and even that level, let's not forget that Jason Lowe played 11 times for the U21s and I think I heard was even captain at one point?).

ACD has talent and potential. But his decision-making has been dire lately and I think his confidence is in the toilet. He also obviously lacks the genuine pace after the first few yards to truly beat his men with regularity. Unless he gets smarter and adapts his game that will probably always mean his ceiling doesn't reach too high.

Probably not the right thread for talk about him though tbf. He's not part of our Academy or U21s, or even club, and plays in the first team squad.

[...]

Should of been clearer. Under 20s? How old is he?

[bluebruce]

32 minutes ago, ... said:

Should of been clearer. Under 20s? How old is he?

19

[TugaysMarlboro]

Noticed a lot of the academy players being interviewed for Instagram on Rovers' page recently, more than normal.

Could just be it's international week, or might we have written this season off and start to see more of the youth play a part in the run in?

[KentExile]

23 minutes ago, TugaysMarlboro said:

Noticed a lot of the academy players being interviewed for Instagram on Rovers' page recently, more than normal.

Could just be it's international week, or might we have written this season off and start to see more of the youth play a part in the run in?

It is probably in an effort to try to make the masses get excited in the summer when the "new project" involves them being promoted to replace the experienced players (Travis/Tronstad/Brittain/Hyam/Dolan) leaving as the players leaving "do not fit how Ismael wants to play", when the reality is that they just want paying average Championship wages.

* Not that Dunn, Litherland, Atcheson, Tyjon, Powell etc do not show promise, just that they will likely be asked to replace some of our better (and most experienced) players 

Edited Thursday at 22:18 by KentExile