Academy & U21s

[joey_big_nose]

An enjoyable read about one of Rovers academy's own...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy9drzpj79ro

[MarkBRFC]

edit - wrong thread

Edited March 21 by MarkBRFC

[had.e.nuff]

Im not sure many will be interested but i heard over the weekend that if the women's team is relegated the club will pull the plug on the girls academy's  yet another dumbing down of the club, its no surprise the woman's team are struggling after dropping the investment in them, but both girls youth sides in finals next month having beaten better backed teams to get there .You may guess I have a biased self interest in the academy.

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, had.e.nuff said:

Im not sure many will be interested but i heard over the weekend that if the women's team is relegated the club will pull the plug on the girls academy's  yet another dumbing down of the club, its no surprise the woman's team are struggling after dropping the investment in them, but both girls youth sides in finals next month having beaten better backed teams to get there .You may guess I have a biased self interest in the academy.

I suspect they won't - they're desperate to avoid bad PR whenever they can. That's such a bad PR move. The likes of Man U and Liverpool get criticised in the press because they don't throw millions at their women's teams.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

10 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I suspect they won't - they're desperate to avoid bad PR whenever they can. That's such a bad PR move. The likes of Man U and Liverpool get criticised in the press because they don't throw millions at their women's teams.

They stopped bothering about “ bad PR “ years ago.

[bluebruce]

22 hours ago, had.e.nuff said:

Im not sure many will be interested but i heard over the weekend that if the women's team is relegated the club will pull the plug on the girls academy's  yet another dumbing down of the club, its no surprise the woman's team are struggling after dropping the investment in them, but both girls youth sides in finals next month having beaten better backed teams to get there .You may guess I have a biased self interest in the academy.

Lack of investment in these sorts of areas of the club prove it isn't the old 'FFP is holding them back from spending like they'd like to on the club' stopping investment. It's apathy and a desire to conserve cash. Investing in the girl's academy, which has produced England players who have won the European Championship, costs a relative pittance to these billionaires and doesn't affect our FFP whatsoever (not even sure the women's game has FFP, and it definitely doesn't affect the men's team).

Just sell the fucking club already.

[Polky]

https://x.com/sportspeteo/status/1905691339624439922?s=46&t=eQpRIP77C9LnHMZexFr0xg
 

Arsenal looking to make a move for Harvey Higgins, another talented youngster poached by the big boys!

[simongarnerisgod]

11 minutes ago, Polky said:

https://x.com/sportspeteo/status/1905691339624439922?s=46&t=eQpRIP77C9LnHMZexFr0xg
 

Arsenal looking to make a move for Harvey Higgins, another talented youngster poached by the big boys!

be a daft move for him as he`s likely to be in the 1st team squad here next season,we`ll have to promote from the ranks next season

[47er]

10 hours ago, Polky said:

https://x.com/sportspeteo/status/1905691339624439922?s=46&t=eQpRIP77C9LnHMZexFr0xg
 

Arsenal looking to make a move for Harvey Higgins, another talented youngster poached by the big boys!

The latest poaching of an increasing line of young talent. How can we ever create a side from our Academy? The rules here stink.

This transfer, if it happens, should at least be able to have a list of future add-ons with it so we get real value from it when/if the lad makes it big-time.

We've become another Crewe.

Edited 4 hours ago by 47er

[KentExile]

2 hours ago, 47er said:

The latest poaching of an increasing line of young talent. How can we ever create a side from our Academy? The rules here stink.

This transfer, if it happens, should at least be able to have a list of future add-ons with it so we get real value from it when/if the lad makes it big-time.

We've become another Crewe.

Completely agree

Rovers however also take advantage of those rules too, in the past couple of years we have poached Tyjon from Rochdale and Eze from Accrington using the exact same rules, and I am sure there will be other less "high profile" examples too.

The rules need changing, something along the lines of maximum squad sizes at all age groups to stop richer teams hoarding talent, to the extent that they do, and also much bigger compensation payments (and future add on/sell on % fees etc... there are already rules in place for this which were posted last season due to Finneran's move to Newcastle, but they should be reviewed, and upped in favour of smaller clubs... so it wont happen) when schoolkids are poached

Edited 2 hours ago by KentExile

[Mashed Potatoes]

2 hours ago, 47er said:

The latest poaching of an increasing line of young talent. How can we ever create a side from our Academy? The rules here stink.

This transfer, if it happens, should at least be able to have a list of future add-ons with it so we get real value from it when/if the lad makes it big-time.

We've become another Crewe.

He hasn't gone yet.

[Tom]

Would be a real shame but we’ve done it for years, sadly it’s the way the food chain works, the real tragedy for us is how far down it we’ve needlessly found ourselves 

[Mattyblue]

Views on Glen’s campaign, @Mashed Potatoes?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

Would be a real shame but we’ve done it for years, sadly it’s the way the food chain works, the real tragedy for us is how far down it we’ve needlessly found ourselves 

The age that the kids are getting poached gets younger and younger though. We don’t even get a first team game out of them nowadays. It makes you wonder if it’s worth the trouble. The kids like Wharton, who have a loyalty to the club, are as rare as hens teeth.

[KentExile]

Higgins on the bench for the U18s v Man City today, along with a few new names who I presume will be this summers intake of scholars

Edited 2 minutes ago by KentExile