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]

  On 26/03/2025 at 21:41, 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.

Expand  

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]

  On 26/03/2025 at 23:17, 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.

Expand  

They stopped bothering about “ bad PR “ years ago.

[bluebruce]

  On 26/03/2025 at 21:41, 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.

Expand  

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]

  On 28/03/2025 at 20:01, 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!

Expand  

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]

  On 28/03/2025 at 20:01, 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!

Expand  

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 Saturday at 06:15 by 47er

[KentExile]

  On 29/03/2025 at 05:58, 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.

Expand  

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 Saturday at 08:49 by KentExile

[Mashed Potatoes]

  On 29/03/2025 at 05:58, 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.

Expand  

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]

  On 29/03/2025 at 09:36, 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 

Expand  

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 some of this summers intake of scholars

He came off the bench for the last 20 minutes as Rovers lost 2-0.  The stats indicate it could have been a lot more

 

Edited Saturday at 12:56 by KentExile

[47er]

  On 29/03/2025 at 08:57, Mashed Potatoes said:

He hasn't gone yet.

Expand  

You sound like Chaddy!

[Mashed Potatoes]

  On 29/03/2025 at 11:20, 47er said:

You sound like Chaddy!

Expand  

No - simply stating the facts. I've no idea why some posters are so determined to take the most pessimistic view of absolutely everything. As I recall this time last year some posters thought there was no chance of Tygon staying - but he did.

[Mashed Potatoes]

  On 29/03/2025 at 10:30, Mattyblue said:

Views on Glen’s campaign, @Mashed Potatoes?

Expand  

Obviously he's a decent, principled guy who, unlike some, shows respect to supporters who don't share his views. I've felt for years now that the owners will leave as a result of some kind of pressure or events within India and with the best will in the world I don't think Glen's campaign will work to achieve it. 

[Mattyblue]

 🎈 📌 

[simongarnerisgod]

  On 29/03/2025 at 10:56, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

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.

Expand  

on the other side of it,more and more youth  players are making a move to the big clubs and simply not ever getting a chance of 1st team football,i guarantee rory finneran,the rat who thought he was to good for blackburn,will end up in the lower leagues because he`ll never make the starting 11 at newcastle,ditto ash phillips will never ever be a starter for spurs and will be on perenial loan till his contract runs out,you can multiply that by the hundreds of others who do the same

if you are 16/17 and have the right advice amongst your parents and coaches you`ll stay at your club,break into the 1st team,learn your trade,then get a big money move to the premier league

[Exiled_Rover]

  On 28/03/2025 at 20:01, 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!

Expand  

There's literally no point having an Academy if any potential PL standard player is poached before they're 18.

[rigger]

  On 29/03/2025 at 13:20, Exiled_Rover said:

There's literally no point having an Academy if any potential PL standard player is poached before they're 18.

Expand  

We need to develop championship standard players. A totally different type of football to the premier league. 

[bluebruce]

  On 29/03/2025 at 13:32, rigger said:

We need to develop championship standard players. A totally different type of football to the premier league. 

Expand  

The Adam Wharton sale suggest otherwise whilst the court debacle trundles on. We need to develop Premiership standard players to sell to keep the lights on.

God I hate this period in the club's history, why the fuck does it have to have been while we're alive.

[rigger]

  On 29/03/2025 at 19:19, bluebruce said:

The Adam Wharton sale suggest otherwise whilst the court debacle trundles on. We need to develop Premiership standard players to sell to keep the lights on.

God I hate this period in the club's history, why the fuck does it have to have been while we're alive.

Expand  

Any PL level players we develop will be sold, we may hold on to championship level players.

[bluebruce]

  On 29/03/2025 at 19:23, rigger said:

Any PL level players we develop will be sold, we may hold on to championship level players.

Expand  

Point is we need to develop them anyway, to sell them. And need to avoid losing them as early as we are. Until we can get new owners.