Academy & U21s

[RV Blue]

11 minutes ago, JoeH said:

New partnerships announced over the last week. Just now we've partnered with New York City based Eastern FC. A sharing of training facilities, a pre-season friendly tournament held in America, opportunities for young American players to get view by Rovers scouts. Nice little affiliation that. The academy set up growing outside of the UK is a good step IMO.

Are you sure that you haven’t been playing too much Football Manager?

[Stuart]

28 minutes ago, JoeH said:

New partnerships announced over the last week. Just now we've partnered with New York City based Eastern FC. A sharing of training facilities, a pre-season friendly tournament held in America, opportunities for young American players to get view by Rovers scouts. Nice little affiliation that. The academy set up growing outside of the UK is a good step IMO.

This lot?

https://m.facebook.com/eastern.fc.9

Looks more like one of those Summer Soccer camps than a football club.

Somewhere to send our youngsters from the U15s and below during the Summer break?

[JHRover]

On 11/11/2019 at 20:05, matt83 said:

I can’t believe the dingles game has been moved from 7pm to 1pm. With stuff like that and pricing for the first team it’s almost like the club doesn’t want fans to watch Rovers. 

Sadly that's exactly the reason the game is at 1pm. Jobsworths happy to take home a wage from football but don't want fans there watching.

Quite an insult that we are offering u18 tickets and admission for Junior Rovers members (under 12s).

How many people in those age groups could attend this game even if they were desperate to go? It's been moved to the middle of a school day which pretty much rules out everyone under 16/18 unless we are encouraging truancy now.

 

[rigger]

Just now, JHRover said:

Sadly that's exactly the reason the game is at 1pm. Jobsworths happy to take home a wage from football but don't want fans there watching.

Quite an insult that we are offering u18 tickets and admission for Junior Rovers members (under 12s).

How many people in those age groups could attend this game even if they were desperate to go? It's been moved to the middle of a school day which pretty much rules out everyone under 16/18 unless we are encouraging truancy now.

 

Willington at home in the 70s

[arbitro]

6 minutes ago, rigger said:

Willington at home in the 70s

That's too cryptic mate. I think you need to tell the story ?.

[Mashed Potatoes]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

That's too cryptic mate. I think you need to tell the story ?.

FA Cup match played when strikes meant there were energy shortages and so football matches were played in the afternoons so there was no need to use floodlights

[JHRover]

2 hours ago, rigger said:

Willington at home in the 70s

I wasnt around in those days but understand that the reason for that kick off was as @Mashed Potatoes says and ultimately reasons beyond the clubs control.

Sadly any match against Burnley will be treated as a problem and an irritation by those paid to run things.

Maybe if they embraced such games and actually promoted them people might get the bug and go to more games.

Advertising kids tickets and discounts to Junior members for a match the club has ensured no child could attend unless truant is either just another oversight or a mick take. 

[arbitro]

8 hours ago, Mashed Potatoes said:

FA Cup match played when strikes meant there were energy shortages and so football matches were played in the afternoons so there was no need to use floodlights

I know - I was there but for anybody who was too young an explanation would have helped. I'm sure I twagged it for the afternoon but a cryptic school mates on here reckoned we were given time off. I also remember the late Kit Napier scoring a hatrick and a healthy crowd.

[rigger]

12 hours ago, arbitro said:

That's too cryptic mate. I think you need to tell the story ?.

life's too short.

[bluebruce]

Wondering what the point is of Tom White going out on loan to the same level we plucked him from. Thought he was doing well?

[Parsonblue]

Just now, bluebruce said:

Wondering what the point is of Tom White going out on loan to the same level we plucked him from. Thought he was doing well?

In and out of the team in recent weeks.  At the moment is no better than what we already have and certainly, for me, not as good as Davenport or Mols.  This will, hopefully, give him regular games.  We have a glut of good young players and it's difficult to give them all the time they need - particularly with some seniors needing matches to regain fitness after injury.

[bluebruce]

Just now, Parsonblue said:

In and out of the team in recent weeks.  At the moment is no better than what we already have and certainly, for me, not as good as Davenport or Mols.  This will, hopefully, give him regular games.  We have a glut of good young players and it's difficult to give them all the time they need - particularly with some seniors needing matches to regain fitness after injury.

It's his age that gives me added pause. If he was 18 I'd get it, but I dunno what we are accomplishing by taking on a 22 year old then putting him back down 3 tiers below us where we found him. The LT article talked about Davenport pushing for first team involvement, well if that happens we need the bodies in the u23s, which is why I thought we got him in the first place.

[matt83]

3 hours ago, MCMC1875 said:

As a club, we've done all we can.

That’s no doubt the official party line.

I wouldn’t be too fussed about watching the academy vs anyone other than our main rivals or a perhaps a final. Can barely be arsed watching the first team. But the thing that bugs me is they’ve taken the effort to move the game from 7pm to 1pm. Had it always been 1pm I’d have just dismissed it as a fixture wouldn’t bother with.

So school kids can’t go. People who work can’t go without taking an afternoon off. Basically they’re looking to tap the niche market of retired folk who can be bothered watching academy football. That’s probably down to 10s of people. 

[Stuart]

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/november/get-your-football-fix-tonight/

Tony Mowbray confirmed earlier this month that he hopes Dominic Samuel and Ben Brereton will manage to get through 90 minutes during tonight's game.

“(Ben) Brereton and (Dominic) Samuel are two who we’ll try and get them 90 minutes against Hertha Berlin," said the Rovers boss.

“If they can get 90 minutes in that game then they are back in contention for the first team squad selection."

No sign of Brezza yet.

[bluebruce]

Any chance this one is being screened anywhere online?

[Madon]

More Hertha fans than Rovers! They're creating a bit of an atmosphere, good do!

[blondie]

What has happened to Louie Annesley, not featured for Rovers or Gibraltar for last couple of months.

[bluebruce]

Is Vale injured? Not even on the bench.

[had.e.nuff]

7 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Is Vale injured? Not even on the bench.

away on international duty i think

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/november/get-your-football-fix-tonight/

Tony Mowbray confirmed earlier this month that he hopes Dominic Samuel and Ben Brereton will manage to get through 90 minutes during tonight's game.

“(Ben) Brereton and (Dominic) Samuel are two who we’ll try and get them 90 minutes against Hertha Berlin," said the Rovers boss.

“If they can get 90 minutes in that game then they are back in contention for the first team squad selection."

No sign of Brezza yet.

And that makes no difference whatsoever to the first team but gives the tombola a few more numbers.

I often think Mowbray is just managing his squad not the best first 11. With his main aim to keep everyone happy and the team just ticking over rather than a bull headed relentless pursuit for points.  He's either lost track of his priorities or is in such a comfort zone he's more happy plodding along that way keeping day to day hassle to a minimum.

Edited November 15, 2019 by tomphil

[bluebruce]

The fact Brereton wasn't even on the bench after what TM said means he must have picked up another knock.

Sounds like the youngsters (Plus Samuel) didn't too well against Berlin. 2-0 defeat.

LT report made mention of Mols doing a couple of poor things, including giving the ball away for their first goal. Chapman shoving a Berlin player just before the end out of frustration soon after the second goal.

[Stuart]

Never seen so many police outside Ewood. Must be expecting a LOT of disorder from the away fans.

Even more outside the grounds!

Great first half, scrappy second. Chapman looks a million miles away from where he needs to be and IMHO him being in the U23s is a bad thing for all concerned. Can’t believe Barr didn’t take him off.

[Riverside under the drip]

Have to agree that Chapman looked extremely poor, nowhere near the standard of JRC or Butterworth. Rather than pushing for the first team, he appeared the kind of lost soul soon for the 'we wish him well' bin.

In terms of overall play, we appeared to be trying to pass quickly then play the through ball into the channels. This kind of worked but needed a finisher. We didn't have one. Set pieces were a complete waste of time. Therefore we didn't score. Football is quite a simple game sometimes!

[Ossydave]

Just now, bluebruce said:

The fact Brereton wasn't even on the bench after what TM said means he must have picked up another knock.

Sounds like the youngsters (Plus Samuel) didn't too well against Berlin. 2-0 defeat.

LT report made mention of Mols doing a couple of poor things, including giving the ball away for their first goal. Chapman shoving a Berlin player just before the end out of frustration soon after the second goal.

Brereton played in a behind closed doors friendly today, no knock

[tomphil]

Brereton involved in a behind closed doors game this aft according to Sharpe