Academy & U21s

[BlackburnEnd75]

Just now, K-Hod said:

On loan, but potential for permanent...

Wright-Phillips looks a very exciting prospect.

You know I had in my head that this batch of under 18's weren't that good. Or at least last time I checked they lacked a goalkeeper and a striker.

They look very exciting.

[Stuart]

4-1 flattered Arsenal.

Fantastic performance tonight from the young lads. Really enjoyed it.

Semi finals!

[Riverside under the drip]

What stood out was that every single player (including the sweeper keeper) looked like they were the playmaker. There was no weak link at all. Total football that Arsenal just couldn't live with. Not sentences that you'd expect to see grace this message board for the last decade!

[Sparks Rover]

10 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

On loan, but potential for permanent...

That's a joke  should be nowhere near the team if hed not signed.

[tonygreenbank]

Man City is Wright Phillips parent club. So can he play for us in the semi? 

[G Somerset Rover]

So who out of this lot should be banging on the first team door in the next year or two?

[briansol]

That was an exceptional performance. Totally battered one of the best clubs in the country filled with youth internationals. Could easily have been 7 or 8. Actually shown on a TV channel here in Norway. Commentators were very complimentary. 

On that evidence a lot of these could go on to have a career. So many good performances all over the pitch:

- Eastham in goal, although not the biggest looked very composed with great distribution with both hands and throws.

- Pike on right back looked a modern full back who could defend and attack.

- Flavio as centre-back very similar to Magloire, big and powerful. 

- Whitehall, captain and just given a long professional looked the part. Built like a man, athletic, good allround footballer. Played midfielder today, but can see him ending up at centre back.

- Harlock was the conductor in the centre. Great energy, effective passer and a lovely slide through to Brennan for his goal.

- Wright-Phillips, just like his dad! Quick winger with great feet. Very composed and effective. Got a goal and setup another. Really hope we have something permanent lined up.

- Luke Brennan, left winger, Mahoney v2! Could easily become a better player than Mahoney. Can see why he's been promoted to U23. Two great feet. He actually took freekicks with both right and left, and seemed equally good with either. Great crosser and great goal. Had workrate to go as well. 

- Sam Burns, probably got MOM for his two goals. A real livewire striker. Pace to burn, great movement and hard to shake off the ball. Stocky and strong. Some similarities to Aguero. Wonderful goal from outside the area and a poacher for the second.

Really enjoyable and hope they show the City game as well

[arbitro]

Excellent performance from the youngsters who had pretty much everything. The game was hugely enjoyable and Arsenal were a distinct second best all over the pitch.

 

[briansol]

17 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

So who out of this lot should be banging on the first team door in the next year or two?

I'd say Whitehall, Pike and Brennan, but very hard to tell. They are still developing and it's a big step up from U18. Whitehall is physically ready and have a good footballing brain, not sure what his best position is though, as there is a lot of good centre backs coming through. Pike could easily be Nyambe's understudy in the next couple of years. Brennan a bit more gamble as a winger. He has pace, two great feet but will have to adjust to the physical part. Very similar to Mahoney when he came through.

U23 will be a good arena for many of them, and usually some fall through the cracks while others kick on like Buckley etc.

 

[Stuart]

47 minutes ago, matt83 said:

Is the semi home or away?

Home

[K-Hod]

38 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

That's a joke  should be nowhere near the team if hed not signed.

I mean, that may be the case, but I’m not certain on the recruitment policy of either club!

[chaddyrovers]

42 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

So who out of this lot should be banging on the first team door in the next year or two?

I would say Whitehall, Burns and Brennan. I also think Pike, Wright Philips and Harlock could be. 

Whitehall, centre midfielder who is leader and organiser of the team. Really look a great prospect

Burns, striker, loads of energy and full of running. Reminds me of Paul Dickov in some ways. 

Brennan, winger, pace and ability to run with the ball. Right footer playing on left wing. 

1 hour ago, Sparks Rover said:

Is Wright Phillipz not ours????

Nope. Loan. Rovers like the look of him. Never going to look in at City so looking to move on to further his career perhaps from his point of view

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, Sparks Rover said:

That's a joke  should be nowhere near the team if hed not signed.

Are you serious?

1. We're looking at him with a view to a permanent in summer (basically an extended trial).

2. If he's better than what we have in his position, he should play.

I'd hate to think what you'd have done with David Bentley back in the day. Or perhaps when we loaned Danny Graham?

[Darmond]

1 hour ago, Sparks Rover said:

That's a joke  should be nowhere near the team if hed not signed.

I think we had a midfielder who was doing well but got injured so we brought in DMWP.

[Sparks Rover]

11 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Are you serious?

1. We're looking at him with a view to a permanent in summer (basically an extended trial).

2. If he's better than what we have in his position, he should play.

I'd hate to think what you'd have done with David Bentley back in the day. Or perhaps when we loaned Danny Graham?

I say let the U18s get on with it.  This has no bearing on who will play for us in the first team so I'm all for keeping it to proper rovers signed up scholars.  Just my view

[Oldgregg86]

1 hour ago, briansol said:

- Sam Burns, probably got MOM for his two goals. A real livewire striker. Pace to burn, great movement and hard to shake off the ball. Stocky and strong. Some similarities to Aguero. Wonderful goal from outside the area and a poacher for the second.

 

36 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Burns, striker, loads of energy and full of running. Reminds me of Paul Dickov in some ways. 

Which is it lads Dickov or Aguero ?

[Mashed Potatoes]

2 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

 

Which is it lads Dickov or Aguero ?

Chris Brown surely.

[bazza]

I'm so glad to hear they played so well. It sounds like we have a really good squad of young players. But, as far as progressing to the first team is concerned, there may be two or three if we're lucky.

I think back to the youth cup winners of 1958 where all the players were excellent. Only Pickering, Newton and England eventually made it. Those three were outstanding and became internationals. But players like Mulvey, Daly, Griffiths, Ratcliffe ( who were the others...Leach, Wells, Simms?) didn't make it and faded from potential stardom.

Hopefully the system has changed since those days and maybe more of the squad will develop thanks to modern coaching.

[47er]

2 minutes ago, bazza said:

I'm so glad to hear they played so well. It sounds like we have a really good squad of young players. But, as far as progressing to the first team is concerned, there may be two or three if we're lucky.

I think back to the youth cup winners of 1958 where all the players were excellent. Only Pickering, Newton and England eventually made it. Those three were outstanding and became internationals. But players like Mulvey, Daly, Griffiths, Ratcliffe ( who were the others...Leach, Wells, Simms?) didn't make it and faded from potential stardom.

Hopefully the system has changed since those days and maybe more of the squad will develop thanks to modern coaching.

3 of the greatest players who ever played for us though? If 3 of that quality come through that would be incredible.

 

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, bazza said:

I'm so glad to hear they played so well. It sounds like we have a really good squad of young players. But, as far as progressing to the first team is concerned, there may be two or three if we're lucky.

I think back to the youth cup winners of 1958 where all the players were excellent. Only Pickering, Newton and England eventually made it. Those three were outstanding and became internationals. But players like Mulvey, Daly, Griffiths, Ratcliffe ( who were the others...Leach, Wells, Simms?) didn't make it and faded from potential stardom.

Hopefully the system has changed since those days and maybe more of the squad will develop thanks to modern coaching.

Christ, you've got some memory, remembering the names of up to seven youth team players from 1958 who never made it!! Fair play!

[Fraserkirky]

Good stuff lads, thanks for the reports

[arbitro]

According to the FA website the game against Man City has to be played before March 21st. Looking at the first team fixtures we have no game the following Saturday (presumably an international break) which would be an ideal time to play and hopefully pull in a big crowd.

[MarkBRFC]

I wouldn't be expecting all these lads to suddenly burst through in the next couple of years.

Our last squad to get to the final in 2012, only Lenihan really came through to play for the first team, although Jack O'Connell has made a decent career for himself too and currently plays in the top flight.

The Youth Cup final squad of 97-98 only had Martin Taylor and David Dunn come through I think. I went to the game at Ewood and think there was around 10k on. How many would attend a final these days? Not sure you would get a third of that to be honest.

If we could get three quality first team players from that bunch it would be superb.

 

Edited March 7, 2020 by MarkBRFC

[Mattyblue]

Yeah I remember that, the entire Jack Walker was packed from what I recall.

[Stuart]

10 hours ago, Mike E said:

Are you serious?

1. We're looking at him with a view to a permanent in summer (basically an extended trial).

2. If he's better than what we have in his position, he should play.

I'd hate to think what you'd have done with David Bentley back in the day. Or perhaps when we loaned Danny Graham?

Development football is not the same as first team, Mike.

Winning matches, titles, trophies is great but it isn’t what it is about.

If he’s out of contract in the Summer then fine, it’s a punt.