Academy & U21s

[ABBEY]

Steve Kean?

Regardless, laughing at a fellow poster's opinion doesn't really add anything to the board.

Mr brfcs poster of the year 2015

[Stuart]

So, perhaps you could enlighten us as to what you perceive to be Filan's strengths and weaknesses as a coach and why he hasn't brought anything to the Under-21 squad this season?

Looks like I gave you too much credit.

I was merely laughing at the cliché, which your newest fan club member aptly continued.

It's pretty obvious that Filan will be given the gig the best possible candidate.

[Parsonblue]

Looks like I gave you too much credit.

I was merely laughing at the cliché, which your newest fan club member aptly continued.

It's pretty obvious that Filan will be given the gig the best possible candidate.

The point is Stuart, it wouldn't be a bad appointment. I know that appointing Filan would merely add more fuel to the lunatic fringe, not including your good self here, who see everything as part of a huge conspiracy - what did happen to the dodgy dossier?

The Under-21's have shown a real improvement this season under Kinder and Filan, despite being a very young side in comparison with many of their opponents. It would seem to me that in terms of developing lads from the Academy and bringing them through it makes sense to have continuity in terms of Kinder-Filan-Bowyer. However, until we start bringing in the right raw material to begin with at Academy level we will always struggle to produce decent players. I believe Kinder will make changes at the Academy which will be of benefit to the club in the long run.

[Stuart]

The Under-21's have shown a real improvement this season under Kinder and Filan, despite being a very young side in comparison with many of their opponents. It would seem to me that in terms of developing lads from the Academy and bringing them through it makes sense to have continuity in terms of Kinder-Filan-Bowyer. However, until we start bringing in the right raw material to begin with at Academy level we will always struggle to produce decent players. I believe Kinder will make changes at the Academy which will be of benefit to the club in the long run.

I have to admire your faith in the likes of Bowyer, Kinder, Filan et al. (Although I don't think I've read much from you complementing Short).

I genuinely hope you are right, Parson, and that Rovers future is bright under some long term rebuilding process; backed by owners who really care about the club. The conspiracy theorists who see mounting debt, novice management - at every level - will no doubt be delighted to be proven as worrying for nothing over the need for (PL) income as soon as possible.

[Parsonblue]

I have to admire your faith in the likes of Bowyer, Kinder, Filan et al. (Although I don't think I've read much from you complementing Short).

I genuinely hope you are right, Parson, and that Rovers future is bright under some long term rebuilding process; backed by owners who really care about the club. The conspiracy theorists who see mounting debt, novice management - at every level - will no doubt be delighted to be proven as worrying for nothing over the need for (PL) income as soon as possible.

Therein, Stuart, is where I believe the problem rests. No club can guarantee Premier League football and therefore no club can count of Premier League income. Jack wanted the club to become self sufficient which is why is developed the Academy so that it could turn out players who, even if they didn't make it at Ewood, could be sold for a profit. Sadly, that hasn't worked due to the changing times within the Football League. At the end of the day, in our present position, I would rather have a management team at Ewood and the Academy who have some feeling for the club rather than some hired mercenary who comes solely for the cash, has no affinity to club and moves on when a better offer comes along. Only time will tell if my faith is misplaced.

[Stuart]

Therein, Stuart, is where I believe the problem rests. No club can guarantee Premier League football and therefore no club can count of Premier League income. Jack wanted the club to become self sufficient which is why is developed the Academy so that it could turn out players who, even if they didn't make it at Ewood, could be sold for a profit. Sadly, that hasn't worked due to the changing times within the Football League. At the end of the day, in our present position, I would rather have a management team at Ewood and the Academy who have some feeling for the club rather than some hired mercenary who comes solely for the cash, has no affinity to club and moves on when a better offer comes along. Only time will tell if my faith is misplaced.

I hope it isn't.

But I'm not seeing Bowyer learn, and if he is the ultimate decision maker at Ewood he needs to start doing a lot better. I can't help but think, for instance, that Brown and (P) Taylor are now Bowyer's choices for our attack and it's actually Desai who is preventing him (and Shaw) from moving Gestede and Rhodes on to generate funds.

I don't want to write off an alleged bad egg before he's kicked a ball (under a manager who can't handle bad eggs) but if they are the kinds of players he is placing stock in, I fear that we are going to go backwards even further before we can think about moving forwards.

Being honest, give me a mercenary like Souness, Hughes or Allardyce any day - rather than a fan who does his best.

[yoda]

I hope it isn't.

But I'm not seeing Bowyer learn, and if he is the ultimate decision maker at Ewood he needs to start doing a lot better. I can't help but think, for instance, that Brown and (P) Taylor are now Bowyer's choices for our attack and it's actually Desai who is preventing him (and Shaw) from moving Gestede and Rhodes on to generate funds.

I don't want to write off an alleged bad egg before he's kicked a ball (under a manager who can't handle bad eggs) but if they are the kinds of players he is placing stock in, I fear that we are going to go backwards even further before we can think about moving forwards.

Being honest, give me a mercenary like Souness, Hughes or Allardyce any day - rather than a fan who does his best.

You are talking about talent, not a lot of it about at the club at the moment.

[chaddyrovers]

The point is Stuart, it wouldn't be a bad appointment. I know that appointing Filan would merely add more fuel to the lunatic fringe, not including your good self here, who see everything as part of a huge conspiracy - what did happen to the dodgy dossier?

The Under-21's have shown a real improvement this season under Kinder and Filan, despite being a very young side in comparison with many of their opponents. It would seem to me that in terms of developing lads from the Academy and bringing them through it makes sense to have continuity in terms of Kinder-Filan-Bowyer. However, until we start bringing in the right raw material to begin with at Academy level we will always struggle to produce decent players. I believe Kinder will make changes at the Academy which will be of benefit to the club in the long run.

ParsonBlue, is there any of the current under 21's players who you think will be ready to the first team either the rest of this season or next season?

Have players like Tanner, Green or Mahoney improve this season compare to last season?

[Parsonblue]

I hope it isn't.

But I'm not seeing Bowyer learn, and if he is the ultimate decision maker at Ewood he needs to start doing a lot better. I can't help but think, for instance, that Brown and (P) Taylor are now Bowyer's choices for our attack and it's actually Desai who is preventing him (and Shaw) from moving Gestede and Rhodes on to generate funds.

I don't want to write off an alleged bad egg before he's kicked a ball (under a manager who can't handle bad eggs) but if they are the kinds of players he is placing stock in, I fear that we are going to go backwards even further before we can think about moving forwards.

Being honest, give me a mercenary like Souness, Hughes or Allardyce any day - rather than a fan who does his best.

Under normal circumstances I would agree that a Souness, Hughes or Allardyce would be great. Sadly, these aren't normal circumstances. The transfer embargo makes it extremely difficult to operate as a normal club and, as such, it's appeal to other managers would be limited. If you can't bring players in and with several contracts up in the summer and the likes of Rhodes and Gestede likely to move on, the future is going to rest with trying to get the best out of the youngsters.

ParsonBlue, is there any of the current under 21's players who you think will be ready to the first team either the rest of this season or next season?

Have players like Tanner, Green or Mahoney improve this season compare to last season?

One would hope that the likes of Henley and Olsson could occupy the full-back positions, that O'Sullivan and Lenihan could step up into contention for the midfield. Mahoney and Green may - and as yet they are unproven - challenge for the wide midfield berths. Carson is a grafter who, personally, I quite like but I'm not sure if he is staying as he is only a one year contract. Nyambe looks a prospect but is still very young and is only just getting a regular spot with the Under-21's. Tanner has blown hot and cold to be honest whilst Cham hasn't really kicked on as one might have hoped. Raya remains an outstanding prospect in goal but with Eastwood and Steele ahead of him, one would expect him to be loaned out next season.

[Baz]

I think Hughes, Allardyce and Souness all have far better track records of identifying and developing young talent than GB Parson.

[LDRover]

A friend of mines son (was at Liverpool) went for a trial at Rovers. I saw him the other day and asked how he got on.

He didn't get offered the chance to join the academy, the reasons given......''whilst technically he's one of the best players we've seen for his age, but he's not the sort of player we are after as he's not tall enough.''

A sad indictment of the current academy system, not only at Rovers but across the UK. And we wonder why we never win anything on the world stage.

Did he end up elsewhere?

[LDRover]

There will be a thorough recruitment, sifting and interview process to ensure the best options are available.

And then they'll decide that John Filan was the stand-out candidate.

Was he an usher at Gaz's wedding? Edited March 31, 2015 by LDRover

[blueboy3333]

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/under-21-premier-league-cup-blackburn-rovers-southampton-2382845.aspx

1st leg of the U'21's final is next Monday (13th) at Ewood. Free entry according to this. Be good to get a big crowd in, think i'll pop along. 2nd leg at St Mary's is on sky.

[blueboy3333]

a couple of articles here on the O'Sullivan situation and who may play in tomorrows final. It all seems very reasonable.

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/see-the-under-21s-take-on-the-saints-for-free-at-ewood-on-monday-2393247.aspx

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/gary-bowyer-blackburn-rovers-john-osullivan-reading-2391873.aspx

[Tom]

Maybe but we drew 0-0 yesterday in a game we simply had to win, remember the manager had said play offs were still possible we should have been going for it not prioritising a youth cup

[AggyBlue]

Maybe but we drew 0-0 yesterday in a game we simply had to win, remember the manager had said play offs were still possible we should have been going for it not prioritising a youth cup

The League season was over for us long before yesterday, Bowyer knew it too.

The soundbytes are for Pune.

Surprised anyone needed that explaining.

[Amo]

Surprised anyone needed that explaining.

I don't think it did. Tom was being a sarky bugger, but thanks anyway.

[blueboy3333]

Maybe but we drew 0-0 yesterday in a game we simply had to win, remember the manager had said play offs were still possible we should have been going for it not prioritising a youth cup

you put a lot of faith in 2 young lads who have never played in the Championship getting us a win yesterday.

Did you read what Kinder said? He says the youth team doesn't take priority, it's up to Bowyer if he wants them. Bowyer says in the other article O'Sully will get a chance ;-

"So we are excited and looking forward to seeing how he does in the first team."

Not sure anything that's happened so far contradicts this. Anyway lets see who plays tomorrow and at Brum.

[Tom]

I'm not disputing they were being saved for Monday for the record just genuiely unsure what would be the best use of them

Edited April 12, 2015 by Tom M

[West Yorks Rover]

Bowyer might feel a bit of pressure if the U 21's win the cup.

Has GB ever won anything ?

" Eric Kinder's blue and white army "

Edited April 12, 2015 by West Yorks Rover

[perthblue02]

Bowyer might feel a bit of pressure if the U 21's win the cup.

Has GB ever won anything ?

" Eric Kinder's blue and white army "

Seems to have won the most important thing above all else at Venky's Ewood Park franchise, Mrs Desai's heart

Edited April 12, 2015 by perthblue02

[yoda]

Seems to have won the most important thing above all else at Venky's Ewood Park franchise, Mrs Desai's heart

Seems like Mrs D puts it about a bit

[Tom]

Telegraph reckons Lenihan and O'Sullivan won't feature tonight because they are in the squad for tomorrow.

[G Somerset Rover]

Telegraph reckons Lenihan and O'Sullivan won't feature tonight because they are in the squad for tomorrow.

Good job we didn't risk them against Reading then eh.

[AndyNeil]

Telegraph reckons Lenihan and O'Sullivan won't feature tonight because they are in the squad for tomorrow.

you are a kid in the academy - would you rather play in your cup final, or keep the bench warm for a league match that means nothing to either team? Personally I'd be playing my strongest team tonight...