Academy & U21s

[Adam C]

Has anybody here got an idea about how good these lads are? Currently playing in a youth tournament in Northern Ireland. I’m hoping to catch at least one of the games and it would be good to know who to keep my eye on. 

[Forever Blue]

1 minute ago, Adam C said:

Has anybody here got an idea about how good these lads are? Currently playing in a youth tournament in Northern Ireland. I’m hoping to catch at least one of the games and it would be good to know who to keep my eye on. 

No idea, they’re all school kids I think.

[rigger]

3 minutes ago, Adam C said:

Has anybody here got an idea about how good these lads are? Currently playing in a youth tournament in Northern Ireland. I’m hoping to catch at least one of the games and it would be good to know who to keep my eye on. 

I think a better way would be, you go and watch them, then tell us who stood out.

[Forever Blue]

On 21/07/2024 at 18:47, KentExile said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0021gff/uefa-mens-u19-euro-championship-2024-norway-v-northern-ireland?seriesId=unsliced

Atcheson and Doherty both start for Northern Ireland, kick off at 7pm

I saw clips of Doherty in this game (on twitter somewhere) and he looks a really talented lad. Harvey Elliot esque

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, Forever Blue said:

I saw clips of Doherty in this game (on twitter somewhere) and he looks a really talented lad. Harvey Elliot esque

But since he's a year older than Elliott was and barely gets into the Northern Ireland U19s, significantly less talented. I assume you just meant that style of player?

[Forever Blue]

2 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

But since he's a year older than Elliott was and barely gets into the Northern Ireland U19s, significantly less talented. I assume you just meant that style of player?

Yeah, cultured left foot and looks like he can spot a pass, put a good cross in. 

[bluebruce]

7 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

Yeah, cultured left foot and looks like he can spot a pass, put a good cross in. 

The most impressive thing about Elliott for me was the intelligence of his game-reading given his tender years. Closely followed by very refined technique.

[riverholmes]

It might’ve already been discussed but Junior Nsangou, the Polish U19 striker and, seemingly, Rovers best recent academy forward graduate prospect after Tyjon, has left the club. He reportedly turned down a contract and is on trial with Spanish club, Albacete. That’s the club Enzo Boyomo, the young French-Cameroonian defender, left for after turning down a deal at Rovers.

There’s news on a young U19 French forward coming in from Nantes. I’m sceptical about bringing in overseas players for the reserves/academy at Rovers. It has so rarely worked for the club with the only success story in decades I can think of is David Raya. Perhaps, there’s one or two more but can’t think (excluding Irish players).

For whatever reason, they’ve struggled to adapt - perhaps, the new style, or culture - or just not good enough. 

I would hope this forward is good enough to be involved with the first team, if he signs. I get the feeling that overseas youngsters tend to find it hard to adapt and if they don’t get a big break, they’re eager to go back to more familiar surroundings. These are the sort of factors that, I guess, the data-driven approach to recruitment don’t pick up on so much. 

Edited July 26, 2024 by riverholmes

[philipl]

Disappointing but over stating the case for Nsongu in my opinion.

I thought he looked better than Biniek of the two Rovers Polish youngsters in the UEFA competition in Malta last summer but Biniek has kicked on by all accounts and Nsongu less so.

Perhaps folks who watch the Academy can add to or contradict this?

 

[unleaded]

Rovers under 21s beat Wolves counterparts 8-0 yesterday ….Quite impressive if you think most of the regulars were playing on Friday & Saturday… bravo 👏 

[BlackburnEnd75]

3 hours ago, unleaded said:

Rovers under 21s beat Wolves counterparts 8-0 yesterday ….Quite impressive if you think most of the regulars were playing on Friday & Saturday… bravo 👏 

Any ideas on what the team was?

[KentExile]

 

[KentExile]

 

[bluebruce]

4 hours ago, KentExile said:

 

We seem to like loaning young keepers to Bamber Bridge. We sent Goddard there a couple of times. As well as to Marine and Lancaster City. Not sure where those clubs were at the time but currently they play in the 7th, 6th and 7th tiers respectively.

Goddard came with a reputation as a highly promising keeper, when he was about 16 or 17. Now, at 20, he is on loan in the Irish Premier and that's his best level yet, but it hardly makes me think he's gonna make it here especially with our glut of young keepers. Honestly I'm very confused what our plan is with all these young goalies. Are we just collecting them, sending as many as we can out to the non leagues and hoping we get another David Raya outcome? Because I don't see it. The level Raya went to at Southport was 5th tier. I'm truly not sure what they can learn in the 7th tier. I bet our Academy side would thrash Bamber Bridge.

[KentExile]

5 hours ago, bluebruce said:

We seem to like loaning young keepers to Bamber Bridge. We sent Goddard there a couple of times. As well as to Marine and Lancaster City. Not sure where those clubs were at the time but currently they play in the 7th, 6th and 7th tiers respectively.

Goddard came with a reputation as a highly promising keeper, when he was about 16 or 17. Now, at 20, he is on loan in the Irish Premier and that's his best level yet, but it hardly makes me think he's gonna make it here especially with our glut of young keepers. Honestly I'm very confused what our plan is with all these young goalies. Are we just collecting them, sending as many as we can out to the non leagues and hoping we get another David Raya outcome? Because I don't see it. The level Raya went to at Southport was 5th tier. I'm truly not sure what they can learn in the 7th tier. I bet our Academy side would thrash Bamber Bridge.

Goddard has had his past 2 seasons curtailed by two pretty serious knee injuries which probably stifled his development somewhat. (He is currently as you stated, 20 years old)

Michalski only turned 17 in March, and was in the U21s for a fair chunk of last season, so he is well ahead of the curve developmentally, and imagine it is a move into men's (rather than boys) football to toughen him up and make him a little more streetwise

For reference. Raya was 19 when he went on loan to 5th tier Southport

Hyde (also 7th tier) beat our U21s 3-2 a couple of weeks ago (only a friendly)

RE the glut of young Keepers - Hilton, Eastham, Barrett, Goddard & Kahn are all out of contract at the end of this season, albeit a few do have year options.  I suspect at least 2 more will be sold/loaned this summer.

This leaves (barring any additional sales/contract extensions or options taken up) Pears, Honor & Michalski (and the 15/16 year old keepers who will play for the U18s this season Wolsoncroft and Thompson if we want to be really pedantic) under contract next season 

Edited July 30, 2024 by KentExile

[KentExile]

U18s played vs PNE earlier, no idea what the score was, but this was the team

 

[riverholmes]

9 hours ago, KentExile said:

Goddard has had his past 2 seasons curtailed by two pretty serious knee injuries which probably stifled his development somewhat. (He is currently as you stated, 20 years old)

Michalski only turned 17 in March, and was in the U21s for a fair chunk of last season, so he is well ahead of the curve developmentally, and imagine it is a move into men's (rather than boys) football to toughen him up and make him a little more streetwise

For reference. Raya was 19 when he went on loan to 5th tier Southport

Hyde (also 7th tier) beat our U21s 3-2 a couple of weeks ago (only a friendly)

RE the glut of young Keepers - Hilton, Eastham, Barrett, Goddard & Kahn are all out of contract at the end of this season, albeit a few do have year options.  I suspect at least 2 more will be sold/loaned this summer.

This leaves (barring any additional sales/contract extensions or options taken up) Pears, Honor & Michalski (and the 15/16 year old keepers who will play for the U18s this season Wolsoncroft and Thompson if we want to be really pedantic) under contract next season 

Do you know why the club like to rotate goalies at U21 level so much? There's one thing giving players experience but come the season, I firmly believe in establishing a selection order, so that the players know roughly where they stand and what their individual target is. From the outside, I see a lot of confusion and, in the treatment of Eastham, potential for demoralisation.

Edited July 30, 2024 by riverholmes

[KentExile]

5 minutes ago, riverholmes said:

Do you know why the club like to rotate goalies at U21 level so much? There's one thing giving players experience but I firmly believe in establishing a hierarchy, so that the players know where they stand and what their individual target is. From the outside, I see a lot of confusion and, in the treatment of Eastham, demoralisation.

My guess would be trying to develop them all.  A duty of care type thing (at least up until a certain age),   Which presumably helps the club sell itself to new young recruits.  but only a guess

Not just keepers (Eastham etc) who have been "frozen out" from playing.  Harlock, Cirino, Pike etc got to a certain age and the club stopped using them in U21 games and eventually released them

Edited July 30, 2024 by KentExile

[riverholmes]

The George Gent loan to Barnsley surprised me. I was reading it’d be a transfer to recoup money before his contract expires. Anyone know what might be going on?

Edited August 1, 2024 by riverholmes

[rigger]

6 minutes ago, riverholmes said:

The George Gent loan to Barnsley surprised me. I was reading it’d be a transfer to recoup money before his contract expires. Anyone know what might be going on?

I thought Gent went to Barnsley on a permanant ?

[KentExile]

Just now, rigger said:

I thought Gent went to Barnsley on a permanant ?

He is doing, but it hasn't happened yet

 

[KentExile]

Rovers didn't post the result of the PNE U18s game from Tuesday, but there are apparently 2 games this weekend

 

Edited August 1, 2024 by KentExile

[KentExile]

 

[bluebruce]

On 01/08/2024 at 14:05, KentExile said:

Rovers didn't post the result of the PNE U18s game from Tuesday, but there are apparently 2 games this weekend

 

It's very odd that they're so crap at posting results. Especially on a game they posted the lineup for. Why hype it up then not say how it ended? Maybe it was an embarrassing result lol

[KentExile]

4 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

It's very odd that they're so crap at posting results. Especially on a game they posted the lineup for. Why hype it up then not say how it ended? Maybe it was an embarrassing result lol

I thought the same last week and it turned out they had won both the U18s and U21 games, scoring 8 & 5.

You would think an enthusiastic work experience kid could manage to post lineups, results, goal scorers at minimum for the "wage" of free entrance