Europeam B teams - Rich pickings for next season?

[Tynemouth Blade]

Tonight I've seen a very talented Granada CF B team beat Marbella FC 1-2 and seeing some of the talent on show got me thinking if our scouting system took in European teams generally.
I'm not sure exactly how the B team system works, although I'm sure someone on here will enlightened me.
Are they the same as our Development squad etc?

Anyway, I digress. The reason for this post is that the Granada B team had a wealth of talent from their keeper, to a good left footed centre back, to all their midfield.....
Assuming that they're all fringe players or under 21's etc they aren't all going to end up playing in La Liga but could be decent Championship level players.

Wilder and his backroom team have made some good acquisitions to the Blades squad so I personally trust his judgement and my post is purely an observation as opposed to a suggestion.

But maybe worth a look Chris

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

1. If they are EU Citizens, they would be eligible to play for an English Club under EU Freedom Of Movement legislation. But, it is unclear how long that will last....

2. Under current rules, if they were from a non-EU country, they'd be unlikely to get a Work Permit. (I helped review the algorithm under which Work Permits are issued). Basically, they have to have played International Football a good number of times for a Highly Ranked country.

3. In my opinion, one of the things that has given us a feel good season so far is that we've got a bit of the Club's Identity back. Blade Chairman, Blade Manager, Blade Skipper. That won't last forever of course. But I would not generally be in favour of bringing in the sort of players you mention. I'm a Dinosaur.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

1. If they are EU Citizens, they would be eligible to play for an English Club under EU Freedom Of Movement legislation. But, it is unclear how long that will last....

2. Under current rules, if they were from a non-EU country, they'd be unlikely to get a Work Permit. (I helped review the algorithm under which Work Permits are issued). Basically, they have to have played International Football a good number of times for a Highly Ranked country.

3. In my opinion, one of the things that has given us a feel good season so far is that we've got a bit of the Club's Identity back. Blade Chairman, Blade Manager, Blade Skipper. That won't last forever of course. But I would not generally be in favour of bringing in the sort of players you mention. I'm a Dinosaur.

They would wear gloves in summer and how would they perform on a cold night in Stoke or equal shit place .

Johnny Foreigner , let's stick to what Wilder / Knill know . Not a dinosaur , more a realist .

 

[Grizzly blade]

I'm all for a little continental flair, provided it's not at the expense of a pair of bollocks.

But I certainly hope our scouting team is looking all over Europe ready for next season and beyond.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

I'm all for a little continental flair, provided it's not at the expense of a pair of bollocks.

But I certainly hope our scouting team is looking all over Europe ready for next season and beyond.

OK, but it seems high risk to sign players who might be refused a Work Permit once we're out of the EU.

 

[Grizzly blade]

OK, but it seems high risk to sign players who might be refused a Work Permit once we're out of the EU.

I still think work permits for EU members will form part of the EU deal...which BTW is at least 2 years away.
Long enough to get them here, playing and entitled to one longer term.

 

[Bladesway]

Tonight I've seen a very talented Granada CF B team beat Marbella FC 1-2 and seeing some of the talent on show got me thinking if our scouting system took in European teams generally.
I'm not sure exactly how the B team system works, although I'm sure someone on here will enlightened me.
Are they the same as our Development squad etc?

Anyway, I digress. The reason for this post is that the Granada B team had a wealth of talent from their keeper, to a good left footed centre back, to all their midfield.....
Assuming that they're all fringe players or under 21's etc they aren't all going to end up playing in La Liga but could be decent Championship level players.

Wilder and his backroom team have made some good acquisitions to the Blades squad so I personally trust his judgement and my post is purely an observation as opposed to a suggestion.

But maybe worth a look Chris

Might look good in a namby pamby half arsed game of jumpers for goalposts in the sun but I feel it's diametrically opposed to our current team ethos of all mucking in together to get us out the shit. Don't expect Georgio Scorchio to be showing his permatanned face at BDTBL any time soon.

 

[Dkc]

Might look good in a namby pamby half arsed game of jumpers for goalposts in the sun but I feel it's diametrically opposed to our current team ethos of all mucking in together to get us out the shit. Don't expect Georgio Scorchio to be showing his permatanned face at BDTBL any time soon.

We're not going to have whole team of Sheffielders. As long as they can understand English there's not much difference between a southerner and a lad from Spain - as long as they put in the effort

 

[ucandomagic]

Nobody from South of Brum thank you, unless they're called Currie!!!

UTB

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

Some interesting comments there ladies, but I have to say that yes, the First half was indeed played in the sun on a balmy evening (18:30 ko) on the Costa del Sol (2nd half under floodlights) but.....

namby pamby half arsed game of jumpers for goalposts in the sun

....... it was not, with full blooded tackles going in (Marbella had a man sent off 1st half for one 'foul' which really did send the Granada lad 'airbourne'!) and the Granada players certainly put in a good few hard 'tackles' and had a player sent off in the 90th minute for a 2nd yellow!
However, my point is the skill level and potential of the players on display and the availability at what could be bargains could be worth a scout visit!

I subsequently read that Messi started off as a 16 year old in Barcelona C, before progressing through their B team to the 1st team "due to his size"!

 

[BigBed]

We went hunting round Europe before if you remember, we ended up with fuckin Higdon!!! Still have the odd nightmare about that team!!!

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

We went hunting round Europe before if you remember, we ended up with fuckin Higdon!!! Still have the odd nightmare about that team!!!

But for your Higdon I raise you Sabella and Borbokis!

 

[northsomersetblade]

They would wear gloves in summer and how would they perform on a cold night in Stoke or equal shit place .

Johnny Foreigner , let's stick to what Wilder / Knill know . Not a dinosaur , more a realist .

Hear hear, they would kiss each other in goal celebrations and make the dressing room stink of garlic

 

[Baw Heid]

I seem to remember we had a French youngster playing at Under 18 or 21 this season but nothing came of it. I think this is a good thing as it encourages our home players to have the opportunity to develop. Freedom of Movement in the EU should allow anyone to move around but after Brexit that will change. I think professional players should be able to move around although the English leagues will be an attractive target for foreign players all to the detriment of the National side

 

[Baw Heid]

Tonight I've seen a very talented Granada CF B team beat Marbella FC 1-2 and seeing some of the talent on show got me thinking if our scouting system took in European teams generally.
I'm not sure exactly how the B team system works, although I'm sure someone on here will enlightened me.
Are they the same as our Development squad etc?

Anyway, I digress. The reason for this post is that the Granada B team had a wealth of talent from their keeper, to a good left footed centre back, to all their midfield.....
Assuming that they're all fringe players or under 21's etc they aren't all going to end up playing in La Liga but could be decent Championship level players.

Wilder and his backroom team have made some good acquisitions to the Blades squad so I personally trust his judgement and my post is purely an observation as opposed to a suggestion.

But maybe worth a look Chris

Have a look at your Academy teams as well as the Under 23s and you will see many talented home grown young players who need openings to progress. Its interesting that many are wanted in the US as well as Europe

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

Have a look at your Academy teams as well as the Under 23s and you will see many talented home grown young players who need openings to progress. Its interesting that many are wanted in the US as well as Europe

I'm all for bringing through homegrown talent, especially from our own academy, and although having to sell some of this talent to 'bigger' clubs like Bournemouth for instance is part of football business. However, Sheffield United are about to move on up from the league we've been on loan to for the past 6 years and the competition dynamic has changed since our last appearance in the Championship, therefore I think we need to cast our net further in order to get better talent to compete at the higher level.
That said, I would guess that any signings Wilder makes over the summer will come from EFL teams!

 

[Revolution]

The problem with scouting Spanish B teams (which are reserve teams) is that you have to scout Segunda Division B - the Spanish third tier - and there's a lot of it. They have 80 clubs playing in 4 regionalised divisions. If you assume that the best clubs at that level will be our standard, the worst clubs at the level will be Conference North or South standard at best.

I saw a 3rd tier game in January in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, a satellite town of Barcelona. The Nou Camp it was not. 400 hardy souls watching a game on an astro pitch in a converted baseball stadium. The standard was okay, but it was not League One standard, and I think you'd need to see a lot of this football before you were sure enough to take a punt on someone.

 

[The Crab]

Might look good in a namby pamby half arsed game of jumpers for goalposts in the sun but I feel it's diametrically opposed to our current team ethos of all mucking in together to get us out the shit. Don't expect Georgio Scorchio to be showing his permatanned face at BDTBL any time soon.

I thought Georgio was more Olive skinned than permatanned.

 

[Baw Heid]

I'm all for bringing through homegrown talent, especially from our own academy, and although having to sell some of this talent to 'bigger' clubs like Bournemouth for instance is part of football business. However, Sheffield United are about to move on up from the league we've been on loan to for the past 6 years and the competition dynamic has changed since our last appearance in the Championship, therefore I think we need to cast our net further in order to get better talent to compete at the higher level.
That said, I would guess that any signings Wilder makes over the summer will come from EFL teams!

I agree. The fine way he assembled this years squad speaks volumes off the man. United are continually looking for players to strengthen the squad going forward. As I am a fan of our Academy system I just hope we can include a few of the home grown talent in the team. I know the local lads only want to be Blades

 

[UnitedBlade]

Unless the country has some sort of European Economic Area membership (which means freedom of movement) we will have to rely on the work permit rules of "played x% of International games for top x ranked nations". These could be altered of course but unlikely.

We couldn't compete on wages with the PL so we wouldn't get any. Many current PL players wouldn't qualify so they'd be coming for our better players and our top Academy players even more so.

Our strategy probably needs to continue as now - develop good players from the Academy, seek out value for money from other British players.

The game's going to become more British whether we like it or not. I think we'll be OK with that. The pigs may need to rethink, however. When was the last time their Italian diver played international football?

 

[Bladesway]

Unless the country has some sort of European Economic Area membership (which means freedom of movement) we will have to rely on the work permit rules of "played x% of International games for top x ranked nations". These could be altered of course but unlikely.

We couldn't compete on wages with the PL so we wouldn't get any. Many current PL players wouldn't qualify so they'd be coming for our better players and our top Academy players even more so.

Our strategy probably needs to continue as now - develop good players from the Academy, seek out value for money from other British players.

The game's going to become more British whether we like it or not. I think we'll be OK with that. The pigs may need to rethink, however. When was the last time their Italian diver played international football?

Football will put in rules to protect the PL and it's loadsamoney members. People are more interested in getting Angolas third choice centre forward if he scores goals than developing good, young British talent. The EPL has done more for the development of the Ivory Coast than for the England team. Shows where the real priorities lie I'm afraid.

 

[UnitedBlade]

Football will put in rules to protect the PL and it's loadsamoney members. People are more interested in getting Angolas third choice centre forward if he scores goals than developing good, young British talent. The EPL has done more for the development of the Ivory Coast than for the England team. Shows where the real priorities lie I'm afraid.

I agree the PL will want to protect their money making interests and will be puffing themselves up as a special case.

The Ivory Coast isn't European and you can argue that the current permit rules are fine. It's the non International European players, of which there are many, that won't qualify.

It'll be interesting to see if they'll dilute the work permit rules to accommodate more coming in. I'm not sure they will.

 

[AlexBlade]

Was just on a coaching course in Spain and a few friends/former-teammates and former coaches asked me about Carlos Pomares (did 3 years at Shirecliffe between 2009 & 2012. Featured in the youth team that got to final vs MUFC) and the messages I received back from former coaches & personnel at SUFC was that, technically, he was amongst the best they've had down at SUFC, could put the ball where he wanted etc.

BUT

Struggled in the winter months and physical side of English lower league football..

He's now playing in the 2nd tier of Spanish football and bagging goals and assists for fun from left full back..
The feeling is that he maybe playing La Liga football within next couple of years.

League One football and Spanish football are like different sports though.

Cheaper, foreign players surely worth a thought should we go up!!??

 

[Ricky]

I'd love us to properly explore the European market but there's no reason to believe we will because it's simply something we've never done.

 

[GrozzaTheBlade]

The good old football manager trick, send them on loan to a sister club in Europe for a few years so they gain citizenships. Spent hours of my teens on that ha ha

 

[BigBed]

And I will raise you, Jostien Flo!
I'm not totally against it, but most at this level fail miserably don't you think!?

Mind you, if England can produce Hammond and Woolford, then maybe we should look at Africa or Vietnam, surely they wouldn't be worse!

 

[JJBlade]

At a certain level the only way that technical ability and thus entertainment can be delivered is with foreign players
That's why most of the Premier League is made up of foreign players

There's not enough English players with sufficient technique

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

And I will raise you, Jostien Flo!
I'm not totally against it, but most at this level fail miserably don't you think!?

Mind you, if England can produce Hammond and Woolford, then maybe we should look at Africa or Vietnam, surely they wouldn't be worse!

I raise you Roger Nilsen!
Flo was a good player and let's face it compared Connor Sammon!!!!

 

[FMBlade1]

I've watched a handful of lower league matches in Spain, quite watchable at the price you're paying and there is a level of skill, though as someone said above many sides are at non-league level so hard to tell.

The key is to have someone with deep knowledge of the place in question, the way Roberto Martinez plucked up Angel Rangel for under £50,000 is one of the best examples. I hope if we go up we are in a position to invest in some decent scouting abroad.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Tonight I've seen a very talented Granada CF B team beat Marbella FC 1-2 and seeing some of the talent on show got me thinking if our scouting system took in European teams generally.
I'm not sure exactly how the B team system works, although I'm sure someone on here will enlightened me.
Are they the same as our Development squad etc?

Anyway, I digress. The reason for this post is that the Granada B team had a wealth of talent from their keeper, to a good left footed centre back, to all their midfield.....
Assuming that they're all fringe players or under 21's etc they aren't all going to end up playing in La Liga but could be decent Championship level players.

Wilder and his backroom team have made some good acquisitions to the Blades squad so I personally trust his judgement and my post is purely an observation as opposed to a suggestion.

But maybe worth a look Chris

Why have an academy?