Zak Brunt

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EddieColquhoun

EddieColquhoun

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Zak Brunt

@BruntZak

Buzzing to have signed my first professional contract with Sheffield United

🤪


⚔️

hopefully the first of many

🤞🏽


❤️

#Blades #UTB
 

If I’m being ultra, ultra picky, the only thing missing from the last few years uprising has been a youth or two coming through. Completely understandable at the rate we’ve improved and progressed- plenty of actual new signings haven't caught on quick enough or forced their way in, never mind the young lads.

But after seeing so much talent leave over the years because we either had no choice, or because we needed to reinvest the fee to compete, it would be great to see a few emerge when we are in a position hang on to them and see them properly flourish with us, rather than see them go elsewhere and say we “always knew they’d be quality”. Hopefully these lads will do that.
 
Always nice to see the Blades young uns doing well and coming through.

I don't get too hung up on the results of the club at the youth level as it's about finding one or two diamonds rather than winning leagues. The clubs policy seems to be playing younger lads in older age level football to gives the young lads a greater challenge. Hopefully then by the time they are playing men's football, they are used to having to make the step up, and can bridge the gap to top quality men's football a little easier. Fingers crossed for these young lads and that they are good enough to make the grade.

Great to see a young un or two in the first team.... But they have to be good enough and in the side on merit. Hopefully they will be in future years.
 
Not seen either of these guys play. Anyone, possibly with a carrier bag in a position to tell us what they bring to the table?
 
Sam64 said:
Angelo Cappello too. Can't say I've seen much of Cappello but I really really like Brunt
Click to expand...


Brunt put on similar photos but I haven't managed to get them on here! If anyone is computer savvy there's one of him in a Blades shirt at a very young age.
 
Well done to both, but I'll get excited when they make the bench and then making appearances.
So far Wilder has been very cautious when it comes to introducing youth, and probably with very good reason given our complex playing style which has taken senior pro's a while to get used to. However I do feel it's a blind spot for us currently, especially as we've cut back our youth intake and academy investment over recent years. Now we should be aspiring to have top youth setup in the area now we're in the Premier League. Should the worst happen and we're relegated, having an top level academy which has been running at that level for several year to fall back could be a crucial factor in a quick return without making huge financial gamble.
 
I think, and I have thought this for some time, that we should look at the North American Minors system. Especially now when EFL clubs are going to struggle. This would involve a club that exists on its own terms but also receives money from a top level club to develop their players. Whether this should be 3rd or 4th tier or non league. Then prospects, such as these two lads, can go there and get game time along with seasoned pros. So the money we would give to the minor club would be for training facilities and coaching. This would help the minor club with costs and help the senior club with player development. The coaching can be towards our methods and requirements.
I have a long time friend who is first and foremost a Gillingham fan and has stated he would love it if they could develop Arsenal players (as that is his second club) as they get future top class players at their club before they become stars. This would be in addition to the loan system but the difference being the alignment of coaching between the Major and Minor clubs.
 

SelbyBlade said:
I think, and I have thought this for some time, that we should look at the North American Minors system. Especially now when EFL clubs are going to struggle. This would involve a club that exists on its own terms but also receives money from a top level club to develop their players. Whether this should be 3rd or 4th tier or non league. Then prospects, such as these two lads, can go there and get game time along with seasoned pros. So the money we would give to the minor club would be for training facilities and coaching. This would help the minor club with costs and help the senior club with player development. The coaching can be towards our methods and requirements.
I have a long time friend who is first and foremost a Gillingham fan and has stated he would love it if they could develop Arsenal players (as that is his second club) as they get future top class players at their club before they become stars. This would be in addition to the loan system but the difference being the alignment of coaching between the Major and Minor clubs.
Click to expand...

our pyramid is the envy of the world & has admiration all over the world. you saw the issue with B teams. never going to happen fans wouldnt allow it
 
Although this is officially a Zak Brunt thread. Let's deal with Angelo first.
Negative Disclaimer. It's very, very hard for any youngster to break through in a Premier League (or even Top End Championship) First Team Squad. Very hard. The simple numbers are against our Academy lads making it to our First Team. If I've seen one of them play, and you ask me "will he make it, Phil?", I'll play the percentages & say - No, Sorry.
Positive Disclaimer. I love watching all our Academy lads play, with their muckers, against their contemporaries. Putting the lot in. Enjoying it. Revelling in it. Dreaming. I go to watch them in the moment. Not to worry about the future. If I've seen one of them play and you ask me "is he a good player, Phil?". I'll say - Fuck Yeah.
Assessing Angelo is tricky. Mainly because of Google Searching my Blog for his name. I realise I've never spelt his surname the same way twice. Every combination of Ps and Ls. As has been said above he is effectively already a Belize International. I first saw him in July 2017 playing for a Blades U15 side in the SuperCup in Northern Ireland. He set up wide left, attacking midfield. Physically compact, but not slight. Fast, with neat ball skills. As you'd hope at that age, all the backheels & flicks. Started really well. But, drifted in n out (as they do at that age). He was subbed off later in the game. He had a major assist in the Blades first goal that afts. Robbing his man on the left, took the ball into the box at pace, and kept his shot down well. The keeper could only beat it out & 9 Ryan Viggars knocked the rebound in. Intriguing anecdote follows. Harrison Foulstone, who Captained that afts, bollocked him in the second half “Ange, look like you want to play football man”.
The stats show that Angelo has not actually played many games for Utd Academy Teams. Certainly not for the U18 nor U23 Professional Development Teams. Although I have seen him a bit in friendlies and Futures games v non league kids. By July 2019, I'd got him scoring a hat trick away at Parkgate. (One of the first times I'd seen new Academy Guru Jack Lester at one of our games). Angelo had grown a bit stockier & bulked up. He's not tall, short arse if owt. But, looked strong enough. He had a great game & was bang at it. So, stocky, but short, attacking midfielder, or up top if it comes to it, great on the ball, eye for goal. Got a skill set. But, I have to say, he has not made me sit up & think - hello, here we go. I'll try to answer any questions you might have. (I wrote that without seeing s4-blade post, so I'm somewhat at odds with him/her)
 
Last edited:
Ball_Sup (Phil) said:
Although this is officially a Zak Brunt thread. Let's deal with Angelo first.
Negative Disclaimer. It's very, very hard for any youngster to break through in a Premier League (or even Top End Championship) First Team Squad. Very hard. The simple numbers are against our Academy lads making it to our First Team. If I've seen one of them play, and you ask me "will he make it, Phil?", I'll play the percentages & say - No, Sorry.
Positive Disclaimer. I love watching all our Academy lads play, with their muckers, against their contemporaries. Putting the lot in. Enjoying it. Revelling in it. Dreaming. I go to watch them in the moment. Not to worry about the future. If I've seen one of them play and you ask me "is he a good player, Phil?". I'll say - Fuck Yeah.
Assessing Angelo is tricky. Mainly because of Google Searching my Blog for his name. I realise I've never spelt his surname the same way twice. Every combination of Ps and Ls. As has been said above he is effectively already a Belize International. I first saw him in July 2017 playing for a Blades U15 side in the SuperCup in Northern Ireland. He set up wide left, attacking midfield. Physically compact, but not slight. Fast, with neat ball skills. As you'd hope at that age, all the backheels & flicks. Started really well. But, drifted in n out (as they do at that age). He was subbed off later in the game. He had a major assist in the Blades first goal that afts. Robbing his man on the left, took the ball into the box at pace, and kept his shot down well. The keeper could only beat it out & 9 Ryan Viggars knocked the rebound in. Intriguing anecdote follows. Harrison Foulstone, who Captained that afts, bollocked him in the second half “Ange, look like you want to play football man”.
The stats show that Angelo had not actually played many games for Utd Academy Teams. Certainly not for the U18 nor U23 Professional Development Teams. Although I have seen him a bit in friendlies and Futures games v non league kids. By July 2019, I'd got him scoring a hat trick away at Parkgate. (One of the first times I'd seen new Academy Guru Jack Lester at one of our games). Angelo had grown a bit stockier & bulked up. He's not tall, short arse if owt. But, looked strong enough. He had a great game & was bang at it. So, stocky, but short, attacking midfielder, or up top if it comes to it, great on the ball, eye for goal. Got a skill set. But, I have to say, he has not made me sit up & think - hello, here we go. I'll try to answer any questions you might have. (I wrote that without seeing s4-blade post, so I'm somewhat at odds with him/her)
Click to expand...
Was Zak Brunt pinch by Man Utd at some point from us and then released by them and we took him back Phil ?
 
finlaytheblade said:
Was Zak Brunt pinch by Man Utd at some point from us and then released by them and we took him back Phil ?
Click to expand...
He’s been at Athletico madrid, Chelsea, Man City, Villa.....as well a local Saturday league team one pre-season playing with yours truly :cool:
 
Zak Brunt.
Negative Disclaimer. It's very, very hard for any youngster to break through in a Premier League (or even Top End Championship) First Team Squad. Very hard. The simple numbers are against our Academy lads making it to our First Team. If I've seen one of them play, and you ask me "will he make it, Phil?", I'll play the percentages & say - No, Sorry.
Positive Disclaimer. I love watching all our Academy lads play, with their muckers, against their contemporaries. Putting the lot in. Enjoying it. Revelling in it. Dreaming. I go to watch them in the moment. Not to worry about the future. If I've seen one of them play and you ask me "is he a good player, Phil?". I'll say - Fuck Yeah.
I feel there is a lot to like about Zak. The problem is, our Academy has had lots of big engined, box to box midfield dynamos. Coustrain, Reed, Gilmour, Slater. Some of those are/will make a buck in the lower leagues. Regan may get there - we're still assessing. Currently, I don't see much from Zak that puts him above them. Like them, he's a joy to watch. Committed. Intelligent. Organising. Zak is/was a mainstay of the U18 side this season before it was canned. 15 starts. 4 goals. With occasional U23 run outs. Occasionally, he gets stuck up top. But, he's essentially a versatile midfield player. Good in all the roles. Take it at the back of the diamond. Break play up. Hold it. And, number 10 make things happen. I've liked him best in a more attacking midfield role. But, I'm always attracted to players who can do different stuff. (See Ben Whiteman). I last saw Zak v Barnsley U23 in February. I was impressed by that night. He covers a lot of ground. He’s got a mean deep high at pace corner on him. As United chased the game late on, I noticed (coach) Andrew Hughes directing that Zak should take the dead balls. Zak has got very quick feet and, that night, he constantly wanted to attack his man & get through the line. As, I say, a lot to like. But, negatively, I've seen "his like" before. He's developed well since he came to the club. Hope he pushes on.
 
Ball_Sup (Phil) said:
Zak Brunt.
Negative Disclaimer. It's very, very hard for any youngster to break through in a Premier League (or even Top End Championship) First Team Squad. Very hard. The simple numbers are against our Academy lads making it to our First Team. If I've seen one of them play, and you ask me "will he make it, Phil?", I'll play the percentages & say - No, Sorry.
Positive Disclaimer. I love watching all our Academy lads play, with their muckers, against their contemporaries. Putting the lot in. Enjoying it. Revelling in it. Dreaming. I go to watch them in the moment. Not to worry about the future. If I've seen one of them play and you ask me "is he a good player, Phil?". I'll say - Fuck Yeah.
I feel there is a lot to like about Zak. The problem is, our Academy has had lots of big engined, box to box midfield dynamos. Coustrain, Reed, Gilmour, Slater. Some of those are/will make a buck in the lower leagues. Regan may get there - we're still assessing. Currently, I don't see much from Zak that puts him above them. Like them, he's a joy to watch. Committed. Intelligent. Organising. Zak is/was a mainstay of the U18 side this season before it was canned. 15 starts. 4 goals. With occasional U23 run outs. Occasionally, he gets stuck up top. But, he's essentially a versatile midfield player. Good in all the roles. Take it at the back of the diamond. Break play up. Hold it. And, number 10 make things happen. I've liked him best in a more attacking midfield role. But, I'm always attracted to players who can do different stuff. (See Ben Whiteman). I last saw Zak v Barnsley U23 in February. I was impressed by that night. He covers a lot of ground. He’s got a mean deep high at pace corner on him. As United chased the game late on, I noticed (coach) Andrew Hughes directing that Zak should take the dead balls. Zak has got very quick feet and, that night, he constantly wanted to attack his man & get through the line. As, I say, a lot to like. But, negatively, I've seen "his like" before. He's developed well since he came to the club. Hope he pushes on.
Click to expand...

Rhys Norrington-Davies the favourite to wear the red & white next if he gets a Championship loan under his belt next year?
 
EddieColquhoun said:
Via a search, he's played for the U17s. Couldn't find owt else:)
Click to expand...

Found it here, ahead of their involvement in the CONCACAF Nations League: http://7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=46920

Team Belize also has an infusion of new talent in the form of 16 year-old Angelo Cappello, a Belizean-born who’s family moved to the UK when he was 11. The up-and-coming footballer was discovered by scouts representing the British professional football team, Sheffield United Football Club. They saw him in action as part of a local football team and they offered him a 6-week stint at their training camp. After that session, he signed a 2-year deal with them, which clearly indicates the potential they see in this teenager.

The Jaguars drafted him for tomorrow’s game, where he will play striker along side, Belize’s leading goalscorer, Deon McCaulay. We got a chance to speak with both athletes about their developing dynamics as part of the country's offensive line:

Deon McCaulay - Striker, Team Belize
"Most of the players have already been training before - have been playing before together. For the most part, the players that we have are players that played the first 2 games already. Angelo is new. He just came in, so we’re just building the chemistry with him and me. But, with the other guys, we have the chemistry already because we’ve been playing together before. It’s always a work in progress. We work on it every day in training, and that’s what’s important."

angelo.nov15.18.jpg

Angelo Cappello - Striker, Team Belize
"When I first came, everybody was very welcoming, and helpful, especially on the field yesterday, when we played the friendly match. Especially with Deon speaking to me, telling me where he wants me to go, and me telling him where he would want to go, playing with each other is very helpful for me, especially as a young player. Coming in to the team, not really knowing - I mean I know them; I just don’t know how they play. So, for him to be speaking to me, and helping me, we move together, passing to each other, both of us ended up scoring a goal. So, good result overall, and hopefully tomorrow, we’ll do the same."

Deon McCaulay
"We have a lot of quality players. It’s not just me and him. This is about 11 players, and like I tell the guys, anybody who scores, we still win the game. That’s what’s important. It doesn’t matter who scores, as long as we win"

Angelo Cappello
"Getting called up for the National team for me is a privilege, to try and help obviously to get the win, because we need to win. Tomorrow, if everybody come out, I’m sure that they won’t be disappointed with all the players. We know what we need to do, and we just need the support from the rest of the country."
 
Rodley said:
Rhys Norrington-Davies the favourite to wear the red & white next if he gets a Championship loan under his belt next year?
Click to expand...
My neck stuck out view is that Rhys Norrington-Davies is, indeed, the best of our "currently loaned out kids".
And Harry Boyes is the best of our "currently still making it through Academy Development football kids"
Best does not necessarily mean good enough....
 

I'm hoping Zak Brunt will become so good our neighbours in S6 will spend many an hour and provide themselves such hilarity on their Forum by referring to him as Zak Blunt.

In the meantime he'll be plying his trade at the top playing European football for the Blades.
 
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