Academy/u21s

[Racy]

In the position we're in now could it now be the time to call it a day with the youth system at the club.

The cost to the club is huge and the odd gem we unearth they are sold on by Mcabe.

I know people will go on about the Kyles,Jags,Lowton but are we getting any benefits no.

Let's put the monies into the first team and stablize what really matters

 

[UnitedBlade]

No. Now is this time to spend more effort getting more youngsters through so we can build solid foundations.

Now is the time to stop wasting money on expensive ageing pros. Obviously it has to be blended with some experience.

Weir has joined because he has bought into the club's strategy. I'm not sure Wilson ever fully bought into playing the youngsters until he had to.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Yes, let's choose the opposite strategy of Germany's clubs, they don't know what they're doing.

Let's also look to increase player wages and fund it by doubling the price of tickets.

 

[Pedro Verde]

In the position we're in now could it now be the time to call it a day with the youth system at the club.

The cost to the club is huge and the odd gem we unearth they are sold on by Mcabe.

I know people will go on about the Kyles,Jags,Lowton but are we getting any benefits no.

Let's put the monies into the first team and stablize what really matters

That would be complete luncay in the state we are in at the moment. It is a source of players afterall.
We would have had spend money on a keeper and a centre half last season for a start
Do you really want to see more Robsons, Kitsons, Williams, Doyles in the side
Do you think if McCabe shut the Academy down that any saving would benefit the first team budget

 

[UnitedBlade]

Also, if you can get players into the first team before they are 20, they do not count to SCMP.

Out of our established / breaking youngsters: George, Harry, McFadzean, Whitehouse, Ironside, Kennedy, Diego only Harry will be included in the SCMP calculation next season (fortunately most of them have birthdays after September 1)

 

[metalblade]

In theory the Academy should be self financing by hiring pitches and facilities to the local community, any players that come through into the first team represent huge savings in transfer fees, any that are sold is a bonus to the clubs finances. Where we get it all wrong is we don't hold onto the best (like the Kyles) long enough but on the other hand others are still to break into the first team after passing 20 years of age. Short term gain has never done anything but drag us down but McCabe like those before him can't see it or choose not to see it, only when we get rid of the ones unlikely to make it and keep for as long as possible any quality will we progress as a club.

 

[1889]

In the position we're in now could it now be the time to call it a day with the youth system at the club.

The cost to the club is huge and the odd gem we unearth they are sold on by Mcabe.

I know people will go on about the Kyles,Jags,Lowton but are we getting any benefits no.

Let's put the monies into the first team and stablize what really matters

I'm sorry, but that really is the most ridiculous short sighted suggestion. To be successful you either have mega millions or you have a sound youth system. The best thing United have done in recent memory is to invest in attracting and nurturing emerging talent by developing the Academy and its facilities.

I firmly believe that this is the only way forward, I do not see how the current finances of the top Premier League teams are sustainable. Whilst I may not live to see it, I expect that Sheffield United will one day be amongst British Footballs elite and their youth development programme will be seen as the blueprint for success. The likes of Chelsea and Man City are after all, almost wholly dependent on the goodwill and generosity of two men who at a whim could decide that they're bored with Football, as quickly as they 'fell in love with it'.

Without going over the whys and wherefores of Jagielka, Walker, Naughton and Lowton, the Academy has by virtue of their transfer fees provided a profit and must therefore be self financing. To be honest, I love to see young lads come through from the U21's and it is probably the one thing that excites me and keeps that faint glimmer of optimism alive. There are so many things that the club have messed up in recent years but FFS lets not suggest they compound that by scrapping the one thing they have got right.

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

it's all about the money MONEY

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

Personally i think the academy is a waste of money.
The money would be better spent scouting and signing players.
Both are more than self-financing if done right, so neither are an actual waste of money as such, but the academy is a much more long-winded way of doing it. Which is ok if you have a longterm plan, but we just sell the players after a year anyway so what exactly is the point?

 

[Racy]

Yes, let's choose the opposite strategy of Germany's clubs, they don't know what they're doing.

Let's also look to increase player wages and fund it by doubling the price of tickets.

The top German sides have increased their influx of foreign players paying top wages to bring them in line with the Barcas,Man U etc

 

[Sharrowblade]

I'm sorry, but that really is the most ridiculous short sighted suggestion. To be successful you either have mega millions or you have a sound youth system. The best thing United have done in recent memory is to invest in attracting and nurturing emerging talent by developing the Academy and its facilities.

I firmly believe that this is the only way forward, I do not see how the current finances of the top Premier League teams are sustainable. Whilst I may not live to see it, I expect that Sheffield United will one day be amongst British Footballs elite and their youth development programme will be seen as the blueprint for success. The likes of Chelsea and Man City are after all, almost wholly dependent on the goodwill and generosity of two men who at a whim could decide that they're bored with Football, as quickly as they 'fell in love with it'.

Without going over the whys and wherefores of Jagielka, Walker, Naughton and Lowton, the Academy has by virtue of their transfer fees provided a profit and must therefore be self financing. To be honest, I love to see young lads come through from the U21's and it is probably the one thing that excites me and keeps that faint glimmer of optimism alive. There are so many things that the club have messed up in recent years but FFS lets not suggest they compound that by scrapping the one thing they have got right.

Spot on

 

[Racy]

That would be complete luncay in the state we are in at the moment. It is a source of players afterall.
We would have had spend money on a keeper and a centre half last season for a start
Do you really want to see more Robsons, Kitsons, Williams, Doyles in the side
Do you think if McCabe shut the Academy down that any saving would benefit the first team budget

No I don't want to see another load of stiffs coming to this club what I'd like to see is a scouting system that works.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

No, don't stop producing players just stop selling them.
Once we have the wage bill at a sustainable level, there will be no excuse to sell them to make up a shortfall.
The young players are not the problem, the older underachievers are.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

In the position we're in now could it now be the time to call it a day with the youth system at the club.

No. Now is this time to spend more effort getting more youngsters through so we can build solid foundations.
Weir has joined because he has bought into the club's strategy.

I have a dream

Celtic 1967
Blades 2027


Then I can stop being Grumpy at all after it started waning in 2013

 

[HoodedClaw]

Why can't we have a good academy and a good scouting system? As pointed out above both should effectively be self funding.

 

[Bladesway]

In the position we're in now could it now be the time to call it a day with the youth system at the club.

The cost to the club is huge and the odd gem we unearth they are sold on by Mcabe.

I know people will go on about the Kyles,Jags,Lowton but are we getting any benefits no.

Let's put the monies into the first team and stablize what really matters

I had this dream that I had visited a forum online where people said ridiculous things. I knew it was a dream because no one would post such rubbish would they?

Oh shit, I'm actually awake and this is reality. You need to have a lie down.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

I have a dream

Celtic 1967
Blades 2027


Then I can stop being Grumpy at all after it started waning in 2013

Lisbon lions will it ever be repeated , doubt it , Sheffield lions we can only live in hope .

 

[Keef Chedwyn]

Yes, let's choose the opposite strategy of Germany's clubs, they don't know what they're doing.

Let's also look to increase player wages and fund it by doubling the price of tickets.

Vikings - rubbish at sarcasm since AD 700.

 

[Racy]

I had this dream that I had visited a forum online where people said ridiculous things. I knew it was a dream because no one would post such rubbish would they?

Oh shit, I'm actually awake and this is reality. You need to have a lie down.

So we have a youth system that at the moment benefits a chairman trying to get his money back.

However the the latest crop including McGuire and Long will struggle to make an impact in Div3.

 

[Bladesway]

So we have a youth system that at the moment benefits a chairman trying to get his money back.

However the the latest crop including McGuire and Long will struggle to make an impact in Div3.

Isn't that the same George Long who is on the radar of people like Arsenal? Wow how shit is he? Wasn't he also pencilled in for England U21 duty?

Sorry, I would really like to have a bash at McCabe (and christ theres room elsewhere) but the youth setup is about all we have left that is likely to push some decent players our way.

 

[Kenilworth]

Isn't that the same George Long who is on the radar of people like Arsenal? Wow how shit is he? Wasn't he also pencilled in for England U21 duty?

Sorry, I would really like to have a bash at McCabe (and christ theres room elsewhere) but the youth setup is about all we have left that is likely to push some decent players our way.

England U20 World Cup in Turkey

Not the Turkeys that performed so well in the recent U21 tourno

 

[Racy]

Isn't that the same George Long who is on the radar of people like Arsenal? Wow how shit is he? Wasn't he also pencilled in for England U21 duty?

Sorry, I would really like to have a bash at McCabe (and christ theres room elsewhere) but the youth setup is about all we have left that is likely to push some decent players our way.

You know as much as me Long has got areas of his game he really needs to work mainly commanding his area.

And being 3rd in line for the England U21s well did you watch them in the European Championships

 

[Bladesway]

You know as much as me Long has got areas of his game he really needs to work mainly commanding his area.

And being 3rd in line for the England U21s well did you watch them in the European Championships

Isn't he only 19? Sorry but you are having a go for the sake of it.

 

[Racy]

Isn't he only 19? Sorry but you are having a go for the sake of it.

I'm only making observations as I see them if you don't agree well that's your opinion.

 

[DazBlade88]

It's fine to make observations, he obviously has a lot to work on. However, a goalkeeper doesn't hit his peak until his late 20s, so he has a long time to improve his game. He has his head screwed on so he knows that as well as anybody.

We have to keep the academy going, it's the one positive thing we've had over the last few years and it will continue to produce because we're now picking up players from all over the UK and Ireland, plus players from Africa, Portugal and Thailand are at the academy at the moment. It helps the club more than people realise.

 

[Racy]

It's fine to make observations, he obviously has a lot to work on. However, a goalkeeper doesn't hit his peak until his late 20s, so he has a long time to improve his game. He has his head screwed on so he knows that as well as anybody.

We have to keep the academy going, it's the one positive thing we've had over the last few years and it will continue to produce because we're now picking up players from all over the UK and Ireland, plus players from Africa, Portugal and Thailand are at the academy at the moment. It helps the club more than people realise.

So all these players coming to the club who pays for all the coaching,expences,wages and all the sundry costs that go,s with it all self funding no way.

When we had a reserve side Central/Pontins there was a set up where the fringe players got a regular game and a promising youngster from the Intermediate side gathered experience.

And you had to be a bit special to even be in the Intermediate squad.

Now theres hundreds of junior sides all with mummies and daddies on the side lines thinking there siblings going to be the next Rooney!

Sorry lads for the rant it just makes my blood boil how young players are brought through these days.

 

[shorehamview]

The Academy pays for itself in the fes that players have commanded, so why get rid of it? We are bringing crop after crop of young talent through, and if it produces only three good players a season then it's done it's job. Sell two players on for fees and keep the other and within a few years we could have a starting 11 totally made up of Academy products. I know that's unlikely to happen although having a team that is 50% Academy products is realistic, but if you shut what is the best thing we've got in our favour then you may as well shut the whole lot down and build houses on it all - the Academy and the Lane.

If we keep the Academy on we will get new quality players through, and while I accept that holding on to them all might not be the easiest thing it's going to be impossible to develop new players without the Academy.

 

[Kev Gee]

The academy is the only decent thing about the club atm.

Do we pin our hopes on bringing through talent ourselves?
Or rely on other clubs cast offs & Doyles?

 

[DazBlade88]

So all these players coming to the club who pays for all the coaching,expences,wages and all the sundry costs that go,s with it all self funding no way.

When we had a reserve side Central/Pontins there was a set up where the fringe players got a regular game and a promising youngster from the Intermediate side gathered experience.

And you had to be a bit special to even be in the Intermediate squad.

Now theres hundreds of junior sides all with mummies and daddies on the side lines thinking there siblings going to be the next Rooney!

Sorry lads for the rant it just makes my blood boil how young players are brought through these days.

It is self funding. I would imagine a very small percentage of player sales goes directly to the academy too.

Our fringe players get regular games now, because most of our fringe players are youngsters. And even if they weren't youngsters, behind closed doors friendlies are played all the time to keep those players in decent shape.

I wouldn't say that, most parents with lads at the academy who I've spoken to all understand how far away they actually are from being a pro, but it gives the football club a chance to coach these lads properly from a young age and help them improve as a footballer rather than keep them in the park leagues, playing on mud heaps and not getting real coaching. Even the players know not many of them will make it in the end.

That's fine if you think that way, I'm happy with how our academy is set up and what we're trying to achieve. The main problem comes when the players reach 17/18 and get around the fringes of the first team squad, because some think they've made it already, stall and tumble down the ladder into semi-pro/county senior etc. Others realise how much work is left to be done and continue to work hard, and make it in the pro game in some form or another.

These days, with the new financial rules and homegrown rules the academy is essential. The more players we have, the more chance we have of bringing gems through.

 

[sitwell]

That waste of money has earned the club at least 20 million in transfer fees alone ,where would we be without that ?