CONFIRMED Academy Manager Nick Cox

[Ade Nough]

Just wondering if anyone can confirm that he's left the club?

I spoke to someone last night who told me that he has left for pastures new.

Intimated to me that he'd been offered a position at no other than Man Utd

Person that told me spoke highly of Nick Cox.

Sure I saw him up at the Academy on Saturday morning walking around the pitch where the U18's were playing. Blonde hair and has a beard at the moment ??

 

[Blade58]

Sure I saw him up at the Academy on Saturday morning walking around the pitch where the U18's were playing. Blonde hair and has a beard at the moment ??

Possibly saying his tarars to everyone?

Person I spoke to said it in a way that made me think he left on the Saturday

 

[BushBlade]

Sure I saw him up at the Academy on Saturday morning walking around the pitch where the U18's were playing. Blonde hair and has a beard at the moment ??

You sure that wasn't Jurgen Klopp?

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

So, the Academy Manager is going to one of the biggest clubs in the world and he's been called "useless"

Obviously Van Gaal and his team of coaches should've enquired on here before approaching Nick Cox.

I'm way out of my depth on here.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Shame to see him go, hopefully we can continue running things in the same way. I just hope he doesn't decide to poach some of our better prospects.

More likely to work the other way, where Man.U release youngsters who aren't good enough for them but might be for us. He could point them in our direction.

 

[finlaytheblade]

More likely to work the other way, where Man.U release youngsters who aren't good enough for them but might be for us. He could point them in our direction.

I think there's every chance of that Southall

 

[Grappler]

He is leaving us in (what appears to be) decent shape anyway.......

Nick Cox ‏@Coxy3012 2h2 hours ago
Brilliant morning at Shirecliffe 16s win 6 1 and 18s win 7 1 against Hull to round of league season #sufc #talent #opportunity @AcademySUFC

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Alan Biggs ‏@AlanBiggs1 9m9 minutes ago


Hearing that Sheffield United's highly rated academy chief Nick Cox could be a target for Manchester United. Great work with kids. #sufc


2 retweets 3 likes

 

[billyblademan]

Alan Biggs ‏@AlanBiggs1 9m9 minutes ago


Hearing that Sheffield United's highly rated academy chief Nick Cox could be a target for Manchester United. Great work with kids. #sufc


2 retweets 3 likes

Finger on the pulse as ever Alan!

 

[BushBlade]

He'd be wise to wait to see if they get Mourinho because if they do, he's wasting his time there.

 

[Blade58]

http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/foot...chieve-results-as-cox-is-headhunted-1-7877368

 

[alcoblade]

http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/foot...chieve-results-as-cox-is-headhunted-1-7877368

The Star article puts a nice positive spin on our Academy. The truth is only George Long could make the team of a United squad in the worst spell in its' history, and though he's improving, we would definitely have to replace him should we have been promoted.

The bench (on Saturday) had a number of youngsters on it, but how many of us looked across and thought "make a change, Adkins"? How many were like me and thought "leave it as it is, there's nothing there to make a difference"?

The current rate of youngsters coming through is a measure of the financial distress Clough left us in and not the quality of work being done by the Academy.

UTB

 

[Barney]

The current rate of youngsters coming through is a measure of the financial distress Clough left us in and not the quality of work being done by the Academy.

UTB

To blame Clough for the shortage of players coming through the academy now is daft at best.

 

[alcoblade]

To blame Clough for the shortage of players coming through the academy now is daft at best.

You missed the point / I made it badly.

We are going to need a threadbare squad from now on, because the budget has been blown. This does "create a pathway for youth", but it's a measure of the threadbare squad approaching, rather than the quality of the academy players.

I stand and hope to be proved wrong, but there's not a player arriving from the academy that is going to significantly contribute to us us escaping England's third division.

UTB

 

[Barney]

You missed the point / I made it badly.

We are going to need a threadbare squad from now on, because the budget has been blown. This does "create a pathway for youth", but it's a measure of the threadbare squad approaching, rather than the quality of the academy players.

I stand and hope to be proved wrong, but there's not a player arriving from the academy that is going to significantly contribute to us us escaping England's third division.

UTB

I thought you were commenting on the lack in quality of the players as opposed to the increased number of them. The increase in uninspiring academy players around the first team I would agree is a result of the financial side of things.

 

[SwissBlade]

You missed the point / I made it badly.

We are going to need a threadbare squad from now on, because the budget has been blown. This does "create a pathway for youth", but it's a measure of the threadbare squad approaching, rather than the quality of the academy players.

I stand and hope to be proved wrong, but there's not a player arriving from the academy that is going to significantly contribute to us us escaping England's third division.

UTB

Has the budget been blown? Or is it that the budget was exceptionally high for a 3rd division club. I understand that the investment/ reinvestment in 3 years has been approx 26Million. That includes this season.

In my mind, any 3rd division side that needs to spend so much, yet is onto its 3rd manager in the 3 year period needs to reassess things.

When we have a successful academy, isn't it sensible to look to bring some of those players through rather than constantly going to the premiership and championship to get expensive, ageing and unfit players?

Given the signings made in the last 3 years, by 3 managers and what we have left now, the most improved player in that time is probably George Long!

 

[finlaytheblade]

To blame Clough for the shortage of players coming through the academy now is daft at best.

Where do you get that from Barney we have more players knocking on the door now ! Than for a long time,but as usual you look for an opportunity to
Knock the club,get your facts right !!.

 

[alcoblade]

I thought you were commenting on the lack in quality of the players as opposed to the increased number of them. The increase in uninspiring academy players around the first team I would agree is a result of the financial side of things.

I was commenting on both. There's more of them, and the quality isn't really up to it. They are on the bench because we've trimmed the squad.

As Swizzler says, that's not necessarily a bad thing. But I think the benefits if a slimmer squad will come from the continuity of team selection ( less chopping and changing) rather than he quality if the academy prospects, at this point in time.

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

I was commenting on both. There's more of them, and the quality isn't really up to it. They are on the bench because we've trimmed the squad.

As Swizzler says, that's not necessarily a bad thing. But I think the benefits if a slimmer squad will come from the continuity of team selection ( less chopping and changing) rather than he quality if the academy prospects, at this point in time.

UTB

I was doing a bit of 'research' the other day for another thread and according to the OS, we've used 21 players in league and cups (not sure if that includes the piss pot trophy as well though and i didn't check if it included players we've sold or loaned out).

Its seemed more than that, but i'd say that over a season we should be looking to about 20-22 for a side playing in two Cups and a League competition (and take the fine from the JPT for fielding a weakened side)

We've needed to do it for years, but Adkins has had to be ruthless in letting some players go out on loan and leave the club.

Many of the younger players aren't fully ready for first team action (reed for example) but as George Long is proving, the academy players can only improve with experience. Goalkeepers are always going to take longer to develop but Long is looking good now. He's still making mistakes but you can see the vast improvement.

With Ramsdale, Whiteman and Reed i think we probably have three on the fringe, i can see some of the others going out on loan next year, but by the end of the season, why shouldn't Reed and Whiteman be playing bigger roles

 

[Barney]

Where do you get that from Barney we have more players knocking on the door now ! Than for a long time,but as usual you look for an opportunity to
Knock the club,get your facts right !!.

By "players" I meant players good enough to step up, as I thought that was primarily what alco was talking about. There are fewer players coming through that look any good, and far more players coming through that look distinctly average.

Then I was making the point that the lack in quality of the players isn't anything to do with Clough, but the fact that there are as many round the first time is because it was his rapid fire purchasing that has meant the squad requiring younger players to come up and fill the gaps.

 

[finlaytheblade]

By "players" I meant players good enough to step up, as I thought that was primarily what alco was talking about. There are fewer players coming through that look any good, and far more players coming through that look distinctly average.

Then I was making the point that the lack in quality of the players isn't anything to do with Clough, but the fact that there are as many round the first time as there are now does have something to do with Clough and his rapid fire, low quality purchasing.

How do you know this you don't watch them.

 

[Barney]

How do you know this you don't watch them.

I've not been watching since October. Hardly much of a barrier to making the accurate observation that the young players coming through don't seem to be pulling up any trees. There hasn't been any promising youngsters come through since Harry.

 

[BeatleBlade]

I've not been watching since October. Hardly much of a barrier to making the accurate observation that the young players coming through don't seem to be pulling up any trees. There hasn't been any promising youngsters come through since Harry.

How do you make that observation without watching them? Surely the point of an observation is that you observe them, right?

 

[Bergen Blade]

Had it confirmed by someone who knows the setup at the academy well. They also said the Nick Cox doesn't do any of the coaching, his role was purely around the administration of the academy. It is this role that he is taking up at Man Ure.

UTB

It would have been interesting to know what's the job description of the Academy Manager. Does he arrange buses for away games or does he dictate training focus and playing style?

 

[Esablade]

I thought you were commenting on the lack in quality of the players as opposed to the increased number of them. The increase in uninspiring academy players around the first team I would agree is a result of the financial side of things.

You do struggle at times don't you Barney

 

[Barney]

You do struggle at times don't you Barney

Oh, moving to another section of the forum now you've been cascaded on?

Back you go, there's a good lad.

 

[Esablade]

Oh, moving to another section of the forum now you've been cascaded on?

Back you go, there's a good lad.

No, just having a bit of a laugh at your idiocy...sure you're quite used to that on here by now..

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

Is he still "useless" ?

 

[Barney]

No, just having a bit of a laugh at your idiocy...sure you're quite used to that on here by now..

I suppose it's always helpful transforming the inability to understand to something much more manageable for your level.

 

[Esablade]

I suppose it's always helpful translating the inability to understand to something much more manageable for your level.

As I say..you appear to struggle at times...as above..