One for the future?

[Sothall_Blade]

From time to time, if I read something interesting on these forums I preserve it for posterity to be looked back on at a later date.

I found these 3 items on my laptop the other day regarding the prospects of our Youth Squad circa 2003 to 2005 (Including a contribution from our very own Deadbat) :-

• Re: Billy Sharp - moptop - 08/08/2003 12:36
• Right then...
  
  In goal we have a lad called Tom Lindley who's been playing for the Canadian U21s since he was 16.
  
  I've seen Dominic Roma play up front and in both full-back positions, where he was excellent. He has since settled at centre back. He's an England youth international.
  
  Nicky Ellis is another good centre back who is very dominant in the air. My mate who I go to the academy games with has wanted him in the first team since last season!
  
  Kevan Hurst is an aggressive player with a touch of class. He can play central midfield, right wing or up-front. Danny Wood is another battler in central midfield.
  
  Ian Ross started out as an impressive ball-playing centre-back. He was wasted at CB and played in a midfield play-maker role last season. He takes all the free-kicks and corners. Plays for England.
  
  Jonathan Forte is another England youth who can either play left wing or up-front. His main attribute is his Nuddy-esque pace. He's very skilful too and like Nuddy he sometimes goes a bit headless chicken.
  
  Billy Sharp is an out and out striker. He's on the small-ish side, but he gives everything and seems very confident.
  
  Others include Ashmore (MC), Speight(SC) and a gangly centre back who I think is called Robertson.

• Hope this helps - Elvis15 - 08/11/2005 20:21
• Jamie Annerson - Excellent prospect of a keeper. Has good handling and is an imposing figure at 6ft 3in and only 17 years old.
  
  Nicky Law - A good prospect, very quick, scores goals and at home at right back or in midfield.
  
  Ben Starosta - Decent right back,gives 100% at all times but Nicky Law is a better prospect.
  
  Evan Horwood - Good left back who did very well last year, but seems to have stalled a little this season.
  
  Travis Binnion - Good prospect at either left back or in central midfield. Tackles hard, neat and tidy, plus reads the game well.
  
  Kyle McFadzean - Excellent strong defender who I rate highly.
  
  Nicky Travis - Undecided, even though I have seen him many times. Gives the ball away too easy from the back trying killer 60yd passes for my liking.
  
  Dom Roma - Very Poor. Haven't seen him have a good game yet. Slow, gets out of position easily, and his distribution is poor.
  
  Chris Robertson - Not seen enough of him to give a fair opinion.
  
  Ryan Cresswell - Young, Tall centre half who looks a good prospect
  
  Kyle Nix - a good footballer, yes he is a little lightweight (but so is Robinho at Real Madrid), and at times gets lost in games when it gets tough, but he is talented and worth sticking with.
  
  Stephen Quinn - a very good attacking left sided prospect and also small, just needs to learn a little discipline in his team play when defending (ie. he doesn't)
  
  Adrian Harper - Poor defensive midfielder. Needs to move on to allow more youth to come through.
  
  James Ashmore - Unlucky to have had so many injuries over the last year and a half. Neat and tidy player who gives his all.
  
  Ryan Gyaki - A box to box footballer who can one day look terrible and the next look like a world beater. Has a knack of scoring goals from midfield though. Out for season with cruciate injury. Undecided.
  
  Sharu Naraji - Seen him once at parkgate. Out for season with cruciate injury.
  
  Martin Donnelly - Little irish left winger whom I have never seen have a good game, but Scott Sellars seems to like him as he always plays.
  
  Shane Hill - Tall central midfielder, son of Ricky Hill(Luton & England). From what I have seen of him, we have better options in the reserves/academy.
  
  Colin Marrison - Workhorse striker who doesn't really fit a mould. Not a target man, also not speed merchant, just an average centre forward.
  
  Gary Mulligan - Shocking!!
  
  San Lee - very poor in my opinion, seen him 5 or 6 times, but he only impressed against the part timers of Parkgate.
  
  I haven't put anything about Forte, Ross or Hurst as these are well known.
  Hope this helps you out.

• Re: Hope this helps - Deadbat - 08/11/2005 21:17
• Interesting reading. Thanks for all that. for what it is worth, from the bits and pieces I have seen over the last few years on a few of them (admittedly I have not seen all of them play!!!):
  
  Evan Horwood - I have been impressed with him every time I have seen him. Excellent left foot and plays composed and under control. Needs another loan spell.
  
  Nicky Law - Really impressed in the youth game v Weds and obviously has done enough to get on the fringes to be sub for Reading game.
  
  Kyle McFadzean - Seems strong but unsure about his pace and ability to react quickly enough at higher level.
  
  Dom Roma - Agree with Elvis. Never seen him play well in the times I have watched. Needs to be released for me.
  
  Chris Robertson - Looked promising a few years ago and was a regular in the reserves but he too may need to make progress this season or face being released.
  
  Ryan Cresswell - Impressed me in the Weds game but as McFadzean and Robertson will testify, he will need to be consistent as those two whilst not poor may not be offered contracts and may have to look at lower league/non league.
  
  Adrian Harper - Too small and not very good at tackling. or a good enough passer. Should have been released in the summer. Wasting a place in the reserves.
  
  James Ashmore - Never impressed me. Ran around a lot without really creating much or being much of a ball winner. He too should have been released.
  
  Colin Marrison - As Elvis says, not fast or strong in the air. May do a job at Conference level or Division three at best but never going to make it at this level for me. Needs a loan spell but I fear he too will be on the way out at season end.
  
  What frustrates me about the likes of Mulligan, Roma, Harper, Ashmore, Marrison and a few others is that they are almost certainly not goint to make it with United (if Sharp is not considered good enough then what hope them?).Unfortunately if you are not on the fringes of the first team even at 18/19 then it is going to be difficult to suddenly come though. Ross, Forte and Hurst are all at this age and have had a few chances but none of us could say nailed on they will still be with us in 12-18 months. I think the first two will and feel Ross especially can compete for a first team place.

 

[Kenilworth]

Deadbat pretty spot on, as ususal

 

[cooperblade]

Quite a few there who've had decent careers - Sharp, Quinn, Law, Robertson, Cresswell, Forte, McFadzean, Hurst, Horwood.

 

[judge]

Thought this was going to be about the club chequebook

 

[FleaPitBlade]

Went to school with Nicky Ellis. Suffered a bad knee injury which ended his time at United and is now playing for Dronfield Town in the Central Midlands League.

 

[Woodwardfan]

A couple of years ago ( when appointing Weir I think) McCabe rued the fact that players we had developed, and others who had passed through us, had been allowed to leave or even driven away, and had proved much better than those higher paid who replaced them. That was in the context of developing youth and holding on to them for years. No he didn't mean the Lowtons, Maguires, Kyles' etc. He meant the solid backbone of the team that we never seem to build and he was aspiring to doing just that in the future as the only way forward without more of his cash.

Then came the prince. The key is the permanence of the manager who should be given time to build the backbone and to tweak the extra bits. With a permanent manager we could hope to have more players staying with us longer. Whenever a manager changes he generally clears the desks almost without giving inherited players a chance.

Is Clough that manager? I don't know yet. I have my doubts about his signings and his cautious tactics. He can improve both though given time.

 

[Silent Blade]

Went to school with Nicky Ellis. Suffered a bad knee injury which ended his time at United and is now playing for Dronfield Town in the Central Midlands League.

Have met him once when he was watching his cousin, Macauley, play for my son's AFC u12s team 4 years ago. Mac's dad introduced him to me. Nice person and I told him I remember watching the Youth Cup match against Birmingham City and he scored twice in that match

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

A couple of years ago ( when appointing Weir I think) McCabe rued the fact that players we had developed, and others who had passed through us, had been allowed to leave or even driven away, and had proved much better than those higher paid who replaced them. That was in the context of developing youth and holding on to them for years. No he didn't mean the Lowtons, Maguires, Kyles' etc. He meant the solid backbone of the team that we never seem to build and he was aspiring to doing just that in the future as the only way forward without more of his cash.

Then came the prince. The key is the permanence of the manager who should be given time to build the backbone and to tweak the extra bits. With a permanent manager we could hope to have more players staying with us longer. Whenever a manager changes he generally clears the desks almost without giving inherited players a chance.

Is Clough that manager? I don't know yet. I have my doubts about his signings and his cautious tactics. He can improve both though given time.

That's where we have different views, Clough will be great in five years time, I'm sure we will be in a much better place with a squad that will give us heros.

As a fan, have I got the patience to wait whist we are lurking in division 3?

 

[alcoblade]

A couple of years ago ( when appointing Weir I think) McCabe rued the fact that players we had developed, and others who had passed through us, had been allowed to leave or even driven away, and had proved much better than those higher paid who replaced them. That was in the context of developing youth and holding on to them for years. No he didn't mean the Lowtons, Maguires, Kyles' etc. He meant the solid backbone of the team that we never seem to build and he was aspiring to doing just that in the future as the only way forward without more of his cash.

Then came the prince. The key is the permanence of the manager who should be given time to build the backbone and to tweak the extra bits. With a permanent manager we could hope to have more players staying with us longer. Whenever a manager changes he generally clears the desks almost without giving inherited players a chance.

Is Clough that manager? I don't know yet. I have my doubts about his signings and his cautious tactics. He can improve both though given time.

I don't think there are any examples of local youth making up the backbone of any side, and certainly not top ones.

If we'd based our teams on that, we'd be in a bigger mess than we are now.

Again, given the supposed £8m of input from the prince in a single year, which clearly hasn't found its way on to the pitch, I would again question the cost and worth of having the academy at all.

UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

I don't think there are any examples of local youth making up the backbone of any side, and certainly not top ones.

If we'd based our teams on that, we'd be in a bigger mess than we are now.

Again, given the supposed £8m of input from the prince in a single year, which clearly hasn't found its way on to the pitch, I would again question the cost and worth of having the academy at all.

UTB

Well, aye. McCabe's ruefulness was a reflection of him needing cheaper solutions to his problems.

Evan Horwood and Jon Forte have played well against us. But if we'd kept them would they have made us better? Bloody unlikely....

 

[Woodwardfan]

Simon Francis,

I don't think there are any examples of local youth making up the backbone of any side, and certainly not top ones.

If we'd based our teams on that, we'd be in a bigger mess than we are now.

Again, given the supposed £8m of input from the prince in a single year, which clearly hasn't found its way on to the pitch, I would again question the cost and worth of having the academy at all.

UTB

Yes I suppose "backbone " was a loose word by me, I don't think McCabe used it.

As for the views of the Academy, I can't be arsed.

 

[Woodwardfan]

That's where we have different views, Clough will be great in five years time, I'm sure we will be in a much better place with a squad that will give us heros.

As a fan, have I got the patience to wait whist we are lurking in division 3?

I sincerely hope so. It would be so good for the Clough family and it would be so good for the Blades "family"! We desperately need somebody big enough to do the job which is "massive" in it's literal context. The objective is the Premier League in the sort of time scale you mention.

If there's a single area where Clough has to up his game it's in finding key players who can make the big difference. His record to date is poor and it gets harder the higher you climb in the future.

 

[wizadry]

You only ever find out if youth is good enough if you play that certain player over a certain period of time.

 

[judge]

A couple of years ago ( when appointing Weir I think) McCabe rued the fact that players we had developed, and others who had passed through us, had been allowed to leave or even driven away, and had proved much better than those higher paid who replaced them. That was in the context of developing youth and holding on to them for years. No he didn't mean the Lowtons, Maguires, Kyles' etc. He meant the solid backbone of the team that we never seem to build and he was aspiring to doing just that in the future as the only way forward without more of his cash.

Then came the prince. The key is the permanence of the manager who should be given time to build the backbone and to tweak the extra bits. With a permanent manager we could hope to have more players staying with us longer. Whenever a manager changes he generally clears the desks almost without giving inherited players a chance.

Is Clough that manager? I don't know yet. I have my doubts about his signings and his cautious tactics. He can improve both though given time.

Then came the prince and we sold maguire after being told we didnt need to

 

[Woodwardfan]

Then came the prince and we sold maguire after being told we didnt need to

We sold Maguire and the prince has still put 8m into the club in the past year. KM had drawn a line before the prince's arrival and that 8m would not have been put in, think of that scenario.

As for the sale of Maguire, our manager knew the financial numbers and he endorsed the sale. Put simply it gave him more money to spend on the overall squad. He has signed some 15 players in that period.

Added to that Maguire is on 16k p.week, it just is not possible for a club in our position to hold back a player who knows exactly what he could be earning elsewhere. Hard facts for us fans but true nevertheless.

 

[Liaminho9]

It would be good to have a similar report on the current crop of youngsters... **Hint**Hint**

 

[judge]

We sold Maguire and the prince has still put 8m into the club in the past year. KM had drawn a line before the prince's arrival and that 8m would not have been put in, think of that scenario.

As for the sale of Maguire, our manager knew the financial numbers and he endorsed the sale. Put simply it gave him more money to spend on the overall squad. He has signed some 15 players in that period.

Added to that Maguire is on 16k p.week, it just is not possible for a club in our position to hold back a player who knows exactly what he could be earning elsewhere. Hard facts for us fans but true nevertheless.

It is possible not to sell a player under contract though
if the prince has put 8m in the where the fuck has it gone ?

 

[Woodwardfan]

It would be good to have a similar report

It is possible not to sell a player under contract though
if the prince has put 8m in the where the fuck has it gone ?

Lose the goodwill of any player and you end up with a disaffected player who doesn't want to play for you. Then you give up any transfer fee as his contract gradually runs out of time. Come on, let's be practical. Maguire would have been approx.12k a week worse off if he had stayed with us. Pay the lad 16k and you've used up about a quarter of the wage budget, maybe 20% and we'd have four fewer players, mmmm, there's a thing.

 

[Sharrowblade]

Very interesting thread, some of you will no doubt have seen the 'old press photo's' thread.

Just contemplating adding all the Academy Fixtures Home and Away Teamsheets/programmes from 2001 to 2006 and some later ones.

Should be done over christmas sometime.

No doubt there will be a number of familiar names here and there: for example:

 

[Rossb123]

I can remember going to watch Ipswich vs Blades youth team, Darren Bent played upfront for Ipwich and tore us apart. He looked head and shoulders above everyone else.

 

[Sharrowblade]

Just came across this, apologies if it has been posted before:

www.whoateallthepies.tv/fulham/178016/back-in-2007-daily-mail-predicted-their-england-team-of-the-future

Not sure about the kid at centre-forward

 

[Bath Blade]

Very interesting thread, some of you will no doubt have seen the 'old press photo's' thread.

Just contemplating adding all the Academy Fixtures Home and Away Teamsheets/programmes from 2001 to 2006 and some later ones.

Should be done over christmas sometime.

No doubt there will be a number of familiar names here and there: for example:

View attachment 9971

Dario Mazzola? Don't remember him getting massively overhyped because of his exotic foreign name.