Youth development imperative

[Pedro's Winger]

Developing our own players has gone from important to crucial if there is going to be an eventual way out of this shitshow.
Some of them should be blooded sooner rather than later. We're going to need them both on the pitch and as potential assets to sell next summer.
Might also help alleviate what might be an otherwise looming toxic atmosphere.

 

[Snowflake]

Developing our own players has gone from important to crucial if there is going to be an eventual way out of this shitshow.
Some of them should be blooded sooner rather than later. We're going to need them both on the pitch and as potential assets to sell next summer.
Might also help alleviate what might be an otherwise looming toxic atmosphere.

Which ones have you in mind ? We need points before we take too many gambles.

 

[SouthportBlade]

Developing our own players has gone from important to crucial if there is going to be an eventual way out of this shitshow.
Some of them should be blooded sooner rather than later. We're going to need them both on the pitch and as potential assets to sell next summer.
Might also help alleviate what might be an otherwise looming toxic atmosphere.

I agree with the principle of youth development, and we are pretty good at it.

However getting academy lads into the first team, when the majority aren’t now, nor will ever be good enough, is suicide. Blooding them doesn’t really make them better players.

We have Seriki, Peck, RND, One, Baptiste, Arblaster in the first team - which is very impressive. However you’ve only got to look for threads about Peck and Blaster to see the pitfalls of depending on youth.

We start these lads all season and we get relegated, let alone any others from the academy.

 

[Proper Blade]

Our academy is the only thing that will save us from relegation under these owners.

The benefit it generates in terms of impact on the first team and pure cash is astronomical.

I think the most shameful element of the last few years is the fact that we don't seem to have ringfenced any of the Premier League money for the new training ground, which would allow our academy to move up to Cat 1 and potentially start producing even more quality players.

Instead we have been shafted by a series of incompetent and/or disinterested owners who were more bothered about asset stripping the club rather than setting it up for the future.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

I agree with the principle of youth development, and we are pretty good at it.

However getting academy lads into the first team, when the majority aren’t now, nor will ever be good enough, is suicide. Blooding them doesn’t really make them better players.

We have Seriki, Peck, RND, One, Baptiste, Arblaster in the first team - which is very impressive. However you’ve only got to look for threads about Peck and Blaster to see the pitfalls of depending on youth.

We start these lads all season and we get relegated, let alone any others from the academy.

With the possible exception of One, who hasn't been given enough opportunity, the number of young players coming through has been limited. Baptiste is nearly 23, Blaster and Peck are 22, while Seriki is 24 and RND is 27.
We have to do better. The majority won't be good enough but some will be and in reality we have no option as a club going forward but to improve our youth development along with scouting (though that seems a lost cause).

 

[Proper Blade]

With the possible exception of One, who hasn't been given enough opportunity, the number of young players coming through has been limited. Baptiste is nearly 23, Blaster and Peck are 22, while Seriki is 24 and RND is 27.
We have to do better. The majority won't be good enough but some will be and in reality we have no option as a club going forward but to improve our youth development along with scouting (though that seems a lost cause).

We currently have six academy graduates (seven at the start of the summer) in and around the first team, and that's not good enough? Really? List a club in the division with a better record in terms of both generating cash + players for the first team than us. What exactly do you expect, a full starting XI of academy graduates every week!?

 

[Akrotiri_Blades]

Which ones have you in mind ? We need points before we take too many gambles.

Not for our squad yet but personally I think Eadie needs a loan spell out even if that is in the National League, he has shown he can handle U21 level, when he was at Rangers he had a loan spell at Sterling Albion (Scottish League Two). Then you have Sam Curtis (another loan this time League 1?)

For the future for us Harry McGlinchey at LB, definitely one for the future, National League loan wouldn't go a miss.

Billy Blacker - Another loan? Last time out at Tranmere but can he step up?
Zach Giggs - Is always going to bring attention, potential for the future, difficult to know where he is at, although going off pre-season National League loan ?

Out of the pipeline there isn't many that you wouldn't be taking a gamble on as it stands. Although the development system is good, the problem happens that teams hold onto players maybe a bit longer than needed, it's great getting accolades as having a good academy set-up but a system similar to Spain would be good, where your "B" team plays in a lower conference, pitched somewhere between National League and North/South, where we would have semi-professional sides. I know the set-up of the EFL trophy has experimented with League 1/2 sides and professional U21's but I think we could go further than that. If it has the North vs South divide you are likely to get more buy in from the National League North/South sides as gate money would be up especially for the bigger sides even if it's only the U21's.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

I know the set-up of the EFL trophy has experimented with League 1/2 sides and professional U21's but I think we could go further than that. If it has the North vs South divide you are likely to get more buy in from the National League North/South sides as gate money would be up especially for the bigger sides even if it's only the U21's.

You're talking about The National League Cup aren't you? Which we already have. The Group Stage starts on 8 September.

 

[Akrotiri_Blades]

You're talking about The National League Cup aren't you? Which we already have. The Group Stage starts on 8 September.

Is it a straight knock-out tournament or is a group stage type thing first?

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

Is it a straight knock-out tournament or is a group stage type thing first?

Emphasising, SUFC aren't in the National League Cup of course, it's for Cat 1 Academies.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

You're talking about The National League Cup aren't you? Which we already have. The Group Stage starts on 8 September.

Correction

My mistake. The Group Stage has already started. 8 September is Matchday 2.

 

[Akrotiri_Blades]

Emphasising, SUFC aren't in the National League Cup of course, it's for Cat 1 Academies.

Another reason for Cat 1 is right there,, it gives players exposure and experience against tougher opponents

Edit for above!

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

Another reason for Cat 1 is right there,, it gives players exposure and experience against tougher opponents

Edit for above!

The National League Cup is not without controversy of course. Seen as "a bribe" to get National League clubs to agree to the scrapping of FA Cup Replays. It has attracted criticism from the Against League Three groups. And notable National League Clubs have declined to enter - on the grounds of it's basically not worth the effort.