Our Youth Players

[weegiearab]

Well done to Tam for blooding so many youngsters over the season, we have a handful of real prospects there. Not all of them are going to make the grade but we are definitely showing any promising youngsters that they will get a chance at the club which could help us attract better young players in the future. Its a dodgy tactic but I don't think it has caused us too much issues this season and is a very brave move by the club and by a young manager to take these risks.

[Dreamsof83]

Interesting to see what happens with them all.
Graham, Neilson, Meekison, Mochrie Cudjoe all clearly part of the plans.
Chalmers has done well on his loan. Flynn Duffy might push for a spot on his return from loan. Would love the same to be true for Glass too but fear he may ultimately may be one to miss out.

McLeod, Miller Thompson, and a few others in the u18s are clearly exciting prospects.

Getting experience in their legs this season has been so valuable as our squad is small without them.

Loan report on the DodeFox Podcast next season could be even longer

[JUSTaway]

Was pleased for Archie meekison tonight, thought he had a good game, prob best i’ve Seen him, been a bit anon in few of his other starts. Manager showed bit of faith to pick him again after his mistake on Sunday. Would have been easy to put him back on bench.

[JUSTaway]

Interesting to see what happens with them all.
Graham, Neilson, Meekison, Mochrie Cudjoe all clearly part of the plans.
Chalmers has done well on his loan. Flynn Duffy might push for a spot on his return from loan. Would love the same to be true for Glass too but fear he may ultimately may be one to miss out.

McLeod, Miller Thompson, and a few others in the u18s are clearly exciting prospects.

Getting experience in their legs this season has been so valuable as our squad is small without them.

Loan report on the DodeFox Podcast next season could be even longer

Not forgetting young Watson who give you a bit of pace on the flanks.

[Chick A Saw]

I think i am starting off slightly disappointed as i would like to have seen more of Kerr Smith and i just hope he eventually realises that potential someone sees in him. I also have to admit i dont really follow the youths.

I then have to deal with with Chalmers and Glass where i think something doesnt sit right. There is something about these players where i think the ability is there, and while both have had a chance earlier in the season, the fact they have been on loan since January has me concerned that their future is elsewhere. Along with Louis Appere who we cashed in, I think these are all of the same batch that were coming through in hard times and maybe suffered for that. But the saving grace for that batch is looking like Ross Graham who i believe has a very big future in football. I see shades of a former great of ours and hope he fulfils that, but that wont be with us! Does Freeman count in this though?

Now we get to what i will refer to as the cross-over batch where the players started under the old owner and have received input in the new setup. Purely based on what ive seen in the first team, i think Mochrie and Meekison have something about them and their chance should just be round the corner. tHeArAb mentioned on another thread about Watson and i was kinda disappointed when he ended up on loan. Again there is a defensive diamond in there, and while i dont think he is as good as Graham, i think Nielson has a strong future and is 3 years younger.

The key thing is though, all 3 defenders i have mentioned so far have already proved they are good enough to be part of a relatively successful unit.

Finally, there is this batch of youngsters who are currently out on loan who the club must see something in. Then there is a list of players who week to week get a chance on the bench, and when needed are given a chance to see what they can do. Flynn Duffy at the start of the season was a breath of fresh air with Freeman and seems to have done well up at Peterhead. Then there is the showing from Craig Moore at Ibrox with Mochrie and Meekison(Fans MotM) beside him, and last night Rory McLeod is receiving good reviews from what he did.

These guys wont all make it, but there are a few that will make us money, some may stay a number of years, and i hope they get a chance to entertain us in between.

That is from the person who actually thought Hoti was starting to show some ability and look how that turned out!

[Dreamsof83]

Some very fair points raised. Think Glass and Chalmers have struggled for genuine opportunities. Glass impacted by serious injury as a mitigater. Talent only takes you so far, need the right mentality too. Think there perhaps remains questions for these two.
Appere had lots of opportunity and although had some bright moments, was not at the level needed to be a first team regular in my opinion. Move to league 2 not bad for either party.
As you say though the absolute volume of prospects that we know of is encouraging. As pointed out I forgot about Moore and Watson. I haven't even mentioned a goalie! Fotheringham is another who has been in the squad at times and had other loans too

The fact that they are contributing to the first team is so important for us building a squad. Allows more focused recruitment rather than volume recruitment.

Tough decisions to be made at times for these youngsters. A number will inevitably need moved on or released

[arab1970]

A lot of players 19 and under getting very good top flight experience ( much more than any other club is doing) can only be good for the future

[tHeArAb]

Academy Director Andy Goldie has left the club to join Swansea City.

[moicher]

Academy Director Andy Goldie has left the club to join Swansea City.

Not seen anything on this but that was always likely to happen. Here's hoping the groundwork has been laid and theres a replacement on the way. He always spoke a good game when i watched him in interviews. I guess it's Adams job now...

[ARAbCHNID]

Reserve League Cup tmrw (2pm) at East End Park, Dunfermline for any Fifers working from home.
Last round we beat Queens Park 2-1 with a last kick of the ball winner.
Team then was - Newman, Freeman, McMann, Duffy, Hutchinson, Comerford, Thomson, Robson, Cudjoe, Meekison, Sibbald.
Hope a few boys get a good run-out, not enough reserve games thse days.
Had it been at Tannadice I might have taken a late lunch.

(Ok to put this under 'Coaching'? Not worthy of a thread of its own).