George Cooper goes Posh

[MikeSB]

Exactly Timmy. They are our youngsters. The likes of Cooper, Colclough, and Clayton will never be on mega bucks, unless they really kick on. Westwood and Luke Murphy copped it lucky. Good but not exceptional players, now on massive wages. Today's graduates need to take it while they can, career is short. Don't sign new contracts at crewe, get increased wages from a new club. Ainley the next in that line.

Players careers are short? What retire at age 30? Ever heard of anyone else retiring at that age? I doubt even PL retire and go onto do something else...Danny Murphy for example? I think that is the worst excuse I've heard..

[MikeSB]

Err no. If they are our youngsters,they have probably been a the club since 6,8,10 yrs old. Don't think money really enters into their heads at that age.
Re undisclosed...agree. A total nonsense. Other than that Mike SB......ZZZZZZZ. i see your (don't go to games)diatribe and stop reading after 2 sentences.

Good, I'm glad you even get that far....I was going to away games when no other Alex fan was there except the manager, beat that if you can!

[gazan]

MikeSB why do you always go on about the 60s? Could it be that we had 2 promotions and you think that helps your argument? Why don't you talk about the good old days of the 70s? You remember... the days we frequently had to apply for re-election; the days when there were running battles on the terraces; the days when gates were half the size they are now; the days when people like Gerry Humphries flicked the Vs at the Gresty end; the days when Glynn Osborne and Les Wain were the best we could produce from our youngsters. I could go on but hopefully you get the point. Those of us of a certain age all have memories but they're not rose-tinted ones.

[jimmyboldon]

Good, I'm glad you even get that far....I was going to away games when no other Alex fan was there except the manager, beat that if you can!

Beat what Mike? So you went to away games in the 60/70's. Your point is?

[itwasin]

Beat what Mike? So you went to away games in the 60/70's. Your point is?

The point is the Academy has had its day Its like a DODO the club it not there to promote kids to a higher league its there to survive Relegation by bringing in better 20 year olds thats why the club has done it. Proving some on the board realize the Academy is not working anymore. look at the last 3 years A-J - Saunders -Cooper-Miller you would not get the cost of one year running the Academy for them would you??

[bigroof]

The point is the Academy has had its day Its like a DODO the club it not there to promote kids to a higher league its there to survive Relegation by bringing in better 20 year olds thats why the club has done it. Proving some on the board realize the Academy is not working anymore. look at the last 3 years A-J - Saunders -Cooper-Miller you would not get the cost of one year running the Academy for them would you??

Look at it this way. Over a six year period a Category 2 Academy costs £4.5m. The Powell transfer was in place just before the categories (and increased costs) were established. That was £3m, but sadly no add-ons because of Powell’s fitness. Since then there has been Westwood, Murphy, both reported to be £1m. Colclough reportedly 500k; Clayton 300k; Dan Trickett-Smith, behind the scenes, £300k; sell-ons from Westwood and Grant Hanley, up to £1m. Now Cooper for, let’s say, 250k. That’s probably over £7m, which is more than £4.5m by my reckoning.

Of course it's currently (though isn't it always?) a concern as to who might be worth what in the next few years, but on those figures, the alarm bells shouldn't be ringing just yet, in the boardroom. After years building up the facilities, cementing a good reputation, and paying for the coaching courses, it's not yet time to consider a change of course. Satisfying the major shareholder, who clearly 'wants out' is of more concern.

As for the relative abilities of the young lads just brought in, and 'our own', let's see how they fit in first. With no loans possible after Jan 31st, we need the numbers in the squad.

[MikeSB]

Look at it this way. Over a six year period a Category 2 Academy costs £4.5m. The Powell transfer was in place just before the categories (and increased costs) were established. That was £3m, but sadly no add-ons because of Powell’s fitness. Since then there has been Westwood, Murphy, both reported to be £1m. Colclough reportedly 500k; Clayton 300k; Dan Trickett-Smith, behind the scenes, £300k; sell-ons from Westwood and Grant Hanley, up to £1m. Now Cooper for, let’s say, 250k. That’s probably over £7m, which is more than £4.5m by my reckoning.

Of course it's currently (though isn't it always?) a concern as to who might be worth what in the next few years, but on those figures, the alarm bells shouldn't be ringing just yet, in the boardroom. After years building up the facilities, cementing a good reputation, and paying for the coaching courses, it's not yet time to consider a change of course. Satisfying the major shareholder, who clearly 'wants out' is of more concern.

As for the relative abilities of the young lads just brought in, and 'our own', let's see how they fit in first. With no loans possible after Jan 31st, we need the numbers in the squad.

Very good Derek but notice the trend?

The club could have had 5 million still in the bank and and a Cat3 Academy and the latter players you mentioned would have still been in that academy at the time and sold on as Cooper has now. ie the 'category' of the academy is irrelevant and imo always was...But its the clubs money, they will no doubt act when the money dries up but we that 5m could have gone towards some decent players that just may have kept us in L1 or challenging in L2 and what's more money in the bank for a rainy day and a decent level of academy. I just think the board didn't read the signs like I did!

IF that trend continues, I think even you will accept the board will have no choice but to downgrade. I mean with the likes of Powell and Murphy we did have a decent team and now??

[MikeSB]

Beat what Mike? So you went to away games in the 60/70's. Your point is?

My point was to address the remarks made by some fans that because some of us don't go as often as we did or we would like, we can have no opinion on the club, the tactics, the transfers and the academy...

I will be going to our home game vs Vale if I have to crawl there.... I just hope we don't have to rely on the 3 points..

[bigroof]

Very good Derek but notice the trend?

The club could have had 5 million still in the bank and and a Cat3 Academy and the latter players you mentioned would have still been in that academy at the time and sold on as Cooper has now. ie the 'category' of the academy is irrelevant and imo always was...But its the clubs money, they will no doubt act when the money dries up but we that 5m could have gone towards some decent players that just may have kept us in L1 or challenging in L2 and what's more money in the bank for a rainy day and a decent level of academy. I just think the board didn't read the signs like I did!

IF that trend continues, I think even you will accept the board will have no choice but to downgrade. I mean with the likes of Powell and Murphy we did have a decent team and now??

You must be one of the few people who don't believe that the level and intensity of coaching doesn't make any difference. Crewe attract boys from a certain number of miles beyond what you call 'local', simply because it is Cat 2. The coaches work there (and improve their own qualifications), because it is Cat 2. They almost certainly wouldn't bring through as many players to fill slots in the team if they operated at Cat 3, so they'd need to sign quite a few players at a wage two to three times more (or more?) than 'our own' currently accept; and of what quality might such players be? Probably not sufficiently good enough to lift us further up the table. Would they produce even half a million pound players under a Cat 3? The evidence from other clubs doesn't support that, with maybe Exeter being the exception, but they have a geographical advantage.

[Timmy58]

You must be one of the few people who don't believe that the level and intensity of coaching doesn't make any difference. Crewe attract boys from a certain number of miles beyond what you call 'local', simply because it is Cat 2. The coaches work there (and improve their own qualifications), because it is Cat 2. They almost certainly wouldn't bring through as many players to fill slots in the team if they operated at Cat 3, so they'd need to sign quite a few players at a wage two to three times more (or more?) than 'our own' currently accept; and of what quality might such players be? Probably not sufficiently good enough to lift us further up the table. Would they produce even half a million pound players under a Cat 3? The evidence from other clubs doesn't support that, with maybe Exeter being the exception, but they have a geographical advantage.

Spot on Bigroof. We have several players coming through. I am not saying they will be £million plus players. But they will make our first team and be in the shop window and if the management/board continue in this policy of tying our youngsters into longer contracts then the chances are we will start to get a bit more from sales.