Our youth system has failed us

[United-2016]

We might get a couple of nuggets out of Donaldson, Chalmers, Glass, Appere, Allardice & Ritchie, the 6 boys who've been given extensions. All 2 yrs apart from last two players who are on till May 2019 just. Chalmers is my tip for the top, like him a lot.

United had 3 boys play for Scotland yesterday at U15 Level not sure if any of the boys above did that but to have 3 in the squad is pretty good. These boys will be available to sign pro forms next year if the club can convince them to stay.

The club does need to invest more in youth development, we are currently in the 2nd tier of Project brave behind the likes of hamilton and Motherwell and that is pretty much down to investment by the clubs themselves. United in the last few years have been unwilling to put the money and resources into youth development that other clubs have and thats pretty much the bottom line.

[TerryTheTerror]

Isn't it true that to be in the top tier for project brave the club need access to an indoor 11 a side pitch? The fact there is already one in Motherwell (on the old Ravenscraig site I think) that they and Hamilton can use means they can get in with minimum actual investment from the clubs.

[United-2016]

Isn't it true that to be in the top tier for project brave the club need access to an indoor 11 a side pitch? The fact there is already one in Motherwell (on the old Ravenscraig site I think) that they and Hamilton can use means they can get in with minimum actual investment from the clubs.

Yes. But dont think thats the only factor thats keeping united out of the top tier

[TerryTheTerror]

No but just think of the cost and complication of just that one issue.

[stokearab]

No but just think of the cost and complication of just that one issue.

Just think of the the income from all the player transfers and all the expenditure of paying off the wrong choice managers, and all the employment law out of court payouts!

[TerryTheTerror]

Money has been wasted by the club but that doesn't get it any further forward with meeting project brave requirements. And folk want us to waste more now getting rid of Csaba?

[Chick A Saw]

Money has been wasted by the club but that doesn't get it any further forward with meeting project brave requirements. And folk want us to waste more now getting rid of Csaba?

A start would be to get to a position, oh sorry no, not to have destroyed our youth system and maybe we would not be where we are, and we could have been at the fore of Project Brave instead of wherever we are.

I have not looked into this new way, but why do we need to have buy into a national structure rather than successfully blooding youngster after youngster as we, along with several other clubs were able to do on our own!

[TerryTheTerror]

Why do you say we've destroyed our youth system?

[stokearab]

Thing is Terry it would have. (The wasted money that is)
Csaba aside, I think ST knew he was getting his cash back the minute Blackburn came in for Goodwillie.
A committed chairman would have invested some of that and future transfer income back into youth development.
I also said many many times - at the time - we were selling Andy Robertson too early and too cheap.
It was obvious he was a star in the making but ST grabbed the first offer that came along and I bet we never got near the publicised fee.

So mismanagement has seen our youth development fail along with other areas at the club. We are still in the grip of ST and MM and until MM shows the "massive changes" he talked about the weekend we lost to Livi I have severe doubts about our ability to bounce back.

Don't forget the crippling ongoing operating losses and the lack of transfer income youth development brought us to balance the books previously.

And then there's the everything mortgaged against loans stuff, with no takeover announced.

Terry its fine to be supportive of the club but sometimes you need to look at it with a critical eye. If you seriously think Fraser and Robson are acceptable returns from the investment it's just incredible. Hopefully the guys in the under 15 Scotland squad will come through but it won't be next season.
Meanwhile we rack up massive losses.
So we need kids breaking through making a real impact in the first team and we need the fees they bring in later.

I wait with interest to see what changes take place. Because if we stay the same we'll get more of the same.

[TerryTheTerror]

The point I'm making is the youth system is to provide players for the first team and we've had a few in recent years that have done exactly that. With the guys in the fringes at the moment it looks like that will continue.