One of Clough’s exquisite signings along with Martin.
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Suppose we forget that today's team still relies on Cloughie signings even after 5 managerial changes is it?. Fozzy,martin,Keogh,Russell, and the money from Hendrick and Hughes that he brought through. he put a lot of effort into the academy that seem's to be overlooked at the moment
It’s always worrying how Hughes is the only outshining youth talent that managed to stay in the starting 11 and become a shining star from the academy and no one has been able to match his sort of quality since and I always say “Are the recruitment doing enough to find young talented lads to bring in to the academy and become the next big star like Hughes” and hopefully we can produce more players like Hughes to break through the Academy which was build by Clough.
Lack of players coming through from the Academy? Admittedly, after Hughes and Hendrick nobody has become a first team regular.
The general view seems to be that the Academy isn't producing. However, that may well be down to a succession of managers being unwilling to take a chance rather than the quality of the players.
Let's have a look at names that have been in and out of or on the verge of the matchday squad in the last few seasons.
Mason Bennett. After a promising start he faded away due, IMO, to several reasons. One was "growing pains" aka puberty and the negative effect that can have on a person both mentally and phtsically. Add to that the odd injury and you have a stagnating career. GR saw enough in him to put him in the 1st team squad and convince him he had and would be given a chance to break through. Based on the pre season games, I thought he had performed better than the other wide players and would start in the first game. I was wrong. JR started. Considering the fact that GR had tried 3 times in the past to sign JR, possibly not a surprise. He forced his way into the team and injured himself 12 minutes into the game and is still out injured. He will get more chances from GR once fit.
Max Lowe. Has performed well enough in the appearances he has made to be considered a serious option for the left back position.
Jamie Hanson. Has suffered through playing multiple positions and not getting a settled role. A couple of seasons ago he got a run in the DM role when GT got injured. He played very well. Give him another run at DM and he won't let us down.
Other young uns have made the match day squad this season like young Max Bird who didn't look out of place on the park.
There are more in the pipeline who may or may not make it but they have to be given a chance in their proper roles. After Cloughie, no gaffer has given them a chance and that was the reason, part of it anyway, that a succession of managers have come and gone. They all get the same goals. Promotion would be great but failure to go up is not a sackable offence. Continue to develop the style and improve. Give Academy players a chance by using them which in turn means moving some of the older players on.
The Academy players since H & H haven't made a 1st team place their own BUT that isn't altogether down to the players alone. We have a few on the brink who can make it. However, they have no chance if not given one.
Good points there ma. Mel was keen on bringing on the academy from his start and I believe part of the fallout with Clement was in the fact that when fozzy was injured Clement wanted to spend 2mill on Olsen and MM quite rightly thought lowe should be given a chance.Part of the problem is that if money is tight you are pushed into using youth but when mels money became available we abandoned youth and tried to short cut promotion
Also on Hanson managers have tried to shoehorn more expensive players into the DM role rather than put him in as I see this as his natural position over right back.whether he can be in a midfield two with two wingers not sure.Like you said we will.only know and that can only improve by playing in the first team.
You can put any manager in charge of any club and put any youth player in your team and see how he performs with the senior squad if he performs exceptionally well and manages to keep one of the senior players out then we have a breakout star and he is good enough to become a senior player himself and is a successful academy graduate.
The problem with Bennett is he hasn’t really troubled Martin, Vydra and Nugent for a starting place up front he has been in and out of the squad more times then i can remember and you wonder is he good enough because he has been out on loan at numerous clubs to get game time and for most academy graduates some don’t make the cut and can’t keep their place in the side and we have to move them on and i’m afraid that is the case here and for most of our other academy players who struggle to keep their place in the senior side .