Notts looking for a striker

[laddo]

If Dennis is more interested in money than minutes on the pitch he's made a good move no doubt about it. He's on great £/hr rate this season that's for sure.

No Don, we shouldn't shut down the youth programme. That's the last thing I would want, it was disastrous when it happened during the trust days but I am told that it was a necessity at the time due to huge financial issues.

Does anybody on here think we should shut it down? I doubt the owners would ever do that, as long term in should support their transfer approach to date.

[irish_pie]

I just turned 43 today so I expect NA on the phone later today

[SwalePie]

I just turned 43 today so I expect NA on the phone later today

Happy birthday! I hope it's a decent contract and you're banging them in the onion bag post haste

[Woodypie]

I think our youth development has failed to have impact on our team, since Draper, Johnson etc. It needs looking at. I thought the Danish data led model was more about picking up rough diamonds that have been released by Premiership and Championship clubs, like Roberts, and giving them a polish before selling them on for profit.

[laddo]

Exactly Woody. Bar the odd exceptions such as Shaun Derry and Matt Redmile the club has produced very little from youth level that has impacted the first team for any length of time.

This isn't an NA issue as Don suggests it's a NCFC longstanding issue. Who was the last manager who properly gave our youth team products a chance and pushed them into the first team?

There are two or three obvious explanations for such slim pickings over the past 25 years.

[SwalePie]

I wonder whether the lot over the river have a young, decent second striker looking for some first team footie. Anyone know?

[Elite_Pie]

I wonder whether the lot over the river have a young, decent second striker looking for some first team footie. Anyone know?

You've just rekindled some nasty memories of Virgil Gomis!

[nw6pie]

You've just rekindled some nasty memories of Virgil Gomis!

Ditto. We need someone who’s used to competitive, lower league football. Gomis, in case anyone was wondering, is now on loan at Grimsby and turns 22 in April. And, no, he’s not scored yet in his 5 games. (I also didn’t know that Paul Hurst has returned to Grimsby as manager.)

One of the problems this season is that most of our games have been very tight affairs and we’ve not been able to give the likes of Knowles and Wolfe any game time when we’re coasting - because the manager presumably doesn’t think they can do a job and give them more game time. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow which of the loanees is staying for the rest of the season to warm the bench.

[The_Don_ORiordan]

This isn't an NA issue as Don suggests

This isn’t an anti NA gripe as you seem hell bent on assuming everything is.

NA is the current manager. So currently, this is an NA issue.

It has not only been an issue with him as manager though I’d totally agree and I never suggested otherwise.

But as current manager. And one who has had more stability than most in recent times as well as at a lower level than any other you would be hopeful that if anyone was going to blood some youngsters, then he would, wouldn’t he?

Unless of course our academy cannot produce a single player who would be deemed to be good enough for non league football. My question then stands. Why do we have an Academy?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very much for an academy that produces players for the first team. And it was a disaster that it was stopped (I don’t buy the fact it was “necessary” at the time either btw, it was only necessary in the eyes of some)

What’s the point in giving a manager stability if it isn’t in assisting the long term interests of the club, which surely would be to produce some of their own players, else, why have an academy?

[laddo]

It was necessary in the eyes of the people looking at the books, the people having to pay the bills. Truly desperate times, truly desperate measures. The impact of closing was detrimental for many years to come.

It was the way you worded the statement/question Don. Without doubt this is a club issue, and sadly a long standing one. It's nothing new.

There is criticism aimed at Ardley for not playing youngsters, I think back to Nolan's tenure and he never played the younger squad members at any point!

Then I think back further and try my best to remember when the last time a manager did. Alladyce? Steve Thompson? Anyone since then? I'm struggling since Mick Walker tbh.

Your last paragraph leads to one of the historic reasons for such a poor showing from the Youth Academy, the constant change of managers, the lack of stability at managerial level doesn't lend itself to any manager wanting to throw in most talented young players into the first team to develop them.

Another negative of the revolving door at Meadow Lane. If the owners are going to approach managerial appointments and tenures differently (longer term) then it lends itself to allowing the manager to use more YA players.

Obviously other factors include change in ownerships, multiple financial issues, reputational damage when academy was stopped and finally the old classic "they just aren't good enough to make the step up".

Overall along with our historic transfer policy it's a sorry show.

I keep my fingers crossed that the YA production and productivity at 1st team level will much improve under the current owners just like the player recruitment will/has. It has to or we won't go anywhere long term.