One of our own

[The_Don_ORiordan]

There really should be enough talent for all three clubs.

The key is being seen as a club which gives youth players a chance, that will make some parents choose us as the best chance for their son (even if the reds are an option, only so many make it). Unfortunately we are not seen as that kind of club.

[slack_pie]

There really should be enough talent for all three clubs.

The key is being seen as a club which gives youth players a chance, that will make some parents choose us as the best chance for their son (even if the reds are an option, only so many make it). Unfortunately we are not seen as that kind of club.

The problem is, if we started playing a load of youngsters who aren't quite ready, our results would get worse. LW (and every head coach or manager before him) is under pressure to get results NOW, not in a few years. We've got fans booing at half time, four games into the season with us still unbeaten. If you were in that position, would you be willing to send an 18-year-old with virtually no experience into the first team, even if they showed a lot of promise?

Players like Colby Bishop did their developing elsewhere because when they were at Notts, they almost certainly weren't as good as the older pros we had. The manager at the time needed to get results, just like LW does now.

So it's a tricky situation. We don't have the money to invest in a top-tier academy, and our managers/head coaches don't have the time or space to develop youngsters in the first team. So it makes a lot more sense at this stage to scout young talent that's already first-team ready, like Cal Roberts, and then sell them on, or take other clubs' youngsters on loan.

[Notts78]

There really should be enough talent for all three clubs.

The key is being seen as a club which gives youth players a chance, that will make some parents choose us as the best chance for their son (even if the reds are an option, only so many make it). Unfortunately we are not seen as that kind of club.

It’s not just the 3 local sides that pick up our kids. Derby and Leicester also take kids in to a academy football in large numbers. And the top top kids end up at even bigger clubs. It’s horrendous to see 5,6 and 7 year olds treated like meat.
Let’s be honest, what parent would tell there child to go to the lowest ranked team out of all the options? Regardless of how many make it.

[slack_pie]

It’s not just the 3 local sides that pick up our kids. Derby and Leicester also take kids in to a academy football in large numbers. And the top top kids end up at even bigger clubs. It’s horrendous to see 5,6 and 7 year olds treated like meat.
Let’s be honest, what parent would tell there child to go to the lowest ranked team out of all the options? Regardless of how many make it.

Exactly. If a kid is good enough to join Forest's academy, they'll join Forest's academy. We'll only get the ones that Forest (or Leicester, or Derby) don't want or discard. No way you'd tell your kid to join a non-league academy over a Premier League one with world-class facilities.