Another one into the Black Hole.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Deli Alli went to MK Dons and Harry Kane had several loan moves to gain first team football and it didn't seem to harm them much.

Right now young O'Neill is behind Westwood, Hendrick, Defour, Cork, Arfield, Brady, Marney and Gudmundsson in the pecking order. Perhaps you all think he would be better playing in the Development Squad or cleaning the first team's boots?

[sinkov]

or cleaning the first team's boots?

A year ago he was playing for the first team, never mind cleaning their boots, this year he'll be playing for Fleetwood, providing he can get into their team. Instead of taking this thread as some sort of attack on our young players, why not take it as I intended it, to point out the difficulty our young players face breaking through at this level. And instead of pushing for them to be promoted, as in the case of O'Neill, Agyei, Whitmore and Anderson, piling pressure and unrealistic expectations on them, just accept they're not good enough yet, and they're being loaned out to lower league clubs because that's the level they're at, and it's a long way from PL level.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

It's a gentle learning curve for the younger players sinkov.
A bit of game time here and there, SD allows the developing players some time to be around the first team squad to get a taster.
Sitting in Bolton from my computer chair I can hardly be accused of "piling pressure and unrealistic expectations on them".
I just do not like the pejorative idea of "Another one into the Black Hole. just because the lads are going out on loan to gain valuable playing time and real experience of the lower leagues.
It isn't like we have popped O'Neill on "Do One Airlines" with a one way ticket is it?

[sinkov]

The 'Black Hole' isn't going out on loan BT, it's what's every single one of our scholars has disappeared into since Jay broke through ten years ago now. They arrive, a new intake every year, they're coached, some of them are apparently 'very promising', we even had two different groups that were talented enough to get to the semi-finals of the Youth Cup. And then, as far as our first team is concerned, they vanish, never to be heard of again. I can only assume there's a Black Hole somewhere down Gawthorpe that swallows them up. Hopefully Aidan doesn't get sucked into it as well, but it's looking like he might.

As far as putting pressure on them from a msgboard is concerned, I agree with you, it's a fantasy, and if they are fretting about what appears on a msgboard they're never going to make it at this level anyway. But I'm often told that I shouldn't be negative, or post anything derogatory as this could feedback and influence the players, positivity is all. So it appears some think it can have an influence, and if it can have a negative influence, it could also put pressure on young players. The Positivity Brigade can't have it both ways.

[CaspertheClaret]

Do they all disappear or do some go on to play at decent levels?

It does seem that there aren't many coming through to regularly play in and around our squad, but how does this compare to other Prem squads.

I take we are talking about pure academy talent that have been with us since the age of what 10? 12? etc rather than young players that we have fetched in at the age of 18-20??

I dont know the answers to any of these questions just would like to compare against other Prem squads like for like re developed players making it through.

[sinkov]

I'm just talking about those coming through our youth system Casper, we haven't brought one single player through to our first team since Jay, and apart from Alex McDonald who's made a career in the lower leagues with Burton, Oxford and Mansfield, Shay MCarton who managed about 50 games at Accy, and Luke Conlan who's on the fringes at Morecambe, our youth development system has spent 10 years developing players for non-league clubs, for which I'm sure they're grateful, but it's hardly the desired outcome for us is it.

I honestly don't know the success rate at other clubs, but if any have brought fewer players through to league level than us I'd be amazed.

[1959_60]

I feel confident that several of our lads will make it this time - including Aiden. He is obviously still learning and developing.

Don't forget Marc Pugh, now at Bournemouth and Wes Fletcher at Motherwell in the Scottish Prem.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Not shifting the blame to Eddie Howe but it is generally accepted he dismantled the youth scheme, wrecked the scouting system and then sodded off back to the south coast leaving it all in tatters.

Over the last couple of years SD has really got to grips with it and it is fairly evident a couple of stars will emerge from our ever swelling ranks of youngsters, relatively imminently.

[Supersub6]

It's just as BT says because we were having moderate success at youth level when Eddie Howe arrived, however, that part of the club was definitely placed as very low priority and we suffered accordingly. Add to that the fact that the development side of the game for us was very hit and miss because we were not involved in any really competitive football outside the first team and youth team because of our lack of status.
Now that we have moved up to academy 2 status this should benefit the club all round with the Youth team playing in a better league and the Under 23s being involved in a league of 16 teams, therefore, they will be playing at least 30 competitive matches throughout the season. Also, at least four of the home matches have to be played at Turf Moor so, all in all, the club is moving in the right direction, however, it will still take time to develop players through the system because we were so far behind.

Talking of players coming through though, consider how many of the Chelsea youth set up actually go on to play for the first team. Over the last 10 seasons they have been in 8 finals and won the cup 6 times. You could also consider Manchester City who have played in the last 3 finals and whose set up is also excellent, however, how many players have gone through their ranks and played for the first team?

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I like the oldcolner piece on Monaco and his regular contributions on Clarets legends. It would be truly fantastic if we could attract the likes of Brian O'Neill, Dave Thomas, Ralph Coates, Leighton James all over again?

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