Notts looking for a striker

[durhampie]

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.

The owners may want to continue with it, But Ardley has no intention of giving our young players a chance..

[The_Don_ORiordan]

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.

It wasn’t the way I worded it. It was the way you took it, as you always do as an attack on NA versus other managers. You’ve even provided a comparison with Nolan to emphasise that.

You could have just said you were wrong and that it is an issue for NA as much as any other recent manager and you would have been correct.

But is it actually linked with “stability”? If so, do you think NA will ever feel stable enough to play them? Or do you think some managers just don’t like playing or know how to play youngsters?

[matt_magpie]

When we were trying to stay up and most of the 30+ original senior players were garbage he played

Scohfield GK (19)
Sam Stubbs (20)
Ben Hall (21)

All as regulars.

The other facts are:

When osbourne had a good run of games no one on here, said he was amazing, told you so Ardley, because he was bang average

Bird couldn’t cut it at Eastleigh

Crawfords doing ok but not a regular starter and wages have been used better with Rodriguez.

The simple facts are for long long time the only really good young players we have had have been snapped up, started with Pennant and most recently Dongda and Etete. Tommy Johnson and Mark Draper would probably played less than 10 games for us if it was now.

[SwalePie]

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

I feel is should apologise for that. It was an unintended effect. I was thinking more in terms of a striker of equal readiness to midfielders Grant and Yates of recent renown.

[laddo]

It's an Ardley issue
It was a Nolan issue
It was a Sheridan issue
It was a Cooper issue
It was a Moniz issue
It was a Derry issue
......

Word it how you like aka it's a club issue.

If this had been said during Nolan's time I would have responded the same. It's not a Nolan issue it's a Notts issue. That's purely why I referenced Nolan.

It is linked to a historic lack of stability IMO, how can a constant changing of manager every season help the prospects of youth players. Logic tells you our clear short term approach as a club can't be of benefit.

Don, when you say you "don't buy the fact it was necessary at the time" that intrigues me , what do you base that statement on? Had you seen the book or know someone who had seen the balance sheets during that financially extremely difficult time?

I'll ask again does anyone on here think we should shut down the youth programme? I certainly don't.

Oh and to answer your questions, no idea about whether NA will ever feel stable enough to play them. I imagine his answer will be the same as many before them, only if they are good enough. And yes I imagine there is a whole spectrum of views on youth programmes and their level of importance amongst all managers. Some will be more open to the idea than others. Obviously how good your YA is in the first place will dictate a lot.

[Elite_Pie]

I feel is should apologise for that. It was an unintended effect. I was thinking more in terms of a striker of equal readiness to midfielders Grant and Yates of recent renown.

Apology accepted. Except that it's now made me remember Eugene Dadi.

[The_Don_ORiordan]

When we were trying to stay up and most of the 30+ original senior players were garbage he played

Scohfield GK (19)
Sam Stubbs (20)
Ben Hall (21)

All as regulars.

The other facts are:

When osbourne had a good run of games no one on here, said he was amazing, told you so Ardley, because he was bang average

Bird couldn’t cut it at Eastleigh

Crawfords doing ok but not a regular starter and wages have been used better with Rodriguez.

The simple facts are for long long time the only really good young players we have had have been snapped up, started with Pennant and most recently Dongda and Etete. Tommy Johnson and Mark Draper would probably played less than 10 games for us if it was now.

Exactly what point are you trying to make?

[matt_magpie]

Exactly what point are you trying to make?

He's played young players in pressurised situations
Recent young players at Notts not good enough.
Decent ones snapped up by Prem

Thought it was pretty clear

[The_Don_ORiordan]

Apology accepted. Except that it's now made me remember Eugene Dadi.

No excuse for reminding the rest of us....

[SwalePie]

Bring back Ronan Murray to partner Wootton? He's still only 29.