If it ain't broke...

[Pigeonisland]

What used to work so well was that at 18 our academy players went out for the season on loan. Whether it was Iceland or to a local non-league team. This gave our kids experience of competitive football and allowed us to examine them before either keeping or releasing them. If they were good enough we kept them and put them into the first two squad with a years experience under their belt.

Why does this not happen anymore? Our academy players go straight into the first team (at least a year two early in most cases). Surely the system worked. So why have we ditched it?

[bigroof]

What used to work so well was that at 18 our academy players went out for the season on loan. Whether it was Iceland or to a local non-league team. This gave our kids experience of competitive football and allowed us to examine them before either keeping or releasing them. If they were good enough we kept them and put them into the first two squad with a years experience under their belt.

Why does this not happen anymore? Our academy players go straight into the first team (at least a year two early in most cases). Surely the system worked. So why have we ditched it?

They are needed for the under 21 fixtures, Pigeonisland.

They don't go straight into the team either. Last season, only Nolan and Waters were taken on from scholars. They both took most of the season developing before having a look-in at first team level. They've both progressed that little bit more to be able to have started games this season; and neither have

[MikeSB]

Didn't Nicky Maynard go out on loan for a season or two? Northwich Victoria?

I'm no expert but I would suspect that under 21 games are not the same as playing in those tough amateur leagues consisting of many ex Pro's. Maybe we are just unlucky and few are really not up to L1 standard. Not all of them will be. If you start of with 50 possibles at age 12 then you can only take the best of those 50 when they are 17. What if none of them are any good? What happens next? I guess you end up in L2 or worse?

Sorry, semi professional leagues, not amateur as most get money for playing.

Derek, just another point.

If you were a more senior Pro and you kept losing games because the other players around you were not doing well, wouldn't you get tired too? Its why its really back to basics. The academy should 'support' the senior team with maybe two or three players and not as we fear have become the whole reason we are here. Having too many is asking for trouble unless you can have a Roy of th

[objective]

Big roof... How nice to read a balanced post with some facts in it,rather than the negative hysteria that prevails at the moment on most topics. Thanks keep posting.