Tim Iroegbunam

[Yarmbaggie]

Made his first start for the Villa today and according to reports played well in the holding role in front of the back 4.

Absolutely what we need to replace the likes of Livermore, Mowatt, Molumby or Reach. Yet we didn’t give him chances and hope of getting first team game time and he left us for them.

Just about sums up what we have become, a club that develops players for other clubs whilst at the same time signing and keeping experienced and ageing players on inflated and long contracts.

[Dubbag]

Bruce is not the person to bring in change.
I won't be to bothered with keeping an eye on this manager as he has done nothing to show an interest in change.
Some times it's not always about the money you have to spend.
Sometimes it's about instilling the enjoyment of just playing football as Andy Carroll showed in his brief time here.
Bruce is not the manager to bring about change.

Our policy regarding bringing through youth players is very disappointing. There is a settling dispondency at the club that has well and truly permeated out to the supporters.
When loyal supporters like Prando produce the type of thread he produced about the atmosphere.....speaks more then Bruce or directors will ever say cause supporters like him go back years.
That experience speaks more loudly then the talk from Anyone else.

And the real loser in all this?
Football. The very game I grew up loving and playing has become a fast distant spectacle, other then local football.
Football is too tarnished now as a spectator sport.

[Leicesterbaggie]

Why is it that at West Brom, at this moment in time, the powers that be just don't seem to understand the situation that we find ourselves in, how we have reached this situation and what to do to alleviate it? The fans appear to understand the problems and to a degree, the solutions.To my mind we need a young, energetic manager, stop retaining and bringing in players who are at the back end of their careers, give youth a chance, employ a recruitment team who actually know what they are doing and generally bring back some pride to the club. I have supported the Albion since the fifties and can honestly say that I have never felt so low concerning our future, and that includes the period when we went down to the third tier. The club needs to be sorted out from top to bottom but unless there is a huge 'seed change' I just don't see it happening under the present administration.

[boingy]

Sorry but I cant think of anyone who has lit the world alight from our youth system since Bryan Robson. The reason these youngsters don't play is that they don't stand out. That's not to say they wont develop in time but you cant keep players forever on the books, and don't forget there are even more players who aren't good enough to even make the under 18's or under 23's.

[baggiematt]

This lad was due to breakout this season. Academy player of the year in what was a strong academy side.

I’ve said it before, we don’t do well enough assuring academy players that signing a deal is worthwhile. We don’t pay as much as the bigger clubs and we don’t give youth prospects a chance. There are a few exceptions.

If I were in Clearys shoes or Iroegbunam’s, I’d make the same call.

That’s not to say we should move on from the academy but in reality with two games left, Bruce should have tested a couple out even if not good enough just to assure other hopefuls. Why did he just bring Ashworth on, instead of giving him a full game? We learnt little about him.

[Dubbag]

Sorry but I cant think of anyone who has lit the world alight from our youth system since Bryan Robson. The reason these youngsters don't play is that they don't stand out. That's not to say they wont develop in time but you cant keep players forever on the books, and don't forget there are even more players who aren't good enough to even make the under 18's or under 23's.

They can't stand out if they are not given a chance.
Most don't get a chance.

[Leicesterbaggie]

You're spot on there Dubs, if they're not given the chance how can they prove to us or themselves if they can make it. We appear to be fixated with playing the 'tried and tested'. Yes, you need some experienced players but there has to be a mix of ages. As I've said before, look at the goalkeeping situation. We have two promising youngsters but what does it look like we're going to do, resign Button and make him our number one. Why? He's decent enough but not someone for the future. I can see Palmer or Griffiths, or both, leaving us and making it elsewhere. We just don't seem to have any vision for the future and it will and is coming back to 'bite us.'

[Yarmbaggie]

Sorry but I cant think of anyone who has lit the world alight from our youth system since Bryan Robson. The reason these youngsters don't play is that they don't stand out. That's not to say they wont develop in time but you cant keep players forever on the books, and don't forget there are even more players who aren't good enough to even make the under 18's or under 23's.

I do have some sympathy with this argument. However, I just can’t believe that some of our younger players should have had better careers over the last 15 years or so with better encouragement and guidance when they are around 17/18.

They need opportunities and they need development. I honestly believe the drop of younger players now at Chelski would not have come through if they had not have been banned from recruiting more older players and had to give the likes of Mount, James, Gallagher and several others chances.

We don’t need players to be good enough to be top 6 material. I can’t believe so many have been good enough to play for England in age teams and then not make it with us.

[mickd1961]

What annoys me more than anything is these managers who refuse to give youth a chance.

Remember when you were 17-18 and someone at Gillingham gave you your chance Bruce!?

The hypocrisy is staggering.

[soulman101]

We need to stop signing Brummie's who use us then sign for the villa.
We need to have good look in Scotland, for the next Bobby Hope and Ally Robinson