Time for youth

[MackworthRamIsGod]

I will make peace with the fact we sell the likes of Vydra, providing we don't use the money to sign ageing players dropping from the prem. 

It is time we put trust in some of our youth players to see if they are good enough.

Expectation for the upcoming season will be the lowest for a good few years, so maybe this is the best time for Rowett to be brave and give youth a chance.

Max Lowe, Luke Thomas, Callum Guy, Elsnik, Zanzala, Vernam, Max Bird, Babos...surely out of these players at least 2 are ready to make the step up.

Rather than seeing two over 30s in midfield, lets see a youngster alongside experience.

This season we may find a new Will Hughes, or even Sessegnon.

 

[BathRam72]

3 minutes ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

I will make peace with the fact we sell the likes of Vydra, providing we don't use the money to sign ageing players dropping from the prem. 

It is time we put trust in some of our youth players to see if they are good enough.

Expectation for the upcoming season will be the lowest for a good few years, so maybe this is the best time for Rowett to be brave and give youth a chance.

Max Lowe, Luke Thomas, Callum Guy, Elsnik, Zanzala, Vernam, Max Bird, Babos...surely out of these players at least 2 are ready to make the step up.

Rather than seeing two over 30s in midfield, lets see a youngster alongside experience.

This season we may find a new Will Hughes, or even Sessegnon.

 

I think by listening to Mel and his spending aspirations. Your wish might just come true with some of the youngsters.

I don't think there will be any choice.

[TheHomunculusLives]

There can be an element of misty-eyed optimism about young, homegrown players - precisely because they are young and homegrown and thus fans are willing them to do well as a key element of the soul of the club. 

In reality, most of the young players you mention won't make it at Derby and even the better ones aren't necessarily better than more experienced options in the squad.

That said, I do think the first four names you mention have shown enough in their appearances so far, and/or loan experience, to receive more opportunities next season. I suspect its too late for Vernam or Zanzala to make an impact at Derby now; Bird is still very young. Don't know much about Babos but to be brutally honest I wonder if he and some of the others of his age group (Cover, Wassall etc) are there to make up the numbers in the U23s rather than as serious contender to progress to the first team squad.

[VulcanRam]

9 minutes ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

I will make peace with the fact we sell the likes of Vydra, providing we don't use the money to sign ageing players dropping from the prem. 

It is time we put trust in some of our youth players to see if they are good enough.

Expectation for the upcoming season will be the lowest for a good few years, so maybe this is the best time for Rowett to be brave and give youth a chance.

Max Lowe, Luke Thomas, Callum Guy, Elsnik, Zanzala, Vernam, Max Bird, Babos...surely out of these players at least 2 are ready to make the step up.

Rather than seeing two over 30s in midfield, lets see a youngster alongside experience.

This season we may find a new Will Hughes, or even Sessegnon.

 

I bet it's not, Derby fans don't know how to expect anything other than top 6.

[rynny]

11 minutes ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

I will make peace with the fact we sell the likes of Vydra, providing we don't use the money to sign ageing players dropping from the prem. 

It is time we put trust in some of our youth players to see if they are good enough.

Expectation for the upcoming season will be the lowest for a good few years, so maybe this is the best time for Rowett to be brave and give youth a chance.

Max Lowe, Luke Thomas, Callum Guy, Elsnik, Zanzala, Vernam, Max Bird, Babos...surely out of these players at least 2 are ready to make the step up.

Rather than seeing two over 30s in midfield, lets see a youngster alongside experience.

This season we may find a new Will Hughes, or even Sessegnon.

 

I would add Bogle and Bennett to the list of players. Certainly would prefer to have Bennett over Zanzala.

At the start of the season how would people feel with this team? 

Carson; Wisdom, Davies, Keogh; Bogle, Huddlestone, Guy/Thorne, Lowe; Elsnik, Lawrence; Jerome/Nugent

Subs: Mitchell, Forsyth, Hanson, Bennett, Guy/Thorne, Thomas, Jerome/Nugent

You also have the young players waiting to mix it up with the likes of Babos, Bennett, Bird and Vernam. Then the experienced players that are not offloaded.

Has experience and energy in the right places. A good combination of footballers and work horses.

For me, I wouldn't mind lowering my expectations to give the team the chance to grow and learn from mistakes.

[RiddingsRam]

The players who I could think could slot straight into our 343 system are 

Callum guy - rave reviews everywhere hes gone will compliment Huddlestone.

Jayden Bogle - perfect answer to the right wing back role and allow Wisdom to slot into the right of a back 3 

Luke Thomas - made for one the roles behind the main striker. 

Max Lowe - again perfect for the left wing back role. 

IF a massive IF as suspected Vydra does make way. And Keogh moves on without any signings we could still line up strongly.

                           Carson 

      Wisdom.    Davies.   Pearce

Bogle.    Guy.    Huddlestone.   Lowe

         Thomas.        Lawrence 

                   Jerome 

 

[sage]

Anyone who thinks we can put 3 or 4 u23s in the starring line up and finish top ten is living on fantasy island. 

Rowett wants 18 senior players for the starting XI and bench and u23s beyond that.

That would mean with injuries and suspensions there will be 1 to 4 young players on the bench most games.

That would be a balanced way to start the season and if the subs play well enough reasonably consistently, they begin to start games.

 

[LeedsCityRam]

39 minutes ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

I will make peace with the fact we sell the likes of Vydra, providing we don't use the money to sign ageing players dropping from the prem. 

It is time we put trust in some of our youth players to see if they are good enough.

Expectation for the upcoming season will be the lowest for a good few years, so maybe this is the best time for Rowett to be brave and give youth a chance.

Max Lowe, Luke Thomas, Callum Guy, Elsnik, Zanzala, Vernam, Max Bird, Babos...surely out of these players at least 2 are ready to make the step up.

Rather than seeing two over 30s in midfield, lets see a youngster alongside experience.

This season we may find a new Will Hughes, or even Sessegnon.

 

I could not agree more with this. The obvious position is in midfield alongside Huddlestone (or Thorne if he gets fit), where we really need a mobile midfielder, capable of supporting the attack & grabbing a handful of goals.

I'd really like that to be a shootout between Callum Guy & Timi-Max Elsnik, both of whom have shown glimpses on loan that they could fill this role. Its unlikely Will Hughes or Hendrick would have developed like they did had they not been thrown in so quickly under Clough, I see no reason why Guy & Elsnik can't do the same.

More chances for Max Lowe at LB would be welcome also - assuming he can overcome his injury issues.

[Philmycock]

22 minutes ago, RiddingsRam said:

The players who I could think could slot straight into our 343 system are 

Callum guy - rave reviews everywhere hes gone will compliment Huddlestone.

Jayden Bogle - perfect answer to the right wing back role and allow Wisdom to slot into the right of a back 3 

Luke Thomas - made for one the roles behind the main striker. 

Max Lowe - again perfect for the left wing back role. 

IF a massive IF as suspected Vydra does make way. And Keogh moves on without any signings we could still line up strongly.

                           Carson 

      Wisdom.    Davies.   Pearce

Bogle.    Guy.    Huddlestone.   Lowe

         Thomas.        Lawrence 

                   Jerome 

 

Hopefully a fully fit Thorne instead of Guy for me, or Ledley

[DcfcMatt]

I think it is time for youth. After watching England national team recently it got me excited about building something, we might not progress very far this year at the world cup but it will be a tremendous experience for those players selected which will stand them in good stead for future tournaments.

Likewise our Club needs to take a longer term view of things and sacrifice going all out for promotion year after year, buying ageing players with no return on player investment. Instead bring through 2 or 3 academy players and add to this with some younger signings of pedigree from leagues 1 and 2. I would be happy if we had a maximum age ceiling of around 26/27 for any of our signings, thus increasing the chances of a return on investment.

By using 2 or 3 academy products it will also show a clear path from academy to first team which could also attract a higher quality of youth players to our academy in the future.

[KCG]

30 minutes ago, rynny said:

For me, I wouldn't mind lowering my expectations to give the team the chance to grow and learn from mistakes.

Let's remember that folks!

[therams69]

17 minutes ago, sage said:

Anyone who thinks we can put 3 or 4 u23s in the starring line up and finish top ten is living on fantasy island. 

Rowett wants 18 senior players for the starting XI and bench and u23s beyond that.

That would mean with injuries and suspensions there will be 1 to 4 young players on the bench most games.

That would be a balanced way to start the season and if the subs play well enough reasonably consistently, they begin to start games.

 

Sure I recall a certain Mr Hanson saying you cant win the premier league with kids.... He soon ate his words come end of the season.

We have some excellent under 23's but they need to be given a chance. Its as simple as that.

[rynny]

22 minutes ago, KCG said:

Let's remember that folks!

Please do.

I was happy to do it this season when Gary said we were not going to buy old ex prem players on high wages. He rose expectations buying players for the now, with his talk of having a top 2 team, by not playing youth players enough when the opportunities arose.

I don't know if you are thinking that I am sort of negative poster or summat, where I have been calling for Rowett's head, criticising the team constantly. If so show me all these terrible posts that I have put up.

Or maybe you you will just throw out another sad emoji, if you have any left.

[Andicis]

It'll make next season 10x better for me as a fan if we actually start to play young players with potential. I found it exciting to watch as we brought through Hughes/Hendrick etc because I had no idea the level that they could reach. I really want to see our current academy players get this chance.

[RamLad1884]

Luke Thomas is a must next year, same with Elsnik. Other than that it'll be hard to see who else will slot into this team. Perhaps Lowe for the wingback role, and bogle as RWB cover

['Rambe33]

While I think we will see a younger feel to the squad and irrespective of your opinion on our current squads ability levels from the "ageing" group, what I think has been apparent is the hunger is still very much there from a lot of them from after the final whistle.

I do still think we have a very enviable spine for the division and it's now Rowett and the backroom staffs job to build around Carson, Davies, Huddlestone. 

What we are missing is a centre forward that is the envy of oppostion. 

I think Callum Guy, Elsnik and Lowe are the ones we need to bring into the squad based on their "education" in the lower leagues and natural progression. 

I wouldn't rule out Ledley either. One of the best free transfers at he time, and without having played any football he was great for us. I think with a full preseason he can be even better. 

 

[sage]

1 hour ago, therams69 said:

Sure I recall a certain Mr Hanson saying you cant win the premier league with kids.... He soon ate his words come end of the season.

We have some excellent under 23's but they need to be given a chance. Its as simple as that.

That was the exception that proved the rule.

You don't often get a Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Butt and 2 Nevilles come through within a year of each other.

I want to see more u23 players playing but we have to be realistic about how many and how quickly they get starting places.

 

[IlsonDerby]

GK Carson (Mitchell) 

RWB Wisdom (Bogle)

CB Keogh Pearce Davies Foz 

LWB Anya (Lowe)

CM Huddlestone Thorne Johnson Ledley (Guy) (Hanson) (Elsnik)

AM Lawrence Weimann  (Thomas) (Bennett)

CF Jerome Nugent 

 

I don't particularly want 'youth' in the CB position, it is always the one position I'd be happy for us to keep buying a 29/30 year old for... 

 

 

 

[Papahet]

Other than maybe Luke Thomas and Elsnik, the rest aren't anywhere near the standard to be playing Championship football regularly.

Can't believe how many times I've seen Max Lowe mentioned on here, he's struggling for games at Shrewsbury Town! Zanzala is another, he looked alright two years ago when we got promotion but hasn't pushed on since, now struggling for games at Accrington ?

Guy, Macdonald, Roos, Bennett, Hanson, Gordon, Jakobsen, Vernam have barely made big impressions at lower league leve when given the chancel, I struggle to see how they'd make an impact in the Championship. The academy is so overrated it's unreal, the best player we have is a signing from Cheltenham Town.

[Andicis]

18 minutes ago, Papahet said:

Guy, Macdonald, Roos, Bennett, Hanson, Gordon, Jakobsen, Vernam have barely made big impressions at lower league leve when given the chancel, I struggle to see how they'd make an impact in the Championship.

Pretty sure Callum Guy has left an impression on the fans of the clubs he has played at multiple times. He had 17 apps since January in a league one side. Hardly a lack of impression there.