Academy Thread 19/20

[SaintRam]

6 hours ago, Carnero said:

So proud to see the performances of Max Bird & Jason Knight tonight against Charlton and I'm sure all regular U23 watchers feel the same.

Knight has flourished for a few games now, but that really was Bird's coming of age tonight, a really dominant midfield performance and calmness personified.

Bird crossing to Knight for the 2nd was just glorious ?

Birds got an extended run in the side coming with Bielik suspension, too. 
 

No way he'd get that opportunity while Bielik's available. One hell of a chance for him.

[RoyMac5]

2 hours ago, SaintRam said:

Birds got an extended run in the side coming with Bielik suspension, too. 

No way he'd get that opportunity while Bielik's available. One hell of a chance for him.

Makes one question why Beilek was bought if he's blocking Bird. Thought his dead balls and crossing were particularly good.

[SamUltraRam]

10 hours ago, Nuwtfly said:

Three academy boys stealing the show.

You absolutely love to see it ??

And another thing, what a great incentive to all the other youngsters to see 3 of their team mates performing in the 1st team, & not just some cameo 10 minute run out but all 3 being considered as candidates for MOM.

If they've got ambition they're going to train even harder surely,

For the last 5 years the door to the 1st team has been pretty much shut but not now

Come on boys, who's next ??

 

[angieram]

11 hours ago, Carnero said:

So proud to see the performances of Max Bird & Jason Knight tonight against Charlton and I'm sure all regular U23 watchers feel the same.

Knight has flourished for a few games now, but that really was Bird's coming of age tonight, a really dominant midfield performance and calmness personified.

Bird crossing to Knight for the 2nd was just glorious ?

Yes, it's brilliant and I do think it's important we give all the young players time to settle when they come into the first team - some comments about Bird have been particularly caustic but last night he quietly stepped up and was the engine that kept everything moving before him, just as he does so often for the under 23s. 

I really think it's helpful that all our youngsters are so used to playing at Pride Park these days that they know they can perform on the pitch. It takes varying amounts of time for them to adjust to the other factors, but believe me, there are many more capable of making that step up eventually if we get behind them when selected and give them time. 

[Millenniumram]

Definitely a proud night for the academy last night. The difference the youngsters made compared to the half arsed seniors they’ve replaced was telling. Knight was absolutely superb, and Bird was also very good in an understated way. Congrats to the pair of them, I’m sure they’ll be chuffed to have made that sort of an impact. Here’s hoping their arrival into the first team turns our season around!

[Ghost of Clough]

Minutes given to academy players in the league so far this season:

[SaintRam]

7 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

Makes one question why Beilek was bought if he's blocking Bird. Thought his dead balls and crossing were particularly good.

Bielik's ceiling is far higher than Bird's, imo. So I'm not too against the situation. He is one of ours now, not just a loan. 

And to be fair both of them did start against Charlton so maybe I'm wrong in my statement. 

[RamLad1884]

8 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

Makes one question why Beilek was bought if he's blocking Bird. Thought his dead balls and crossing were particularly good.

Different types of players, Bielik is an action midfielder and probably more attack minded. Bird will only break forward in counter attacks. 

Give Bird time on the ball and he can pick a pass anywhere in the pitch. 

[Bald Eagle's Barmy Army]

Starting to show why our academy is one of the best in the country. 

5-6 players coming through in the last 18 months. Thats a great achievement from Wassal and co. Not to mention the first team set up for including them and trusting them. 

[ramit]

33 minutes ago, Bald Eagle's Barmy Army said:

Starting to show why our academy is one of the best in the country. 

5-6 players coming through in the last 18 months. Thats a great achievement from Wassal and co. Not to mention the first team set up for including them and trusting them. 

No no, lets just enjoy it fully and hold nothing back,

not one of the best, The Best!

[Millenniumram]

51 minutes ago, Bald Eagle's Barmy Army said:

Starting to show why our academy is one of the best in the country. 

5-6 players coming through in the last 18 months. Thats a great achievement from Wassal and co. Not to mention the first team set up for including them and trusting them. 

Yep, top quality stuff, and it shows what investment in good coaching/ facilities can do as well. Wassall is clearly doing a sterling job in charge of the academy. To have so many players reach the ability to play first team football out of one generation really is incredible, normally only a couple make the grade, but we’ve had huge numbers this season! And they’re mostly still very young too and well ahead in their development. With that much time on their side, they could all turn into real real players.

[IslandExile]

Bird and Knight have been absolutely fantastic in these past few games. It's impossible to praise them too highly.

However, I fear the meltdown on here when they are "rested" from the first team (I mean in the league, not bothered about the cup).

Their performances belie their age so it's easy to forget. Cocu knows how to bring young players through. He has already said that academy players will get games in the first team but then return for spells in the academy.

Let's think long term.

Good though, aren't they? ?

[Ghost of Clough]

7 hours ago, Millenniumram said:

Yep, top quality stuff, and it shows what investment in good coaching/ facilities can do as well. Wassall is clearly doing a sterling job in charge of the academy. To have so many players reach the ability to play first team football out of one generation really is incredible, normally only a couple make the grade, but we’ve had huge numbers this season! And they’re mostly still very young too and well ahead in their development. With that much time on their side, they could all turn into real real players.

And it's unlikely to be a one off. These are the players based on U18 intake each year:

2019 - Grewal-Pollard, Jinkinson, Bardell, Matthews, Perez de Gracia, Rogers, Aghatise, Nto, Solomon, S Thompson, Cybulski
2018 - Foster-Theninger, Halwax, Cashin, Charles, McDonald, Ebosele, L Thompson, Sibley, Wilson, A Brown, Stretton
2017 - French, Minkley, J Brown, Buchanan, Bird, Knight, Dixon, Whittaker
2016 - Fryatt, Carter-Thompson, Thomas, Mbuti, Rashid, Mills, Bogle, Thorne, Haywood, Hitchman, Wise, Jibodu, Mitchell-Lawson, Cresswell, Davie

From one intake, we've already seen 4 players play for the first team, and one from the group below. Cashin, Charles, Wilson, Archie and Stretton have just as much chance of being given a go at some point. Then there's Matthews, Cybulski, etc from the latest intake.

It's interesting to see only 3 of the 2019 intake still at the club, with us buying two of those as 15 and 16 year olds.

[Srg]

1 hour ago, Ghost of Clough said:

And it's unlikely to be a one off. These are the players based on U18 intake each year:

2019 - Grewal-Pollard, Jinkinson, Bardell, Matthews, Perez de Gracia, Rogers, Aghatise, Nto, Solomon, S Thompson, Cybulski
2018 - Foster-Theninger, Halwax, Cashin, Charles, McDonald, Ebosele, L Thompson, Sibley, Wilson, A Brown, Stretton
2017 - French, Minkley, J Brown, Buchanan, Bird, Knight, Dixon, Whittaker
2016 - Fryatt, Carter-Thompson, Thomas, Mbuti, Rashid, Mills, Bogle, Thorne, Haywood, Hitchman, Wise, Jibodu, Mitchell-Lawson, Cresswell, Davie

From one intake, we've already seen 4 players play for the first team, and one from the group below. Cashin, Charles, Wilson, Archie and Stretton have just as much chance of being given a go at some point. Then there's Matthews, Cybulski, etc from the latest intake.

It's interesting to see only 3 of the 2019 intake still at the club, with us buying two of those as 15 and 16 year olds.

You could probably include Thomas from 2016 as we sold him for money, and he played against us last night.

[DarkFruitsRam7]

1 minute ago, Srg said:

You could probably include Thomas from 2016 as we sold him for money, and he played against us last night.

And my mate Joe Fryatt, purely because of those penalty shootout heroics against Man United U18s.?

[Ghost of Clough]

1 minute ago, Srg said:

You could probably include Thomas from 2016 as we sold him for money, and he played against us last night.

Different Thomas - 2016 was Cain Thomas. Luke was never officially part of the U18 inuduction, but a signing for the U18s instead.

[Srg]

Just now, Ghost of Clough said:

Different Thomas - 2016 was Cain Thomas. Luke was never officially part of the U18 inuduction, but a signing for the U18s instead.

Ah, my mistake. Still, he counts somewhere in all of this!

[RamNut]

One of the interesting shifts in the championship is the development and promotion of young players at nearly all clubs.

Most clubs now have at least two players aged 20 or under getting regular game time. Even in the last couple of games we have seen Barnsley play four players aged 20 or under - Williams, Thomas, Simoes (sub)and oduor - in a very young squad, and Charlton had three - Gallagher, Morgan and doughty. 

I think we can be braver still. To play - bogle, lowe (22), bird, knight and sibley - really would be something. I’d like to see one or two others making the bench too - perhaps Mitchell-Lawson, Buchanan and babos.

It is great to see the academy starting to bear fruit. 

[Ghost of Clough]

1 minute ago, RamNut said:

One of the interesting shifts in the championship is the development and promotion of young players at nearly all clubs.

Most clubs now have at least two players aged 20 or under getting regular game time. Even in the last couple of games we have seen Barnsley play four players aged 20 or under - Williams, Thomas, Simoes (sub)and oduor - in a very young squad, and Charlton had three - Gallagher, Morgan and doughty. 

I think we can be braver still. To play - bogle, lowe (22), bird, knight and sibley - really would be something. I’d like to see one or two others making the bench too - perhaps Mitchell-Lawson, Buchanan and babos.

It is great to see the academy starting to bear fruit. 

 

7 minutes ago, RamNut said:

One of the interesting shifts in the championship is the development and promotion of young players at nearly all clubs.

Most clubs now have at least two players aged 20 or under getting regular game time. Even in the last couple of games we have seen Barnsley play four players aged 20 or under - Williams, Thomas, Simoes (sub)and oduor - in a very young squad, and Charlton had three - Gallagher, Morgan and doughty. 

I think we can be braver still. To play - bogle, lowe (22), bird, knight and sibley - really would be something. I’d like to see one or two others making the bench too - perhaps Mitchell-Lawson, Buchanan and babos.

It is great to see the academy starting to bear fruit. 

Only 8 out of the 24 teams have given 10% or more of the total minutes to their former academy products (we're at about 20%) before the latest round of fixtures. 10% would be equivalent to the time Knight and Lowe have been on the pitch.

On 31/12/2019 at 14:55, Ghost of Clough said:

Minutes given to academy players in the league so far this season:

I might have a look at minutes given to U20 and U23 players later on today

[Millenniumram]

2 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

And it's unlikely to be a one off. These are the players based on U18 intake each year:

2019 - Grewal-Pollard, Jinkinson, Bardell, Matthews, Perez de Gracia, Rogers, Aghatise, Nto, Solomon, S Thompson, Cybulski
2018 - Foster-Theninger, Halwax, Cashin, Charles, McDonald, Ebosele, L Thompson, Sibley, Wilson, A Brown, Stretton
2017 - French, Minkley, J Brown, Buchanan, Bird, Knight, Dixon, Whittaker
2016 - Fryatt, Carter-Thompson, Thomas, Mbuti, Rashid, Mills, Bogle, Thorne, Haywood, Hitchman, Wise, Jibodu, Mitchell-Lawson, Cresswell, Davie

From one intake, we've already seen 4 players play for the first team, and one from the group below. Cashin, Charles, Wilson, Archie and Stretton have just as much chance of being given a go at some point. Then there's Matthews, Cybulski, etc from the latest intake.

It's interesting to see only 3 of the 2019 intake still at the club, with us buying two of those as 15 and 16 year olds.

Yep, hopefully each year proves as strong as that 2017 intake. With the investment in the academy now shoeing, I expect they will do.