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Academy Thread 2024/2025


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57 minutes ago, Eoghan1884 said:

Morton Spencer a highly rated Norwegian midfielder from Leeds, a lot of fans were surprised he wasn’t given a chance with the first team but he is now 20.

Interesting. I wonder if we'll be looking to fast-track him through into the first team squad by Christmas?

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1 hour ago, Eoghan1884 said:

The u-21s have signed 4 players today 

Morten Spencer a highly rated Norwegian midfielder from Leeds, a lot of fans were surprised he wasn’t given a chance with the first team but he is now 20.

Played in our last game of the U21 season and assisted a goal. He had a very good record as a DM for Leeds U18s with 5 goals and 7 assists in 34 games but struggled to force his way into their U21 team.

1 hour ago, Eoghan1884 said:

Alex Stephen-Iwumene, who was on trial last season and impressed. Been training all pre season with the first team and could feature tonight v Matlock. 19 year old midfielder we got from Southampton.

Now he's a permanent signing he should start to settle down and we'll get the best out of him. I didn't see him as any better than our other CMs last season, but do expect him to start most games for the U21s this season.

1 hour ago, Eoghan1884 said:

Emmanuel Ilesanmi, a 19 year old winger/striker from Harrogate town. Had a few loan spells in the Lowe leagues last few seasons. Can’t find much about him.

He was shortlisted for the 2023 L2 Apprentice of the Season award which recognises on and off the pitch activities 

1 hour ago, Eoghan1884 said:

Jerome Richards, impressed as a youngster at Enfield town. He was also on trial with us last year and obviously impressed as he’s now a permanent pick up.

I assumed he was an U16 player - scored 1 and assisted 1 in 5 U18 games for us whilst playing on the wing.

1 hour ago, Eoghan1884 said:

Ryan Bartley has also signed a new contract which is good news and hope we get a loan for him.

I don't think we'll loan him out until January - Bardell, Radcliffe, Cox and KRobinson are the other CB options, with a three of those spending a good chunk of last season out injured.

1 hour ago, Eoghan1884 said:

Very bad news in my eyes is Fapetu has left.

I felt he never quite pushed on from the form he showed in the U18s. Perhaps needed another season in the U21s to adjust, but we do have a number of other CM/AMs coming through

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On Spencer, a mate of mine has links to a certain dirty Yorkshire club so I asked his thoughts when he showed up for our u21s last season, this is what he said;

“Oh wow thats a question! Short answer is yes, really good player with massive potential. When he joined Leeds he came in as a huge prospect from Sunderland, it was a really exciting one but for whatever reason it just hasn’t quite happened. He is a very confident lad, sometimes too confident, but if he finds the right club and hits a run of games he will go all the way”

Be interesting to see how this one plays out. I’ve heard from some people that the lad from Southampton looked good last night too? 

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9 hours ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

On Spencer, a mate of mine has links to a certain dirty Yorkshire club so I asked his thoughts when he showed up for our u21s last season, this is what he said;

“Oh wow thats a question! Short answer is yes, really good player with massive potential. When he joined Leeds he came in as a huge prospect from Sunderland, it was a really exciting one but for whatever reason it just hasn’t quite happened. He is a very confident lad, sometimes too confident, but if he finds the right club and hits a run of games he will go all the way”

Be interesting to see how this one plays out. I’ve heard from some people that the lad from Southampton looked good last night too? 

He did ok last night nothing spectacular but looked reasonably composed and tidy on the ball

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On 12/07/2024 at 10:24, Eoghan1884 said:

ow 20.

Alex Stephen-Iwumene, who was on trial last season and impressed. Been training all pre season with the first team and could feature tonight v Matlock. 19 year old midfielder we got from Southampton.

Emmanuel Illesanmi, a 19 year old winger/striker from Harrogate town. Had a few loan spells in the Lowe leagues last few seasons. Can’t find much about him.

Jerome Richards, impressed as a youngster at Enfield town. He was also on trial with us last year and obviously impressed as he’s now a permanent pick up.

 

On 11/07/2024 at 17:07, Spender said:

Bartley has signed a new one year contract but Fapetu has been released.

Shame about Fapetu - feared the worst when he wasn't involved at Matlock. Any news on Weston?

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20 minutes ago, Rample said:

 

Shame about Fapetu - feared the worst when he wasn't involved at Matlock. Any news on Weston?

Tony Weston signed a 1 year extension and has gone on loan to Boston United. 

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2 hours ago, Srg said:

Sort of related, but we released Owen Oseni and he joined Gateshead after a chat with Dajaune Brown. Scored a couple of goals in pre-season already. 

 

So he'll be linked with Newcastle and Sunderland next then.

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On 12/07/2024 at 08:50, RoyMac5 said:

Maybe we'll see a new system being implemented based around how the first team play? Will we see any Academy debuts this season? I was told there were none last season, first time in a long while, but I can't remember?

I believe a number of the top teams do this, so the youth players find it easier to transition into the first team. I think it could be a good idea to do this, as I would like to see more players progress into the first team like we have in previous seasons.

However, you then risk having a cohort of youth players used to playing a single play style. I think it was mentioned by one of the academy staff in the fans forum last season that youth team members need to learn to play a variety of styles as they move up the system. 

It would be no use having an academy of players, who developed while playing hoof ball (I'm not saying that's how we play), then expect them to completely change to tippy tappy playing out from the back if the 1st team manager changes.

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2 hours ago, angieram said:

Actually, Fapetu chose to leave. It's on the DCFC website.

He didn't get much of a look in last year, so jumping up a division with 3 or 4 new midfielders in, plus Thompson, I can't see that would have changed. Therefore I don't really blame him and I hope he goes on to live up to his potential.

It worries me a little that the young lads don't seem to have much of a pathway under Warne at all. A couple will warm the bench if he's desperate for numbers, but will never be trusted even as a gamble, at best they might get 2 minutes for a tired player. 

His solution seems to be either loan them out where they will either sink (be released) or swim (come back deemed being at a level they can be thrown into the starting line up), or let them rot in the 21s to make up numbers. There doesn't seem any interest in slowly introducing and developing them here. Robinson for example will probably spend the majority of his 2 year deal out on loan before being let go, and who knows about Brown.

So instead he'll go and sign Goudmijn and that's how he brings the age of the squad down. It is completely at odds with the youth set up we have really. Wonder if the money for poached players is how that will fund itself going forward because I can't see it being the Bird/Knight/Hendrick/Hughes etc. way for the forseeable future.

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"...The event was staged in the Toyota Suite and the new scholars, alongside their families, were able to hear from a host of club officials and Academy staff after making the step-up to join the Rams on a full-time basis this summer.

The first-year scholars are: Charles Ebuka Agbawodikeizu, Sean Corry, Braidy Connell-Webster, Rio Canoville, AJ Doyle, Alfie Friars, Khace Gordon, Israel Green, Dantel Hodges, Marley Mintus, Harvey Rees, James Ward.

The second-year scholars are: Demiane Agustien, Cruz Allen, Luke Banks, Owen Eames, Tristan Gill, Isaac Gordon, Niall McAndrew, Adisa Osayande, Justin Oguntolu, Johnson Osong, Harley Price, Jack Thompson, Marsel Tola.

The Under-18s’ 2024/25 fixtures will be confirmed in due course once they have been revealed by the Premier League."

Edited by RoyMac5
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The bottom line is that players have to be good enough for first team football. That decision can only be made by those who see them day in day out in training. IF we have players who seem capable to step up or sell Im sure we will do either. League matches are not the place for developing youngsters unless they are really looking in training like they can improve the team. The realities of professional sport.

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