U18s | FINAL v Cardiff. Tonight - CHAMPIONS!!!

[Etchesketch]

44 minutes ago, Quist said:

The game was very enjoyable to watch and no one who went to the game could complain. there was a good attendance and if it had been at a time other than Friday night expect more would have attended. The standard of football was better than I expected and Cardiff contributed fully to the game. The success should enable us to attract more good juniors to the club. Some of our team were first year scholars and so will be eligible to play next year and therefore expect them to have a good season next year.

Their has been a lot of criticism of the Academy and some was probably appropriate but it was under funded at the time. On evidence of last night the lads are well coached and were a credit to the club. They played as a team and that was important in them winning the game. 

 

It is easy to get carried away and say they have bright futures in the game and put them forward to be part of first team squad after a very successful season. It is evident that several of them have a chance of making careers for themselves as footballers. Quite a few of them have a good level of skill and vision and some also possess physical attributes which would serve them well at a higher level. Speed and a good engine are essential for top level football and this was exhibited by quite a few on the pitch. 

it may be rash but quite sure that more than one of these lads will get to play a first team game next season.

 

It was mentioned a couple of weeks ago Hammoud is the only one not offered a contract you have to feel gutted for the lad. It must have been difficult to just leave one name off the retained list for the coaching staff. Last night he did well and gave hi all so credit to him. I can only presume his lack of height has gone against him when the decision was made.  

 

Absolutely delighted with progress made at the Academy and hopefully we can get larger facilities and elevate club to top level in due course.

 Yes all credit to Hammoud for his attitude.  It would be understandable to not want to go near a football pitch after being told you are going to be released but he's been a big part of the team this year and deserves the success they had as much as anyone. I'd like to think that height wouldn't have anything to do with it but I fear it probably was.  There are certain similar size players to him who have proved you can have a good career.

Edited May 4, 2019 by Etchesketch

[malek]

1 hour ago, baggy the owl said:

 

Bar one player all local lads. Luke Hall definitely and another lad, Corey Glaves. Seen a couple of snippets and videos on facebook and watched them up at Middlewood road a couple of times but don’t know any of the others.

 

 

 

Those are only two whose names I'm familiar with.

 

Luke Hall was supposed to be super talented and around England youth squad. There was a video from Youdan Cup on Youtube with Luke scoring all 4 goals in 4:0 win against Everton.

 

Glaves is a CB we signed from Manchester City couple of years ago if I'm not mistaken. There is a You tube video of him scoring excellent free-kick playing for our U-15's that once someone posted on here.

[Quist]

1 hour ago, Birley Owl 1867 said:

Probably not no.

 

Think the Jos experiment with the youngsters showed that only a few will ever make it. Even then, one of ours we picked up from Everton.

 

Saying that, think no.4 (Waldock?) will make it. With us too.

A fundamental difference between this bunch and some of other teams we have had. This team has players who are really quick and have physique to succeed. many of our youth products were small and had no real pace which limited their chances. With regard Hirst he had talent you do not win caps for |England with out that but off field stuff has probably ruined him. Borukov scored goals at this level and looks strong but lacks real zip. Hammoud has not been offered contract presumably because he is of very small stature and it would be unusual for someone of his height to succeed in game as centre forward. To give indication at least one of our players was at least a foot taller than him and not sure we any of them over 6ft 4in.

[Quist]

1 hour ago, Etchesketch said:

 Yes all credit to Hammoud for his attitude.  It would be understandable to not want to go near a football pitch after being told you are going to be released but he's been a big part of the team this year and deserves the success they had as much as anyone. I'd like to think that height wouldn't have anything to do with it but I fear it probably was.  There are certain similar size players to him who have proved you can have a good career.

Not unknown but rare. Just think its a bit harsh as he is only one. I know cash is short but 12 month contract would not have hurt. He had trial with Preton and hopefully can get a place with another team. 

[bigsheff]

2 hours ago, Quist said:

It was mentioned a couple of weeks ago Hammoud is the only one not offered a contract you have to feel gutted for the lad. It must have been difficult to just leave one name off the retained list for the coaching staff. Last night he did well and gave hi all so credit to him. I can only presume his lack of height has gone against him when the decision was made.  

 

Seen this response a few times now, but what has lack of height got to do with anything in modern football?  

[Quist]

2 hours ago, camffiti said:

There are several people on here, who know more about our youngsters than I do

 

I do know there were high hopes for Hirst, Borukov & Hammoud and none of those were successfully transitioned in to our first team

 

Does this team have anymore players good enough to step up to our first team? ... But not so good, that the EPPP scam steals them away 

If you mean immediately probably not but certain several of these will be good enough to play in football league in next couple of years.

[Etchesketch]

5 minutes ago, Quist said:

Not unknown but rare. Just think its a bit harsh as he is only one. I know cash is short but 12 month contract would not have hurt. He had trial with Preton and hopefully can get a place with another team. 

Yes I agree.  A twelve month contract would not have done any harm and we need players for the U23's.  Looks like the only two strikers we will have will be Borukov and Damba who have hardly set the world alight this season. Then again they can't have room for sentiment and probably think he would find it even tougher in U23 football. I hope he proves them wrong.

Edited May 4, 2019 by Etchesketch

[Quist]

1 minute ago, bigsheff said:

 

Seen this response a few times now, but what has lack of height got to do with anything in modern football?  

Average height of players has increased significantly in recent years. I can not think of many players around 5ft 3in?

[Etchesketch]

1 minute ago, Quist said:

Average height of players has increased significantly in recent years. I can not think of many players around 5ft 3in?

He' not 18 until July.   Youngest in his year.  Who's to say he has stopped growing. A mate of mine put on a massive spurt when 18/19.  Then again they can probably have tests that predict possible growth these days.

[bigsheff]

5 minutes ago, Quist said:

Average height of players has increased significantly in recent years. I can not think of many players around 5ft 3in?

Just feels a waste if he's got potential, within 12/24 months he could still grow.

[SallyCinnamon]

No way are we letting Hammoud go out of choice.

[Etchesketch]

Just now, SallyCinnamon said:

No way are we letting Hammoud go out of choice.

It appears so.  Somebody on here posted about conversation with coaching staff and it appears he was not offered anything. It happens. 1 released this year, 6 last year.

[SallyCinnamon]

3 minutes ago, Etchesketch said:

It appears so.  Somebody on here posted about conversation with coaching staff and it appears he was not offered anything. It happens. 1 released this year, 6 last year.

 

Very surprised. One we’ll go on to regret.

[camffiti]

33 minutes ago, Quist said:

A fundamental difference between this bunch and some of other teams we have had. This team has players who are really quick and have physique to succeed. many of our youth products were small and had no real pace which limited their chances. With regard Hirst he had talent you do not win caps for |England with out that but off field stuff has probably ruined him. Borukov scored goals at this level and looks strong but lacks real zip. Hammoud has not been offered contract presumably because he is of very small stature and it would be unusual for someone of his height to succeed in game as centre forward. To give indication at least one of our players was at least a foot taller than him and not sure we any of them over 6ft 4in.

 

Good summery ... Thanks for that 

 

Hopefully Hammoud doesn't turn into another Vardy 

[Etchesketch]

2 minutes ago, SallyCinnamon said:

 

Very surprised. One we’ll go on to regret.

Hope not but from his point of view I hope he does well. I can't think of someone we've released at 18 who has proved  the staff wrong.  There is Vardy but that was at 15 and he had not had two years at the club full time.  Most end up in non league locally.

[dfoster]

5 minutes ago, Etchesketch said:

Hope not but from his point of view I hope he does well. I can't think of someone we've released at 18 who has proved  the staff wrong.  There is Vardy but that was at 15 and he had not had two years at the club full time.  Most end up in non league locally.

Also, the problem with Vardy was not talent it off the field issues 

[Jim]

I might be well off the mark with this but perhaps the club are looking at what Borukov has done after being taken on a two year pro contract after a decent goalscoring season for the under 18s and thought it was too much of a risk offering Hammoud a deal? They may regret it, they may not but the club has to make a decision either way. FWIW I'd be surprised if Grant, Shaw and Waldock are not established first team/squad members within the next three years?

Edited May 4, 2019 by Great Big Galaa

[SallyCinnamon]

16 minutes ago, Etchesketch said:

Hope not but from his point of view I hope he does well. I can't think of someone we've released at 18 who has proved  the staff wrong.  There is Vardy but that was at 15 and he had not had two years at the club full time.  Most end up in non league locally.

 

Cameron Jerome?

[SallyCinnamon]

18 minutes ago, Etchesketch said:

Hope not but from his point of view I hope he does well. I can't think of someone we've released at 18 who has proved  the staff wrong.  There is Vardy but that was at 15 and he had not had two years at the club full time.  Most end up in non league locally.

 

But we’ve not really had much of an academy in recent years.

 

I saw a couple of games Hammoud played in. Ok the coaches will know more than me, but he looked the most talented out there. He was small, but you’d hope nowadays coaches don’t take height into consideration. The best player to ever play the game of football is 5’7.

[Etchesketch]

2 minutes ago, SallyCinnamon said:

 

Cameron Jerome?

Yes that's a good one but he was only a trialist.  He was there for a couple of months at the start of a season.  Had a good career though.  I was thinking more of a scholar/trainee/apprentice that we had for two years and then let go.