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Albion U21s v Blackburn Rovers U21s - 7pm tonight at the Checkatrade.com Stadium



AZ Gull

@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
Oct 14, 2003
11,512
Chandler, AZ
Bottom-club Albion host Blackburn Rovers (who had an excellent win against Arsenal on Friday) at Crawley tonight in their penultimate match of the season, still seeking their second league win of the campaign.

Manchester City's Nathaniel Oseni plays a second game on trial at centre-back. Albion's starting line-up:-

[TWEET]717041610664579072[/TWEET]

The subs bench:-

[TWEET]717041878043074564[/TWEET]
 

AZ Gull

@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
Oct 14, 2003
11,512
Chandler, AZ
No Towell or Akin whatever his name is could they be Brum bound?

Towell has only played one U-21 game - that was back in January.

Akindayini hasn't played for the U-21s since February 1 - he went on loan to Margate but that was cut short by an ankle injury.
 

Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,523
Fiveways
Bottom-club Albion host Blackburn Rovers (who had an excellent win against Arsenal on Friday) at Crawley tonight in their penultimate match of the season, still seeking their second league win of the campaign.

Manchester City's Nathaniel Oseni plays a second game on trial at centre-back. Albion's starting line-up:-

[TWEET]717041610664579072[/TWEET]


The subs bench:-

[TWEET]717041878043074564[/TWEET]

And who is Oseni?
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Without wishing to sound critical but why are we struggling with the U21s which should be our future 1st team players. Is it because the academy is new and not yet capable of producing players.
 

studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,524
On the Border
Without wishing to sound critical but why are we struggling with the U21s which should be our future 1st team players. Is it because the academy is new and not yet capable of producing players.

I would hope that the focus is on developing players rather than results at all costs
 


tigertim68

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2012
2,299
Without wishing to sound critical but why are we struggling with the U21s which should be our future 1st team players. Is it because the academy is new and not yet capable of producing players.

Perhaps we need better youth team coaches , I have seen them a couple of times this year not impressed
 

martin tyler

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2013
5,825
Without wishing to sound critical but why are we struggling with the U21s which should be our future 1st team players. Is it because the academy is new and not yet capable of producing players.

Because we have been placed in to a higher league against other Cat A accademys for the 1st time. The other teams have played at this level for longer and have had a better pick of young players for a number of years
 


dangull

Well-known member
Feb 24, 2013
5,100
All the hype about Harper seems to have been misplaced. Doesn't look like he is anywhere close to the 1st team squad yet.
 

AZ Gull

@SeagullsAcademy Threads: @bhafcacademy
Oct 14, 2003
11,512
Chandler, AZ
All the hype about Harper seems to have been misplaced. Doesn't look like he is anywhere close to the 1st team squad yet.

When he arrived, he hadn't yet made a single appearance in men's senior football. He still hasn't.

Back in August I included him (and Hambo) in the development squad section of the squad contracts listing. Someone PM'ed me to say that they should be included in the first team section, and that Hughton saw Harper as this season's replacement for Teixeira and Hambo as the replacement for Colunga.

I suppose the club has to bear some of the blame here (when he was signed their article was headed "Albion Sign Real Madrid Striker" with the implication being that the club he was moving from was the most important part of the transfer, more important even than the player's name). And then Naylor follows it up with his "kid from Madrid" nonsense.

There were a few on here who were cautioning that he should be given time to settle in, but there were plenty who had completely unrealistic expectations. I stand by what I posted on September 16:-

There has certainly been a lot of hype surrounding his signature, presumably because he has moved to us from Real Madrid. The fact remains that he is 19 years of age and has yet to kick a ball in senior men's football - anywhere.

People were (correctly) expressing doubts about Tomer Hemed when he signed, because there was no way to know whether, and how quickly, he would adapt to the Championship. And this for a proven goalscorer who had made over 250 appearances in a number of different leagues and had more than 15 senior international caps.

My expectations for what Harper will contribute to the first team this season are just about zero - if he starts to knock on the door for inclusion in the first team squad at any point this campaign, I'll be delighted.

Let's give the lad a chance to play some football and do some developing on these shores before we expect to see the new Messi.
 

GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,377
Gloucester
All a bit worrying really – I know we’re new at this level, but these kids are supposed to be our future first team. I say kids – but there are players younger than them playing in the PL!

Harper and Hambo – I know the club made it clear they weren’t for immediate consideration for the first team, but there was a definite suggestion that they should be pushing for squad places – on the bench occasionally, maybe – after Christmas. Now Harper can’t even get a start for the U21s. Why?

And what about Towell? What about him indeed. Invisible man, perhaps? Not a hint of a place on the bench for the first team, and doesn’t seem to be considered up to a place in the U21s either.

So……worried. Are they injured, or is there another explanation? Appreciate some of you are much more in touch with reserve team football than I am, so any nuggets of knowledge would be very welcome.
 


sparkie

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
12,453
Hove
All a bit worrying really – I know we’re new at this level, but these kids are supposed to be our future first team. I say kids – but there are players younger than them playing in the PL!

Harper and Hambo – I know the club made it clear they weren’t for immediate consideration for the first team, but there was a definite suggestion that they should be pushing for squad places – on the bench occasionally, maybe – after Christmas. Now Harper can’t even get a start for the U21s. Why?

And what about Towell? What about him indeed. Invisible man, perhaps? Not a hint of a place on the bench for the first team, and doesn’t seem to be considered up to a place in the U21s either.

So……worried. Are they injured, or is there another explanation? Appreciate some of you are much more in touch with reserve team football than I am, so any nuggets of knowledge would be very welcome.

I'd be amazed if he hasn't travelled to Birmingham, and quite surprised if he isn't on the subs bench tonight.
 

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