Development squad

[Mellotron]

You should bear in mind that the DS is very new, and the new training centre is still a year or so away. Way too early to be saying whether it's doing it's job yet, as it isn't fully operational yet. Ask again in 5-7 years.

 

[somerset]

Can I add my post count to your collection (not that I know anyone on here or can lay claim to being part of any clique) but as so often you are just creating argument for the sake of it.
From your post history it is pretty reasonable to surmise that had the youngsters been blooded earlier in the season then they/Gus Poyet/the club would have been to blame for us not being top of the league whereas now you can safely say they cant be risked (despite having damn near said the opposite earlier in the thread).You are simply arguing for the sake of it. You rarely if ever have anything positive to say about the club (not at all the same as "criticism" constructive or otherwise) and are frankly becoming something of a boor to be sidelined along with the likes of Withdean Wanderer as being essentially pointless because of your all pervading and wholly overiding sniping at every aspect of the club.



And before you say it..........of course you have the right to say whatever you want........ and I have the right to ignore it or to comment on it

FWIW I think the S has been a victim of the speed of our growth. In three years we have gone from lower league strugglers to Championship challengers - progress that could never be made relying on home grown talent. As we reach our optimum place in the football hierarchy and establish ourselves at the upper end of this league and probably at best the lower half of the EPL the development squad will be able to stabilise and bring through players able to function at that level. New facilities will be important but more important is the level we play at because it governs the talent we can attract and retain in a competitive market place

3rd para a very good read.... why the fook did you need to include the first two?.... they are insulting and infantile.... but you carry on if you feel it makes you look big....

My post history is like most, a mixed bag... This thread merely a question about the validity and value of the DS, nothing more or less, ... My only other bone of contention with this club, is the Barnes' factor..... I am allowed a view on a player. In all other aspects I am a supporter of all aspects of the club.. I travel 300 miles for each game in my ST in WSU, and have watched regularly since 1977..... With my first game in 74.

So just relax, have your view but don't set yourself up as some sort of holier than thou arbiter of opinion.

 

[BigGully]

I think there is some validity to both sides here.

The DS and Youth have only recently recruited new staffing levels to comply with the EPPP status 2 with a view to progression to status 1 at some stage later.

Its a wee bit early to condemn their efforts just yet.

Any success or progression of youngsters through the system into the first team does take some recognised policy from within the club though, or there might be exclusive recruitment of experienced and proven players leaving little prospect for those youngsters.

With the burgeoning costs of salaries and transfer fee's I am guessing the investment made by the club in its Academy is an indication that it does have a policy of producing players and offering opportunity, but it can take a little time.

The conundrum can be when do you offer this opportunity and fulfil any progression policy ??

Probably not yet as we try for promotion and we are not yet at the status where cup games can be viewed as nursery games, so it might be a long haul for all the youngsters at present and the DS offers the only compromise.

 

[severnside gull]

From the current crop of DS prospects I would be surprised if JFC (if he still counts?) Solly March, Ben Dickensen, Vitaljs Maksimenko and (injuries allowing) Rohan Ince didnt all progress to first team squad level in the Championship. Add Walton and Asmundssen currently with the youth squad as long term prospects but if we do make it to the EPL within a couple of years the need to urgently bolster the first team squad to have a chance of staying up will push the kids further down the pecking order.

 

[BigGully]

From the current crop of DS prospects I would be surprised if JFC (if he still counts?) Solly March, Ben Dickensen, Vitaljs Maksimenko and (injuries allowing) Rohan Ince didnt all progress to first team squad level in the Championship. Add Walton and Asmundssen currently with the youth squad as long term prospects but if we do make it to the EPL within a couple of years the need to urgently bolster the first team squad to have a chance of staying up will push the kids further down the pecking order.

Not necessarily if the club imposes a progression policy for its youngsters.

I acknowledge the difficulty of getting opportunities, but you must remember that the players we currently recruit to make us competitive were offered an opportunity somehow somewhere in their early careers.

Maybe thats more of a wider problem for English players but opportunity is always key.

 

[severnside gull]

Not necessarily if the club imposes a progression policy for its youngsters.

I acknowledge the difficulty of getting opportunities, but you must remember that the players we currently recruit to make us competitive were offered an opportunity somehow somewhere in their early careers.

Maybe thats more of a wider problem for English players but opportunity is always key.

Indeed. I guess what I am thinking is that if we were still in League 1 then quite a few of our DS would already be featuring. If we were to get promoted soon then the same thing might happen - players nearly ready to play at this level would again be pushed back. Players will always have more chance of progressing quickly in a side which is in a stable league position rather than one making rapid upward progress.

 

[somerset]

Probably not yet as we try for promotion and we are not yet at the status where cup games can be viewed as nursery games, so it might be a long haul for all the youngsters at present and the DS offers the only compromise.

Unlike some responses to my posts in this thread, this is all very sensible, my point is one of questioning not condemnation, and perhaps more importantly from a human aspect. I feel for these lads who in a lot of cases have relocated from other parts of the country and other countries and signed contracts with the hope that they can develop a burgeoning career.

I feel a bit of compassion when as you correctly say they will have to wait for a while yet, which on some cases because of age will be too long to help their career in my view.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Bridcutt came through development squad having been signed for it not the first team! That alone is enough to make it valueable!
Dunk is highly touted.
Hall was so good Champions League Spurs snapped him up.
Cook went to Bournemouth to play at top of L1 with all be it probably pre-DS Elphick

It also provides games for recovering first teamers and bench players. Top youngsters like JFC, Solly March and the new guys including Ince, the keeper, Maksimenko (who seems to play every game) etc. need somewhere to play at a level above the under 18's but below the first team.

Just because some of the players like Rodgers haven't broken through doesn't mean they're shit. We're giving them a chance lower than Chelsea type teams and if they don't make it in the Champ I'm sure they'll be good enough for L1-L2. Better we try a few for free and win occasionally than just spend a mil on them after a year at Oxford, Bournemouth, Leyton Orient, Swindon etc. when there's still no gaurentee they'll be good enough for Championship (let alone play-offs or Prem)

 

[somerset]

Bridcutt came through development squad having been signed for it not the first team! That alone is enough to make it valueable!

Not our DS he didnt. He signed in August 2010 and played 37 games for the first team.

 

[Postman Pat]

As a comparison with the top 7 clubs, players that came through the youth teams that are playing on a regular basis:

Cardiff - 2 (including Earnshaw who left and came back)
Watford - 4
Hull - 3
Leicester - 2
Palace - 2 (Yes 2.... Zaha and Williams)
Us - 3 (Including Hammond)
Middlesboro - 4 (including Stuart Parnaby who left and came back)

I've excluded anyone who has played less than 10 games, and anyone who has averaged less than 5 games a season.

It seems like we are on par with those around us.