The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[CountryRoyal]

Yeah I had to look up who Sousa was and all the information still has him at his old club.

Why did we not hear anything about this?

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

This seemed to be the only thing (in English) I could find out about him on the interwebs

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 6918758374

Erico Sousa, an International Portuguese U19, played in the training levels of Manchester CIty, Barnsley FC, who last season played for NK Celje in Slovenia, is another young man to join FreeFoot in hopes of achieve its place in the world of football. A young striker with great talent with only 21, who dream in order to win the space that belongs to him in football. A dream that haunts him and for which he works every day to achieve it.. Welcome Erico Sousa, together we can!

No new foreign signing would be complete without a YouTube video making them look world class, so here's Erico's...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHuJkTCAWKE

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Unfortunately further digging has led me to a sad backstory for Sousa (is it de Sousa or Sousa or even Esteves Sousa?)

Coming on as a sub, our new striker missed a penalty in last season's Slovenian Cup Final, as NK Celje lost 6-7 on penalties to Maribor (of beating Celtic and drawing with Chelsea in the Champions League fame)

It was the 4th time since 2011 Celje have lost in the final (3 times to Maribor), and Erico Henrique Esteves de Sousa never played for them again

[CountryRoyal]

Unfortunately further digging has led me to a sad backstory for Sousa (is it de Sousa or Sousa or even Esteves Sousa?)

Coming on as a sub, our new striker missed a penalty in last season's Slovenian Cup Final, as NK Celje lost 6-7 on penalties to Maribor (of beating Celtic and drawing with Chelsea in the Champions League fame)

It was the 4th time since 2011 Celje have lost in the final (3 times to Maribor), and Erico Henrique Esteves de Sousa never played for them again

Ola John had a sad backstory. This guy missing a penalty? Not so much.

[Pepe the Horseman]

This seemed to be the only thing (in English) I could find out about him on the interwebs

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 6918758374

Erico Sousa, an International Portuguese U19, played in the training levels of Manchester CIty, Barnsley FC, who last season played for NK Celje in Slovenia, is another young man to join FreeFoot in hopes of achieve its place in the world of football. A young striker with great talent with only 21, who dream in order to win the space that belongs to him in football. A dream that haunts him and for which he works every day to achieve it.. Welcome Erico Sousa, together we can!

No new foreign signing would be complete without a YouTube video making them look world class, so here's Erico's...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHuJkTCAWKE

Just a trialist by the sounds of it.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

This seemed to be the only thing (in English) I could find out about him on the interwebs

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 6918758374

Erico Sousa, an International Portuguese U19, played in the training levels of Manchester CIty, Barnsley FC, who last season played for NK Celje in Slovenia, is another young man to join FreeFoot in hopes of achieve its place in the world of football. A young striker with great talent with only 21, who dream in order to win the space that belongs to him in football. A dream that haunts him and for which he works every day to achieve it.. Welcome Erico Sousa, together we can!

No new foreign signing would be complete without a YouTube video making them look world class, so here's Erico's...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHuJkTCAWKE

Just a trialist by the sounds of it.

I don't think they're allowed to play in these competitive matches though according to Premier League rules, and also he was named on the teamsheet which trialists never are

Anyway, I'm glad Charles Watts and the rest of the Twitter 'journalists' appear to have caught up with my research, cheque in the post I'm sure

[SCIAG]

U23 top scorers:

Andy Rimonhota 2
Tariqe Fosu 2
Tom McIntyre 2
Harry Cardwell 1
Sandro Wieser 1
Jack Stacey 1
Jake Sheppard 1
Joseph Mendes 1
Andrija Novakovich 1
Tyler Frost 1
Sam Smith 1

McIntyre and Rimonhota wouldn't have been my picks for top scorer. Still early days but we've got a lot of players on the scoresheet.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Zak Jules and Jake Sheppard called up to Scotland U21 squad for Euro Qualifiers away at Iceland and Macedonia

[Ian Royal]

Done a bit of digging and found tonight's team

Luke Southwood
Jake Sheppard
Zak Jules
Tom McIntyre
Shane Griffin
Sandro Wieser
Erico Esteves de Sousa (signed from NK Celje in the summer apparently, Portuguese and 21 years old)
Tyler Frost
Andy Rinomhota
Josh Barrett
Harry Cardwell

Andresson came on for our latest big-name (literally) signing on 85 minutes

Finished 2-1, McIntyre with our goal 10 mins from the end

5 minutes of highlights on Reading Player.

Suicidal passing at the back for Derby's first. Freekick either with a tiny touch or straight through the defender for the second. We scored from a bit of play from a corner. Headed at the back post.

We had definite chances, but our finishing was incredibly soft and straight at the keeper, apart from one blaze miles over from Barrett (I think). And we could have been punished further but for Moore making a couple of decent saves after breakaways from silly mistakes.

[sloughroyal123]

U-18's beat Brighton 7-4

[double d]

Celtic out an 13 year old out in their under 20 side. TBF I looked at videos on YouTube and he actually looks fcking decent and held his own. Couldn't imagine us doing that though. Or any English team for that matter

[George_]

Celtic out an 13 year old out in their under 20 side. TBF I looked at videos on YouTube and he actually looks fcking decent and held his own. Couldn't imagine us doing that though. Or any English team for that matter

15 year old Raheem Sterling played for QPR u21's tbf

[Sutekh]

U-18's beat Brighton 7-4

No doubt there'll be a suitably whinging thread on NSC about tinpot Reading as a result of that.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Celtic out an 13 year old out in their under 20 side. TBF I looked at videos on YouTube and he actually looks fcking decent and held his own. Couldn't imagine us doing that though. Or any English team for that matter

Slightly different but Islam Feruz played alongside the first team during Tommy Burns' memorial match aged 14

He didn't turn out so good
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... -club.html

[maffff]

Celtic out an 13 year old out in their under 20 side. TBF I looked at videos on YouTube and he actually looks fcking decent and held his own. Couldn't imagine us doing that though. Or any English team for that matter

Slightly different but Islam Feruz played alongside the first team during Tommy Burns' memorial match aged 14

He didn't turn out so good
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... -club.html

We were linked with him every window for about 2 seasons...

[Sutekh]

Friendly played v Brentford and lost. However there were a couple of trialists by the look of the line up....

Tupper (Collins 46), Vancooten (Andresson 46, trialist, trialist (McIntyre 46), Richards, Kuhl; Rinomhota (Bennett 46), Frost (East 46), Smith (Novakovich 46), Cardwell, Davis.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Read the report on the Brentford website, once again our lot didn't bother

The Royals, who have beaten Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea in the PDL Division One this season, were looking to play out from the back but The Bees pressing meant they turned over possession time and time again in dangerous areas.

Looking at that team Conor Davis is a fairly new name I think? 18 year old striker from Ireland apparently, not sure if he's been at the Academy for long

On another note, I was in an Academy dressing room the other day and they had the 'Reading Philosophy' up on all the walls



Ready 4 Reading

[Nameless]

Friendly played v Brentford and lost. However there were a couple of trialists by the look of the line up....

Tupper (Collins 46), Vancooten (Andresson 46, trialist, trialist (McIntyre 46), Richards, Kuhl; Rinomhota (Bennett 46), Frost (East 46), Smith (Novakovich 46), Cardwell, Davis.

Interesting to see Kuhl in the line up. Aaron back with us or Martin reliving his youth ?
Suspect the defence would have struggled if it had 2 trialists in it although not quite sure whether we had 2 trialists at centre back for the first half and then a trialists and McIntyre in the second half ?

[muirinho]

Read the report on the Brentford website, once again our lot didn't bother

It was a friendly, maybe they were being asked to try out different things rather than going for the win? Two trialists are going to disrupt stuff a bit as well

Looking at that team Conor Davis is a fairly new name I think? 18 year old striker from Ireland apparently, not sure if he's been at the Academy for long

Came over as a 16 year old, so he's been here since 2014. Signed a professional contract this year. A new name because he's fairly far down the pecking order I think. Not sure if he'll be championship level - don't think he's made the U18 Irish squad for instance, which is not exactly a high level - but of course players develop at different rates, and they've decided he's worth a punt I guess.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Read the report on the Brentford website, once again our lot didn't bother

It was a friendly, maybe they were being asked to try out different things rather than going for the win? Two trialists are going to disrupt stuff a bit as well

Yeah I wasn't on about the players