U21’s to First Team

[Vision]

Yep and thanks to Ince we know nothing more about him now than we did at the start of the season.

Say what you like about Gomes and Pauno ( God knows there’s plenty negative to say ) but we’d have known by now if we had a Richards or a Bristow on our hands.

Bristow? Was he really rated? He made half a dozen appearances for us and all the games I saw him play I thought he was ok, but nothing special. I can see why the club released him to be fair.

There are plenty in the U21's with enough potential, not sure how many are going to make it with us. First and foremost, I want to see Azeez really stand out which I think he can at this level. Abrefa might all depend if Yiadom stays or goes. Not too sure how many others are that close, maybe Kelvin E for a squad place or Jahmari Clarke, Dorsett as well. The rest might need another year +.

I think Vision's point is that by playing them we confirmed Bristow wasn’t up to it and shipped him out.

Nothing to do with being rated.

Although it's a generous interpretation because we only played Bristow because we didn’t have any alternatives until we signed Rahman.

As we've seen this season, there are plenty of ways of playing more senior players out of position in order to avoid playing Academy specialists because they're just "kids".

[Snowflake Royal]

Bristow? Was he really rated? He made half a dozen appearances for us and all the games I saw him play I thought he was ok, but nothing special. I can see why the club released him to be fair.

There are plenty in the U21's with enough potential, not sure how many are going to make it with us. First and foremost, I want to see Azeez really stand out which I think he can at this level. Abrefa might all depend if Yiadom stays or goes. Not too sure how many others are that close, maybe Kelvin E for a squad place or Jahmari Clarke, Dorsett as well. The rest might need another year +.

I think Vision's point is that by playing them we confirmed Bristow wasn’t up to it and shipped him out.

Nothing to do with being rated.

Although it's a generous interpretation because we only played Bristow because we didn’t have any alternatives until we signed Rahman.

As we've seen this season, there are plenty of ways of playing more senior players out of position in order to avoid playing Academy specialists because they're just "kids".

True. I don't see it as any sort of intended strategy, more dumb luck.

[Vision]

I think Vision's point is that by playing them we confirmed Bristow wasn’t up to it and shipped him out.

Nothing to do with being rated.

Although it's a generous interpretation because we only played Bristow because we didn’t have any alternatives until we signed Rahman.

As we've seen this season, there are plenty of ways of playing more senior players out of position in order to avoid playing Academy specialists because they're just "kids".

True. I don't see it as any sort of intended strategy, more dumb luck.

You rarely get to pick your first choice all through a season so when you’re forced outside of that it’s still a mindset or strategy to either think academy players are part of your squad or seemingly avoid them at all costs . I recall McIntyre being entrusted by Pauno late in games as an advanced midfielder to close out games or in some cases ( QPR away with a cheeky assist for Olise’s winner) to win them.

It stands to reason that a coach whose only real plus point was as a winning coach at international youth level would be more prepared to consider academy players as a legitimate part of his squad .

Ince never saw the 2 Kelvins as legitimate options even when there were positions open for them. Even Azeez , despite being the most natural replacement for Tom Ince never really got the game time you’d think he would when Tom went down. Of course it may be that all 3 of those players are not up to standard but at the moment we still don’t know .

Sometimes academy players don’t progress because the first team are too good (Coppell’s side ) but when we were so injury hit and desperate , to not have given these guys more game time is pretty negligent in my eyes.

[Snowflake Royal]

As we've seen this season, there are plenty of ways of playing more senior players out of position in order to avoid playing Academy specialists because they're just "kids".

True. I don't see it as any sort of intended strategy, more dumb luck.

You rarely get to pick your first choice all through a season so when you’re forced outside of that it’s still a mindset or strategy to either think academy players are part of your squad or seemingly avoid them at all costs . I recall McIntyre being entrusted by Pauno late in games as an advanced midfielder to close out games or in some cases ( QPR away with a cheeky assist for Olise’s winner) to win them.

It stands to reason that a coach whose only real plus point was as a winning coach at international youth level would be more prepared to consider academy players as a legitimate part of his squad .

Ince never saw the 2 Kelvins as legitimate options even when there were positions open for them. Even Azeez , despite being the most natural replacement for Tom Ince never really got the game time you’d think he would when Tom went down. Of course it may be that all 3 of those players are not up to standard but at the moment we still don’t know .

Sometimes academy players don’t progress because the first team are too good (Coppell’s side ) but when we were so injury hit and desperate , to not have given these guys more game time is pretty negligent in my eyes.

Oh 100%. Negligent seems a good description of Paul 'Pep and Klopp couldn’t do better' Ince.

[Stranded]

U21s start preseason tomorrow.

[Sutekh]

U21s start preseason tomorrow.

Looking forward to the club's continued superb coverage already. Do we know of any friendlies for them?

[morganb]

U21s start preseason tomorrow.

Looking forward to the club's continued superb coverage already. Do we know of any friendlies for them?

Torquay behind closed doors -

https://hobnob.royals.org/forum/viewtop ... 0#p5386209