The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Nameless]

If we make the final I understand it will be the following Friday at the Madejski unless we are playing Saints in which case it will be on Thursday at St Mary’s

[SCIAG]

I think anyone with a good agent would probably decide moving to a supposed ‘bigger’ club at 16 is far from the best option. If you genuinely have the talent you will get to the top and probably be better off if you wait. If he’s a few years off getting a sniff here then he’d be further off at Man Utd or Arsenal....

I think it's a much harder call than you might naturally assume. There really needs to be some rigorous academic study of this, it's a multi-billion pound industry.

Yes, it's easier to get in Reading's first team than Man United's first team. But Man United produce more internationals, more England internationals, more Premier League players, and more Football League players than Reading. And between them the big clubs produce their fair share of Reading players - this season we've had about 100 appearances from Reading academy players (which has been pretty typical since Pearce, Karacan, and HRK stopped being regulars) but 64 from Chelsea academy players and 46 from Man United academy players, before we get onto Arsenal, Liverpool, or PSG.

Now obviously there's a selection bias - the big clubs attract the most talented players to begin with and it could be difficult to disentangle that from the "value added" they provide - but I think it would be fair to say that being at a big club has some apparent advantages. You can play with better players and learn from better coaches. You are probably seen in a more favourable light by international coaches and by senior managers who might want to sign you. Competition for places forces you to raise your game.

I don't think it's obvious that Ryan Bertrand would have reached the same heights if he'd stayed at Gillingham, or that John Swift has developed more than Lewis Baker and Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a result of leaving Chelsea for regular game time.

A few years ago we lost a young full-back, Jordi Osei-Tutu, to Arsenal. Safe to say that if he had stayed, he would have got all the minutes we have given to Richards and probably some more (because he's better than Richards). But he also wouldn't have gone to Europa League matches.

I'm not saying that it would be the best thing for Tom McIntyre's career if he joined Barcelona tomorrow, just that we don't currently know if the average highly-talented player would be better off at Reading or Chelsea. It's not an easy call.

[Hound]

Sounds like Southwood is doing very well for Eastleigh. Motm in their play off last night.

Looking like a good 2nd choice for next year

[morganb]

Reading 1-0 up - Howe (Richards)

Southampton also winning by the same scoreline

[NewCorkSeth]

1-1 Callum Roberts.

[NewCorkSeth]

Newcastle win 3-2 on penalties. Andresson saved 2.

[tidus_mi2]

Was that last minute penalty for Newcastle deserved?

[NewCorkSeth]

I cant say I'm afraid I was just following on Twitter. I dont even know the circumstances of it.

[Hound]

Painful defeat that one

[windermereROYAL]

Reading team loses play-off, well there`s a novelty. can`t say that happens too often.

[Royals and Racers]

At least we lost to the winners !!!- Bayern won the international cup beating Zagreb 2-0 on Thursday evening.

[morganb]

Anyone know anything about Diamond Edwards?


https://the72.co.uk/130038/reading-yout ... ean-clubs/

Alan Nixon has posted on Twitter that other clubs are looking at him. I've never seen him mentioned on here or in any of the U23 squads. Guess he's still in the U18s?

[Royals and Racers]

Anyone know anything about Diamond Edwards?


https://the72.co.uk/130038/reading-yout ... ean-clubs/

Alan Nixon has posted on Twitter that other clubs are looking at him. I've never seen him mentioned on here or in any of the U23 squads. Guess he's still in the U18s?

Attacking midfielder born 2003

[Singing Defective]

Anyone know anything about Diamond Edwards?


https://the72.co.uk/130038/reading-yout ... ean-clubs/

Alan Nixon has posted on Twitter that other clubs are looking at him. I've never seen him mentioned on here or in any of the U23 squads. Guess he's still in the U18s?

Attacking midfielder born 2003

My son was in the school team with him, so yeah. A bit Ollie-selfish, but so far ahead of everyone else on the pitch..probably not a Rinomhota but not a Kelly, either (in a good way). Have some school videos..if Bielsa wants to make me an offer

[Singing Defective]

Anyone know anything about Diamond Edwards?


https://the72.co.uk/130038/reading-yout ... ean-clubs/

Alan Nixon has posted on Twitter that other clubs are looking at him. I've never seen him mentioned on here or in any of the U23 squads. Guess he's still in the U18s?

Attacking midfielder born 2003

My son was in the school team with him, so yeah. A bit Ollie-selfish, but so far ahead of everyone else on the pitch..probably not a Rinomhota but not a Kelly, either (in a good way). Have some school videos..if Bielsa wants to make me an offer

But sheriously. Left footed. Likes his step-overs. A young, forgeable, very very talented, er, talent.

[CountryRoyal]

What sort of a twat calls their kid Diamond?

Get rid.

[P!ssed Off]

I don't think it's obvious that John Swift has developed more than Lewis Baker and Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a result of leaving Chelsea for regular game time.

There is 17 months age difference between Ruben Loftus-Cheek, John Swift, Lewis Baker, Nathaniel Chalobah, Dele Alli and James Ward-Prowse.
These 6 central midfielders have 75 England U17, 59 U19 and 111 U21 caps between them.

Loftus-Cheek: joined Chelsea at the age of eight.
Swift: After interest from Fulham, Portsmouth and Southampton, Swift rejoined Chelsea after a successful trial in 2007.
Baker: joined Chelsea as a nine-year-old in 2005, having previously attended Luton Town's centre of excellence and attracted the attention of Queens Park Rangers, Charlton Athletic, Aston Villa, Derby County, Wimbledon, and Arsenal.
Chalobah: After initially joining the academy system at Fulham, Chalobah moved to the Chelsea academy at the age of 10.
Alli: joined the youth system at Milton Keynes Dons when he was 11 years old. He made his debut for the first team as a sixteen-year-old
Ward-Prowse: joined the Southampton Academy at the age of eight,

I think it's fair to say that these were the 6 best English centre midfielders of their age group for the best part of a decade.

PL appearances
Cholabah: 29
Swift: 1
Baker: 0
Loftus-Cheek: 69
Alli: 130
Ward-Prowse: 193

The big clubs have routinely gobble up 80% of the country's best kids with the vast majority of these ending up as 2nd tier footballers at best.

[NewCorkSeth]

I don't think it's obvious that John Swift has developed more than Lewis Baker and Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a result of leaving Chelsea for regular game time.

There is 17 months age difference between Ruben Loftus-Cheek, John Swift, Lewis Baker, Nathaniel Chalobah, Dele Alli and James Ward-Prowse.
These 6 central midfielders have 75 England U17, 59 U19 and 111 U21 caps between them.

Loftus-Cheek: joined Chelsea at the age of eight.
Swift: After interest from Fulham, Portsmouth and Southampton, Swift rejoined Chelsea after a successful trial in 2007.
Baker: joined Chelsea as a nine-year-old in 2005, having previously attended Luton Town's centre of excellence and attracted the attention of Queens Park Rangers, Charlton Athletic, Aston Villa, Derby County, Wimbledon, and Arsenal.
Chalobah: After initially joining the academy system at Fulham, Chalobah moved to the Chelsea academy at the age of 10.
Alli: joined the youth system at Milton Keynes Dons when he was 11 years old. He made his debut for the first team as a sixteen-year-old
Ward-Prowse: joined the Southampton Academy at the age of eight,

I think it's fair to say that these were the 6 best English centre midfielders of their age group for the best part of a decade.

PL appearances
Cholabah: 29
Swift: 1
Baker: 0
Loftus-Cheek: 69
Alli: 130
Ward-Prowse: 193

The big clubs have routinely gobble up 80% of the country's best kids with the vast majority of these ending up as 2nd tier footballers at best.

You know, I always thought Ward-Prowse wasnt getting game time. I was pretty incorrect.

[SCIAG]

I don't think it's obvious that John Swift has developed more than Lewis Baker and Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a result of leaving Chelsea for regular game time.

There is 17 months age difference between Ruben Loftus-Cheek, John Swift, Lewis Baker, Nathaniel Chalobah, Dele Alli and James Ward-Prowse.
These 6 central midfielders have 75 England U17, 59 U19 and 111 U21 caps between them.

Loftus-Cheek: joined Chelsea at the age of eight.
Swift: After interest from Fulham, Portsmouth and Southampton, Swift rejoined Chelsea after a successful trial in 2007.
Baker: joined Chelsea as a nine-year-old in 2005, having previously attended Luton Town's centre of excellence and attracted the attention of Queens Park Rangers, Charlton Athletic, Aston Villa, Derby County, Wimbledon, and Arsenal.
Chalobah: After initially joining the academy system at Fulham, Chalobah moved to the Chelsea academy at the age of 10.
Alli: joined the youth system at Milton Keynes Dons when he was 11 years old. He made his debut for the first team as a sixteen-year-old
Ward-Prowse: joined the Southampton Academy at the age of eight,

I think it's fair to say that these were the 6 best English centre midfielders of their age group for the best part of a decade.

PL appearances
Cholabah: 29
Swift: 1
Baker: 0
Loftus-Cheek: 69
Alli: 130
Ward-Prowse: 193

The big clubs have routinely gobble up 80% of the country's best kids with the vast majority of these ending up as 2nd tier footballers at best.

Meticulous post.

Not entirely sure what you're trying to show - that the four Chelsea players have so far made fewer appearances in the PL than Alli and Ward-Prowse? Sure. That they would have made more appearances if they had signed for other clubs? Not so sure. Ward-Prowse and Alli are both outliers - Adkins gave Ward-Prowse a very early debut, and Alli was a "late bloomer" who I think only makes this list due to survivorship bias rather than actually being held in the same regard as the others as a teenager. The Chelsea lads have also all had injury problems and two of them have played abroad.

Not saying you're wrong mind, just that looking at six players makes it difficult to determine causation.

[Hound]

Ward starting tonight for fgr

Also got that Brown playing for them who we are supposedly interested in