Youth Players

[bassavage]

Can people please stop talking about using our youth players. Players like Mikkel Andersen, James Henry and Alex Pearce are not going to improve the team. These players are not of a Premiership standard at the moment, maybe they will in four or five years time, I don't know. At the moment, these players are good enough to play for League 1 sides, maybe lower Championship sides but certainly not against Premiership sides, so can people stop talking about how these player must be brought in because they shouldn't as they do not have the qualities at the moment to cut it in the Premiership.

[g]

Exactly agree, we tried Shane Long, not premiership standard.

[andrew1957]

This is rubbish. If you are good enough then age is immaterial.

Yes of course players will benefit from loans elsewhere but other clubs have successfully integrated youth players directly into the Premiership team - Man City and Boro have a particularly good record of doing this.

I honestly believe that if they were given a few games some of these players would be good enough. But I do understand that it is unlikely to happen because if Coppell did dare to do so and we lost a game he would be pilloried on Hobnob for playing them for the next 6 months.

[cmonurz]

Can people please stop talking about using our youth players. Players like Mikkel Andersen, James Henry and Alex Pearce are not going to improve the team. These players are not of a Premiership standard at the moment, maybe they will in four or five years time, I don't know. At the moment, these players are good enough to play for League 1 sides, maybe lower Championship sides but certainly not against Premiership sides, so can people stop talking about how these player must be brought in because they shouldn't as they do not have the qualities at the moment to cut it in the Premiership.

Rubbish. Shane Long, the example mentioned by g, has been given a go and imho has not performed well enough. If we have no options on the right-wing other than two central midfielders, then Henry should come in - give him a go for a couple of games and see how he gets on.

[AbovetheI]

Can people please stop talking about using our youth players. Players like Mikkel Andersen, James Henry and Alex Pearce are not going to improve the team. These players are not of a Premiership standard at the moment, maybe they will in four or five years time, I don't know. At the moment, these players are good enough to play for League 1 sides, maybe lower Championship sides but certainly not against Premiership sides, so can people stop talking about how these player must be brought in because they shouldn't as they do not have the qualities at the moment to cut it in the Premiership.

Absolute tosh. Until they get their chance in the first team, you'll never know if they'll make an impact.

[Doyler]

I won't criticise him for it, afterall that is the point of the academy, to produce players for the first team. James Henry has a professional contract and is therefore part of the squad and should be given a chance of playing.

[GJ79]

U never win anything with kids!!!!

[Doyler]

Lineker still won't let Hansen forget about that!

[bassavage]

Yes I agree that it doesn't matter how old you are, then if you are good enough then you should play but SC and the other coaches watch these players everyday in training and if they were good enough, then they would at least be on the bench by now.

[cmonurz]

Ive Forgotten was it Long that Scored 2 Goals agaisnt Derby To Secure the Championship?

Yes, in the Championship, yes it was.

[PEARCEY]

Sorry BS dont agree with your initial thread. I think Henry and Pearce should be given a chance...and IMO must start against Liverpool in the Cup. Then take it from there and maybe introduce them into Premiership matches from the bench.
I know that Golbourne is not an academy product but is certainly young and did not let the team down when Shorey was out injured.
Unless thse youngsters are tried we will not know whether they are good enough. I also think the fans would be more forgiving of any mistakes they make

[bootboy]

Can people please stop talking about using our youth players. Players like Mikkel Andersen, James Henry and Alex Pearce are not going to improve the team. These players are not of a Premiership standard at the moment, maybe they will in four or five years time, I don't know. At the moment, these players are good enough to play for League 1 sides, maybe lower Championship sides but certainly not against Premiership sides, so can people stop talking about how these player must be brought in because they shouldn't as they do not have the qualities at the moment to cut it in the Premiership.

I for one thing you are talking c**p here. The following players are currently helping their respective Premiership teams -

FABREGAS - ARSENAL
DENILSON - ARSENAL
WALCOTT - ARSENAL
VAUGHAN - EVERTON
ANCHINEBE - EVERTON
RICHARDS - MAN CITY
JOHNSON - MAN CITY
ONUOHA - MAN CITY
COTTERILL - WIGAN
MUAMBA - BIRMINGHAM
CATTERMOLE - M'BRO
BARNES - DERBY (if fit would be 1st choice r wing)

Fabregas is 20 but the rest are 19. If they are good enough then they are old enough, and who is to say our players are not. Only one way to find out. The trouble is will they be given the time by over expectant fans or not.

The three RFC players you mentioned above are all u19 international players with their respective countries, as were the players in the above list. The powers to be picking these national teams at this level are not selecting them on a whim, but for good reason. I also know from my contacts in the game that at least one of these players is highly sought after by several Premiership and Championship clubs. Are they all wrong too.

But, having said all that you are entitled to your opinion, as I am mine. So personally if they are showing up well in training and in res games then its time.

[PEARCEY]

Agree with you Bootboy and you can Gareth Bale aged 18 Tottenham to your list.

[Henleyensian]

Ive Forgotten was it Long that Scored 2 Goals agaisnt Derby To Secure the Championship?

Yes, in the Championship, yes it was.

I don't know if you follow thw Republic of Ireland when our players are playing for them, but if you do you must have heard that Shane Long has scored in international football.

As for whether he is good enough for our team at present, if any of you were at Sunderland, you might have noticed how things improved when he, Fae and Bobby Convey came on.

[bootboy]

Yes I agree that it doesn't matter how old you are, then if you are good enough then you should play but SC and the other coaches watch these players everyday in training and if they were good enough, then they would at least be on the bench by now.

Not always. Believe it or not some clubs and there managers are more traditionalist and will pick age and previous experience above greater ability and current form.

[cmonurz]

Yes the Championship... The thing we won 2 years ago...I'd Like to see other Players that score 4 goals in 5 starts in Their Debut Season In the Championship as a 18 year old..

1. Good use of selected statistics. Long might have made 5 starts, but he made about 20 sub appearances IIRC.
2. What Long did in the Championship 18 months ago is completely irrelevant to present day.
3. Long's performances in the Premiership have been below par.

No time for sentiment I am afraid. Long could be a terrific player, but he isn't quite up to it at the moment.

[Kevin Doyles Right Foot]

10 sub appearences btw.. and i for one think that hes been good this year and had provided good competition for places

[bassavage]

Can people please stop talking about using our youth players. Players like Mikkel Andersen, James Henry and Alex Pearce are not going to improve the team. These players are not of a Premiership standard at the moment, maybe they will in four or five years time, I don't know. At the moment, these players are good enough to play for League 1 sides, maybe lower Championship sides but certainly not against Premiership sides, so can people stop talking about how these player must be brought in because they shouldn't as they do not have the qualities at the moment to cut it in the Premiership.

I for one thing you are talking c**p here. The following players are currently helping their respective Premiership teams -

FABREGAS - ARSENAL
DENILSON - ARSENAL
WALCOTT - ARSENAL
VAUGHAN - EVERTON
ANCHINEBE - EVERTON
RICHARDS - MAN CITY
JOHNSON - MAN CITY
ONUOHA - MAN CITY
COTTERILL - WIGAN
MUAMBA - BIRMINGHAM
CATTERMOLE - M'BRO
BARNES - DERBY (if fit would be 1st choice r wing)

Fabregas is 20 but the rest are 19. If they are good enough then they are old enough, and who is to say our players are not. Only one way to find out. The trouble is will they be given the time by over expectant fans or not.

The three RFC players you mentioned above are all u19 international players with their respective countries, as were the players in the above list. The powers to be picking these national teams at this level are not selecting them on a whim, but for good reason. I also know from my contacts in the game that at least one of these players is highly sought after by several Premiership and Championship clubs. Are they all wrong too.

But, having said all that you are entitled to your opinion, as I am mine. So personally if they are showing up well in training and in res games then its time.

Listen to me FFS. Not once have I said that youngsters should not be used. What I am saying is that youngsters should be used if they are as good as the players playing in the Premiership and what I am saying is that OUR players obviously aren't good enough because otherwise Coppell would have had them on the bench at the very least, which he hasn't, except for in the Carling Cup. If our players were good enough for the Premiership then they would have been used but obviously they are not because Coppell hasn't used them. These players aren't Premiership quality at the moment, prehaps they are Championship quality but we are not in the Championship are we?

[cmonurz]

You are of course entitled to your opinion.

He has 2 goals in 25 Premiership appearances, and hasn't once looked like scoring this season. He should be in the Championship getting 90 minutes under his belt week in week out.

[Kevin Doyles Right Foot]

I Tottaly agree with u on going out on loan to a championship club but what happens if a striker or two picks up and injury, whos going to deputise then?