remember when our u21s were relatively good?
Having a good u21 side doesn't win you anything, we could field an older/more experienced team and get better results if we wanted but it's about developing players rather than picking up meaningless points in an ultimately meaningless league. Tonight's lineup had an average age of 18, it was a tough lesson for them playing against an older side but one we hope they'll benefit from in the long term.
remember when our u21s were relatively good?
I think we should adopt a broad policy of over 21s either needing to make the 25, or be sold/released. That did actually happen last summer (Fredericks and Hall were the two casualties)
I think that contradicts the current policy. In the past we have let players go, and they have gone on to have careers. Not at the top level, but certainly lower level premier league or championship level. As with Mason and Townsend a few loans can work out even if you have got over 21. If had used that rule Mason would be gone.
It feels to me more like what we do, is hold on to them to give them a chance of getting a move. So they are not thrown in the dustbin. And then we make a few quid to in selling them.
I think things have changed
Prior to 2004 - both academy and reserves were a laughing stock
2004-2009 - McDermott and Inglethorpe created a superb academy setup, but Clive Allen's reserves were horrific
2009-2014 - players went from the excellent academy out on loan. This benefitted some (Townsend clocking up 100 appearance), but harmed other (Mason had a series of inappropriate ones and picked up a lot of injuries)
2015-onwards - hopefully a more direct link from academy to first team squad, as seen with Onomah, Winks and McGee
Re Mason - he was always the most talented one of that class of 2009 (this article about him and the youth setup is fantastic: https://bankruptspurs.wordpress.com/2015/08/23/last-season-was-the-greatest-ive-known-as-a-spurs-fan/), but injuries held him back. I said a general rule, and had cases like Mason's in mind as the exceptions.
That article from Bankrupt is a thing of beauty. Sure he used to be a mod, would be worth asking him if we can stick it on the front page here maybe..
It's the best thing I've read about us in years.
It looks though as if bankrupt hasn't posted here since Dec 13, or logged-in since January this year. I'm sure he'll be contactable through his blog site however
A tangent point. I like that we've only got 5/6 players out on loan at the moment (Yedlin, Ward, Ogilvie, Ball, Oduwa [and Coulthirst]).
It feels like a reaction against the appalling Chel53a policy and the laziness of when Sherwood was presiding over the Swindon arrangement.
Some 19-20 year olds do need a loan (Veljkovic is ripe for one, on top of the current lot). But for a lot it just feels like unnecessary stockpiling, to the detriment of the player's career.
I think we should adopt a broad policy of over 21s either needing to make the 25, or be sold/released. That did actually happen last summer (Fredericks and Hall were the two casualties).
At the moment Yedlin is our only overage players out on loan, and I think it's very healthy that there aren't more than that
What happened to his proposed loan to Sporting Gijon?
Just watched the 5 minute highlight of our 7-4 win and (yes i know it was only 5 minutes) but #10 for us showed good vision for his assist before the assist (on our first goal) and some other nice moments in the replay. The video also showed we don't practice corners at that age haha
Any info or insight on #10?
Anthony Georgiou?
I think things have changed
Prior to 2004 - both academy and reserves were a laughing stock
2004-2009 - McDermott and Inglethorpe created a superb academy setup, but Clive Allen's reserves were horrific
2009-2014 - players went from the excellent academy out on loan. This benefitted some (Townsend clocking up 100 appearance), but harmed other (Mason had a series of inappropriate ones and picked up a lot of injuries)
2015-onwards - hopefully a more direct link from academy to first team squad, as seen with Onomah, Winks and McGee
Re Mason - he was always the most talented one of that class of 2009 (this article about him and the youth setup is fantastic: https://bankruptspurs.wordpress.com/2015/08/23/last-season-was-the-greatest-ive-known-as-a-spurs-fan/), but injuries held him back. I said a general rule, and had cases like Mason's in mind as the exceptions.
i've gone back and looked at it again and it was shayon (sp?) harrison. anybody watched him play more than 5 minutes?
Harrison gets a decent amount of goals, twice he's scored four in a single game against Chel53a at u18 level and he has decent talent overall. Physically he's some way off though and struggles up top by himself, he's been playing deeper recently so he may not even end up being a striker - he will have to keep playing there though as we don't really have any other options at u21 level.