Academy & U21s

[Torgeir]

Tyjon, Joseph and Dunn hopefully can make the grade. 

[rigger]

What I couldn't understand was, we were playing against some veteran players, yet played most of the game at walking pace, which suited them down to the ground. I realise that they are trying to play a similar way to the first team, to allow for continuity, but you have to adapt to your oppositions weaknesses if you are going to win games. 

[KentExile]

Propaganda/informative piece (depending upon your perspective) from the head of Rovers academy

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/september/17/bringing-players-through-is-just-what-we-do--says-paul/

Edited Wednesday at 15:09 by KentExile

[bluebruce]

On 16/09/2025 at 09:27, KentExile said:

I think Bruce was first out of the blocks with this one a few weeks ago

 

Weird they're only just announcing it. When I posted it already had a photo of him that I thought was of him signing. Waiting for a slow club news day perhaps.

[philipl]

3 hours ago, rigger said:

What I couldn't understand was, we were playing against some veteran players, yet played most of the game at walking pace, which suited them down to the ground. I realise that they are trying to play a similar way to the first team, to allow for continuity, but you have to adapt to your oppositions weaknesses if you are going to win games. 

Consistently underwhelmed by the lack of game savvy from Sherron- perhaps a Coach at his level isn't there to win games?

It was late 30s against boys and the boys didn't remotely try to run the legs off Rochdale. At the end the veterans looked fresher than our kids did.

[KentExile]

Just now, bluebruce said:

Weird they're only just announcing it. When I posted it already had a photo of him that I thought was of him signing. Waiting for a slow club news day perhaps.

First team signings are often done a day o so before they are announced, to give them time to sort photos, social media nonsense etc, but it seems like a couple of weeks in this case, which seems odd, also still waiting on official confirmation of Finlay Wilkinson joining from Accrington, which apparently happened in July and he has appeared a few times for the U18s since

[KentExile]

6 minutes ago, philipl said:

Consistently underwhelmed by the lack of game savvy from Sherron- perhaps a Coach at his level isn't there to win games?

It was late 30s against boys and the boys didn't remotely try to run the legs off Rochdale. At the end the veterans looked fresher than our kids did.

A coach at U21/U18/U16 etc level is there first and foremost to progress players until they are capable of playing at the next level up

Edited Wednesday at 15:19 by KentExile

[rigger]

9 minutes ago, KentExile said:

A coach at U21/U18/U16 etc level is there first and foremost to progress players until they are capable of playing at the next level up

It doesn't seem to be working.

[KentExile]

1 minute ago, rigger said:

It doesn't seem to be working.

Rovers would probably claim different, although part of that is due to the continual downgrading of the first team

[rigger]

3 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Rovers would probably claim different, although part of that is due to the continual downgrading of the first team

I would substitute Part with Most

[Andy]

I only watched the 2nd half, but the main thing I took from our attacking prospects (ie Tyjon, Dunn, etc) is how lightweight they are.

Technically good, of course, but if you can't handle the physical side, you'll never play at a high level.

The 2 x CBs impressed me though, both comfortable on the ball, good distribution and some nice anticipation - especially from the lighter-haired lad.

[KentExile]

 

U17s won 3-1 away at Man Utd last night in the first game of the PL Cup, Stoke and the Dingles are the other teams in our group

 

Hopefully the club give an update on this at some point, but apparently it was a strong Man Utd side and their fans were surprised by the loss

No idea what side Rovers put out

 

Edited 22 hours ago by KentExile

[arbitro]

The under 21 and under 18 resources will be really stretched next week as we have Middlesbrough in PL 2 on Monday night and Blackpool at 1 pm the following day in the Central League Cup.

In my view it's quite strange scheduling having two games so close to each other.

[KentExile]

33 minutes ago, arbitro said:

The under 21 and under 18 resources will be really stretched next week as we have Middlesbrough in PL 2 on Monday night and Blackpool at 1 pm the following day in the Central League Cup.

In my view it's quite strange scheduling having two games so close to each other.

Maybe they will take the opportunity to play a few fringe players (Forshaw/Gueye/Montgomery/Tyjon/De Neve etc)

Edited 11 hours ago by KentExile

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, KentExile said:

Maybe they will take the opportunity to play a few fringe players (Forshaw/Gueye/Montgomery/Tyjon/De Neve etc)

Perhaps so but there have already been occasions this season (Tuesday at Rochdale for example) when some of them could have been given some game time but weren't. Aside from Carter I can't remember any first team squad player being involved.

In PL 2 you can use six over age players including a goalkeeper.

[KentExile]

10 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Perhaps so but there have already been occasions this season (Tuesday at Rochdale for example) when some of them could have been given some game time but weren't. Aside from Carter I can't remember any first team squad player being involved.

In PL 2 you can use six over age players including a goalkeeper.

Suppose, as there is no U18 game in that midweek, they could pad the numbers out with those & have both sides be a mix of U21s and U18s, or the other option is using the U18s in the game v Blackpool,

They surely can't expect U21s to play 2 games in 24 hours

Edited 9 hours ago by KentExile

[Tugayisgod]

Mike Sheron to leave Rovers

 

 

[philipl]

Good luck to him in the future but was increasingly thinking he was a dinosaur failing to achieve whatever the remit was at his level

[arbitro]

In truth the under 21's have been disappointing this season and having seen them live several times so far he seemed to have been a bit subdued in the technical area.

Probably the right decision although in fairness we don't know the circumstances.

[Trinidad Rover]

I hope this leads to a more progressive and capable coach coming in. The U21s have been poor this season and majority of last.

With the investment Category 1 requires, it needs a top coach.

[Tom]

Which player from the Rudy era will join as under 21 manager? Craig Conway perhaps 

[Roverthechimp]

1 hour ago, Trinidad Rover said:

I hope this leads to a more progressive and capable coach coming in. The U21s have been poor this season and majority of last.

With the investment Category 1 requires, it needs a top coach.

Step forward David Lowe... 👀

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

57 minutes ago, Tom said:

Which player from the Rudy era will join as under 21 manager? Craig Conway perhaps 

Rhodes ? He’s already here.

[1874]

Must be quite a tricky job not being able to play the way you want or to your strengths.

You have to play football the way the first team coach wants. JDT, Eustace and now Val all with different systems.

I feel a bit sorry for Sheron

[rigger]

1 hour ago, 1874 said:

Must be quite a tricky job not being able to play the way you want or to your strengths.

You have to play football the way the first team coach wants. JDT, Eustace and now Val all with different systems.

I feel a bit sorry for Sheron

So Sheron towed the party line, I have no sympathy for him. A good coach should be able to recognise when a system will not work. He accepted to just carry on. People were still paying hard earned money to go and watch that. I will say that I stopped going when the league system changed to no promotion/relegation.