Academy & U21s

[KentExile]

7 hours ago, Parsonblue said:

I think John Prince was taking the team with Tuffy assisting.  It was a pretty dull affair, particularly in the second-half.  Fully agree with arbitro about Batty.  Really needs to move on for his own sake.  Looks totally disinterested at Under-21 level and also caught out of position on so many occasions.

Another game for the Under-21's today which I expect to be a very young side.

Seems you are right, and this situation will remain until Sherons successor is appointed

 

[KentExile]

2 minutes ago, arbitro said:

A lot is expected of Silver Eze but he looked cumbersome and slow today particularly in the first half. He did look a bit sharper in the second half though. The replacement for Valentin Joseph, Christian Mbonzale had us flummoxed but a quick search told us he was born in August 2011 (if the information was accurate) and signed last year from Irlam Town. Physically he didn't look out of place and showed some nice touches.

The youngsters looked deflated at full time but the naivety in game management really cost them.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/march/09/rovers-u13s-reach-national-final-/

https://cascais.ibercup.com/en/master/player/90597/stats

Some info on Mbonzale, which may or may not be exactly what you found

[arbitro]

1 minute ago, KentExile said:

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/march/09/rovers-u13s-reach-national-final-/

https://cascais.ibercup.com/en/master/player/90597/stats

Some info on Mbonzale, which may or may not be exactly what you found

That is pretty much what we gleaned at the game. The lad is 14 (only just 14 btw) though and is already huge. Incredible really that he was plying his trade with on league Irlam Town up to last year. Rovers would have had to get permission for him to miss school this afternoon 😂.

[KentExile]

10 minutes ago, arbitro said:

That is pretty much what we gleaned at the game. The lad is 14 (only just 14 btw) though and is already huge. Incredible really that he was plying his trade with on league Irlam Town up to last year. Rovers would have had to get permission for him to miss school this afternoon 😂.

Apparently signed for Rovers in 2022

 

[bigsigarner]

Is the keeper a relation of Suhails? As bad as I've seen at this level. 

[KentExile]

4 minutes ago, bigsigarner said:

Is the keeper a relation of Suhails? As bad as I've seen at this level. 

We brought him in from Palace in 2022, his contract was extended during the summer (surprisingly in my opinion), he has been called up for the senior Pakistan team once or twice which think says more about the lack of quality in their squad than it does his ability

[Parsonblue]

A really disappointing performance in the second half today.  Despite being in a strong position at 2-0 and then 3-1, the youngsters lost control and then failed to do the basics in terms of defending.  Blackpool, who don't have an under-21 team, looked a pretty decent outfit.  This was a steep learning curve for our youngsters but hopefully, one that will benefit them in the future.

A Blackpool fan informed me that James Butterworth, who scored a couple for the visitors when he came on as a second-half sub, is the son of John Butterworth - a former youth  and reserve player for us in the early 1990s who many will remember from when Jim Furnell was running the youth set up.