Academy & U21s

[oozy]

Leading 2-1 now

[only2garners]

Won 2-1 and into the quarter finals.

[oozy]

Well done to the lads. Won 2-1.

Going from strength to strength. Top of the league and through to the last 8 now

[arbitro]

Although Rovers dominated most aspects of the game we just couldn't get the killer third goal which made for a nervy last ten minutes. Once again lots of potential was shown in the build up play but at times we lacked that cutting edge. Still it's nice to go through and the youngsters have another chance to showcase their undoubted ability.

[rigger]

The game should have been a lot easier than it was. We had total control, until we lost our two best players in Batty and Phillips to injuries within a few minutes of each other. This let Wednesday back into the game, but even though it was a nervous last ten minutes, we still made chances. Wharton had a game to forget, although I thought he looked injured from the start. But as always it's the result that matters. Gent had a good game when he came on for Batty. I hope Battys injury is not a hamstring, but it did look like it.  

[47er]

On 27/01/2022 at 03:29, bluebruce said:

That's good, a start like that should ensure he gets chances in their team, at least for a while. Bit mad to see Oldham and Scunthorpe both bottom of League Two. Particularly Oldham, a former Premiership club. Has a team who has been in the Prem ever been relegated out of the pro leagues?

Could we count Wimbledon?

[bluebruce]

32 minutes ago, 47er said:

Could we count Wimbledon?

I considered that but I'd have to say no! Technically a different club that never entered the Prem. Dunno if they've been relegated to that level or not either, didn't they just reform in non league and get promoted back up?

[riverholmes]

I don't know of the seriousness of Ash Phillips' injury today - it could be minor, for all I know. However, I am concerned that the club might be overplaying him, given that he's 16 and playing regularly for the U23s, against men much older than him. He might be very strong and tall for his age but I think the club need to be careful of overlooking the reality of his age. I believe he's had a couple of injuries so far this season.

Edited January 28, 2022 by riverholmes

[rigger]

7 hours ago, riverholmes said:

I don't know of the seriousness of Ash Phillips' injury today - it could be minor, for all I know. However, I am concerned that the club might be overplaying him, given that he's 16 and playing regularly for the U23s, against men much older than him. He might be very strong and tall for his age but I think the club need to be careful of overlooking the reality of his age. I believe he's had a couple of injuries so far this season.

Battys injury looked worse than the one for Phillips. He had been feeling the back of his leg the whole second half. Why don't our coaching staff notice these things ?

Edited January 28, 2022 by rigger

[1864roverite]

9 hours ago, riverholmes said:

I don't know of the seriousness of Ash Phillips' injury today - it could be minor, for all I know. However, I am concerned that the club might be overplaying him, given that he's 16 and playing regularly for the U23s, against men much older than him. He might be very strong and tall for his age but I think the club need to be careful of overlooking the reality of his age. I believe he's had a couple of injuries so far this season.

It never hampered Wayne Rooney

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

10 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

It never hampered Wayne Rooney

You don’t get many Wayne Rooney’s. He was a man at 17.

[Colt Seavers]

16 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You don’t get many Wayne Rooney’s. He was a man at 17.

But still a child at 35.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, rigger said:

The game should have been a lot easier than it was. We had total control, until we lost our two best players in Batty and Phillips to injuries within a few minutes of each other. This let Wednesday back into the game, but even though it was a nervous last ten minutes, we still made chances. Wharton had a game to forget, although I thought he looked injured from the start. But as always it's the result that matters. Gent had a good game when he came on for Batty. I hope Battys injury is not a hamstring, but it did look like it.  

Batty is alright, cramp, luckily nothing long term. Don't know on Ash Phillips

[Guest]

Most of the lads pretty disappointed with the way they played. But it was always going to be a different type of test against a team they have never played before who have never really done this well in the FAYC. You could see how gutted the Sheff Wed players were at the end. I thought Charlie Weston was fantastic in the middle, Batty & Phillips did what they always do and also a special mention for Jay Haddow who made some great runs from RB in the 1st half especially.

[K-Hod]

1 hour ago, 1864roverite said:

It never hampered Wayne Rooney

True, but he was burnt out before his time…

[oldjamfan1]

1 minute ago, K-Hod said:

True, but he was burnt out before his time…

Its happened to a few who broke through at ridiculously early ages; off the top of my head I can think of Michael Owen and Norman Whiteside who were both goosed by the time they were 30. Giggs is the obvious exception to that rule I suppose.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

8 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Its happened to a few who broke through at ridiculously early ages; off the top of my head I can think of Michael Owen and Norman Whiteside who were both goosed by the time they were 30. Giggs is the obvious exception to that rule I suppose.

You need to look after yourself off the field. Look at Ronaldo and Messi. I don’t know about Owen but Whiteside liked a drink too much for his own good allegedly.

[1864roverite]

29 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

True, but he was burnt out before his time…

I think he has had a marvellous footballing career. Maybe his alleged use of cougars, gilfs and prostitutes are the reason why he burned out so quickly😅

[oldjamfan1]

19 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You need to look after yourself off the field. Look at Ronaldo and Messi. I don’t know about Owen but Whiteside liked a drink too much for his own good allegedly.

Most of that 80s united team did as far as I remember.

[speeeeeeedie]

On 10/01/2022 at 16:19, Sparks Rover said:

I think they do more harm than good in general from such an early age...kids get a flash of a pro club at 7 and it completely changes the way his parents view his entire junior/youth football from 6-16 ....then they realise their kid was never going to be a pro and its a wasted 10 years of moving from top grassroots to another one, trialling etc....kids should be left until they are 15/16 but with schools having relationships with pro clubs and pro clubs funding representative football and schools facilities, town teams and county schools.  They should sign for a pro club in Y11 along with a scholarship.

I agree with you that 7 & 8 years old is far too early to go to a pro club. I've told the tale of my young nephew who had to find a new team last September as the majority of his old team went to pro academies. None of them will be pro footballers, but parents are sold a dream by a smooth talking upstart in a fancy tracksuit.

Clubs could also chip in to provide coaching courses so club sides have qualified staff. 

The argument from clubs is that how it is now works. England youth cup winners, a semi final and a final for the national team. Good players all over the place. Why change?

However, would those players still thrive in a different environment? Each future star needs 10 other players to play with. Parents need to be aware that more often than not their kid is there to make up the numbers so that the one that the club thinks will make it gets a game. 

[briansol]

5 hours ago, JoeH said:

Most of the lads pretty disappointed with the way they played. But it was always going to be a different type of test against a team they have never played before who have never really done this well in the FAYC. You could see how gutted the Sheff Wed players were at the end. I thought Charlie Weston was fantastic in the middle, Batty & Phillips did what they always do and also a special mention for Jay Haddow who made some great runs from RB in the 1st half especially.

Totally agree, Weston was by far the best player on the pitch. Seems to have all the tools to be a complete all-round midfielder. 

[Sparks Rover]

7 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

The argument from clubs is that how it is now works. England youth cup winners, a semi final and a final for the national team. Good players all over the place. Why change?

Not a great argument.  We ruin the childhoods of 90% so we can put a decent 11 out when they are 19.  Too much too soon...

[speeeeeeedie]

16 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Not a great argument.  We ruin the childhoods of 90% so we can put a decent 11 out when they are 19.  Too much too soon...

I agree with you, but clubs are a selfish lot and they aren't concerned with the greater good.

[rigger]

Get down to Leyland on Friday night, see the young lads, Dacky and maybe even Rothwell.

[riverholmes]

Billy Barr's U23 side that did so well last year, outdoing Mowbray, in a way, by successfully playing 4-3-3 to compete with the Premiership U23s is in danger of sinking without trace, as it were. It's as if they did too well last year.

Star man from that year, McBride, with 12 goals, I think, and nominated for player of the year, alongside players like Cole Palmer of City, was in demand for loans last summer and now finds himself on loan at Queen's Park. His contract is said to expire this summer, so it's not clear the club will keep him.

When the first team needed a forward in the midst of our injury crisis, Mowbray turned to our new full back, Zeefuik, to play as a forward. Ayala did a stint there too.

I think Mowbray is making a mistake by not giving some of these young players chances, especially, when others are injured. Surely, Zeefuik shouldn't be starting as a forward ahead of our young U23 forwards who have been playing at that level for a few years?

It raises, again, the point of having an U23 side, if there isn't meaningful opportunities for promotion. I feel that it'll be a mistake to let McBride go this summer without having tried to integrate him with the firsts but time will tell.

Should Hedges have a recurrence of his early season hamstring injury and a few others be unavailable, we will be scratching around again.

 

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by riverholmes