Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Shoody on March 08, 2012, 11:41:19 PM
-
Has signed his first professional contract with the club which will keep him here till June 2014 (bit short imo). Apparently the deal was signed in the summer but only activated when he turned 17.
One of our brightest talents, a Utd fan (which is why I was glad he signed, expected them to try and poach him), if he continues in the bright way he's been playing at youth level then he really could be something, Houllier had told him he could be involved this season around the first team so it will be interesting to see if he comes into the fold in the next 12 months.
Could really be a standout player for us and core part of our future midfield (I have high hopes for Graham, Gardner, Grealish and Crowley).
Academy starlet Jordan Graham has signed his first professional contract with Villa.
The talented winger, who turned 17 on Monday, has put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at the club until June 2014.
Graham first caught the eye last season with a string of appearances in the Barclays Premier Academy League and the FA Youth Cup despite still being a schoolboy.
This term the Coventry-born attacker has been in a rich vein of form for Tony McAndrew's U18 team with a run of six goals from five games at the start of 2012.
As well as making appearances in the reserves and the NextGen Series, Graham has also earned recognition at international level.
He helped England U17s to a victory in the four-team Algarve Tournament last month along with club mates Josh Webb and Callum Robinson.
His long-term aim is to follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduates like Gabby Agbonlahor and Marc Albrighton by starring for Villa's first team.
"I've been here since I was eight and I have just loved every minute of it, I wouldn't change anything," said Graham.
"My long-term goals are obviously to get into the first team or on to the bench.
"If I am playing well in the youth team and the reserves and do what Tony and Kev want me to do then hopefully I can do it.
"Villa produce so many good young players, it is outstanding here.
"The likes of Gabby Agbonlahor, Ciaran Clark and Marc Albrighton are players all of our youth team look at and seeing how they are doing it.
"You look at them and think it is possible for everyone and it drives you to where you want to get to."
-
Good luck to him. Haven't seen much of him in the reserves yet apart from a couple of times when he's come on as a sub, but I've heard rave reviews, so let's hope he lives up to the hype.
-
Didn't United try and poach him a year or so ago?
-
I'm actually amazed he hasn't played more reserve games.
I'd send him out on loan as soon as possible.
-
Tamworth's gaffer Marcus Law does (or did?) some youth coaching at Bodymoor, last Saturday, after slagging him off over the result, a few of us were chatting in the clubhouse with him, the subject got onto which players he reckoned might make it at Villa and he said Jack Grealish, Samir Carruthers and Jordan Graham.
-
Yes, I like all three of them, especially Carruthers. Johnson looks good at that level too.
-
I'm looking forward to see him in action in the first team in the near future.
-
Robinson looks like a natural goalscorer to me too.
-
This is the whole future of our club, I hope they do well, obviously, and not for the fact they'll bring in much needed transfer revenue for our club over the next 10 years...
-
Watching these lads in the Next Gen tournement had me drooling at the prospect of some of them making it though to the first team squad.
I also like the look of Courtney Cameron, the winger. Not the finished article yet, but he's getting there.
-
Call me a cynic, or even a miserable old git. But I've heard it all before.
-
Problem is that any talent they have will be drilled out of them by the current manager. Could see more of future for them if Houllier was still here.
-
Call me a cynic, or even a miserable old git. But I've heard it all before.
YOU MISERABLE OLD GIT!
-
Good luck to him.
-
Problem is that any talent they have will be drilled out of them by the current manager. Could see more of future for them if Houllier was still here.
yes my thoughts exactly, look at Gardner and Bannan I had high hopes for those too and still do but only if McLeish is not in charge
-
Call me a cynic, or even a miserable old git. But I've heard it all before.
Yep, I can see what you mean, Luke & Stefan Moore especially spring to mind.
-
Call me a cynic, or even a miserable old git. But I've heard it all before.
Yep, I can see what you mean, Luke & Stefan Moore especially spring to mind.
So do Gab,Clark,Albrighton. When need something to look forward to in these miserable times,and these youngsters give us some hope. As others have said,id like some of them to be loaned out at 18,19,not two or three years later.
-
Call me a cynic, or even a miserable old git. But I've heard it all before.
Yep, I can see what you mean, Luke & Stefan Moore especially spring to mind.
One of whom was sold for £2m and is still playing in the Premier League. That sounds like a youth team success to me.
-
Problem is that any talent they have will be drilled out of them by the current manager. Could see more of future for them if Houllier was still here.
yes my thoughts exactly, look at Gardner and Bannan I had high hopes for those too and still do but only if McLeish is not in charge
Exactly, no talent will flourish with McCleish in charge
-
Call me a cynic, or even a miserable old git. But I've heard it all before.
Yep, I can see what you mean, Luke & Stefan Moore especially spring to mind.
One of whom was sold for £2m and is still playing in the Premier League. That sounds like a youth team success to me.
IT certainly is a sucess. I have no doubts about that, and it was their own fault they didn't go on to reach their potential, obviously....
-
Call me a cynic, or even a miserable old git. But I've heard it all before.
Yep, I can see what you mean, Luke & Stefan Moore especially spring to mind.
One of whom was sold for £2m and is still playing in the Premier League. That sounds like a youth team success to me.
IT certainly is a sucess. I have no doubts about that, and it was their own fault they didn't go on to reach their potential, obviously....
A fee of £3.5m was reported at the time.
-
It was £3.5m.
-
It was £3.5m.
It was.
We really mugged Albion with that one.
He was diabolical for them.
-
Luke and Stefan wont be going into punditry when they finish playing then...
http://bizzy.co.uk/uk/07134898/taxi-mate
-
The sales of Gardner, Moore and Ridgwell basically funds Ashley Young.
The Academy, if used correctly, is vital to us even if the better ones dont always become top echelon players. They help fund the club. Also, not many other clubs are having such a volume of players coming through to their squads. We'd be screwed without the kids filling in.
And for those saying "I've heard it all before", I understand that. But some of the younger players we have are very promising even by recent standards.
Again, there are no guarantees. If only it we're that simple.