NextGen - Marseille

[Hoppo]

Thanks for the reply.

[Mister E]

Email to season ticket holders from AVFC

Dear Pauline

First of all I would like to thank those of you who came out in force to cheer on the U19 team .... squad will fly out on May 15 with the tournament taking place on the weekend of May 19 and 20.

Brilliant letter, Pauline. Who signed it - Bryan Jones or someone else?

[Shoody]

I love our youth team and always thought we would get trounced by Ajax. Seeing us destroy Ajax is fantastic made me think they were perhaps a bit of a poor patch of Ajax players, but Ajax managed to beat Barca 3-0. Even though anybody can beat anybody on their day it speaks really highly of our guys to  beat a world class youth system like the Ajax lads. Hope we did enough to allow us to stay in next year.

Lads I think will make it at Villa:

Gardner, Grealish, Graham, Siegrist, Clark, Crowley

all look like they could be fantastic 'top top' players. If they can meet their potential.. but it seems like we've been saying this about our youth graduates for years. But even still these 6 are (or have been) all tipped to be great players. If they all made it, it would be fucking superb. Especially the four midfielders. Garnder has been linked to Madrid and Inter in the past. I know Arsenal fans have called Grealish one of the best academy players in the country and, him being a Utd fan, it wouldnt surprise me if Man U came in for Graham if he isnt tied down.

[Steve R]

Well done to whoever sent that letter out. We have every reason to be proud of what we do and what we achieve at junior levels.

My guess is that Guzan will leave to find first team football at the end of his contract. I don't know what Marshall will do - anyone any thoughts as to whether Siegrist is good enough yet to be considered as Given's deputy?

[Shoody]

Doubt it, he's been out injured for the reserves hasnt he? think he'd need to go on loan and do well in the Championship before he could become deputy. Purely because i think, with Shay, our number 2 will have a fair bit of match time over the coming years. Guzan probably earnt the teams trust with some great performances, mainly Sunderland in the Cup.. not sure it would be the same with Siegrist but then again, until you give the lad a chance he can't earn their trust.

Still think a loan would do him good when he's ready

[gervilla]

Grealish is doing well at international level. 4 goals in 5 games for the Irish under 17s.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/kfidmhmhqlgb/rss2/

[not3bad]

Would be good to have a sticky thread where we can discuss the reserve and youth team(s) and players.

[dave.woodhall]

Would be good to have a sticky thread where we can discuss the reserve and youth team(s) and players.

Good call.

[villajk]

Email to season ticket holders from AVFC

Dear Pauline

First of all I would like to thank those of you who came out in force to cheer on the U19 team .... squad will fly out on May 15 with the tournament taking place on the weekend of May 19 and 20.

Brilliant letter, Pauline. Who signed it - Bryan Jones or someone else?

It was indeed Bryan jones.  Thought that was in my copy but obviously it wasn't.

[old man villa fan]

Email to season ticket holders from AVFC

Dear Pauline

First of all I would like to thank those of you who came out in force to cheer on the U19 team in the NextGen Series quarter-final against Marseille. The atmosphere created by the 3,500 supporters at Villa Park made the occasion feel even greater for our young players. We are extremely proud of the way the team performed, although we are disappointed not to be progressing to a semi-final against Inter Milan. We created a host of chances but were unable to take them on the night and we were unfortunate to lose 2-1 in extra-time. Nevertheless, the tournament has been a fantastic experience for the players and staff and we look forward to it next year. Just two of this year’s squad – Gary Gardner and Benjamin Siegrist – will be too old to compete in the 2012-13 NextGen Series so most of our players will go into next year’s competition having already gained experience of facing top European opposition. Five members of our NextGen squad – Gary Gardner, Derrick Williams, Daniel Johnson, Samir Carruthers and Graham Burke – now have first team squad numbers, proving that the Aston Villa production line is still rolling.

The NextGen Series has been a real eye-opener in terms of learning about the styles and philosophies of foreign teams and players. Sometimes there is a feeling of trepidation among young English players about facing their counterparts from the continent because it is often drummed into us that the French, German or Spanish youth development models are superior to ours. But people are starting to appreciate how good our system is. I think we are among the best in Europe and the results are there to prove that. It is something that we have to get into the mindsets of players.

The U18 team are currently going through a purple patch in the Barclays Premier Academy League, making an unbeaten start to 2012. Three highly-rated members of that squad also shone on the international stage this week by helping England U17s clinch the Algarve Tournament title. Striker Callum Robinson, winger Jordan Graham and defender Joshua Webb all featured prominently in the four-team tournament, which pitted England against Holland, France and hosts Portugal. It was extremely pleasing to see Callum score the goal that clinched the title in Monday’s decisive clash against France. After winning 2-1 against Portugal in the first match, England drew 2-2 with Holland before being confirmed as champions by beating France 2-1. The reports we have received on Callum, Jordan and Joshua have been very positive. From a development point of view it is great experience for them to go and represent their country in an overseas tournament, while it offers some of our even younger players the opportunity to step up to the U18 squad in their absence. Having so many internationals in the ranks is also a boost for the academy. In addition to the three England boys, winger Jack Grealish and defender Brad Lewis are currently away in Portugal with Republic of Ireland U17s.

As you may have read in the national press, the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) has been approved by the shareholders of the Premier League and will come into effect on July 1. It means academies across the country will be graded into four categories and we hope to achieve elite status by obtaining a Category 1 license.

Finally, I am pleased to confirm that we have been invited back to the Hong Kong International Soccer 7s in May. It will be the 11th time that Aston Villa have taken part in the tournament and we have lifted the trophy on five occasions. We originally started going across to the Far East for the experience of playing in humidity and heat. It is a well-organised tournament and the likes of Gabby Agbonlahor, Nathan Delfouneso, Barry Bannan and Marc Albrighton are among those to have represented Villa at previous Soccer 7s competitions. Our U19 squad will fly out on May 15 with the tournament taking place on the weekend of May 19 and 20.

It's good to see that youth football is being organised at each age level to be a platform to produce footballers of the future.

There was a time when past schoolboy level there was only youth team, reserves and 1st team.  With only one substitute, the reserves were generally full of out of favour players (with performances that were an embarrasment at times), players coming back from injury and a few bright youngsters.

The academy system seems to be finally kicking in.  Hopefully, this will see more British players coming through to replace the foreign mercenaries that seem to come and go in common regularity.  I firmly believe this is turning supporters away from the game, almost as much as high prices.

As a big club, we are able to support a large academy and we have the facilities and the coaches to attract the best.  We now have to find the way to make the transition to 1st team squad seemless.  At the present it is a massive stepped change and this is why we see so many young players not being able to make the grade.  As a club, we owe it to the young players to support them if they do not make the grade here as some of them will have given up so much from their early teens to try and make it with us.

[Percy McCarthy]

Ta for posting Pauline, great read that.

[Billy Walker]

The development of the youngsters is the thing that is keeping me going at the moment and I'm glad to see the club communicating in this way.  On a similar-ish theme, I stumbled across this article on The Guardian the other day (it's a few months old), which points to the way Villa are trying to do things:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/oct/11/aston-villa-30-mile-rule

If it all comes together and we produce a top class side of our own players then it would be beyond fantastic.

[Small Rodent]

I caught something in passing the other day that Liverpool, although beaten by Spurs in the QF were through to the semis because of something Spurs did illegally.

Anyone know what it is?

[Dante Lavelli]

The BBC have done a short article on the competition.  No mention of us, but it's good that the tournament is getting recognition as we're in it next year too, so it might help us poach a few more promising youngsters.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17321840

[Billy Walker]

Result of Semi:

Liverpool (who jammed their way to the semi by default) 0

Ajax 6