Quote from: dave.woodhall on May 15, 2021, 12:06:24 AMIt's been reckoned that if you can get two players from a two-year cycle to make it at the level your senior team are playing at you're doing well. That would be doing ridiculously well. You would hope that by the time these lads are ready to be first-team players, they're going to have to displace players in a team that's challenging for European places. That's a VERY high bar. Man City won it last year, and I think it's only Liam Delap who's had so much as a sniff of a first-team appearance since then.I think a lot of our current youth side will have careers as professional footballers (at least similar to the 7 or 8 from our 2001 winning side), but if we get two from this team to become regular first-team players for us (at the very top end of the league) I'll be absolutely delighted!I wonder if there are any stats out there about which academy produces the most professionals across the leagues?
It's been reckoned that if you can get two players from a two-year cycle to make it at the level your senior team are playing at you're doing well.
Quote from: malckennedy on May 15, 2021, 10:53:59 AMQuote from: cdward on May 15, 2021, 10:46:24 AMGreat to see Grealish and McGinn in attendance at the game. Shows how the club is really pulling in the right direction.Just one question, who are the Little brothers? The commentators were talking about the Revans, the Gardners the Moores, and the Little brothers?Brian and Alan.Both played in the 1972 FA Youth Cup Final.Alan was less God-like than Brian.
Quote from: cdward on May 15, 2021, 10:46:24 AMGreat to see Grealish and McGinn in attendance at the game. Shows how the club is really pulling in the right direction.Just one question, who are the Little brothers? The commentators were talking about the Revans, the Gardners the Moores, and the Little brothers?Brian and Alan.
Great to see Grealish and McGinn in attendance at the game. Shows how the club is really pulling in the right direction.Just one question, who are the Little brothers? The commentators were talking about the Revans, the Gardners the Moores, and the Little brothers?
Last night was interesting for me...there were a lot of names knocking around. First to arrive was Sir Brian Little followed by some of the first team coaching staff and U23 group. Neil Cuttler, Boateng, Mark Delaney. All came over to the WBA ‘area’ and said ‘hello’. Big Sam landed with Sammy Lee. Obviously they all seem to know each other...social distancing out of the window.Deans and JT were next in, again they came over to welcome everyone. Both very affable. Delano enjoyed me working at WBA, but supporting Villa, ‘win win for you tonight’.The best was yet to come for me as I had a few minutes with Jack and SJM at half time, both really good lads. They enjoyed seeing my young lads in Villa kits with ‘Grealish’ and ‘McGinn’ on the back. SJM particularly enjoyed ‘the wee man’. Jack commented that he hadn’t focused much on education while in the Academy system...SJM said ‘you can tell’. I have to admit, I was a bit start struck. The game was dominated by Villa and Big Sam commentated for anyone round him throughout the whole game. He particularly liked ‘the 10’ for Villa and his runs forward. Smithy is correct with the success rate, if one or two make the first team regularly in the next couple of years, we would have done well. The rest will make a decent fist of it in the lower leagues. A lot of lower league clubs see kids graduate to the first team, the issue Cat 2 or 3 players have is if they are released its very difficult to be picked up and you return to grassroots. At Cat 1 clubs, if you are released there’s a chance you’ll be picked up by a lower level club. What i have learnt in the last 6 months is it is a brutally tough business. Kids are offered 2 and 3 year contracts, others are told ‘no thanks’ and although help and support is offered, they are naturally devastated. We had two who simply disengaged from training and education when told. It’s like splitting up from your first girlfriend...the love of your life. Agents are also heavily involved, demanding better contracts and signing fees (for a 17/18 year old). They also promise the lads the earth, ‘you’ve been released by XXX, no problem, I’ve got you a trial period at West Ham, Watford, Palace...’. One of our boys is expecting to fly to the US for trials at Inter Miami, because his agent has said ‘they’re interested’. The boy has barely played during his two year scholarship, a sub appearance here and there.It’s tough. For every Captain Jack, there are hundreds on the other side of the fence.
I work in the academy at WBA.
Quote from: Rotterdam on May 15, 2021, 11:48:26 AMI work in the academy at WBA. My son coached for a couple of years at the Leeds academy. I can certainly corroborate your last paragraph: the highly-inflated ambitions and the hard bump that many experience as reality bites.Thanks for sharing last night's experience with us. I thought both sides looked really good, and it took some class from Barry and Chuk for us to make the difference. I liked the look of WBA's Rico Richards and the two CB Taylor and Ashworth.
Villa are potentially involved with Shrewsbury, so increasing the range. It’s well noted Villa academy has recruited very aggressively in the last 18mths. Lots of dosh spent.
Paul Appiah is the player I liked having seen him for Villa twice times this year. He’s big strong and can play either CB or RB. Villa were also missing Ramsay Jnr. Who is also class.
It’s well noted Villa academy has recruited very aggressively in the last 18mths. Lots of dosh spent.