CAT 1 Academy Players

[Isleworth116]

True. Thing is, I find it odd that you have to send a 19yr old to L2 to "toughen them up"?
I'd be wanting my youth players aged 15+ to show talent and physical ability to cope with pro football. The concept of farming them out to say, Burton, seems strange.
I'd be quite brutal about releasing kids who I deemed to be weak-minded or weedy.. they'd have to be sensationally talented for me to even consider overlooking any physical shortcomings.

Good point about physical and mental strength.

For me, mental strength is more important than anything else. I'd pick average footballers with strong characters over good footballers with poor characters.

[SheepRanger]

I was playing in a mens league at 16yrs after U13s and U15s and gave as good as I got.....and gave more!! I dont see anything physical in the modern game even in L2.

####ing pampered lightweights!

[Abseits]

L2 is very competitive. Tough players, don't take prisoners. They're not giving up their place in squad to youngster.

True. Thing is, I find it odd that you have to send a 19yr old to L2 to "toughen them up"?
I'd be wanting my youth players aged 15+ to show talent and physical ability to cope with pro football. The concept of farming them out to say, Burton, seems strange.
I'd be quite brutal about releasing kids who I deemed to be weak-minded or weedy.. they'd have to be sensationally talented for me to even consider overlooking any physical shortcomings.

[Isleworth116]

Yeah, but surely more than 10% of prem academy rejects could make careers at L2.....? You have to question the coaching if they don't. Perhaps the lads give up if they can't make the big money and cant be arsed to make £50k a year in L2. These lads must lack the drive to succeed?

Very strange to me......

L2 is very competitive. Tough players, don't take prisoners. They're not giving up their place in squad to youngster.

[Isleworth116]

Yes. We have simultaneously picked up 2 rejects from other club's academies.

Decent strategy, taking low cost punt on players. Keep doing it, we'll find another Eze.

Key for me, max of two years with development squad. You have to go on loan, play 1st team football. L1, L2 or National League in those two years.

[SheepRanger]

Getting into academy is easy, getting it 1st team incredibly hard.

Yeah, but surely more than 10% of prem academy rejects could make careers at L2.....? You have to question the coaching if they don't. Perhaps the lads give up if they can't make the big money and cant be arsed to make £50k a year in L2. These lads must lack the drive to succeed?

Very strange to me......

[Abseits]

Stats probably correct. We released four Development and eight U18s this summer. None had played for us.

Every club probably release 12 - 20 players every season.

Yes. We have simultaneously picked up 2 rejects from other club's academies.

[Isleworth116]

Getting into academy is easy, getting it 1st team incredibly hard.

[Isleworth116]

To get into an Academy is incredibly hard, yet there still only a 10% chance you'd play only 20 games in the EFL. Yet, we watch players pass the ball around our half without any form of creativity. What the #### are these coaches teaching these lads??

Im sure we all know loads of lads who could play the negative football Marti has produced, yet theyre considered elite footballers?

So many just play Development/ U21 football for years. They look good because "academy football". Family knew fitness coach at Premier league club. His view, agents don't want players to go on loan because they might get "found out".

Development Squad players get better

1, Training with 1st Team every day. Tougher

2. Loan playing 1st team football. Tougher

Always impressed with young players taking chance on loan.

If you're training with Development Squad for 3 years, you're not making it.

[SheepRanger]

Stats probably correct. We released four Development and eight U18s this summer. None had played for us.

Every club probably release 12 - 20 players every season.

To get into an Academy is incredibly hard, yet there still only a 10% chance you'd play only 20 games in the EFL. Yet, we watch players pass the ball around our half without any form of creativity. What the #### are these coaches teaching these lads??

Im sure we all know loads of lads who could play the negative football Marti has produced, yet theyre considered elite footballers?

[Isleworth116]

Stats probably correct. We released four Development and eight U18s this summer. None had played for us.

Every club probably release 12 - 20 players every season.

[cross it Dave]

According to Transfermarket 66% of premiership players are foreigners.

[SheepRanger]

I picked this up from my FB feed. Incredible data, if true?

"97% of former cat 1 academy players now aged 21 to 26 never made an EPL appearance. 70% weren't handed a pro contract at an EPL or EFL club. And only 1 in 10 went on to make more than 20 league appearances in the top four tiers of English football. There will be some absolute world beaters that haven't made the grade because they don't fit the clubs ethos & have unfortunately fell by the wayside".