Manager Watch: Ange Postecoglou

[Snarfalicious]

I think it’ll be interesting to see if Ange can still be successful for us when we become the unquestioned best team in the world and no longer can lean into the underdog mentality. That will be the real test.

 

[Col_M]

I think it’ll be interesting to see if Ange can still be successful for us when we become the unquestioned best team in the world and no longer can lean into the underdog mentality. That will be the real test.

im happy to put that to the test.

 

[Styopa]

I think it’ll be interesting to see if Ange can still be successful for us when we become the unquestioned best team in the world and no longer can lean into the underdog mentality. That will be the real test.

The real test will be when we’ve won 3 Champions Leagues, 4 Premier Leagues, and 2 FA Cups whether Ange is using the academy properly.

 

[mil1lion]

Correct - but all those you name (except Donley) are players we have bought in, the point Hercules made and I supported is about our own academy players.

Sure but the academy has only really started to blossom the last year so we just need to be patient. We need continous success at that level before we start seeing them come in at this level. Bottom line is if they show enough quality in training then Ange has shown age isn't an issue. There's a big jump from youth level to the Premier League so we still need to bridge the gap before throwing them in. This league doesn't allow much opportunity to experiment and we don't have European games against low level opponents where we can test them out. I think the issue is his style of football is very advanced and requires genuine quality to play it. We also haven't been comfortable enough in a lot of games to bring them on and test them.

 

[ssamme]

The real test will be when we’ve won 3 Champions Leagues, 4 Premier Leagues, and 2 FA Cups whether Ange is using the academy properly.

Thought he would have won the last CL and PL using only 16 to 18 year olds

 

[Tucker]

Thought he would have won the last CL and PL using only 16 to 18 year olds

That’s what I always end up doing on FM HG players only!

 

[McFlash]

Correct - but all those you name (except Donley) are players we have bought in, the point Hercules made and I supported is about our own academy players.

Maybe that's because our academy players are all a couple of years younger, at least?
Maybe he just thinks they're not quite ready at just 18, not to mention that they've all got less experience in a proper league than those we've bought in.

Our academy players will get a chance, there's really no rush at the moment.
Are your really suggesting that there's a bias against our own academy products?

 

[Styopa]

And invariably when they do get game time for many the fan verdict ends up somewhere between "theyre ok as a 3rd option squad player" or "not good enough". In reality that is the level of player that populates most academies when the context is a team/club looking to establish a permanent top 4/title contender level.

Yeah. I think our academy has produced some top level footballers over the last ten years or so, if by top level we mean Premier League quality. Even the likes of Townsend and Mason were Premier League level. Steven Caulker played for a number of Premier League teams. Livermore too. Winks will probably return to the Premier League with Leicester next season. Kyle Walker-Peters may return with Southampton.

Then there have been some others like Pritchard and Carroll who never made it at Premier League level but have still forged out careers with some big clubs in the professional game.

So it’s not like the academy has been producing no players. It’s just, as you say, that it’s so competitive to break into a team with our sort of aspirations.

I don’t really keep up with how many academy players are established at other clubs, but it does seem like most of the top clubs are in a similar position to us. That is, most of the best and established players at Man C, Liverpool and Arsenal are players those clubs have bought from elsewhere, with the odd generational academy talent here and there.

All that being said, hopefully we are on the verge of a “golden generation” with our young players- a kind of class of 92 situation. And maybe, sadly, a number of them will leave to become established at the likes of Man C and Liverpool because they are not getting minutes here this season. I guess we will find out.

 

[Gb160]

This won’t be popular but I’ve never really seen what all the fuss is about with regards to ‘using the acedemy’
All I want is success, and if possible playing good football.
I couldn’t really give 2 hoots if our players have come though our academy or if we bought them from a dodgy Chinese seller on eBay.
If I’m really honest I find the obsession about using the academy a bit odd.

 

[fecka]

This won’t be popular but I’ve never really seen what all the fuss is about with regards to ‘using the acedemy’
All I want is success, and if possible playing good football.
I couldn’t really give 2 hoots if our players have come though our academy or if we bought them from a dodgy Chinese seller on eBay.
If I’m really honest I find the obsession about using the academy a bit odd.

IMO it's about sustainability and success over the long term.
Good players from the academy, or players who arrive in time to be club trained according to UEFA, are necessary to register a strong team in Europe and the league.

A good academy -> better HG/club-trained players -> better team of 25.

Not to mention the pride and joy of having a young player come through the ranks after all their hard work. It's just a little nicer.

 

[Gb160]

It’s a fair view, there’s clearly a role for the academy to play, but for me as a fan it’s not something that’s going to get me worked up about, or start digging the manager out about.
It’s just weird that fans on here who must’ve seen next to nothing of these kids, are digging the manager out for not playing them.

 

[Cochise]

I saw a stat last night showing that no one has scored more goals from open play than us. The stat was being used to show how poor Arsenal are from open play, so it was nice that we were top of that little table.

 

[mark87]

Love him

 

[Gassin's finest]

Love him

Did you see how quickly the Bournemouth coach(?) gobbing off backs away once Ange steps in? Big Martin Jol vibes.

 

[PaulM]

This won’t be popular but I’ve never really seen what all the fuss is about with regards to ‘using the acedemy’
All I want is success, and if possible playing good football.
I couldn’t really give 2 hoots if our players have come though our academy or if we bought them from a dodgy Chinese seller on eBay.
If I’m really honest I find the obsession about using the academy a bit odd.

I think an academy is important for lots of reasons. Keeps links with the local community (primarily), gives kids something to dream about and promotes sustainability. What I don't get is the incessant chatter about "throw the kids in" every time a club goes through a bad run (this is definitely not exclusive to us). How often do you hear/see "these bunch of overpaid pricks don't care about the shirt, throw the kids in."

I stop paying attention once I see that sort of nonsense.

 

[Trent Crimm]

I think an academy is important for lots of reasons. Keeps links with the local community (primarily), gives kids something to dream about and promotes sustainability. What I don't get is the incessant chatter about "throw the kids in" every time a club goes through a bad run (this is definitely not exclusive to us). How often do you hear/see "these bunch of overpaid pricks don't care about the shirt, throw the kids in."

I stop paying attention once I see that sort of nonsense.

The academy is a revenue producing business unit knocking out footballers to lower level league clubs for small units of cash. Now and again you may come across a gem that’s better than the others. If you’re thinking otherwise then you are prob misguided. It’s there to sell our homegrown on.

 

[nipponyid]

This is class!

 

[PaulM]

The academy is a revenue producing business unit knocking out footballers to lower level league clubs for small units of cash. Now and again you may come across a gem that’s better than the others. If you’re thinking otherwise then you are prob misguided. It’s there to sell our homegrown on.

Agreed that's part of it and would come under sustainability for me. You get a handful into the first team, you sell most on.

 

[tubbygold]

This is class!

For some reason I get the feeling Christian Bale would be a brilliant CB. Bring him in.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Did you see how quickly the Bournemouth coach(?) gobbing off backs away once Ange steps in? Big Martin Jol vibes.

I’d love to see Big Ange & Martin Jol in a WWE tag team cage match against Legohead Arteta and gobshite Klopp *someone photoshop this*