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Spurs under 21, under 18 Leagues and other youth news

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not_tenth-again

Well-Known Member
Jun 19, 2009
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jambreck said:
I know that our youth teams have been short on defenders of late but, actually, in terms of genuine top class youth graduates, the only players of real note to have come through the Spurs academy system over the past 20 years are all defenders. Two of them among the best defenders that England has ever produced. Ledley, of course. And, we have to admit, Campbell. Steven Carr was also an excellent player before becoming shite after knee injury. More recently, Steven Caulker is also sure to have a decent career at Premier League level, fitness allowing.

If there's a position that we've consistently failed to develop from our youth system, it's striker. Peter Crouch has had a good career but the vast majority of it hasn't been with Spurs. Other than that, we've had a series of shockers and disappointments. The last genuinely capable striker we produced and kept was Mark Falco - more than 30 years ago. And as good a player as he was, no one could argue that he was from the top drawer, like Ledley and Campbell.

More than anything else, I'd be thrilled to see a genuine superstar striker come through our ranks and stay with the club, enjoying a long and outstanding career at club and international level. Like Ledley - only, at the other end of the pitch and without the injuries.

I thought that Terry Dixon might have been that player but fate dealt him a cruel hand.
Click to expand...

On the very little ive seen Oduwa looks a stand out prospect.

Shame Shaq hasnt kicked on - loss of next gen really affected his development.

Fingers crossed for kane too.
 
Spursidol

Spursidol

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2007
12,636
15,834
Shea said:
I wasn't suggesting he was prolific - just that he seemed to have been all but written off and sent out on an unsuccessful loan spell and recently I have noticed his name back in the team and scoring goals on a couple of occasions so I asked you (as someone who knows about the youth teams) whether you were not including him because he was unlikely to make the break through or because he's not a conventional youth player having come in from outside

Coulthirst has already made a first team appearance now - although being the knee jerk judgemental fool that I am I was displeased with his reactions and positioning to fail to take advantage of a chance from a shot which rebounded off the keeper (not that this is anything like enough to judge him - I just think a more natural striker may have pounced)

Do you personally think Coulthirst will ever become a first team Spurs player? What about Lancaster? I seem to remember him making his way up to the Europa league bench once or twice also
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A general problem with all youth playes is the limited news - excluding when they are playing in scheduled u18/u21 (and last year u19 Nextgen) plus some tournaments when youth team watchers can see them. So there may be situations (including injury) which affect the player but none of the youth watchers are aware of.

Its also worth pointing out that players mature at different rates - so Tom Carroll who was the runt of the litter and could not beg a game in the first 18 months of his Academy Scholarship emerged in the last 6 months as the star of the show and hasn't looked back since. Equally John Bostock hailed as a future England captain at 17 bombed out. And even at a later stage Altion Thelwell outshone Ledley King on his first team debut - but Alton went downhill in the next 10 games whilst Ledley went on to being......well one of the best CB's in UK or Europe.

So, recognising that, at this stage, I am hoping Coulibaly becomes a PL player - but not sure he will be top class, he's too Defoe like (without getting offside so much !). Coulthirst (same age) I have higher hopes for - but its still all yet to prove, he's a punt in betting terms.

Lancaster was injured for 18 months of his 2 year Academy scholarship and often injured since (including now) - so I'd guess Spurs will need to take a decision of not renewing his contract in June 2014 or renewing if they think he will be relatively injury free in the future.
 
Spursidol

Spursidol

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2007
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TottenhamLegend said:
Is that definite?

I ask, because I remember he replaced George Green in a previous squad. Just checking you haven't read an old article!
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The Updated Squad

Goalkeepers: Ted Smith (Southend United), Callum Burton (Shrewsbury Town).

Defenders: Kyle Knoyle (West Ham United), Reece Burke (West Ham United), Brendan Galloway (MK Dons), Ashley Smith-Brown (Manchester City), Ben Chilwell (Leicester City).

Midfielders: Bryn Morris (Middlesbrough), William Miller (Tottenham Hotspur), Reece Brown (Birmingham City), Harry Winks (Tottenham Hotspur).

Forwards: Brandon Barker (Manchester City), Dean Rittenberg (Blackburn Rovers), Nathan Oduwa (Tottenham Hotspur)*, Emmanuel Sonupe (Tottenham Hotspur), Bradley Fewster (Middlesbrough).

* Replaces George Green (Everton).

The game with Belgium is to be played behind closed doors for invited guests only.



Read more at http://www.thefa.com/news/england/d...d-for-belgium-game-040214#lZFhUYOYIybuCSpe.99
 
Spursidol

Spursidol

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2007
12,636
15,834
jambreck said:
Welbeck is probably the best striker they've produced over the past 30 years.

Although it should be remembered that Paul Scholes began his career as a striker - and he genuinely was a world class player.

Remember also that the last decent striker to come through our youth ranks to the first team was Mark Falco. And while decent, he probably wasn't even at Welbeck's level.

Come to think of it, have we ever produced a top drawer striker?

Certainly none come to mind post WW2. Les Bennett of the Push and Run team probably as good as it gets but he never even represented England.
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I'd be surprised if Wellbeck matched Falco's 89 goals in 213 appearances for Spurs. Mark Falco was underrated as with many of our youth products - not top class but the envy of many PL (or equivalent) teams. If we get one or two equivalent from our youth prospects over the next few years, I will not complain, although an uber striker would be ideal !.
http://www.topspurs.com/thfc-fp-index.htm

I'd suggest Welback is closer to Chris Jones - if he makes enough appearances
 
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S

Shea

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2013
7,711
10,930
Spursidol said:
I'd be surprised if Wellbeck matched Falco's 89 goals in 213 appearances for Spurs. Mark Falco was underrated as with many of our youth products - not top class but the envy of many PL (or equivalent) teams. If we get one or two equivalent from our youth prospects over the next few years, I will not complain, although an uber striker would be ideal !.
http://www.topspurs.com/thfc-fp-index.htm
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One of my dad's famous Spurs 'facts' from before my time is that we had both Falco and Kerrie Dixon come through our youth ranks at the same time and had to choose between them - my dad suggesting we made a terrible mistake by allowing Dixon to leave who became a star with Chelsea while Falco was underwhelming (according to my dad - I never say him play)

I also dunno why we HAD to choose between the two - I suspect the choice to allow Dixon to leave was I dependant of Falco and this is one of several facts I took for gospel as a kid only to find out in adulthood my dad was wrong
 
Spursidol

Spursidol

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2007
12,636
15,834
Shea said:
One of my dad's famous Spurs 'facts' from before my time is that we had both Falco and Kerrie Dixon come through our youth ranks at the same time and had to choose between them - my dad suggesting we made a terrible mistake by allowing Dixon to leave who became a star with Chelsea while Falco was underwhelming (according to my dad - I never say him play)

I also dunno why we HAD to choose between the two - I suspect the choice to allow Dixon to leave was I dependant of Falco and this is one of several facts I took for gospel as a kid only to find out in adulthood my dad was wrong
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Sorry to doubt your Dad's story, but Dixon was released without playing a game. If they had been seen as 'rivals' I'd have thiought Dixon would have been given a few games in the first team to see how he played - but he was not

20/20 hindsight we should have kept both - but we also released Garry Hopper who was good at Celtic and is a Pl striker at Norwich. It happens !

Wellbeck = Chris Jones (37 goals in 164 appearances in 70's/80's) rather than Mark Falco ?
 
Y

yankspurs

Enic Out
Aug 22, 2013
41,986
71,405
I hope to see some of these guys break into the squad this year. Really want to see Milos Veljkovic, Kevin Stewart, and Gareth Bale at some point. Oh, I mean Kenneth McEvoy. Kill it in the first leg against Dnipro so we can give some of these guys a run out in the home leg.
 
rabbikeane

rabbikeane

Well-Known Member
Mar 29, 2005
6,980
12,825
Shea said:
What about Lancaster? I seem to remember him making his way up to the Europa league bench once or twice also
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I'll be surprised if he's still here next season, opportunity ruined by injury.
Although we've kept on guys like Obika, Dawkins and Barnard into their mid 20s now and before.
 
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