Spurs under 21, under 18 Leagues and other youth news

[Spursidol]

I think there's truth in what you both say. It's clear that Townsend's cutting in was a tactic from AVB but at the same time BC is right that Townsend overused it and didn't make the right decisions often enough. Townsend is just approaching 23 though. I think it's ridiculous if people suggest we cast him out for one up and down season.

The cutting in tactic was certainly way over used - so my question was why the coach was tolerating it and not encouraging Townsend to cross (something which he showed he could do well v Dinamo Tiblisi in his first game for Spurs last season) or cut back - both of which seemed to virtually disapear from Townsend's game under AVB. So my inference is that AVB was either actively way over encouraging the cut in and shoot tactic (and for Spurs this semed to be one of the most commonly used attacking threats under AVB) or not coaching Townsend to use other tactics such as crissing/cut backs.

At its most basic you tell the player to use them each at least 3 times in a game. , so minimal thinking required if the player decision making isn't good - and since even that wasn't happening its most likely that AVB was NOT telling him to use other tactics.

The alternative explanation is that AVB tried coaching Townsend and failed - but I cannot see that as over 20 odd games, AVB would simply have dropped him for disibedience - AVB's reputation is very much as 'his way or no way'. So I think we can disregard that as a likely possibility

 

[newbie]

The cutting in tactic was certainly way over used - so my question was why the coach was tolerating it and not encouraging Townsend to cross (something which he showed he could do well v Dinamo Tiblisi in his first game for Spurs last season) or cut back - both of which seemed to virtually disapear from Townsend's game under AVB. So my inference is that AVB was either actively way over encouraging the cut in and shoot tactic (and for Spurs this semed to be one of the most commonly used attacking threats under AVB) or not coaching Townsend to use other tactics such as crissing/cut backs.

At its most basic you tell the player to use them each at least 3 times in a game. , so minimal thinking required if the player decision making isn't good - and since even that wasn't happening its most likely that AVB was NOT telling him to use other tactics.

The alternative explanation is that AVB tried coaching Townsend and failed - but I cannot see that as over 20 odd games, AVB would simply have dropped him for disibedience - AVB's reputation is very much as 'his way or no way'. So I think we can disregard that as a likely possibility

I think you have to add a lack of options under AVB we lacked runners to create space, and players in the box.

 

[yankspurs]

Agree with all that.

The painful truth is that we have over 30 players who count as over 21 players in 2014-15 - and even without those at the World CUp, we still have about 25 players. Maybe Poch is initially looking at only the over 21's ? Both Pritchard and Veljkovic wil be u 21's in the coming season and maybe Poch thinks he's just got too many players to look at already.

The only other explanation is that for some reason (minor injuries etc) they may not have started training yet.

But its not looking good for the youth if Poch is not involving them at this early stage - he does not need to make a decision on selling the youngsters its the over 21's who need that kind of decision making at thios early stage of pre-season training, but for all the over 21's and u21's its a question at to how they play and where they can play that Poch needs to assess so excluding the u21's is VERY bad news if that is happening .

Hopefully once guys like Ade, Dawson, BAE, Khumalo, Lennon get sold he brings up youth. But yeah pritchard and veljkovic really should be with the team right now.

 

[mpickard2087]

Agree with all that.

The painful truth is that we have over 30 players who count as over 21 players in 2014-15 - and even without those at the World CUp, we still have about 25 players. Maybe Poch is initially looking at only the over 21's ? Both Pritchard and Veljkovic wil be u 21's in the coming season and maybe Poch thinks he's just got too many players to look at already.

The only other explanation is that for some reason (minor injuries etc) they may not have started training yet.

But its not looking good for the youth if Poch is not involving them at this early stage - he does not need to make a decision on selling the youngsters its the over 21's who need that kind of decision making at thios early stage of pre-season training, but for all the over 21's and u21's its a question at to how they play and where they can play that Poch needs to assess so excluding the u21's is VERY bad news if that is happening .

I wouldn't come to any conclusions from the first few days of pre-season. Time will tell. Also, albeit not strictly U21's anymore, we have seen the likes of Ceballos, Mason, Falque, Fredericks, Carroll, Archer plus Fryers and Kane in the first team group so far, you could argue that is encouraging to see one or two of those names involved.

 

[yankspurs]

@Spursidol looks like the youth is starting to take part in first team training. Lesniak was pictured today and Voss was pictured yesterday.

 

[Spursidol]

@Spursidol looks like the youth is starting to take part in first team training. Lesniak was pictured today and Voss was pictured yesterday.

Cheers fior that, I was surprised but pleased to see Harry Voss involved, hadn't seen Lesniak. Still surprised we haven't sen Milos and one or two others who I though would be more likely to be involved in the first team this season.

 

[mpickard2087]

Lameiras was also in one of the pictures today with Lamela that I saw.

 

[yankspurs]

Cheers fior that, I was surprised but pleased to see Harry Voss involved, hadn't seen Lesniak. Still surprised we haven't sen Milos and one or two others who I though would be more likely to be involved in the first team this season.

I have to assume they are involved but just not pictured. Lamieras, Carter-Vickers and Walker-Peters were also pictured as part of first team training today.

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/training-gallery3-100714/

 

[Spursidol]

I have to assume they are involved but just not pictured. Lamieras, Carter-Vickers and Walker-Peters were also pictured as part of first team training today.

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/training-gallery3-100714/

I think that requires a 'wow' rating when you get a 16 year old Academy Year 1 defender (Cameron Carter Vickers) pictured alongside the first teanm coach

 

[newbie]

I think that requires a 'wow' rating when you get a 16 year old Academy Year 1 defender (Cameron Carter Vickers) pictured alongside the first teanm coach

He looks a big lad

it makes sense to have a few training sessions with the first team first and then add a few young players In to sessions. also Stefan's freund is in a lot of the photos I am sure he knows all the young players well, we also can't see what other players are involved 30 first team then under 21s and under 18s that's proberly 50 - 60 players to watch its s hell of a lot.

 

[Romulus]

I think that requires a 'wow' rating when you get a 16 year old Academy Year 1 defender (Cameron Carter Vickers) pictured alongside the first teanm coach

thats what i like to see. get working with the kids early even if its just no more than simple training session it gives them a feel for first team football and they can learn from some of the best players in the world

 

[newbie]

I know this is slightly off topic but thanks to all the guys who knowledgeably post about the great spurs youth academy it's a great thread and it's very well conducted on here very few egos and mostly intelligent debate it's almost a hidden gem in this forum

 

[StartingPrice]

I know this is slightly off topic but thanks to all the guys who knowledgeably post about the great spurs youth academy it's a great thread and it's very well conducted on here very few egos and mostly intelligent debate it's almost a hidden gem in this forum

Quick, chaps, an uninitiated interloper has wormed his way past our hazing patrols...shut and bar the door to the inner sanctum, bring up the boiling oil, put archers on the battlements

 

[Spursidol]

He looks a big lad

it makes sense to have a few training sessions with the first team first and then add a few young players In to sessions. also Stefan's freund is in a lot of the photos I am sure he knows all the young players well, we also can't see what other players are involved 30 first team then under 21s and under 18s that's proberly 50 - 60 players to watch its s hell of a lot.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is a big skillful CB, who played all season for Spurs u18's as a 15/16 year old - a very promising player.I'd sggest he's likely to be playing for the u21's before the end of this season at age 17 !

I love the fact that some of the Academy are involved - but with the first team squad and development squad we've got about 55 players (although a few are still not back after the World Cup) so with the 20 odd players in the academy that makres about 75 players - or with the few not back from the Wrld CUp it'll be just under 70 if they are playing as one group !

Steffen's son, Nicklas, is a goalkeeper, not sure how old he is but I'd guess that he's too young for the Academy yet - although he does seem to be training with them.

 

[wlhatwhl]

Cameron Carter-Vickers is a big skillful CB, who played all season for Spurs u18's as a 15/16 year old - a very promising player.I'd sggest he's likely to be playing for the u21's before the end of this season at age 17 !

I love the fact that some of the Academy are involved - but with the first team squad and development squad we've got about 55 players (although a few are still not back after the World Cup) so with the 20 odd players in the academy that makres about 75 players - or with the few not back from the Wrld CUp it'll be just under 70 if they are playing as one group !

Steffen's son, Nicklas, is a goalkeeper, not sure how old he is but I'd guess that he's too young for the Academy yet - although he does seem to be training with them.

Found this on Twitter:

BOREHAM WOOD FC @BOREHAM_WOODFC · Apr 26
Clubman of the year award goes to @NiklasFreund25

Also discovered that former Spurs Academy graduate, Lee Angol, who recently sighed for Luton Town, has gone on loan for the season to Boreham Wood.

Best wishes to Lee.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

So who do people think could make the grade from the youth team this year? Bentaleb is essentially now a first team squad player, but Veljkovic maybe?

I looked on Wikipedia and it says he's 5' 8", but I got the sense he was bigger than that. Given our dearth at CB, he could maybe get a go. Also, Pritchard?

Some other real gems but I feel it'll be a bit too early. Thoughts?

 

[Spursidol]

So who do people think could make the grade from the youth team this year? Bentaleb is essentially now a first team squad player, but Veljkovic maybe?

I looked on Wikipedia and it says he's 5' 8", but I got the sense he was bigger than that. Given our dearth at CB, he could maybe get a go. Also, Pritchard?

Some other real gems but I feel it'll be a bit too early. Thoughts?

I doubt if Veljkovic is 5' 8'' - unless he's had his legs reduced in height - my guess from seeing him is he- might be say 5' 11' - I;m pretty sure not over 6' 0''' . so he's one of the shorter CB's if he plays there, and that might be why he's been playing CM in the u21's.

Reads the game very well and was a very good CB at Next Gen level before changing back (he was a CM at Basle before he joined Spurs) to b eing a CM last year.

But I think he could play in either position. He's at an age where he's still learning so I'd he happy to see him make 10-20 appearances, with maybe 4 - 6 starts in this coming season.

But as a back up CB he'd also be competing with Zeki Fryers (CB/LB) whilst as a CM he'd be competing with Nabil Bentaleb plus we are pretty strong already at CM. So it'll be tough for him to get games in either position.

Some of our best prospects are in last years's 2nd year academy coming into the development group this season, and whilst I'd liuke to see the likres of Ogilvie, Winks and Oduwa make the odd appearance before the end of the season, I'd agree its probably too early to give them anything much more, although if we are weak at LB again Poch might try Connor Ogilvie in an EL game or two.

 

[chinaman]

I think that requires a 'wow' rating when you get a 16 year old Academy Year 1 defender (Cameron Carter Vickers) pictured alongside the first teanm coach

He looks very small. Might be 3 years before he's ready for 1st team action.

 

[CJMurray]

He looks very small. Might be 3 years before he's ready for 1st team action.

I'm pretty sure he's quite a big lad actually. Probably just the angle of the picture.

 

[Spursidol]

OS pages concerning the Development and Academy squads have been updated by the removal of all the players who have left the club, which is a start.

Now just waiting for them to add the new Academy Year 1 and move some players from the development squad to the first team and lasst season's academy year 2 into the development squad. Wonder if that will happen before Christmas...2017 !