Spurs Youth Thread 20/21

[Romulus]

two of the harder clubs to break through at.

 

[chrissivad]

two of the harder clubs to break through at.

Or looking to go to Germany...

 

[Montalbano]

Acting like a “big club” includes retaining our top academy talent without needing to make them part of the first team setup

 

[Schitzophonic]

Josh Keeley, the Irish U19 keeper we are meant to be getting from St Patrick’s, has posted a pic of a plane he is boarding on Instagram tonight. Could be London bound? Would tie in with news from their end that the move will be announced on 1st July.

 

[spurs9]

Don't see much stand-out quality in this age group based on the games so far. Chukwuemeka the only one who looks a cert to make it at PL level, though Iroegbunam and Devine have looked good in patches.

Worth remembering Devine is a year younger than Chukwuemeka.

 

[Delboy75]

Acting like a “big club” includes retaining our top academy talent without needing to make them part of the first team setup

I think it’s very difficult to blame the club. This happens at every club even City. I have no idea what might go on in regard to houses, cars jobs for the family etc. But if you’re keeping everything above board it’s hard to imagine a better all round set up than ours. Must be soul destroying for some of our coaches who put years of work into a prospect to see him walk out the door. Imo I think it’s a bit low from the kid unless you have some overwhelming reason. A massive club gave you an amazing opportunity in life least you could do is show a little bit of gratitude till at least you’ve signed pro. If feel same at 18 then fine toddle off to Dortmund at least we get a few quid.

 

[coy-spurs1882]

Acting like a “big club” includes retaining our top academy talent without needing to make them part of the first team setup

that means offering 100k per week to the teenagers

 

[VancouverSpurs]

Highlights from the 2-1 win for England U19s.

 

[sam_mason]

I think it’s very difficult to blame the club. This happens at every club even City. I have no idea what might go on in regard to houses, cars jobs for the family etc. But if you’re keeping everything above board it’s hard to imagine a better all round set up than ours. Must be soul destroying for some of our coaches who put years of work into a prospect to see him walk out the door. Imo I think it’s a bit low from the kid unless you have some overwhelming reason. A massive club gave you an amazing opportunity in life least you could do is show a little bit of gratitude till at least you’ve signed pro. If feel same at 18 then fine toddle off to Dortmund at least we get a few quid.

I find it difficult to criticise anyone for doing what they think is best for them and their family (in whatever walk of life), but agree about the coaches, that must be a bit of a kick in the teeth.

Still, as you say its the name of the game now isn't it.

 

[Lilywhite Rose]

Sadly this is the way it’s going. We need to get with the times or risk losing more each year. It’s all well and good telling parents from u8s upwards that at Spurs it’s not about the money it’s about facilities and coaching but then it’s widely reported that we pay Tanguy £200,000 per week.

 

[Barmby Army]

I think it’s very difficult to blame the club. This happens at every club even City. I have no idea what might go on in regard to houses, cars jobs for the family etc. But if you’re keeping everything above board it’s hard to imagine a better all round set up than ours. Must be soul destroying for some of our coaches who put years of work into a prospect to see him walk out the door. Imo I think it’s a bit low from the kid unless you have some overwhelming reason. A massive club gave you an amazing opportunity in life least you could do is show a little bit of gratitude till at least you’ve signed pro. If feel same at 18 then fine toddle off to Dortmund at least we get a few quid.

Before you start bemoaning a lack of loyalty from the player, think about the many players who spend their childhood at the club only to be released at 18. Where is the loyalty towards them? There is none, the club decides that they're no longer useful and they sever ties. It's a business. This kid hasn't broken a contract, he owes the club nothing.

 

[thekneaf]

The kids owe themselves the best chance to maximise their talents. We'll lose 16 yo players, we'll sign 16 yo players. Ultimately those kids will judge us on our ability to churn out PL ready players who make it in the league. Even better if we get a few into our first team. We've been doing pretty well, and we can do better.

 

[Spurzinho]

It's perfectly fine for these lads to

The kids owe themselves the best chance to maximise their talents. We'll lose 16 yo players, we'll sign 16 yo players. Ultimately those kids will judge us on our ability to churn out PL ready players who make it in the league. Even better if we get a few into our first team. We've been doing pretty well, and we can do better.

You're right, absolutely. I agree that loyalty has to work both ways or not at all and its clear its not at all. That said, however... I am a passionate and dedicated fan of Tottenham Hotspur and it upsets me when people mug us off. I think a lot of fans feel the same way. Is it rational? no. But supporting a club isn't rational, its tribal.

 

[Cochise]

If we could do what Barca do and promote one academy graduate in to the first team squad each year, I think it would show a sign of wanting to nurture our own.

 

[vintagespurs]

It's perfectly fine for these lads to

You're right, absolutely. I agree that loyalty has to work both ways or not at all and its clear its not at all. That said, however... I am a passionate and dedicated fan of Tottenham Hotspur and it upsets me when people mug us off. I think a lot of fans feel the same way. Is it rational? no. But supporting a club isn't rational, its tribal.

I agree. It is really disappointing to see kids we have nurtured and developed going elsewhere for the money. The irony is that often we sign these players from smaller clubs eg Meghoma who I believe we signed from Wycombe a few years ago. He came to us no doubt because of the better facilities and coaching. It is said they are second to none. However we don't seem to match the money available at other clubs and I think it is unreasonable for us to expect the cream of schoolboy footballers to sign for us for less money than is available at other clubs, unless they are really dyed in the wool Spurs fans.

Going back a long way to the 50's and 60's there was a growing culture of paying money for the best schoolboy stars when at the time it was illegal. Jimmy Greaves was expected to sign for us as an apprentice but ended up at Chelsea allegedly because their chief scout paid his father to allow him to sign for them. In the 60' s we had the England schoolboy captain David Price training with us but he chose to sign for Woolwich allegedly for the same reason.

We had a series of notable schoolboy signings in the 80's eg Shaun Murray, Ally Dick, the Vietnamese kid whose name I can't remember. Did our policy change. You can only speculate.

Any way the point is very few of the really top kids these days will sign for a club just because of the facilties and coaching as we are finding out.

 

[C0YS]

Don't see much stand-out quality in this age group based on the games so far. Chukwuemeka the only one who looks a cert to make it at PL level, though Iroegbunam and Devine have looked good in patches.

No one is a cert of anything at these age groups. Chukwuemeka included. As I've said before, I actually don't even think he is the most likely to make it at PL level of that group at all. I think Alex Scott looks the most likely candidate to me. Mostly because he has that grit and seems well balanced. The fact he's already an established championship player helps too.

In general terms however, this age group is extremely strong with great depth as well the fact is a half of football aside they've breezed through these games all while playing with heavy rotation. It's a very strong group and I would say as many as 4-5 of them could become full internationals. That's rare.

 

[Barmby Army]

No one is a cert of anything at these age groups. Chukwuemeka included. As I've said before, I actually don't even think he is the most likely to make it at PL level of that group at all. I think Alex Scott looks the most likely candidate to me. Mostly because he has that grit and seems well balanced. The fact he's already an established championship player helps too.

For the most part I agree, but I think Chukwuemeka is already beyond that point - he got plenty of games for Villa last year (pretty much the only U18 player they got regular PL football, 11 appearances in total) and there's no reason to think that won't continue. Spot on about Alex Scott though, he really stood out when he came on as a 'proper' footballer for want of a less vague term. Very crisp and tidy, but actually impacting the game at the same time.

 

[C0YS]

For the most part I agree, but I think Chukwuemeka is already beyond that point - he got plenty of games for Villa last year (pretty much the only U18 player they got regular PL football, 11 appearances in total) and there's no reason to think that won't continue. Spot on about Alex Scott though, he really stood out when he came on as a 'proper' footballer for want of a less vague term. Very crisp and tidy, but actually impacting the game at the same time.

Yeah, but Onomah also got minutes at that age. Taarabt also. Josh McEachran also, James Vaughan from Everton got way more minutes at that age. And at villa itself Delfouneso is an example.

Obviously he's the most talented player there and he has a very high ceiling, but him getting the odd minute here and there does not mean he is going to make it at this level at all. And most of the time it doesn't 'continue' that's kinda the thing.

Right now he is getting appearances but hasn't done anything to suggest that he is of the level. Look at Aston villa forums for this. While a lot of the noise some make comes from fans, like on here, not understanding that being 18/19 you are not watching the level they are going to be at when they mature. But a lot of them seem to actually support my own issues with his play.

The biggest thing for him is he needs to be disciplined to make it as a CM in the PL (I really don't see him as a CM). By this I mean make sure you do the basic stuff and pick your moments to go on runs and do the fancy stuff, and he needs to adapt his running game against defenders that would just simply shoulder barge him off the ball and won't allow him to do his flick and turn into space that works so well for him at this level.

These are definitely problems that he can overcome, but right now he is just a supremely talented player and I'm not convinced getting a few minutes here and there, without particularly impressing and possibly in part to try and convince him to extend his contract is much of an indicator if he would make it or not.

It seems like he might be off, but for his development he should really stay at Villa, as you say he's the only one in the team who has played anything but a few minutes at that level.

 

[C0YS]

For the most part I agree, but I think Chukwuemeka is already beyond that point - he got plenty of games for Villa last year (pretty much the only U18 player they got regular PL football, 11 appearances in total) and there's no reason to think that won't continue. Spot on about Alex Scott though, he really stood out when he came on as a 'proper' footballer for want of a less vague term. Very crisp and tidy, but actually impacting the game at the same time.

On Alex Scott, he got 12 yellow cards last season as well, without getting sent off. Maybe he needs to calm down a little, but as someone who is nominally a more offensive midfield player (though he has played DM, CM, AM, RWB and RW this season) it's something I love to see. To pick up so many bookings show you know how to work for the team and suggests a bit of edge too, to never get sent off shows you have control. That's a good sign for a young player.

Apparently we have been keeping tabs on him, and it's not a priority and it's too early for him to make an immediate impact, but I'd love to sign him and keep him at Bristol for a couple of seasons.

 

[spursfan77]

Seems to be a lot of u-16 poaching going on at the mo... ?

The other clubs must offer them fuckloads of cash their families cant turn down. It cant be for any other reason at that age.