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The Spurs Youth Thread – 2016/2017

ILS

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2008
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Just an observation across English youth football but the majority of players from the ages of under 16 to 20 are black or mixed race, yet under 21 and Seniors is more of even split between White and Black players.

Just wondered if people have an opinion on why this is?
 

kursaal

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
2,279
7,973
Just an observation across English youth football but the majority of players from the ages of under 16 to 20 are black or mixed race, yet under 21 and Seniors is more of even split between White and Black players.

Just wondered if people have an opinion on why this is?
Yes it's all to do with the pigmentation of the skin. You're welcome.
 

Spurzinho

Well-Known Member
Jan 24, 2016
2,512
8,342
Good write up on the Ebbsfleet game from the official site. http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/under-21s/match/report/ebbsfleet-v-spurs-xi-report-150717/

A few other current connections that they left out are that unused sub keeper for 'Fleet' was Jon Miles, who was with us for years before leaving a couple of summers ago, also Sean Shields, a pacey winger who came on for them in the second half was with us right up to U16 level. The last notable connection is that current academy/U23 coach Stuart Lewis who was with us as a youngster, spent the last few seasons of his professional career at Ebbsfleet.
 

Blake Griffin

Well-Known Member
Oct 3, 2011
14,133
38,225
interesting week ahead for marcus, does he fly out to florida with the first team or does he stay back with what's left of the u23s.
 

Romulus

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2012
6,901
11,081
Just an observation across English youth football but the majority of players from the ages of under 16 to 20 are black or mixed race, yet under 21 and Seniors is more of even split between White and Black players.

Just wondered if people have an opinion on why this is?

I think it's because it's only been like that the last few years. When that u21 team was younger it was pretty much the same split. Check it again in 2 years and it should be like how the youth teams are now.

I've noticed that the recent success of the England youth teams has been heavily populated with black and mixed race players. Apart from the year barkley and mceachran won it.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
This followed the same pattern of most of the age group games I have seen this summer from England.

You always have to bare in mind that these are youngsters and not to expect perfect decisions and composure, but all of these England teams have been often too eager to rush things. There are a lot of talented boys with some ability, particularly in the forward areas, but there is very little control and attempt to build and acting as a unit. There are notable exceptions, Onomah for the U20's and Mount in this U19 team had the rare ability to play at their own pace with some calmness and be aware of their surroundings, but a lot of the goals come from individual, often physical/athletic, 'moments' and barging through the door more than anything.

There have been enough of these moments, along with quite a lot of luck it has to be said, though to win tournaments. But as I said the other day, I hope the FA aren't complacent and think everything is fine and bask in the glory, I think there is still a fuckload that could be done.

I don't know what you can say about Edwards. He was good enough to start in that team (it really didn't have to be a choice of him or Mount) and did all he could with the game time afforded to him. Not sure he wasn't better off spending the last couple of weeks with us doing preseason and a golden opportunity to be around Poch every day whilst we had depleted numbers and less players to focus on.
 

yanno

Well-Known Member
Aug 1, 2003
5,857
2,877
I don't know what you can say about Edwards. He was good enough to start in that team (it really didn't have to be a choice of him or Mount) and did all he could with the game time afforded to him. Not sure he wasn't better off spending the last couple of weeks with us doing preseason and a golden opportunity to be around Poch every day whilst we had depleted numbers and less players to focus on.

It feels like a complete waste of his time and talent. Edwards would have been much better staying in London and competing in our pre-season training under Poch's watchful eye.

I agree with the rest of your post, and hope that Southgate and the FA don't think they've suddenly cracked age group football, because our teams have relied far too much on brute strength rather than technique and footballing intelligence.

The single most composed and influential player in the entire England U19/20/21 summer saga was Josh Onomah.
 
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Anuth

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2008
745
2,346
anyone remember Anton Blackwood? . He was with us around 2009(same year with Kane, Mason, Carroll) just for 1 year. Just met him yesterday for the AIA program in Thailand. He is now our coach for international coaching program based in Hong Kong.
 

Lilbaz

Just call me Baz
Apr 1, 2005
41,363
74,893
Just an observation across English youth football but the majority of players from the ages of under 16 to 20 are black or mixed race, yet under 21 and Seniors is more of even split between White and Black players.

Just wondered if people have an opinion on why this is?

Think the black players might develope (physically) quicker and do seem (in a lot of cases) more of an athlete at that age. Obviously there are exceptions and your ability isn't determined by the colour of your skin.
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
Just an observation across English youth football but the majority of players from the ages of under 16 to 20 are black or mixed race, yet under 21 and Seniors is more of even split between White and Black players.

Just wondered if people have an opinion on why this is?

I think the proliferation of black/mixed race players in our youth teams is very interesting.Theres probably a number of factors involved.I actually think we will see this trend continue through to U21 and senior level over next few years.Amazing how far we've come in this regard compared to the 80s.
I do think the physicality at younger level s is a factor.But I think it's also just a time thing as well.In that we are seeing 3 rd or even 4th generation boys from a Caribbean background.Whose parents are obviously very British and possibly more aware how to get their boys involved in football from an early age.
I've also heard it said that young black boys are pushed more towards sports in school than education.Tbh I don't have enough knowledge of this to know if it's true or not.But to be honest I'm just thankful for this country's immigration policy over last 50 years Otherwise British sport would be in a very sorry state.
 

bigfrooj

Well-Known Member
Nov 11, 2011
2,796
8,130
Just an observation across English youth football but the majority of players from the ages of under 16 to 20 are black or mixed race, yet under 21 and Seniors is more of even split between White and Black players.

Just wondered if people have an opinion on why this is?
We are benefitting now from the ability of lads from an African background now in a similar way France did 20 years ago in numerous sports like boxing and athletics. There is a large African presence in inner city London so Tottenham may have quite a nucleus of these lads in the Academy. These boys have the hunger that has traditionally seen the best sportsmen spring from. Good luck to them.
 

Flashspur

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2012
6,882
9,068
I think the proliferation of black/mixed race players in our youth teams is very interesting.Theres probably a number of factors involved.I actually think we will see this trend continue through to U21 and senior level over next few years.Amazing how far we've come in this regard compared to the 80s.
I do think the physicality at younger level s is a factor.But I think it's also just a time thing as well.In that we are seeing 3 rd or even 4th generation boys from a Caribbean background.Whose parents are obviously very British and possibly more aware how to get their boys involved in football from an early age.
I've also heard it said that young black boys are pushed more towards sports in school than education.Tbh I don't have enough knowledge of this to know if it's true or not.But to be honest I'm just thankful for this country's immigration policy over last 50 years Otherwise British sport would be in a very sorry state.

I think Spurs do look for locals as well and that catchment has a lot of young black kids. Some of the ones coming through look like great talents.
 

kmk

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2014
4,145
27,498
I do think the physicality at younger level s is a factor.But I think it's also just a time thing as well.In that we are seeing 3 rd or even 4th generation boys from a Caribbean background.Whose parents are obviously very British and possibly more aware how to get their boys involved in football from an early age.

I think a higher percentage of the black kids coming through now are of West African heritage rather than from the Caribbean (I know West Indians originated from West Africa).

E.g Nmecha, Sessegnon, Onomah, Abraham, Chalobah, Edun, Tomori, Solanke, Ojo, Ejaria, Lookman, Eyoma etc
 

IGSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2013
7,939
13,758
Just an observation across English youth football but the majority of players from the ages of under 16 to 20 are black or mixed race, yet under 21 and Seniors is more of even split between White and Black players.

Just wondered if people have an opinion on why this is?

Possibly because the majority of the best academies, Chelsea, City, Spurs and Arsenal, are in major cities where there is a lot of immigration. Chelsea especially pick up most of their players from south london where there are a lot of black people, and Chelsea supply a lot of the England youth teams. However, as we've seen, Chelsea and City don't bring any through, so once they hit u21s, you will have some youngsters who have come through lower league teams where they are not necessarily based in a major city and start to earn u21 caps.

You'll probably start to see more come through, but I reckon that's why the seniors and u21s don't reflect the youth teams.
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
Yeah African immigration really started to increase around 1990 .So we are now prob starting to see that 1st generation that were born here.So these numbers will prob just grow as African immigration has continued to increase year on year since 1990.
 

Blake Griffin

Well-Known Member
Oct 3, 2011
14,133
38,225
DEz9x_uWAAE-oOi.jpg:large
 

IGSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2013
7,939
13,758
Good write up on the Ebbsfleet game from the official site. http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/under-21s/match/report/ebbsfleet-v-spurs-xi-report-150717/

A few other current connections that they left out are that unused sub keeper for 'Fleet' was Jon Miles, who was with us for years before leaving a couple of summers ago, also Sean Shields, a pacey winger who came on for them in the second half was with us right up to U16 level. The last notable connection is that current academy/U23 coach Stuart Lewis who was with us as a youngster, spent the last few seasons of his professional career at Ebbsfleet.

Doesn't seem like he played but they also have Bradley Rudd still there I believe
 
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