The Spurs Youth Thread - 2017/2018

[johnbowel]

It would be really nice to see Ryan Mason come in. Seems to have the right sort of personality and love the guy anyway. Not a fan of Jody Morris personally, but it seems like he was a good match with the Chelsea youth and the attitude and organisation they had, and maybe Ryan could do that for us. That’s just my outsider’s perception so may be completely wrong!

Remember VDV saying he’d like to coach here too.

 

[coy-spurs1882]

 

[Spurzinho]

I thought he'd just signed a new deal? Would suggest that this was a loan unless we're getting a nominal fee for him.

 

[guru]

Makes you wonder what is going on behind the scenes at our Accademy , for so many lads wanting to leave . You can not blame it all on “no opportunities “, when even the younger lads are leaving

 

[BPR_U16]

Coaches getting changed round a lot too - are there things behind the scenes that is upsetting the balance

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

 

[coys200]

Probably being really thick but who is this Matt Wells guy and has he actually done anything in the game or just a talented coach. Have to say Especially at that age group I think it’s always better to have an experienced respected ex pro that’s played at a top level and can offer advice on what it takes to become a top pro. I’m sure Matt is a very good coach but I think someone like a Scott Parker gives you that 10%. Dont we normally go for the experienced ex pro at this age group ?

 

[IGSpur]

Makes you wonder what is going on behind the scenes at our Accademy , for so many lads wanting to leave . You can not blame it all on “no opportunities “, when even the younger lads are leaving

Surely it makes even more sense for the younger lads. I assume you are referring to Madeuke. When they are looking at some of the biggest talents in England not getting chances here, why would someone like Madueke arguably the best midfielder in his age group, stay at 16 and wait at least 4 years for a 10% shot of getting a decent go.

Whereas you look at players from lower league clubs, like Alli, Ampadu, Dozzell, Maddison, Stones or Gray getting chances when they are 16/17 at lower league clubs which lead to them getting moves to bigger clubs and genuinely considered. Or you just go abroad where you know if you are good enough at 17 you will be playing first team football.

Makes more sense to get out early, it's what a few of us have been saying, that the younger players will notice these things.

 

[IGSpur]

Probably being really thick but who is this Matt Wells guy and has he actually done anything in the game or just a talented coach. Have to say Especially at that age group I think it’s always better to have an experienced respected ex pro that’s played at a top level and can offer advice on what it takes to become a top pro. I’m sure Matt is a very good coach but I think someone like a Scott Parker gives you that 10%. Dont we normally go for the experienced ex pro at this age group ?

Matt Well has been around for over a year now I reckon. Seemed to have a good rapport with the youngsters, hope he does well

 

[IGSpur]

https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/players/marcus-edwards-transfer-update--14855020

Even with basically zero game time in last 3 years he's still being considered for this. Shows how highly rated he is by the people ITK i European football, and his performances in the UYL did enough to get him back on this list.

Speaking of who, I saw an article based off an instagram picture he posted where fans are just slagging him off, and telling him to stop wasting time on social media, when he barely posts and telling him to work harder, when they literally know nothing about him. It's really embarrassing.

 

[mpickard2087]

Probably being really thick but who is this Matt Wells guy and has he actually done anything in the game or just a talented coach. Have to say Especially at that age group I think it’s always better to have an experienced respected ex pro that’s played at a top level and can offer advice on what it takes to become a top pro. I’m sure Matt is a very good coach but I think someone like a Scott Parker gives you that 10%. Dont we normally go for the experienced ex pro at this age group ?

Matt Well has been around for over a year now I reckon. Seemed to have a good rapport with the youngsters, hope he does well

He was in our youth setup and then retired early. He did a bit at my local club Stevenage briefly (I think), but he's been coaching in the academy at Spurs for like 5 years now at all sorts of levels including U18 and U21. Done his time and probably deserves to step up, that he's been given the chance suggests McDermott (or whoever) thinks enough of him.

 

[Spurzinho]

Probably being really thick but who is this Matt Wells guy and has he actually done anything in the game or just a talented coach. Have to say Especially at that age group I think it’s always better to have an experienced respected ex pro that’s played at a top level and can offer advice on what it takes to become a top pro. I’m sure Matt is a very good coach but I think someone like a Scott Parker gives you that 10%. Dont we normally go for the experienced ex pro at this age group ?

He played for our U18s a few years back. Defensive midfielder. He wasn't very good. He was well liked though because he was obviously very bright and understood the game very well. He suffered a bad career ending injury shortly after leaving us at 18. From there he went straight into his coaching badges, which seems to have been something he'd been preparing for from before he retired (probably knew he wasn't going to be good enough to make it as a player). He was with the Nike Academy and was very, very highly rated. We managed to get him and Kieran McKenna (Loughborough Uni), another exceptional young and highly rated coach, around about the same time. both were in very high demand. I have no reservations about Wells getting the promotion.

 

[scat1620]

Cliff Jones is the grandfather of Edward Norton?? Blimey Charlie.

 

[IGSpur]

Adam Green (GK) from last years u16s has joined Cardiff City, and Reo Glean has joined Southampton.

I pretty sure I saw Pedder in one of instagram stories and they are back at the training now, so looks like he should be part of the intake

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Yup. Good luck Scott. Sad to see him go. I'll admit I'm a little disappointed that he's gone this quickly, it sort of suggests that there was a lack of due diligence and/or clarity when we offered him the job and he accepted. I got the impression that the appointment was very much with at least the midterm, if not the long term in mind. To see him depart a little over 12 months after he arrived, not for a manager's job but just as a first team coach shows that he certainly didn't see managing our U18s as serious career move. As I say, good luck to him, still think he's an excellent professional, just a little annoyed that his time here wasn't a litter longer, a little more settled, a little bit more...serious. There's been entirely too much change in the coaching setup at youth level for us over the last three or four years.

Presumably he just got the offer to coach first team, which is a move up the ladder, and took it, knowing he was a way off that with us.

It’s disappointing but understandable, from all angles, including ours, no?

 

[Anuth]

He played for our U18s a few years back. Defensive midfielder. He wasn't very good. He was well liked though because he was obviously very bright and understood the game very well. He suffered a bad career ending injury shortly after leaving us at 18. From there he went straight into his coaching badges, which seems to have been something he'd been preparing for from before he retired (probably knew he wasn't going to be good enough to make it as a player). He was with the Nike Academy and was very, very highly rated. We managed to get him and Kieran McKenna (Loughborough Uni), another exceptional young and highly rated coach, around about the same time. both were in very high demand. I have no reservations about Wells getting the promotion.

That made me remember about these videos when he was with Nike Academy 4 years ago.




MW: attack the channel


MW: Movement off the ball

 

[JRSG]

Surely it makes even more sense for the younger lads. I assume you are referring to Madeuke. When they are looking at some of the biggest talents in England not getting chances here, why would someone like Madueke arguably the best midfielder in his age group, stay at 16 and wait at least 4 years for a 10% shot of getting a decent go.

Whereas you look at players from lower league clubs, like Alli, Ampadu, Dozzell, Maddison, Stones or Gray getting chances when they are 16/17 at lower league clubs which lead to them getting moves to bigger clubs and genuinely considered. Or you just go abroad where you know if you are good enough at 17 you will be playing first team football.

Makes more sense to get out early, it's what a few of us have been saying, that the younger players will notice these things.

Probably coming from the agents too. For examples (and this is a complete hypothetical) Onomah's agent is convinced to sign the new deal cause there's a pathway for Josh. When his next client comes to sign his pro at 17 or 2nd pro contract at 19/20, is he gonna be convinced by the same promises? Football is a small world, it doesn't take much to change trends.

I think everyone acknowledged that the general level of talent has improved from English academies, the perils of the guys from the 93/94/95 generation have probably been learned from. Unfortunately most of the 97s/98s had already committed before everyone realised no matter how talented they are, they're unlikely to get a chance. Now this current crop of kids + their representatives have clocked on and know they have to be more proactive and flexible. You even see the clubs reacting to it now, making changes to their loan policies and selling players with buy back clauses etc, no one wins if you end up with a player in Chuba Akpom's situation.

 

[Locotoro]

Surely it makes even more sense for the younger lads. I assume you are referring to Madeuke. When they are looking at some of the biggest talents in England not getting chances here, why would someone like Madueke arguably the best midfielder in his age group, stay at 16 and wait at least 4 years for a 10% shot of getting a decent go.

Whereas you look at players from lower league clubs, like Alli, Ampadu, Dozzell, Maddison, Stones or Gray getting chances when they are 16/17 at lower league clubs which lead to them getting moves to bigger clubs and genuinely considered. Or you just go abroad where you know if you are good enough at 17 you will be playing first team football.

Makes more sense to get out early, it's what a few of us have been saying, that the younger players will notice these things.

I think this is going to be a common theme for a lot of premiership clubs over the next few years. Best way to deal with this is to create those links with Dutch, Belgian and German teams to get young players over there on a 2 or 3 year basis.

Can't stop the tide, can only position ourselves to benefit from it

 

[Spurzinho]

I think this is going to be a common theme for a lot of premiership clubs over the next few years. Best way to deal with this is to create those links with Dutch, Belgian and German teams to get young players over there on a 2 or 3 year basis.

Can't stop the tide, can only position ourselves to benefit from it

I'm inclined to disagree. I would like to that sort of thing bought to an end. The big clubs have had their cake and eat it for far too long in my opinion. It should be a case of use it or lose it. if you can't offer your kids a pathway through and they choose to leave, you should absolutely not be allowed to circumvent that by using a second club as a warehouse for said talent because you resent said club potentially making a fee on that young player that you couldn't be arsed to develop.

 

[IGSpur]

Kane Patterson confirmed what was suspected and he's off to Burnley. One I personally feel we could/should have held onto him this year, but with a lot of talented defenders I guess we probably wanted to clear up some space