The Spurs Youth Thread - 2017/2018

[WindyCOYS]

I'd agree with that. Sissoko and GK seem to be a complete waste. And I'd rather give their minutes to youth players.

But, I also understand the desire to bring them on in pressure moments instead. The way Poch used Onomah two seasons ago, and Winks last year is far more encouraging and beneficial I'd say than bringing them on at 5-0 with 10 minutes of keep ball.

What we don't know however is whether these guys are performing enough in training to warrant the position on the bench or the opportunity to get on. I'd LOVE to see them play more, but I want to trust Poch and his methods too, and I don't want it handed to them on a plate.

Interesting points. But what we do know that others aren't performing in *match* situations.

 

[nicdic]

Interesting points. But what we do know that others aren't performing in *match* situations.

True, but does Poch pick the team based on just that, or also training?

I find it easier, and nicer, to believe there must be valid reasons for why he overlooks the youth players.

 

[kmk]

Not Spurs youth related but an interesting article about youth football in Germany and how they allow kids to combine their studies with football.

Also interesting how young players in Germany are kept out of the spotlight unlike here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40642854

Danny Collinge: VfB Stuttgart's Englishman 'never questions' move to Germany

While we have become accustomed to foreign teenagers moving thousands of miles away from home to England in stockpiled Premier League academies, the reverse is somewhat of a novelty.

The widely-accepted narrative goes that English youngsters are too mollycoddled to risk a move abroad and, when they do reach the age for first-team football, they are happier settling for a place on the bench at a club near home.

But, while 17-year-old Jadon Sancho made headlines after swapping Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund on transfer deadline day, there is already a little-known Englishman barely spoken of in his home country trying to break through in the German Bundesliga.
And a trawl of the internet does not shed much light on him either.

"I'm glad you can't find so much information about me," VfB Stuttgart defender Danny Collinge told BBC Sport.

"In Germany, young players hardly get any media attention. Players can focus on their football, focus on their development and not get caught up in the hype and attention.

"I appreciate my freedom to just concentrate solely on football, which I realise is a bit contradictory given I'm doing an interview now."

Education, education, education

Collinge has seen his fellow countrymen follow in his footsteps this summer, having been joined in the German Bundesliga by Reece Oxford and Kaylen Hinds, while most recently Sancho joined Borussia Dortmund.

While these players had fully graduated through an English club's academy system, Collinge's journey to the continent began in 2014, as a 16-year-old who had just finished his GCSEs.

The England youth international was playing for MK Dons - the club that developed England international Dele Alli - and had been offered a two-year scholarship.

But for Collinge there was one drawback - he wanted to study A levels, something very few clubs in England offer the chance to do.

"I wanted the opportunity to pursue the educational side of my life because that's something I value dearly," said the now 19-year-old. "School has always been something I was quite good at and I wanted to always have a plan B.

"In England that opportunity wasn't there for me, but in Germany I was given the opportunity to go to an international school and study for an International Baccalaureate. That would secure me a good back-up plan if football didn't work out for me."

A lot of what is on offer comes down to a matter of timetabling.

Clubs in England have built a system where youngsters do a BTEC or advanced BTEC as a group, usually in-house, which allows the club to fit studies alongside their rigorous youth-team training schedules.

If one or two youngsters want to do A Levels, they have to go into outside schools or colleges, where lesson timings rarely fit in with that training regime.

It is, therefore, no surprise that it is uncommon for young players to do no more than one or two A Levels, much of which will be in their spare time and at clubs that can afford to spend that little more money.

But Collinge, who would go on to get results of eight A*s, three As and one B in his GCSEs, believes clubs need to be more adaptable.

"There's not one right way to treat every single player," he said. "Some players will need mental stimulation and others are just happy playing their football.

"I think we need to be able to accommodate for each different type of player, rather than put every single player down this one track.
"It's about ensuring everyone finds the right pathway outside of football when their career does come to an end."

Instead, Collinge turned to a former team-mate of his at MK Dons Kevin Danso, who had moved to Augsburg, for advice.

Danso's agent suggested Stuttgart could be the place for him, a club with a pedigree of bringing through young talent, including seven of Germany's 2017 Confederations Cup side, and that had already watched Collinge playing for England's youth sides.

"At the start it was just an idea and that idea turned into a reality," said Collinge. "When my dad asked me 'are you sure this is the move you want to make?', I was convinced and my parents were convinced too.

"I'd get emotional when thinking about my friends and family that I'd be leaving behind, but I knew they'd be within reach when I needed them. It's only an hour-and-a-half flight."

Collinge made his way from England to south west Germany, where he was greeted to a youth set-up that brought through Sami Khedira, Mario Gomez and one-time Liverpool target Timo Werner.

And what better motivation for VfB's youngsters than having their living quarters and training pitches in the shadow of the club's 60,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Arena, as well as alongside the first-team, who have just won promotion back to the Bundesliga after one season outside the top flight.

"I've never questioned why I was here," said Collinge.

"It was just a case of dealing with the sacrifices that come with it. Coming home is lovely, and it's sometimes hard to leave home, but once you're here and I compare it to the football I was playing at home, it is a no-brainer."

Collinge has just moved into his own flat after graduating through the club's youth system and moved up to VfB II, the club's reserve side that currently play in the fourth tier of German football.

Not every player is fortunate enough to attract interest from abroad but, for those that can, would he recommend it to others?
"I think a move abroad is difficult but it's so rewarding," he said. "You just have to look at the past five or 10 years of international football.

"What Germany have done in the past four months - they've won the Under-21 Euros and the Confederations Cup, both of them with essentially their B team.

"If that doesn't show you the depth of players that are coming through the German system I don't know what will. Eight players in the Confederations Cup squad could have played for the under-21 side.

"Maybe the risk and having that courage to move abroad will be really worthwhile."
Collinge seems pretty settled in Germany and is making his way through a book titled 'Die Perfekte Kniebeuge' - or 'The Perfect Squat'.

"From a footballing point of view I think I'd want to stay in Germany," he said, when asked if he would ever return.

"I love the German approach to football. They put a lot of emphasis into developing youth players. They're willing to take risks. I think the football here is a lot more technical and tactical than in England.

"The reason I would come back to England would be if I'd become a complete player and come through the development phase. But I don't think I can see it in the near future."

 

[thekneaf]

Not Spurs youth related but an interesting article about youth football in Germany and how they allow kids to combine their studies with football.

Also interesting how young players in Germany are kept out of the spotlight unlike here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40642854

Danny Collinge: VfB Stuttgart's Englishman 'never questions' move to Germany

While we have become accustomed to foreign teenagers moving thousands of miles away from home to England in stockpiled Premier League academies, the reverse is somewhat of a novelty.

The widely-accepted narrative goes that English youngsters are too mollycoddled to risk a move abroad and, when they do reach the age for first-team football, they are happier settling for a place on the bench at a club near home.

But, while 17-year-old Jadon Sancho made headlines after swapping Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund on transfer deadline day, there is already a little-known Englishman barely spoken of in his home country trying to break through in the German Bundesliga.
And a trawl of the internet does not shed much light on him either.

"I'm glad you can't find so much information about me," VfB Stuttgart defender Danny Collinge told BBC Sport.

"In Germany, young players hardly get any media attention. Players can focus on their football, focus on their development and not get caught up in the hype and attention.

"I appreciate my freedom to just concentrate solely on football, which I realise is a bit contradictory given I'm doing an interview now."

Education, education, education

Collinge has seen his fellow countrymen follow in his footsteps this summer, having been joined in the German Bundesliga by Reece Oxford and Kaylen Hinds, while most recently Sancho joined Borussia Dortmund.

While these players had fully graduated through an English club's academy system, Collinge's journey to the continent began in 2014, as a 16-year-old who had just finished his GCSEs.

The England youth international was playing for MK Dons - the club that developed England international Dele Alli - and had been offered a two-year scholarship.

But for Collinge there was one drawback - he wanted to study A levels, something very few clubs in England offer the chance to do.

"I wanted the opportunity to pursue the educational side of my life because that's something I value dearly," said the now 19-year-old. "School has always been something I was quite good at and I wanted to always have a plan B.

"In England that opportunity wasn't there for me, but in Germany I was given the opportunity to go to an international school and study for an International Baccalaureate. That would secure me a good back-up plan if football didn't work out for me."

A lot of what is on offer comes down to a matter of timetabling.

Clubs in England have built a system where youngsters do a BTEC or advanced BTEC as a group, usually in-house, which allows the club to fit studies alongside their rigorous youth-team training schedules.

If one or two youngsters want to do A Levels, they have to go into outside schools or colleges, where lesson timings rarely fit in with that training regime.

It is, therefore, no surprise that it is uncommon for young players to do no more than one or two A Levels, much of which will be in their spare time and at clubs that can afford to spend that little more money.

But Collinge, who would go on to get results of eight A*s, three As and one B in his GCSEs, believes clubs need to be more adaptable.

"There's not one right way to treat every single player," he said. "Some players will need mental stimulation and others are just happy playing their football.

"I think we need to be able to accommodate for each different type of player, rather than put every single player down this one track.
"It's about ensuring everyone finds the right pathway outside of football when their career does come to an end."

Instead, Collinge turned to a former team-mate of his at MK Dons Kevin Danso, who had moved to Augsburg, for advice.

Danso's agent suggested Stuttgart could be the place for him, a club with a pedigree of bringing through young talent, including seven of Germany's 2017 Confederations Cup side, and that had already watched Collinge playing for England's youth sides.

"At the start it was just an idea and that idea turned into a reality," said Collinge. "When my dad asked me 'are you sure this is the move you want to make?', I was convinced and my parents were convinced too.

"I'd get emotional when thinking about my friends and family that I'd be leaving behind, but I knew they'd be within reach when I needed them. It's only an hour-and-a-half flight."

Collinge made his way from England to south west Germany, where he was greeted to a youth set-up that brought through Sami Khedira, Mario Gomez and one-time Liverpool target Timo Werner.

And what better motivation for VfB's youngsters than having their living quarters and training pitches in the shadow of the club's 60,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Arena, as well as alongside the first-team, who have just won promotion back to the Bundesliga after one season outside the top flight.

"I've never questioned why I was here," said Collinge.

"It was just a case of dealing with the sacrifices that come with it. Coming home is lovely, and it's sometimes hard to leave home, but once you're here and I compare it to the football I was playing at home, it is a no-brainer."

Collinge has just moved into his own flat after graduating through the club's youth system and moved up to VfB II, the club's reserve side that currently play in the fourth tier of German football.

Not every player is fortunate enough to attract interest from abroad but, for those that can, would he recommend it to others?
"I think a move abroad is difficult but it's so rewarding," he said. "You just have to look at the past five or 10 years of international football.

"What Germany have done in the past four months - they've won the Under-21 Euros and the Confederations Cup, both of them with essentially their B team.

"If that doesn't show you the depth of players that are coming through the German system I don't know what will. Eight players in the Confederations Cup squad could have played for the under-21 side.

"Maybe the risk and having that courage to move abroad will be really worthwhile."
Collinge seems pretty settled in Germany and is making his way through a book titled 'Die Perfekte Kniebeuge' - or 'The Perfect Squat'.

"From a footballing point of view I think I'd want to stay in Germany," he said, when asked if he would ever return.

"I love the German approach to football. They put a lot of emphasis into developing youth players. They're willing to take risks. I think the football here is a lot more technical and tactical than in England.

"The reason I would come back to England would be if I'd become a complete player and come through the development phase. But I don't think I can see it in the near future."

My cousin was in the Leeds academy same year as Gary Kelly, both RBs. At 16 my uncle told him he had to do his A-Levels so my cousin went part time in the academy. They thought he was good enough they let him go to school in the mornings and train in the afternoon. Obviously he fell behind the players doing full time training. Didn't get a pro contract but was able to go to uni.

It's just a ridiculous decision to have to make at 16. Clubs should be forced to assure that youth players attain some qualifications between 16 and 18. If not A Levels then something to prepare them for the real world. I personally think you should not be able to sign on with an agent until you have completed a course in business studies.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Not Spurs youth related but an interesting article about youth football in Germany and how they allow kids to combine their studies with football.

Also interesting how young players in Germany are kept out of the spotlight unlike here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40642854

Danny Collinge: VfB Stuttgart's Englishman 'never questions' move to Germany

While we have become accustomed to foreign teenagers moving thousands of miles away from home to England in stockpiled Premier League academies, the reverse is somewhat of a novelty.

The widely-accepted narrative goes that English youngsters are too mollycoddled to risk a move abroad and, when they do reach the age for first-team football, they are happier settling for a place on the bench at a club near home.

But, while 17-year-old Jadon Sancho made headlines after swapping Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund on transfer deadline day, there is already a little-known Englishman barely spoken of in his home country trying to break through in the German Bundesliga.
And a trawl of the internet does not shed much light on him either.

"I'm glad you can't find so much information about me," VfB Stuttgart defender Danny Collinge told BBC Sport.

"In Germany, young players hardly get any media attention. Players can focus on their football, focus on their development and not get caught up in the hype and attention.

"I appreciate my freedom to just concentrate solely on football, which I realise is a bit contradictory given I'm doing an interview now."

Education, education, education

Collinge has seen his fellow countrymen follow in his footsteps this summer, having been joined in the German Bundesliga by Reece Oxford and Kaylen Hinds, while most recently Sancho joined Borussia Dortmund.

While these players had fully graduated through an English club's academy system, Collinge's journey to the continent began in 2014, as a 16-year-old who had just finished his GCSEs.

The England youth international was playing for MK Dons - the club that developed England international Dele Alli - and had been offered a two-year scholarship.

But for Collinge there was one drawback - he wanted to study A levels, something very few clubs in England offer the chance to do.

"I wanted the opportunity to pursue the educational side of my life because that's something I value dearly," said the now 19-year-old. "School has always been something I was quite good at and I wanted to always have a plan B.

"In England that opportunity wasn't there for me, but in Germany I was given the opportunity to go to an international school and study for an International Baccalaureate. That would secure me a good back-up plan if football didn't work out for me."

A lot of what is on offer comes down to a matter of timetabling.

Clubs in England have built a system where youngsters do a BTEC or advanced BTEC as a group, usually in-house, which allows the club to fit studies alongside their rigorous youth-team training schedules.

If one or two youngsters want to do A Levels, they have to go into outside schools or colleges, where lesson timings rarely fit in with that training regime.

It is, therefore, no surprise that it is uncommon for young players to do no more than one or two A Levels, much of which will be in their spare time and at clubs that can afford to spend that little more money.

But Collinge, who would go on to get results of eight A*s, three As and one B in his GCSEs, believes clubs need to be more adaptable.

"There's not one right way to treat every single player," he said. "Some players will need mental stimulation and others are just happy playing their football.

"I think we need to be able to accommodate for each different type of player, rather than put every single player down this one track.
"It's about ensuring everyone finds the right pathway outside of football when their career does come to an end."

Instead, Collinge turned to a former team-mate of his at MK Dons Kevin Danso, who had moved to Augsburg, for advice.

Danso's agent suggested Stuttgart could be the place for him, a club with a pedigree of bringing through young talent, including seven of Germany's 2017 Confederations Cup side, and that had already watched Collinge playing for England's youth sides.

"At the start it was just an idea and that idea turned into a reality," said Collinge. "When my dad asked me 'are you sure this is the move you want to make?', I was convinced and my parents were convinced too.

"I'd get emotional when thinking about my friends and family that I'd be leaving behind, but I knew they'd be within reach when I needed them. It's only an hour-and-a-half flight."

Collinge made his way from England to south west Germany, where he was greeted to a youth set-up that brought through Sami Khedira, Mario Gomez and one-time Liverpool target Timo Werner.

And what better motivation for VfB's youngsters than having their living quarters and training pitches in the shadow of the club's 60,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Arena, as well as alongside the first-team, who have just won promotion back to the Bundesliga after one season outside the top flight.

"I've never questioned why I was here," said Collinge.

"It was just a case of dealing with the sacrifices that come with it. Coming home is lovely, and it's sometimes hard to leave home, but once you're here and I compare it to the football I was playing at home, it is a no-brainer."

Collinge has just moved into his own flat after graduating through the club's youth system and moved up to VfB II, the club's reserve side that currently play in the fourth tier of German football.

Not every player is fortunate enough to attract interest from abroad but, for those that can, would he recommend it to others?
"I think a move abroad is difficult but it's so rewarding," he said. "You just have to look at the past five or 10 years of international football.

"What Germany have done in the past four months - they've won the Under-21 Euros and the Confederations Cup, both of them with essentially their B team.

"If that doesn't show you the depth of players that are coming through the German system I don't know what will. Eight players in the Confederations Cup squad could have played for the under-21 side.

"Maybe the risk and having that courage to move abroad will be really worthwhile."
Collinge seems pretty settled in Germany and is making his way through a book titled 'Die Perfekte Kniebeuge' - or 'The Perfect Squat'.

"From a footballing point of view I think I'd want to stay in Germany," he said, when asked if he would ever return.

"I love the German approach to football. They put a lot of emphasis into developing youth players. They're willing to take risks. I think the football here is a lot more technical and tactical than in England.

"The reason I would come back to England would be if I'd become a complete player and come through the development phase. But I don't think I can see it in the near future."

That's a really great piece, good find. I posted something (nowhere near as informative) along these lines a while ago:

http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/index.php?threads/the-england-thread.109005/page-283#post-5095097

 

[Breezer]

I'm sure @Breezer could elaborate if this is BS or not, but this is interesting if true...

David Powderly‏@David_Powderly
Ajax purposely went out to try and buy Marcus Edwards to make a point that English players are good enough.

David Powderly‏@David_Powderly 1h1 hour ago
They wanted to buy and bring Edwards through, then sell him on at high price. To make English clubs think again

David Powderly‏@David_Powderly 1h1 hour ago
The whole point... So English clubs stopped purchasing their youngsters at 15-18. Many other clubs highlighted by BVB are doing the same

Sorry I'm late to the party. Not sure about Ajax as i Haven't asked. I do know the loan talk on the last day of the window was BS. Unless the club were doing it behind the player and agents back lol

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Is that different to what goes on? Is it just you want them doing that from an earlier age?

It kind of is different to what goes on IMO. In the time Poch has been here we've seen Veljkovic go because having played him in pre season, he then packed him off to Boro. The Pritchard who excelled on loan just about everywhere, but then just has he was recovering from injury we packed him off to West Brom for some inexplicable reason, and then went and purchased Njie. Same Just as Edwards is pushing for some minutes we buy Nkoudou (after he's had just 15 inconsistent starts in Ligue 1. Now after about 38 league minutes (in two years) and a handful of starts out of position, we've packed off Onomah for a season, and tried to buy Diop (and by some guesses are trying to bring in Barclay to play CM) and just as KWP gets his first start (and comes through it with flying colours) we buy a 24yo international RB. Before all of these (and Poch) we had Corluka with Adam Smith coming through (and performing really well) and decided to buy two more young RB's.

Smith, Veljkovic and Pritchard got virtually zero chance (chuck in Oduwa too). Onomah hasn't had a single game in his CM position, has had a few starts in ad hoc sides in cups and 20 and the 18 minutes in the last two league seasons. Edwards 10 minutes in the league cup (looked very good, then nothing).

The treatment of Onomah is the most baffling for me. Why keep playing the kid out of position? And why when we are really struggling for quality in CM, would we pack off a kid who's bubbling up into the form and confidence of his young life, having just excelled in winning a youth WC ? He can already do things that none of our other CM's can.

The only player with no prior senior experience who's been even close to being "integrated" in any meaningful way by Poch is Winks, who has managed to start 3 league games I think.

 

[Ledley's Right Foot]

It kind of is different to what goes on IMO. In the time Poch has been here we've seen Veljkovic go because having played him in pre season, he then packed him off to Boro. The Pritchard who excelled on loan just about everywhere, but then just has he was recovering from injury we packed him off to West Brom for some inexplicable reason, and then went and purchased Njie. Same Just as Edwards is pushing for some minutes we buy Nkoudou (after he's had just 15 inconsistent starts in Ligue 1. Now after about 38 league minutes (in two years) and a handful of starts out of position, we've packed off Onomah for a season, and tried to buy Diop (and by some guesses are trying to bring in Barclay to play CM) and just as KWP gets his first start (and comes through it with flying colours) we buy a 24yo international RB. Before all of these (and Poch) we had Corluka with Adam Smith coming through (and performing really well) and decided to buy two more young RB's.

Smith, Veljkovic and Pritchard got virtually zero chance (chuck in Oduwa too). Onomah hasn't had a single game in his CM position, has had a few starts in ad hoc sides in cups and 20 and the 18 minutes in the last two league seasons. Edwards 10 minutes in the league cup (looked very good, then nothing).

The treatment of Onomah is the most baffling for me. Why keep playing the kid out of position? And why when we are really struggling for quality in CM, would we pack off a kid who's bubbling up into the form and confidence of his young life, having just excelled in winning a youth WC ? He can already do things that none of our other CM's can.

The only player with no prior senior experience who's been even close to being "integrated" in any meaningful way by Poch is Winks, who has managed to start 3 league games I think.

Like you I want us to promote youth and whilst most of those players we sold that you mention were good, their careers since they left suggest they weren't good enough for our ambitions. The same applies to Edwards, if he steps up he will be in the team but in the games I've seen him play he is still making some basic tactical errors (e.g. Attempting risky dribbles in own half of pitch). I expect these issues will go quickly though...and it's a shame he was injured last season, it could have been his breakthrough year.

Onomah's and CCV's development is a little different...they now need game time to improve and even with the best will in the world, they are not yet good enough to play in their preferred positions for us...and to perform better than Dembele/dier/wanyama/winks/Toby/verts et al. Do we sacrifice league points to aid their development or get them out on loan? I think going on loan makes sense all round.

Hopefully they'll come back better players and challenge for the first team...Onomah in patrticular looks capable of doing that and Sheffield Utd is as good a place as any to develop as a centre back for CCV.

If we were a mid-table team, I think Poch would take more risks...but we are not. We want the title and we need players ready to win now.

N'jie and N'koudou are curious buys, I admit. I can see the logic: pace, good technique, able to beat a player...N'jie didn't seem to have the game intelligence we needed and N'Koudou seems to be getting much better, he looked especially good in pre-season - let's see what happens after his injury.

 

[nicdic]

It kind of is different to what goes on IMO. In the time Poch has been here we've seen Veljkovic go because having played him in pre season, he then packed him off to Boro. The Pritchard who excelled on loan just about everywhere, but then just has he was recovering from injury we packed him off to West Brom for some inexplicable reason, and then went and purchased Njie. Same Just as Edwards is pushing for some minutes we buy Nkoudou (after he's had just 15 inconsistent starts in Ligue 1. Now after about 38 league minutes (in two years) and a handful of starts out of position, we've packed off Onomah for a season, and tried to buy Diop (and by some guesses are trying to bring in Barclay to play CM) and just as KWP gets his first start (and comes through it with flying colours) we buy a 24yo international RB. Before all of these (and Poch) we had Corluka with Adam Smith coming through (and performing really well) and decided to buy two more young RB's.

Smith, Veljkovic and Pritchard got virtually zero chance (chuck in Oduwa too). Onomah hasn't had a single game in his CM position, has had a few starts in ad hoc sides in cups and 20 and the 18 minutes in the last two league seasons. Edwards 10 minutes in the league cup (looked very good, then nothing).

The treatment of Onomah is the most baffling for me. Why keep playing the kid out of position? And why when we are really struggling for quality in CM, would we pack off a kid who's bubbling up into the form and confidence of his young life, having just excelled in winning a youth WC ? He can already do things that none of our other CM's can.

The only player with no prior senior experience who's been even close to being "integrated" in any meaningful way by Poch is Winks, who has managed to start 3 league games I think.

But this is what I'm getting at. It's like you want all the youth players to be gift wrapped their opportunities. I can't be bothered to get into whether or not these players actually did enough to get in (Veljkovic, Oduwa), or what might have happened had players not picked up injuries (Pritchard, Edwards). Onomah I agree is a weird situation, I feel like he's been good enough for minutes in CM over the past two years, and should be here. But then perhaps he never showed enough in training. We've seen Poch is happy to trust players, but they also have to earn that. I feel some of the desires in this thread are often just a bit unrealistic.

 

[Spurzinho]

New youth profiles are up for your enjoyment.

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/academy/first-year-profiles/

 

[coys200]

TOB seems to be training with 1st squad daily,no sign of Edwards.looks like TOB has jumped the queue ,poch must really rate him .

 

[Blake Griffin]

New youth profiles are up for your enjoyment.

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/academy/first-year-profiles/

skippy looks like a hardened veteran whilst elliot thorpe looks as though he's about to do some finger painting.

 

[Spurrific]

New youth profiles are up for your enjoyment.

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/academy/first-year-profiles/

That doesn't sound noncey at all

 

[Bus-Conductor]

But this is what I'm getting at. It's like you want all the youth players to be gift wrapped their opportunities. I can't be bothered to get into whether or not these players actually did enough to get in (Veljkovic, Oduwa), or what might have happened had players not picked up injuries (Pritchard, Edwards). Onomah I agree is a weird situation, I feel like he's been good enough for minutes in CM over the past two years, and should be here. But then perhaps he never showed enough in training. We've seen Poch is happy to trust players, but they also have to earn that. I feel some of the desires in this thread are often just a bit unrealistic.

See this is the basic premise I disagree with. We haven't seen Poch very happy to trust players. Only two players without prior senior experience have been trusted to start a league game (the only competition Poch takes seriously) totalling 4 starts between them.

And he wouldn't even trust Onomah in cm in a friendly. Utterly baffling.

 

[Sweech]

I disagree. It's not about getting them experience of playing regular patterns of football per se, we know they can do that, it's about introducing and exposing them to that playing environment that they've never experienced before, but at the same time taking a tiny bit of the pressure off them because they know they are not going to cost us points etc. It's a rare opportunity for them to face a whole new pressure but at the same time face it slightly more relaxed than normally, which should enable them to not just function but hopefully perform a little. I don't think it's about purely football in these circumstances, it's as much about a mental conditioning in these early steps.

That's part of the problem I don't even see it as "a little bit of pressure" there's basically zero pressure. Those blowouts are when everyone takes it easy and starts trying all the flicks and tricks you don't do in real game situations. There's no longer any pressure to make sure things come off. Everyone feels it, the players are relaxed, the crowd is massively at ease and creating a completely different atmosphere from normal, etc.

I think any mental conditioning would be wrong in those situations as a player would basically think "oh this is easy" when reality would be so far apart from that.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

That's part of the problem I don't even see it as "a little bit of pressure" there's basically zero pressure. Those blowouts are when everyone takes it easy and starts trying all the flicks and tricks you don't do in real game situations. There's no longer any pressure to make sure things come off. Everyone feels it, the players are relaxed, the crowd is massively at ease and creating a completely different atmosphere from normal, etc.

I think any mental confitioning would be wrong in those situations as a player would basically think "oh this is easy" when reality would be so far apart from that.

It may seem like that to you, and to the players who've played 100 times, but I guarantee you, for a kid who's never set foot into a proper game, or even only had a few minutes here and there, getting 20-30min at WHL in a proper league game with all first teamers around him, or in Onomah's case actually getting to play with the first team in his correct position at WHL in a proper game for 20-30min's would be a huge deal.

 

[Sweech]

It may seem like that to you, and to the players who've played 100 times, but I guarantee you, for a kid who's never set foot into a proper game, or even only had a few minutes here and there, getting 20-30min at WHL in a proper league game with all first teamers around him, or in Onomah's case actually getting to play with the first team in his correct position at WHL in a proper game for 20-30min's would be a huge deal.

Debut maybe? Even then that's tenuous at best and a forced reasoning to see what you want.

You're basically wanting to see the youth play, which we all do, but just making up a reason for why after the fact. At least that's what it appears in this situation.

 

[Blake Griffin]

1-0 Griffiths

2-0 patterson

 

[Spurzinho]

1-0 Griffiths

2-0 patterson

Griffiths looks to have so much potential. He's raw but his pace and power and the way he moves and his finish was nicely composed. Definitely one to watch. If Poch's not interested in him then I don't know what to say.
Patterson has definitely done so growing. It seems not long ago he was a little titch. He's also got some real raw ability. We've got some hugely exciting players coming through. They're not at all Edwards like with mercurial skill and balance but they've got a lovely directness to them and that is something Poch will appreciate.

 

[kmk]

1-0 Griffiths

2-0 patterson

Spurs U18s (v @SouthamptonFC): Austin (c), Lock, Reynolds, Bowden, Statham, Hinds, Markanday, P Maghoma, Griffiths, A Shashoua, Patterson.

Spurs U18s subs (v @SouthamptonFC): Thorpe, Mukendi, Pochettino, Richards, Oluwayemi (GK).