Re: England v australia academy : Fri Dec 21, 2018 12:30 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

Think you're writing him off too early, he's only 22 and has developed a lot in the past year. I can see him being a later bloomer like JJB.

JJb was a late bloomer due to some injuries but he never had to step down two divisions, and at 22 already had plenty of first team super league games under his belt. Maybe i am writing him off as a super league player, but the evidence so far says championship player at best, see where he is in two years, but my monies on still being in championship or league one not super league

Re: England v australia academy : Fri Dec 21, 2018 4:26 pm  

vastman wrote:

except on very rare occasions like a Sam Burgess backing youth is a perilous business. Which is why I don’t agree with Hetherington attitude that the Academy is Leeds A team.

I generally agree with GH but in this case he’s talking utter rubbish imo.

Why? A ‘proper’ reserve team is backing youth too, just for an extra year or two.

You see in the Leeds players (and others) mentioned above that played in 2014 those that haven’t made it at their club haven’t been “lost to the game” as the line always goes. Ward and Minchella could’ve been stuck making up numbers in our reserves for the last few years, instead they’ve established themselves as first team players elsewhere. Yes it’s not SL but not everyone can be a SL player.

[PopTart]

Re: England v australia academy : Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:09 am  

ThePrinter wrote:

Why? A ‘proper’ reserve team is backing youth too, just for an extra year or two.

You see in the Leeds players (and others) mentioned above that played in 2014 those that haven’t made it at their club haven’t been “lost to the game” as the line always goes. Ward and Minchella could’ve been stuck making up numbers in our reserves for the last few years, instead they’ve established themselves as first team players elsewhere. Yes it’s not SL but not everyone can be a SL player.

I agree with you both. Its difficult to judge at youth as size and speed always make you look better and you can be found out when you progress and everyone has that.

But the road to the top is never a straight line. Nothing wrong with going to a lower club to establish yourself before going back to the big show.

I recently read an article anoyr Shoot magazines ones to watch with the best 15 year old footballers in the country.
Of those named a couple had Premier league experience but most were complete unknowns. Only Bertrand had really made it to national level and he's probably lost his place now......though worthy of his one to watch tag, he didn't get there quickly.

Re: England v australia academy : Sat Dec 22, 2018 7:59 pm  

PopTart wrote:

I agree with you both. Its difficult to judge at youth as size and speed always make you look better and you can be found out when you progress and everyone has that.

But the road to the top is never a straight line. Nothing wrong with going to a lower club to establish yourself before going back to the big show.

I recently read an article anoyr Shoot magazines ones to watch with the best 15 year old footballers in the country.
Of those named a couple had Premier league experience but most were complete unknowns. Only Bertrand had really made it to national level and he's probably lost his place now......though worthy of his one to watch tag, he didn't get there quickly.

Well of course they won’t have premier league experience as they are only 15 years old and the youngest premier league player was 16 lol

Re: England v australia academy : Sat Dec 22, 2018 9:48 pm  

Ruune Rebellion wrote:

Well of course they won’t have premier league experience as they are only 15 years old and the youngest premier league player was 16 lol

At a guess & seen as PT mentioned Bertrand and since he's played for England and has probably has lost his place, Plus he's played in every national youth England team before that - he's talking about an old article and the players who went on to make it when judged as a 15-year-old.

[PopTart]

Re: England v australia academy : Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:45 am  

I guess I should have explained it was 10 year old article looking at how they'd progressed.

Re: England v australia academy : Sun Dec 23, 2018 6:22 pm  

PopTart wrote:

I guess I should have explained it was 10 year old article looking at how they'd progressed.

Apologies. That makes sense then