Amidst this transfer talk, is there anyone who you'd expect to see coming through from the reserves? Also, has anyone actually seen any of the bairns playing. I saw Chopra playing for the England under 16s and he was MOTM against Argentina but I haven't seen him for the Toon.

-- Anonymous, July 04, 2000

Answers

Green, Kerr, McClen and one of or both Caldwells should all make appearances when injuries and suspensions take hold. Not seen the Juniors play, but I would expect the youngsters to take the places of Brady, Robinson, Hamilton, Serrant and Maric. Still hoping Coppinger is given another season to see what he can do: easily the best of the young strikers we've seen.

-- Anonymous, July 04, 2000

Softie do you know who the name of the young Irish international in the juniors is? I think he might have appeared for the reserves late in the season.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000

I tell you what, they want to get their bl**dy arses into gear and get this academy going, we are years behind the rest of the PL and there appears little in terms of numbers coming through.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000

TM,

This was a question on the Football Unlimited quiz today: "Football Academies are a mandatory requirement for all 20 Premier League clubs, but how many Football League clubs also support academies?"

A mandatory requirement? We must have something which you could loosely call an academy but what is the situation regarding building a new purpose built academy? I heard it was at planning stage last time I was up in Toonside.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000

Yeah - the bricks and mortar are important. Boro apparently have one of the few FIFA/UEFA-starred ones..

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000

I shouldn't think the club could afford the type of complex that they would want and therefore are not going to waste money on something that is only short term. Unless of course the NTL money has been earmarked for that purpose, which is something that was talked about when NTL announced their deal.

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000

Softie, do I take it from your posting that you aren't over-excited about any of them? I guess some of the bairns will graduate to the reserves this season?

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000

I was very excited by Kerr and Green(e?) but they only feature as late subs for the reserves, so I reckon they must be kept fresh for the Juniors (U19s or somesuch). They would need a bit of time in the reserves before the 1st team I would think, and have Nobby, Dyer and Gavilan ahead of them down the right wing or behind the front two.

McClen has to continue to demonstrate a bit more maturity, the early call to the 1st Team went to his head and he tried step-overs, back heels and all manner of tricks when we needed a simple ball playing well. YBR reckoned from the off that he was 2 years away from a regular start and I agree wholeheartedly. He is sometimes excellent, but at others tries showboating and just gives the ball away. I'm sure he'll improve.

With the regular stiffs: you've all seen Brady, Hamilton and Serrant - what can I say? Of the rest, only Coppinger ever impressed and even then only because he strikes me as the only forward from the Dalglish, Robinson, Coppy trio who actually knows how to get the ball in the back of the net by anything other than brute force. If you want to see a tapin from 8 inches see Coppy, if you want a shot curled delicately around the keeper see Coppy, if you want to see someone hurl themself through the air and carry keeper and ball into and through the back of the net see Robbo and if you wanted to see someone wallop the ball and miss the target nine times out of ten then see Dalglish.

None of the rest ever really made a lasting impression. One of the Caldwells (if not both) is certainly good but young defenders don't often show what they are made of (exception that proves rule: Aaron Hughes - normally see Beharrall for details).

I refuse to discuss the reserve keeper; this is a family bbs :-)

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000

Now Softie, that's a bit harsh on Shay, isn't it? He did a decent enough job at the Resorves match I saw....or as much as I could see before the monsoon hit. ;-)

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000

I saw the way you were looking at him....I refer everyone to the answer I gave some moments ago, this is a family bbs :-)

-- Anonymous, July 05, 2000