U-17's?

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Any bbsers go to the match tonight? How'd we do?

Can't get nufc.com right now and the official s*ite has nothing about it.

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

Answers

We won 2-0 on the night, losing 5-2 on aggregate.

Not having seen much under-17 football I'm not really the best person to comment on the game. I though that we did quite well without ever having the confidence that we could turn it around. However, Ipswich were a big, physical side that have apparently been together for a while (Softie has inside info) and they outmatched our players physically almost everywhere. Especially their brutal numbers 9 and 10 who shoudl ahve been spoken to be the ref at the least. Er, and they were quite good really as well. I suppose.

I thought Offiong had a good game for us, and scored the second, but Chopra was a bit disappointing - perhaps after too much hype?

BBS was represented by Softie, Steph, Pit Bill, me and Mrs DB (who "enjoyed the game apart from the lack of action replays"), and maybe others sat elsewhere?

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001


Apologies to Pit Bill, Softie, Steph and Dr. Bill for my non- appearance at SJP last night, but the Jury Foreman (!) had a very long day's 'deliberation' yesterday, and retired home with a brutal migraine. The show goes on today.............

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Srory abtou teh carp tpying. It's early.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

I think you need medical assistance Dr Bill. Take your clothes off and lie down on the couch.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

I got chatting to some folk in the Strawberry who turned out to be the proud parents of Matthew Robinson who came on at Number 12 for Ipswich. The dad was bemused by my accent and I was a bit puzzled by his as I expected him to pull on a pearly jacket and start demanding that we roll out the old joanna and sing "Knees up Mother Brown". We determined that I am a sandwich short of a picnic and he is a lifelong West Ham fan who has given up his season ticket to follow his lad round the country - and who could blame him?

Apparently there are still 8 in the team who won the British schoolboys cup in Newcastle a few years ago (he said they beat Celtic in the final) so they have actually been playing together successfully for a while. He also reckons that their 7-6 beating of Arsenal was pretty tidy since Arsenal under 17's have half the French U17 side in their ranks.

We lost to a very good side and didn't look particularly second best in any department. Canny night.

p.s. When did they stop teaching Sportsmanship at school? About the same time Competetiveness became a dirty word was it? Bairns booing the winning side is a bit sad.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001



Ooh Screach I thought you'd never ask...

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

The big question is whether we can get 2 or 3 first team regulars out these lot. It is very rare for us to do that well.

The class of 1990 produced quite a few but I always felt this was because the club were so broke that they had to let these kids learn in the first team rather than go through the ranks. Cos there was no pressure from any potential signings coming in to take their place they had the opportunity to gain first team experience, try things out and know they wouldn't be replaced by a million pound player.

Shola is the only one to really come throug hthis year and really it was the same scenario. We had run (limped ?) out of fit forwards and just had to give the lad a run in the team. None of the people who watched the reserves had been shouting that he must be in the first team (they were for Coppinger) yet when he was given a run he was good.

I personally can't see Offiong and Chopra breaking through. Lets say we buy Bridges. For the next three years we are going to have Shearer, Cort, Bridges and Shola all with valid claims for a regualr first team slot. The first three will have cost loadsa money, Shola will be hungry. How/when will we ever give the new kids on the block the opportunity to gain first team experience.

Yeah I know Buff if they're good enough they'll get in. But I don't see our manager investing millions in a player, again say Bridges, and then making himself look daft by picking a kid who he should have known was there and was available for free.

As further comment, lets look at Stevie Caldwell. We have been crying out for a commanding centre half. The lad gets a noteworthy cap for his country, with much praise from Craig Brown. Yet he cannot get a seat on the bench for us. This is the team which until a fortnight ago couldn't stop letting goals in. The preferenc was again to go and buy O'Brien (looks a good buy), the instinct wasn't to nurture a replacement from within but to buy a replacement from without.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001


How do you make the correct decisions all the time? with Experience!

How do you get that Experience? By making mistakes!

If we continually sign new players and ignore the young ones we will suffer in the long term. I can't see Shearer going on for another three years so when he is out of the fold there will be Cort and Shola. As we have no Bridges yet, I would say that CHopra and Offiong will get their chance in the next two years if they prove themselves in the reserves. Chopra and Offiong need to keep hungry and prove themselves against some decent defenders which they may meet in the reseves. On the odd occassion they may come up against someone like Wes Brown or Ronnie Johnsen and they have to prove they can cause them problem for them to be worth a first team place. If they keep getting the goals like they have this year then they will pick themselves. I'd like to think that Steve Caldwell would be given the chance to make a name for himself this year. If Dabs is going to be our main defender then Caldwell will be his understudy. As I have said before, our reserves look like being a very young promising side and they really need to make their mark in that reserve league.

Karelse
McGuffie-Caldwell-Caldwell-Bernard
Gavilan-Green-Kerr/McClen-Bonvin
Lua-Lua-Ameobi

A team with Big John, two Scottish U21 centre backs (One with full cap), International right winger, Argie U21 left winger (I think), and an England U21 striker up front alongside a bag of tricks. Looks great on paper, but as some wise guy will point out they will play on grass and they need to perform to earn the right to play if they want it. I might watch more reserve games next season!

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001


Okay from those 12 named players, how many starts do you expect them to get between them next season ? I'd be stunned if they get 20 between them.

There should be opportunity there cos we have had, and forgotten already, 6 starts from Elena, 13 from Cordone, 6 from Glass, 3 from Lua Lua, 6 from Caldwell, 15 from Gallacher, 8 from Charvet, so fringe players got nearly 60 games in the last season. (I haven't included Goma/Domi who became O'Brien/Quinn). These 60 appearances have to be used up somewhere, I just don't have any confidence that it'll be to kids.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001


With some luck on the injury front those appearances will be reduced further if the first team stay fit. This team need to storm the reserve league this year and then there will be a greater clammer for their inclusion in the first team.

If half of these lot establish themselves in the first team it will be worthwhile.

Funnily enough the reserves will probably have four or five strikers to choose from in Ameobi, Lua-Lua, McMenimin, Chopra and Offiong!!

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001



Shola apart, it strikes me that any forwards we have on our books tend to be a tad vertically challenged; Coppinger, Chopra, Offing etc. of the current crop, then looking not too far back the likes of Brayson, who at one time was being touted as our home-grown replacement for Andy Cole, are all out of the same diminutive mould. If one of them comes good then great - I'm all for the tricky little fella playing off a Shearer or Cort (think Jeffers, Owen or even Sewwwwpa), but to crack it in the Premier League they really have to be a bit special. Will any of our munchkins cut the mustard? time will tell.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

For some reason Shola hasn't played many games in the resorves, which is probably why he was never mentioned! ;-)

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Offiong is a big, gangly lad, as you'd expect from Shola's cousin.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Caldwell brothers at the back and the two cousins up front............

It's a family affair!!

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001


Shola played mostly in the U19s. If Chopra and Offiong are really supposed to be fast-tracking into the reserves without bothering with the U19s then it will be like when Robinson and Coppinger stepped into the reserves whilst Paul Dalglish moved up (and then away). The good thing is that with Cordone going home and Gallacher leaving the forward berths in first team and reserves will be held by long-term players rather than stand-ins (like the fellas just leaving) or misfits like Andersson and Maric who took up valauable space for far too long. This has to be healthier for NUFC however you look at it.

First choice = Cort and New Signing
Second choice = Ameobi and Shearer (can't be first on the list until he's fit)
Waiting in the wings = Chopra and Offiong - both two seasons away from greatness.

I hope that Damon Robson and Moore keep progressing as they are as we'll have a midfielder with bite and creativity and a quick and tricky right winger. Many slip twixt cup and lip and all that.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001



My mistake re; Offing - obviously a giant in the making! For those who've taken in a few Juniors games this Season - who do you reckon has the best chance of making it, Chops or Offing? Chopra seems to grab most column inches but then Brayson was hotly tipped not so long ago and where is he these days?

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Chopra reads the game well but has been marked out of the two matches I've been fortunate enough to attend. Offiong is a real handful as he has that Tino trick of running in slow-motion but covering the ground really fast. He's certainly not afraid to use pace to go round his man and packs a terrific shot. Chopra gets his Shearer comparisons from turning really well and knowing instinctively where the pass should go (even if his execution leaves a bit to be desired) and seems relatively unphased by close attention (which he gets - and merits - a lot of).

If the situation at home turns out the way it's looking then Mrs Softie will be having to give up work which means that I should be able to start reporting on reserve games again, so I'll give you the full Bovril and bullshit lowdown next season :-)

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001


Can't bliddy wait Softie!!

Nothing wrong with your better half, forcing her to stay at home I hope? We've had enough bad news lately.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001


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