and given a couple of years to mature together, they may make a formidable team.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Answers

Yes, I have also been thinking that. The strategy is obvious, and I think it's a good one. A top name should be nice though, like Zenden. He's only 24 so...

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Do we think Zenden is coming to us now? Is all his talk, just a smoke screen? If he doesn't then it means we have only spent 6.5M, which is nowt. The club must still have at least 5M if not more. There have got to be more signings in the pipeline. (and I don't mean Murray and Elliot)

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

A few people hav mentioned Leeds as an example of the sort of side we would like to have. But take a look at the Leeds of 1999/2000 and see how many players were big names then. Decent goalie in Martyn. Journeymen and unproven youngsters in Kelly, HArte, Haaland, Woodhouse, RAdebe, Duberry. Midfield of injured Batty, Bakke, Wilcox, Bowyer, Sharpe, Molenaar. Kewell (hardly a big name when he came), A whingeing Hasselbank, Bridges, Huckerby, pre-pubescent Smith. Weatherall etc. Anyone want to compare our side now on a 1-to- 1 basis, on the basis of those players' profile back in early 1999
The side made itself largely, and with success has come the bigger signings of the likes of Viduka, Keane, Dacourt, Ferdinand etc.
The gap may not be as large as people think.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

At least we can hope so.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Yep the average age is plummeting and youngsters may listen to Bobby more than the more experienced pros.

Its in their best interests.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

Maybe in 3 years...

But by then Dyer & Solano will have left. We need to improve now. The good players will stay if we are a top 6 club. Otherwise they'll leave. We can't sit back and wait for the kids to mature.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2001

We have a team all under 25 who all have experience in the EPL. Given Harper, Griffin, O'Brien, Hughes, Quinn, Dyer, Acuna, Bassedas, Bellamy, Cort, Ameobi. Not including the youyngsters who have played and or been on the bench like Kerr, Caldwells, Green, Lua Lua. Add the older (Just) Solano and Dabizas. Then the really old Shearer, Lee, Speed and Barton. All of the first 12 I named are internationals. Most of the others are/were internationals.

The squad has cost 1.9 million and the wages bill is far lower than the Dalgleish and Gullit squads.

This is the bases for the future. Some of them will not make it some may not make it. We do have a SQUAD however who can play at this level.

The next step is to add the quality to this side to suppliment and compliment Shearer, Dyer and Solano who are in general opinion our best 3 players. If this squad can hold its own in the EPL then we only have to purchase the quality over the next couple of years.

I am not suggesting who or why we are going this way only that we have the basis for a good squad to see us over the whole rebuilding exercise. A lot will not agree, however I do not think that we are in a bad a position as some of you suggest.

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2001

Leeds are benefitting from the GG effect. Watch Spurs go now, they have some excellent young players.

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2001

Swifty - Leeds are benefiting from Wilkinson not GG. He kicked off the youth policy but got sacked coz it didn't deliver instant results.

Now they can afford to spend £18m on Rio and £10 on Keane.

-- Anonymous, June 27, 2001