Youth and optimism

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Just looking at the England section of the FA website and note that:

1) At Under 16 level, we have two players in the squad (Ben Webster and Steven Taylor (captain), a number bettered only by Man Utd. I think Ben is injured at present.

2) At Under 17 level, we have three players (Neale McDermott, Ross Gardner and Lewis Guy), the highest number of any team

3) At Under 19 level, we have one player (Chopra), only Aston Villa has more.

4) At Under 21 level, we have one player (Ameobi), bettered by Boro (Greening and Wilson from Man Utd) and West Ham.

This is extraordinary progress when you think about it. It made me smile.

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2001

Answers

There's a piece in icDeadPeople with John Carver saying our current youth squad is the best he's ever seen at the club.

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2001

So, there is life out there!
My giddy aunt - this place has rolled over and bloody died.

To the topic - you're quite right, it is very promising. Just think what it could be like if we had even just adequate youth development facilities that actually allowed us to compete with other big Clubs on an equal footing.

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2001


Clarky, we are getting very close to it with Darsley Park.

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

Just been into Durham and saw the academy minibus scoot past. No-one on board, but thought you'd like to know. Guess the bairns are training today :-)

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

Watched the U16's last night against Germany. Unfortunately they lost after two howlers from two different keepers. Before and during the game the sky commentators were raving on and on about how good Steven Taylor of Newcastle is. After watching him I have to agree that he seems a fantastic prospect. It appears that we have a good crop of centre halves in our team both pushing now and ready to come through in the future. BTW he was England Captain on the night.

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001


Bobby, the minibus was outside SJP this morning. Maybe they got dropped off somewhere. Or there could be more than one minibus saying "Academy" on the side!!

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

Are you suggesting the club would waste money on more than one minibus? I rather think one squad would get in and the other ran behind / dragged along on inline skates.

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

I'm never sure that success at youth level for central defenders is an indication of future potential. They often get picked as they have developed faster than their peers and are hence bigger and stronger rather than more skilled. It'd be interesting to see the U- 16 central defenders who have played for England oner the past 10 years, and see how many have made it. One for softie perhaps :-)

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

Pete, it's not necessarily an indication of future success for any players...today's Journal has the story of our very own Jamie Burt, who played with Michael Owen for England as a youth. He got hooked on drugs, charged with selling heroin and now plays for Whitby Town. You'd just got to hope that the fact that they are better at a certain age will carry on.

Regarding centre halves, I'm not sure that's true anymore: clubs rightly or wrongly are trying to develop ball-playing centre halves (much to the chagrin of Jackie Charlton et al).

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001


I agree with both things you're saying Dougal - about nothing guaranteed and about ball playing centre halves. But I still think that if you're managing at U-16 level and need to chose a centre half, then naturally you'll have a bias towards the bigger lads who have matured quicker. Since centre halves generally peak later on in their career, U-16 is too early on for judgement of ability in that position. But if TAylor has the talent and <\B>physique at that early age, no reason he can't make it in a number of positions

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001


Agree generally but I refuse, in my current state of mind, to believe that he is going to be anything other than World Class :0)

-- Anonymous, November 16, 2001

Steven Taylor's my brother's friend, he was in his class at school for about 6 years, but he goes to Monkseaton High now (my brother goes to Whitley Bay)

Canny player, he used to play in goal for the school team sometimes I think (Alan Shearer comparison there?)

-- Anonymous, November 17, 2001


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