Our new youth Policy

[madras]

Youth policies are going to become even more important.

 

So many clubs with so much money, and so difficult to sign new players, growing (or developing, at least) your own is going to become more important.

 

Our youth team beat Ipswich 5-0 to reach the semis of the FA Youth Cup this week. We already know who our next crop are going to be - Delfouneso, Allbrighton, Bannan, Forrester to name just four.

 

They won't all make it, in fact  most of them won't, but if one of them turns out to be an Agbonlahor, it will make it all worth it.

 

Incidentally, they don't even have to end up playing in your first team. Steven Davies - 4m to Fulham, for example. That's useful money.

whats "tyres" from spaced doing in your av ?

 

*gasp*

 

How very dare you!

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:B2s88cvEMWvANM:http://pics.livejournal.com/dcspanner/pic/0000101a/s320x240

[gazza ladra]

When did LuaLua, Forster, Edgar, and Carroll come in? I'm trying to figure out who deserves kudos / blame.

 

Robson's youth signing seem to be the only ones to contribute any thing at all (so far): Taylor. Milner. N’Zogbia.

[Martin Lol]

I won't count Forrester cos you stole him from Watford!

 

I know, that's why i said "or developing, at least" get them in, work on them. He's still miles from any sort of finished product, and very young, but we can make him better.

 

He may be very raw but, as you say, he is still very young.  I've seem him play maybe half a dozen times, mainly with the England kids and always looked to be one of the brighter sparks in the team.  I know we were trying to get him as well but we got our own back when Spurs signed Dean Parrett, who was very much on your radar.

 

It's all well and good having a successful Academy but there also has to be the desire to promote from the youth/development squads rather than go out and spend another couple of million on another Johnny Foreigner.  Spurs traditionally have (though what they have brought through has been generally poor), Villa have and obviously the scum up the road, but generally speaking, I think there is a tendency to look abroad , presumably in the search for instant results.

 

Anyway, I should be having a look at your kids next week as they visit us tomorrow week.  It should be a good game, it was good in Brum earlier in the season when we lost 2-1.

 

 

When did LuaLua, Forster, Edgar, and Carroll come in? I'm trying to figure out who deserves kudos / blame.

 

Robson's youth signing seem to be the only ones to contribute any thing at all (so far): Taylor. Milner. N'Zogbia.

 

When you're talking about youths, are you speaking about those like taylor who have gone through the Academy or players like Milner who, whilst young, were well past the Academy stage of development?

[gazza ladra]

When you're talking about youths, are you speaking about those like taylor who have gone through the Academy or players like Milner who, whilst young, were well past the Academy stage of development?

 

Both.

 

I'm talking about players who were bought for the future in general.

[Martin Lol]

Youth policies are going to become even more important.

 

So many clubs with so much money, and so difficult to sign new players, growing (or developing, at least) your own is going to become more important.

 

Our youth team beat Ipswich 5-0 to reach the semis of the FA Youth Cup this week. We already know who our next crop are going to be - Delfouneso, Allbrighton, Bannan, Forrester to name just four.

 

They won't all make it, in fact  most of them won't, but if one of them turns out to be an Agbonlahor, it will make it all worth it.

 

Incidentally, they don't even have to end up playing in your first team. Steven Davies - 4m to Fulham, for example. That's useful money.

 

The only reason you're going so far in the FA Youth Cup is because you keep getting easy draws, Ipswich, Colchester, Crewe!!   We've got Port Vale still to play and, assuming we win that, Chelsea in the quarter finals with

Miroslav Stoch, Gael Kakuta, Morten Nielsen and Sergio Tejera in their team amongst others.   TBF, Tejera did look good when I saw him.

[Martin Lol]

When you're talking about youths, are you speaking about those like taylor who have gone through the Academy or players like Milner who, whilst young, were well past the Academy stage of development?

 

Both.

 

I'm talking about players who were bought for the future in general.

 

I always think there's a lot more satisfaction in seeing 'one of your own' come through.  In the future, it's going to be harder to get top quality kids unless they've come through your Academy as anyone with ability will already have been snapped up by a bigger fish.  Of course there will be some that will slip through the system to resurface later, but I would be surprised if they will be as prevelant as they have been in the past.

[brummie]

Youth policies are going to become even more important.

 

So many clubs with so much money, and so difficult to sign new players, growing (or developing, at least) your own is going to become more important.

 

Our youth team beat Ipswich 5-0 to reach the semis of the FA Youth Cup this week. We already know who our next crop are going to be - Delfouneso, Allbrighton, Bannan, Forrester to name just four.

 

They won't all make it, in fact  most of them won't, but if one of them turns out to be an Agbonlahor, it will make it all worth it.

 

Incidentally, they don't even have to end up playing in your first team. Steven Davies - 4m to Fulham, for example. That's useful money.

 

The only reason you're going so far in the FA Youth Cup is because you keep getting easy draws, Ipswich, Colchester, Crewe!!   We've got Port Vale still to play and, assuming we win that, Chelsea in the quarter finals with

Miroslav Stoch, Gael Kakuta, Morten Nielsen and Sergio Tejera in their team amongst others.   TBF, Tejera did look good when I saw him.

 

"The only reason" ha ha.

 

Heaven forfend that we should actually have a very good youth program, which has culminated with several graduates in the first team squad.

 

*winky emoticon*

[brummie]

When you're talking about youths, are you speaking about those like taylor who have gone through the Academy or players like Milner who, whilst young, were well past the Academy stage of development?

 

Both.

 

I'm talking about players who were bought for the future in general.

 

I always think there's a lot more satisfaction in seeing 'one of your own' come through.  In the future, it's going to be harder to get top quality kids unless they've come through your Academy as anyone with ability will already have been snapped up by a bigger fish.  Of course there will be some that will slip through the system to resurface later, but I would be surprised if they will be as prevelant as they have been in the past.

 

Absolutely. I genuinely think that youth academies are going to become more and more important when there is increasingly less to differentiate between clubs.

[Martin Lol]

Youth policies are going to become even more important.

 

So many clubs with so much money, and so difficult to sign new players, growing (or developing, at least) your own is going to become more important.

 

Our youth team beat Ipswich 5-0 to reach the semis of the FA Youth Cup this week. We already know who our next crop are going to be - Delfouneso, Allbrighton, Bannan, Forrester to name just four.

 

They won't all make it, in fact  most of them won't, but if one of them turns out to be an Agbonlahor, it will make it all worth it.

 

Incidentally, they don't even have to end up playing in your first team. Steven Davies - 4m to Fulham, for example. That's useful money.

 

The only reason you're going so far in the FA Youth Cup is because you keep getting easy draws, Ipswich, Colchester, Crewe!!   We've got Port Vale still to play and, assuming we win that, Chelsea in the quarter finals with

Miroslav Stoch, Gael Kakuta, Morten Nielsen and Sergio Tejera in their team amongst others.   TBF, Tejera did look good when I saw him.

 

"The only reason" ha ha.

 

Heaven forfend that we should actually have a very good youth program, which has culminated with several graduates in the first team squad.

 

*winky emoticon*

 

It is the only reason and you know it.  You're only top of your section of the table because you've been lucky!! :lol:

[gazza ladra]

When you're talking about youths, are you speaking about those like taylor who have gone through the Academy or players like Milner who, whilst young, were well past the Academy stage of development?

 

Both.

 

I'm talking about players who were bought for the future in general.

 

I always think there's a lot more satisfaction in seeing 'one of your own' come through.  In the future, it's going to be harder to get top quality kids unless they've come through your Academy as anyone with ability will already have been snapped up by a bigger fish.  Of course there will be some that will slip through the system to resurface later, but I would be surprised if they will be as prevelant as they have been in the past.

 

Supposedly, Lyon has managed to stay on top in France by snapping up quality young players (not Academy players) from all over Ligue 1. Year after year, they buy young, play them for a season or two and turn around and sell them at exorbitant prices. Not bad business being the  middleman.

 

Or so that's what I'd read somewhere.

[La Parka]

When you're talking about youths, are you speaking about those like taylor who have gone through the Academy or players like Milner who, whilst young, were well past the Academy stage of development?

 

Both.

 

I'm talking about players who were bought for the future in general.

 

I always think there's a lot more satisfaction in seeing 'one of your own' come through.  In the future, it's going to be harder to get top quality kids unless they've come through your Academy as anyone with ability will already have been snapped up by a bigger fish.  Of course there will be some that will slip through the system to resurface later, but I would be surprised if they will be as prevelant as they have been in the past.

 

Supposedly, Lyon has managed to stay on top in France by snapping up quality young players (not Academy players) from all over Ligue 1. Year after year, they buy young, play them for a season or two and turn around and sell them at exorbitant prices. Not bad business being the  middleman.

 

Or so that's what I'd read somewhere.

 

Like Ajax then (though their youth is more cosmopolitan).

[Thespence]

It should be easier to sign the best English/British young players. It looks like Fergie has given up poaching other clubs youth team players, Arsenal is a place that is no friend to the English/British youth teamer, Chelsea went ballistic a while back sigining youngsters like Bertrand, Philliskirk, Worley, Woods, Tawio, Sinclair & shed load more, but they have slowed down a lot, Rafa has singed half of Eastern Europe + the odd Spaniard as youth  team players.  So the domestic market place is a really decent place to look, although that means putting in road miles rather than more glamours air miles.

[hakka]

Hope allot of you like me are getting very excited with the motions put in place to sign quality talent from around the world.

 

As long as I can remember we have always relied on the 1st team with hardly any talent coming through our ranks.

 

Most of our signings have been to the latter stages of there playing career's except from the bobby days when all he brought at the time was youth.

 

Hopefully we can get an infrastructure in place similier to Arsenal with the majority of our players coming from the acadamy instead of having to fork out through the nose for crap!

 

The money we'd save overall would enable us to set aside big funds for superstar signings when or as we need them.

 

So i'm fully behind the new regime just a shame we may have to watch some dross from now until the end of the season.

 

Yes it is exciting that we are snapping up some youngsters, although we must be realistic and understand that they are unlikely to have any impact on the first team until 2012, unless they are exceptional talents.  It's also never certain that a quality youngster will acheive their potential, so you can always expect 1 or 2 ending up in the Championship or back to their native league, although I'm sure some will come good here.

 

Planting seeds for the future, great move...

[GG]

Forrester.

 

Thieves. 

 

That boy will be top class, most certainly.

[brummie]

Delfouneso looks like a really serious prospect, I won't count Forrester cos you stole him from Watford!

 

Rumour doing the rounds that Delfouneso is travelling to Fulham with the first team squad.

[Martin Lol]

I won't count Forrester cos you stole him from Watford!

 

I know, that's why i said "or developing, at least" get them in, work on them. He's still miles from any sort of finished product, and very young, but we can make him better.

 

He may be very raw but, as you say, he is still very young.  I've seem him play maybe half a dozen times, mainly with the England kids and always looked to be one of the brighter sparks in the team.  I know we were trying to get him as well but we got our own back when Spurs signed Dean Parrett, who was very much on your radar.

 

It's all well and good having a successful Academy but there also has to be the desire to promote from the youth/development squads rather than go out and spend another couple of million on another Johnny Foreigner.  Spurs traditionally have (though what they have brought through has been generally poor), Villa have and obviously the scum up the road, but generally speaking, I think there is a tendency to look abroad , presumably in the search for instant results.

 

Anyway, I should be having a look at your kids next week as they visit us tomorrow week.  It should be a good game, it was good in Brum earlier in the season when we lost 2-1.

 

 

I never got to go in the end (never went to Derby either) but Spurs got revenge winning 2-1 in a cracking game by all accounts.  Villa were by far the better in the first half, but by the end Spurs were good value for the win, making it 9 successive wins and 13 out of 15 going back to the beginning of October.  A lot of credit is going to Alex Inglethorpe who is Head Coach for the Academy, though Comolli ought to get some recognition for giving him the quality of players to work with.  Perhaps more pleasing is that we've got 2 players who'll be joining the first year of the Academy who had been destined to join the scum up the road but didn't think they would have a great future there as they're English!

 

Spurs have got Port Vale on Wednesday in the Youth Cup, Chelsea await the winners in the semi-final.  I'm hoping for a Spurs/Villa final, they would be well matched.  Got to get past Port Vale first though!!

 

 

[Martin Lol]

I won't count Forrester cos you stole him from Watford!

 

I know, that's why i said "or developing, at least" get them in, work on them. He's still miles from any sort of finished product, and very young, but we can make him better.

 

He may be very raw but, as you say, he is still very young.  I've seem him play maybe half a dozen times, mainly with the England kids and always looked to be one of the brighter sparks in the team.  I know we were trying to get him as well but we got our own back when Spurs signed Dean Parrett, who was very much on your radar.

 

It's all well and good having a successful Academy but there also has to be the desire to promote from the youth/development squads rather than go out and spend another couple of million on another Johnny Foreigner.  Spurs traditionally have (though what they have brought through has been generally poor), Villa have and obviously the scum up the road, but generally speaking, I think there is a tendency to look abroad , presumably in the search for instant results.

 

Anyway, I should be having a look at your kids next week as they visit us tomorrow week.  It should be a good game, it was good in Brum earlier in the season when we lost 2-1.

 

 

I never got to go in the end (never went to Derby either) but Spurs got revenge winning 2-1 in a cracking game by all accounts.  Villa were by far the better in the first half, but by the end Spurs were good value for the win, making it 9 successive wins and 13 out of 15 going back to the beginning of October.  A lot of credit is going to Alex Inglethorpe who is Head Coach for the Academy, though Comolli ought to get some recognition for giving him the quality of players to work with.  Perhaps more pleasing is that we've got 2 players who'll be joining the first year of the Academy who had been destined to join the scum up the road but didn't think they would have a great future there as they're English!

 

Spurs have got Port Vale on Wednesday in the Youth Cup, Chelsea await the winners in the semi-final.  I'm hoping for a Spurs/Villa final, they would be well matched.  Got to get past Port Vale first though!!

 

 

 

Port Vale 1 Spurs 0 ............................ FFS  though I did half guess that!

 

Inglethorpe out.

[Dr Spectrum]

I won't count Forrester cos you stole him from Watford!

 

I know, that's why i said "or developing, at least" get them in, work on them. He's still miles from any sort of finished product, and very young, but we can make him better.

 

He may be very raw but, as you say, he is still very young.  I've seem him play maybe half a dozen times, mainly with the England kids and always looked to be one of the brighter sparks in the team.  I know we were trying to get him as well but we got our own back when Spurs signed Dean Parrett, who was very much on your radar.

 

It's all well and good having a successful Academy but there also has to be the desire to promote from the youth/development squads rather than go out and spend another couple of million on another Johnny Foreigner.  Spurs traditionally have (though what they have brought through has been generally poor), Villa have and obviously the scum up the road, but generally speaking, I think there is a tendency to look abroad , presumably in the search for instant results.

 

Anyway, I should be having a look at your kids next week as they visit us tomorrow week.  It should be a good game, it was good in Brum earlier in the season when we lost 2-1.

 

 

I never got to go in the end (never went to Derby either) but Spurs got revenge winning 2-1 in a cracking game by all accounts.  Villa were by far the better in the first half, but by the end Spurs were good value for the win, making it 9 successive wins and 13 out of 15 going back to the beginning of October.  A lot of credit is going to Alex Inglethorpe who is Head Coach for the Academy, though Comolli ought to get some recognition for giving him the quality of players to work with.  Perhaps more pleasing is that we've got 2 players who'll be joining the first year of the Academy who had been destined to join the scum up the road but didn't think they would have a great future there as they're English!

 

Spurs have got Port Vale on Wednesday in the Youth Cup, Chelsea await the winners in the semi-final.  I'm hoping for a Spurs/Villa final, they would be well matched.  Got to get past Port Vale first though!!

 

 

 

Port Vale 1 Spurs 0 ............................ FFS  though I did half guess that!

 

Inglethorpe out.

 

Youth Cup doesnt mean owt....only YC game Ive been to best player on the pitch was Boro reject Andrew Davies...and thats only cos he was the biggest/strongest and won everything in the air. Dont think football at that level is a results business at all when games can be swung on a physical factor that just isnt there when the same kids play against grown men. Success at youth level is measured in graduates, not sales or tin pots....

 

That said....COYB. Got Plymouth in the Quarter final.

[Guest Brazilianbob]

I won't count Forrester cos you stole him from Watford!

 

I know, that's why i said "or developing, at least" get them in, work on them. He's still miles from any sort of finished product, and very young, but we can make him better.

 

He may be very raw but, as you say, he is still very young.  I've seem him play maybe half a dozen times, mainly with the England kids and always looked to be one of the brighter sparks in the team.  I know we were trying to get him as well but we got our own back when Spurs signed Dean Parrett, who was very much on your radar.

 

It's all well and good having a successful Academy but there also has to be the desire to promote from the youth/development squads rather than go out and spend another couple of million on another Johnny Foreigner.  Spurs traditionally have (though what they have brought through has been generally poor), Villa have and obviously the scum up the road, but generally speaking, I think there is a tendency to look abroad , presumably in the search for instant results.

 

Anyway, I should be having a look at your kids next week as they visit us tomorrow week.  It should be a good game, it was good in Brum earlier in the season when we lost 2-1.

 

 

I never got to go in the end (never went to Derby either) but Spurs got revenge winning 2-1 in a cracking game by all accounts.  Villa were by far the better in the first half, but by the end Spurs were good value for the win, making it 9 successive wins and 13 out of 15 going back to the beginning of October.  A lot of credit is going to Alex Inglethorpe who is Head Coach for the Academy, though Comolli ought to get some recognition for giving him the quality of players to work with.  Perhaps more pleasing is that we've got 2 players who'll be joining the first year of the Academy who had been destined to join the scum up the road but didn't think they would have a great future there as they're English!

 

Spurs have got Port Vale on Wednesday in the Youth Cup, Chelsea await the winners in the semi-final.  I'm hoping for a Spurs/Villa final, they would be well matched.  Got to get past Port Vale first though!!

 

 

 

Port Vale 1 Spurs 0 ............................ FFS  though I did half guess that!

 

Inglethorpe out.

 

Youth Cup doesnt mean owt....only YC game Ive been to best player on the pitch was Boro reject Andrew Davies...and thats only cos he was the biggest/strongest and won everything in the air. Dont think football at that level is a results business at all when games can be swung on a physical factor that just isnt there when the same kids play against grown men. Success at youth level is measured in graduates, not sales or tin pots....

 

That said....COYB. Got Plymouth in the Quarter final.

 

But, I saw us win the FA Youth Cup in 1985/6 at Watford when a certain young man stood out head and shoulders above the other 21 players on the pitch as he scored 2 and made the other 2 in a 1-4 win.  That young man was called Paul Gascoigne.  It was obvious he was going to make it big even at that level.

[Martin Lol]

I won't count Forrester cos you stole him from Watford!

 

I know, that's why i said "or developing, at least" get them in, work on them. He's still miles from any sort of finished product, and very young, but we can make him better.

 

He may be very raw but, as you say, he is still very young.  I've seem him play maybe half a dozen times, mainly with the England kids and always looked to be one of the brighter sparks in the team.  I know we were trying to get him as well but we got our own back when Spurs signed Dean Parrett, who was very much on your radar.

 

It's all well and good having a successful Academy but there also has to be the desire to promote from the youth/development squads rather than go out and spend another couple of million on another Johnny Foreigner.  Spurs traditionally have (though what they have brought through has been generally poor), Villa have and obviously the scum up the road, but generally speaking, I think there is a tendency to look abroad , presumably in the search for instant results.

 

Anyway, I should be having a look at your kids next week as they visit us tomorrow week.  It should be a good game, it was good in Brum earlier in the season when we lost 2-1.

 

 

I never got to go in the end (never went to Derby either) but Spurs got revenge winning 2-1 in a cracking game by all accounts.  Villa were by far the better in the first half, but by the end Spurs were good value for the win, making it 9 successive wins and 13 out of 15 going back to the beginning of October.  A lot of credit is going to Alex Inglethorpe who is Head Coach for the Academy, though Comolli ought to get some recognition for giving him the quality of players to work with.  Perhaps more pleasing is that we've got 2 players who'll be joining the first year of the Academy who had been destined to join the scum up the road but didn't think they would have a great future there as they're English!

 

Spurs have got Port Vale on Wednesday in the Youth Cup, Chelsea await the winners in the semi-final.  I'm hoping for a Spurs/Villa final, they would be well matched.  Got to get past Port Vale first though!!

 

 

 

Port Vale 1 Spurs 0 ............................ FFS  though I did half guess that!

 

Inglethorpe out.

 

Youth Cup doesnt mean owt....only YC game Ive been to best player on the pitch was Boro reject Andrew Davies...and thats only cos he was the biggest/strongest and won everything in the air. Dont think football at that level is a results business at all when games can be swung on a physical factor that just isnt there when the same kids play against grown men. Success at youth level is measured in graduates, not sales or tin pots....

 

That said....COYB. Got Plymouth in the Quarter final.

 

Tallest, strongest, fastest will always have an advantage due to age but skill and technical ability you hope will prevail irrespective of age.  About half of the Spurs group would be eligible to play again next year, but for most their progress by that time will be in Spurs' development squad (reserves to most clubs but that's what Spurs call them) or elsewhere having been shipped out. 

 

 

[Guest Phil K]

It'll take years to build a setup anywhere near as good as Arsenal's, mind.

True, but if you don't start - you don't finish.

[brummie]

I won't count Forrester cos you stole him from Watford!

 

I know, that's why i said "or developing, at least" get them in, work on them. He's still miles from any sort of finished product, and very young, but we can make him better.

 

He may be very raw but, as you say, he is still very young.  I've seem him play maybe half a dozen times, mainly with the England kids and always looked to be one of the brighter sparks in the team.  I know we were trying to get him as well but we got our own back when Spurs signed Dean Parrett, who was very much on your radar.

 

It's all well and good having a successful Academy but there also has to be the desire to promote from the youth/development squads rather than go out and spend another couple of million on another Johnny Foreigner.  Spurs traditionally have (though what they have brought through has been generally poor), Villa have and obviously the scum up the road, but generally speaking, I think there is a tendency to look abroad , presumably in the search for instant results.

 

Anyway, I should be having a look at your kids next week as they visit us tomorrow week.  It should be a good game, it was good in Brum earlier in the season when we lost 2-1.

 

 

I never got to go in the end (never went to Derby either) but Spurs got revenge winning 2-1 in a cracking game by all accounts.  Villa were by far the better in the first half, but by the end Spurs were good value for the win, making it 9 successive wins and 13 out of 15 going back to the beginning of October.  A lot of credit is going to Alex Inglethorpe who is Head Coach for the Academy, though Comolli ought to get some recognition for giving him the quality of players to work with.  Perhaps more pleasing is that we've got 2 players who'll be joining the first year of the Academy who had been destined to join the scum up the road but didn't think they would have a great future there as they're English!

 

Spurs have got Port Vale on Wednesday in the Youth Cup, Chelsea await the winners in the semi-final.  I'm hoping for a Spurs/Villa final, they would be well matched.  Got to get past Port Vale first though!!

 

 

 

Port Vale 1 Spurs 0 ............................ FFS  though I did half guess that!

 

Inglethorpe out.

 

Youth Cup doesnt mean owt....only YC game Ive been to best player on the pitch was Boro reject Andrew Davies...and thats only cos he was the biggest/strongest and won everything in the air. Dont think football at that level is a results business at all when games can be swung on a physical factor that just isnt there when the same kids play against grown men. Success at youth level is measured in graduates, not sales or tin pots....

 

That said....COYB. Got Plymouth in the Quarter final.

 

Tallest, strongest, fastest will always have an advantage due to age but skill and technical ability you hope will prevail irrespective of age.  About half of the Spurs group would be eligible to play again next year, but for most their progress by that time will be in Spurs' development squad (reserves to most clubs but that's what Spurs call them) or elsewhere having been shipped out. 

 

 

 

Ours won 2-0 at Carlisle tonight. Delfouneso, Bannan and Forrester starring again. Delfouneso will play in the PL before too long, man of the match apparently.

 

Port Vale or Chelsea in the semi finals.

 

Incidentally, our youth team's league record = Played: 22 Won: 17 Drawn: 1 Lost: 4. Pretty impressive.

[Zero]

It should be easier to sign the best English/British young players. It looks like Fergie has given up poaching other clubs youth team players, Arsenal is a place that is no friend to the English/British youth teamer, Chelsea went ballistic a while back sigining youngsters like Bertrand, Philliskirk, Worley, Woods, Tawio, Sinclair & shed load more, but they have slowed down a lot, Rafa has singed half of Eastern Europe + the odd Spaniard as youth  team players.  So the domestic market place is a really decent place to look, although that means putting in road miles rather than more glamours air miles.

 

True, but the reason why they give up local lads is because they aren't good enough. It's like picking up gems from recognized shits.

[Guest]

I think Sunderland are still in the Youth Cup. Beat Liverpool this week.

[KaKa]

It should be easier to sign the best English/British young players. It looks like Fergie has given up poaching other clubs youth team players, Arsenal is a place that is no friend to the English/British youth teamer, Chelsea went ballistic a while back sigining youngsters like Bertrand, Philliskirk, Worley, Woods, Tawio, Sinclair & shed load more, but they have slowed down a lot, Rafa has singed half of Eastern Europe + the odd Spaniard as youth  team players.  So the domestic market place is a really decent place to look, although that means putting in road miles rather than more glamours air miles.

 

Arsenal? No place?

 

False. I predict that in about 8 - 10 years time around 60% of the England team will be Arsenal players.

 

Have you seen their teams from 18 below? The English kids that have been there from the age of 9 under the Wenger regime?

 

England will have a lot to thank Wenger for in the near future. You only have to look at how someone like Bentley is faring right now.

 

We really have to sort ourselves out as a club in this respect. One of the reasons I was particularly happy about the new setup we have.