U23s & Academy

[James]

Well done lads.

 

I'd imagine Vuckic felt really at home with the opposition.

[joeyt]

Excellent news. Might have some scouts there too

[Lenny]

Blimey, Vuckic is on FIRE!!!!

[Guest Heneage]

Vuckic is looking promising.

 

[Guest WashyGeordie]

Bosnia trophy... Intertoto... And who says we don't win anything... 

[Mowen]

Vuckic is looking promising.

 

 

Have you seen him play?

[Guest toonlass]

Academy Kids Lift Bosnia Trophy

 

By Craig Hope

 

NEWCASTLE United Under-18s have added some silverware to what has been an impressive campaign by returning victorious from an end-of-season tournament in Bosnia.

 

Academy Director Richard Money and coach Kenny Wharton took a strong Magpie squad to the town of Foca (pictured below) in the south west of the country for an eight-team knockout competition which also included youth teams from Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia and Serbian heavyweights Crvena Zvezda, the club formerly known as Red Star Belgrade.

 

First up for the Geordies was a quarter-final tie against Macedonian side Rabotnicki where goals from Haris Vuckic, skipper Ryan Donaldson, James Tavernier and an own goal saw United cruise to a 4-0 success.

 

Slovenian Vuckic then added another two to his tally during a 2-0 last-four win over Bosnian outfit Sutjeska.

 

 

And so it was to a final showdown with Sofia where Vuckic fired twice and Samuel Adjei and Michael McCrudden were also on target in a 4-1 victory.

 

That brace for Vuckic was enough to see him lift the top goalscorer prize as well as taking home the player-of-the-tournament trophy.

 

And such was United's impact on the competition that the Mayor of Foca has since written to the club thanking them for their participation whilst also stating that the black-and-white youngsters were the best his town has ever seen.

 

And Academy chief Money told nufcTV: "All credit to our young players, I thought they were outstanding both on and off the pitch.

 

"For the Mayor to turn around and say we were the best football team he'd ever seen in the town was a massive compliment.

 

"I was delighted for the boys and they thoroughly deserved the win.

 

"We've got a very talented group of players coming through and there are a few who have a real chance of making an impact at first-team level in the not-too-distant future."

 

To see the full interview with Richard Money log on to nufcTV and there'll also be more reaction to the cup success here on nufc.co.uk

 

The Magpies' tournament-winning squad included;

 

Jak Alnwick, Dan Leadbitter, James Taylor, Jeff Henderson, Shane Ferguson, James Tavernier, Patrick McLaughlin, Samuel Adjei, Haris Vuckic, Michael McCrudden, Ryan Donaldson, Paul Dummett, Ben Robinson, Richard Archer, Aaron Spear, Stephen Folan, Ryan Page, Andy Mogwo

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1669919,00.html

 

Well done our bairns.

[joeyt]

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1670135,00.html

 

Money Banks On Vuckic For Big Toon Future

 

SLOVENIAN starlet Haris Vuckic has added to his collection of individual honours by landing both the top goalscorer and player-of-the-tournament accolades as Newcastle United Under-18s returned victorious from a competition in Bosnia.

 

The Ljubljana-born midfielder, still just 16, fired five times for Richard Money's Academy side as they swept past opponents from Macedonia and Bosnia en route to the final before enjoying a 4-1 success over Bulgarian side Levski Sofia to lift the trophy.

 

Vuckic, captain of his under-17 national team, arrived on Tyneside in January from NK Domzale and has gone on to earn rave reviews following a string of classy displays for the club's reserve and junior sides which have yielded five goals.

 

And Magpie coach Money believes that a big future awaits the young playmaker.

 

"He's beginning to settle in now," the Academy chief told nufcTV.

 

"Coming over from Slovenia in January was never going to be easy, especially with such a big reputation.

 

"But week by week he's really beginning to come to grips with what we want.

 

"And on the evidence of the tournament in Bosnia and some of the things he did before we went away, he has all of the ingredients to be a top, top player."

 

And when asked if Vuckic could make an impact at first-team level in the Championship next season, Money confidently came back: "I don't think he's too far away if I'm honest.

 

"He's got everything really; great size, good athlete, change of pace and he's very clever and creative with the ball.

 

"I think that given the right environment and the right development then he's got a big future ahead of him."

 

[Frazzle]

How was the tournament then binnsy?  Don't tell me you didn't go! 

[Tooj]

Ashley will be gutted as we won't be able to get much for him at the moment.

[Guest Heneage]

Ashley will be gutted as we won't be able to get much for him at the moment.

You really are obsessed.

 

Binnsy what status would you give him in the squad would he be ready for first team football?

[binnsy]

Ashley will be gutted as we won't be able to get much for him at the moment.

You really are obsessed.

 

Binnsy what status would you give him in the squad would he be ready for first team football?

 

 

Vukcic does look like he can be a top top player and the bonus for NUFC is that he is the type of creative midfielder that we have been crying out for for years,  only problem is that he is still only 16 and that is why its silly for people on here picking teams with Haris as some kind of saviour.  I would like to see him on the edges of the first team,  blood him gently, i'd expect him to feature in the pre seasons games but would expect his debut to come in the carling cup.  Unlike most of the youngsters that have come through our academy Vukcic is a big lad so hopefully he'll be able to cope with physical side of the game. 

For all we are reading about his recent excellent displays in thr tournament in Bosnia,  youth games and reserve level is a huge jump to premier league, not sure how big the gap is to the Championship but it will still be big but the thing i like most about the way he plays is he plays everything one or two touch and once he does pass moves for a return,  think of the way Iniesta and Xavi play and you'll get the picture,  not that i'm saying he's in there league mind cos he's not but thats his style of play.

 

While i'm on i may as well give you my verdict on some of the others youngsters who are getting talked about on here...

 

Tamas Kadar

Classy defender,  i've no doubt that he'd have been in the first team had he not broke his leg and that would've been regardless of injuries to Enrique,  he has had an injury prone time of it though lately,  missed the early part of the season after an injury picked up last summer playing for Hungary.  Fully expect him to be playing more first team games than reserve games next season.

 

James Tavernier

Currently my dads favourite player,  seems to have got better and better as the season went on,  an attacking right back in the mould of Beye,  seems to have endless energy, bombing up and down the wing,  still got a bit to learn on his defensive side but he's certainly one to watch and another who'd i expect to be on the fringes of the first team next season.

 

Shane Ferguson

Northern Irish left back who like Tavernier has improved as the season went on,  made his first couple of reserve appearance as a winger but then around xmas was converted to a left back, his end of season form as seen him called up to both the Northern Ireland B squad and currently in the Under 21 squad.  Small, nimble player, again one to watch but think he's still a bit off the first team and would expect another season in the reserves rather than seeing him featur in the first team.

 

Bradden Inman

I haven't seen as much of Inman as i would've liked,  very highly rated, looked tremendous in the youth cup games i saw,  hasn't featured that much at reserve level with having the likes of Donninger and Donaldson playing in his position,  did score 4 goals in his 22 academy appearances,  excellent passer and plays in a kind of Carrick role,  not sure of his defensive abilites as not seen enough of him.  Now that Donninger has been released he will be a regular in next seasons reserve team but again like Tavernier it maybe another 12 months before he makes the breakthrough into the first team.

 

Ryan Donaldson

I find this lad a bit of an enigma,  broke into the reserve team a couple of years when he was still at school, started as a striker but rarely scored at reserve level and this season dropped into midfield and has even featured in a couple of academy games as a centre half,  not sure he'll make it into the first team though.

 

Kazenga Lua Lua

Massive season coming up for Kaz,  very talented, skillful player with a good shot, depending on who goes and who is signed he must be thinking that he has a chance to nail down a first team spot on the right wing.  If he keeps things simple he could be a player, if he overdoes it then he'll be back in the reserves.

 

Danquah & Baheng

I'll put these 2 together,  both of quick, skillful and infuriating,  they're the opposite of Vukcic, whereas Vukcic plays eveything 1 or 2 touch, these 2 think that when they get it they need to pirouette and do 3 step overs,  they run with it when they should pass and pass it when they should run!  I thought Danquah was a lost cause as couldn't see him as a forward or wide player but then played a couple of games as a centre midfielder and looked the part, capping it with a 30 yard screamer against Man U. 

Baheng is a powerful player but don't think his touch and control is good enough,  missed the majority of the season following his knee injury sustained in last seasons Northumberland senior cup final.  He scored a couple of goals but missed plenty of chances,  would think Danquah would possibly be more likely to make a first team appearance but i wouldn't pick either of them at the minute.

 

As for some of the others to look out for,  in defence there's Tozer, Callum Morris and Darren Lough,  Tozer hasn't featured much this season due to injury so can't really comment,  Morris has played for Eire's under 21's and Lough is a local lad who can play left back or centre half,  not the quickest but a strong defender who has played well this season.

 

I'll not bother mentioning the likes of Carroll, Edgar, Ranger or the goal keepers,  as they've been covered elsewhere on the forum but while i wouldn't fancy our chances if we were going into a championship season relying on those players they can play a part next season.

 

One of the biggest problems we could have though is relegation as meant we are no longer in the reserve league and that could hamper the development of the youngsters, instead of pitting there wits against the top youngsters from the likes of Liverpool and man utd we are playing the reserve teams of Doncaster, Hartlepool etc

 

[Dave]

Cheers for that.

[joeyt]

Good post 

[Cajun]

Sounds like we will have plenty of players who could play at left back, about 10 years too late!

[Kasper]

Great review binnsy. Much appreciated

[Guest Heneage]

Shame about Baheng.

 

 

Binnsy anything to report on Campbell Bell? Local lad who came from my old comp very canny lad but I know he's had injury problems.

[binnsy]

Shame about Baheng.

 

He could still turn out ok,  still young enough but in my opinion he needs to improve his all round play cos he's got the pace and power.   

 

Campbell Bell?  never seen him play,  apart from the youth cup games i don't really watch the academy,  just go to the reserves to get out the house on a Monday night when my other half hogs the tv watching Emmerdale, Corrie and Eastenders!!

 

[Ikon]

Thanks Binnsy

[LiquidAK]

That's lifted my mood about our club a bit, sounds like we could have a decent squad without a mass influx of new players in a few years.

[Ash]

Cheers binnsy.

 

From what I've seen of Tavernier, he does look quite promising; agree with everything you've said about him. Love the way he bombs forward but definitely looks a little raw when defending, nothing that cannot be worked on though.

[Oakie Doke]

Isn't Donaldson extremely quick? Maybe I'm getting him mixed up with someone else. Anyway one good thing about playing in the Championship is the youngsters should have more of a chance of making an impact on the first team.

[joeyt]

Donninger is quick as is Godsmark iirc

[Tooj]

Ashley will be gutted as we won't be able to get much for him at the moment.

You really are obsessed.

 

Binnsy what status would you give him in the squad would he be ready for first team football?

 

Obssessed with the fact that our owner has destroyed this club? Too fucking right I am.

[Tooj]

I must admit like I'm looking forward to seeing if some of our bairns do actually get a chance as it'll be refreshing to see some new blood in the team.