Lack of Teenage "Superstars".

[biggs]

Freddy Adu

good shout the yank kid who went down quicker than Kerry Katona 

[Guest frazernufc]

The money has changed it, teams have to much money at their disposal to strengthen their team with cheap foreign players who are at a better current standard than their youth players. So buying these players presents a far safer risk and in the survival of staying up, with so much money at risk to staying in the Prem clubs just wont play them, unless they see them as an exceptional talent. I think Strikers are the ones hit worse by it aswell, with many teams playing 1 out and out striker up front now, you cant imagine them sticking a 16-18 year old up there on his own, 10 years ago I imagine Campbell would of atleast got 10 games under his belt for us

[Stu]

A few years ago, the top division was only drawing talent from Britain. Now it's from all over Europe and indeed the world. The standard has gone up and it's consequently a lot tougher for young British players to break into the top sides.

 

Having said that, I think the raising of standards has inspired a select band of young players to really hard work on their skills in order to break through. The likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere and Barkley are as good as any young talent I've seen emerge in this country.

 

Have a feeling Jack Barmby at United could be special too.

 

When did we sign him?

 

 

[Stottie]

Was thinking this for a while, then with the Campbell & Sammy Ameobi threads thought it was worthwhile posting, but what's happened to teenagers breaking through and making a name for themselves these days?

 

Sure, there's the odd exception, Rooney, Milner, Walcott, Bale, Chamberlain & Wilshere as examples, over the last 10 years, but there doesn't seem to be many 18-19 year olds really breaking through in recent years and making you sit up and take notice like people like Owen, Fowler, even to lesser extents Jeffers and even Cadamarteri in their teens.

 

We're talking about players like Ferguson & Ameobi going out on loan but they're at the age now where they should be starting in the Premier League or good enough for the first-team. Has the financial pressures of relegation forced clubs to go for a quick fix and this is hindering development? Or is 21-22 the new 18-19?

 

Probably not worthy of a thread but was just wondering if others have noticed this and wondering what people's thoughts were.

 

If you look at CRonaldo and Bale, both made massive improvements in their first few seasons. Ronaldo was some flashing stepover merchant and the commentators' stock comment about Bale when he was a left back was "Spurs have not won any of the twenty games in which he has played". Rooney was at Man U a couple of seasons before he developed into an aerial threat.

 

I suspect it might take longer now for players to function properly within the tactical setup of a team. Back in the day where tactics were less micromanaged, "young and fast" or "young and explosive" would have had more of an impact.

 

Perhaps the old saying that players peak at 30 reflected a situation where players developed tactically more slowly and mainly from experience, not so much coaching. Anyone who was 30 back then will have been kicked much more than a modern player, so if anything they would have been more physically worn down at 30 than players are today. Due to physical requirements, no-one peaks at 30 now. Well, maybe keepers and center halves do. Strikers and wide players will be around 25 and midfielders maybe 27-28. That would be 2002 for Scholes.

[Taylor Swift]

What's the average age of squads now vs ten years ago would be really interesting.

[Optimistic Nut]

I wouldn't be surprised if the overall average age is younger now tbh, seems a lot of players in the 22-27 bracket.

[Incognito]

A few years ago, the top division was only drawing talent from Britain. Now it's from all over Europe and indeed the world. The standard has gone up and it's consequently a lot tougher for young British players to break into the top sides.

 

Having said that, I think the raising of standards has inspired a select band of young players to really hard work on their skills in order to break through. The likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere and Barkley are as good as any young talent I've seen emerge in this country.

 

Have a feeling Jack Barmby at United could be special too.

 

When did we sign him?

 

 

 

We get Joe Barmy to compensate.

[The College Dropout]

A few years ago, the top division was only drawing talent from Britain. Now it's from all over Europe and indeed the world. The standard has gone up and it's consequently a lot tougher for young British players to break into the top sides.

 

Having said that, I think the raising of standards has inspired a select band of young players to really hard work on their skills in order to break through. The likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere and Barkley are as good as any young talent I've seen emerge in this country.

 

i also think they get the chance to develop in the top divisions as much as they did, even 10 years ago.

 

You need the opportunity. Look at Sturridge - he should have spent the last 3 seasons at least playing for a midtable Premiership club (well he is now). His game would've been a better player than he is today.

 

I don't even think he's particularly talented but James Milner has benefited plenty by being given the opportunity to just play in this division from a young age.

[Parky]

They don't get much time to develop these days like they used to. As others have said, runs in the team are rare and foreign competition is very stiff these days.

[Greg]

A few years ago, the top division was only drawing talent from Britain. Now it's from all over Europe and indeed the world. The standard has gone up and it's consequently a lot tougher for young British players to break into the top sides.

 

Having said that, I think the raising of standards has inspired a select band of young players to really hard work on their skills in order to break through. The likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere and Barkley are as good as any young talent I've seen emerge in this country.

 

Have a feeling Jack Barmby at United could be special too.

 

There's only one United and they play in black and white.

[The Narcissist]

Except for the one's that play in Red, White etc. Don't be so precious

[Stuy_O]

Jacob Maddox from Bristol City. Think Chelsea are signing him.

[Tooj]

I don't think it's a coincidence that Torres looks a shadow of his former self when you look at how long he's been playing football for. Especially when you compare to how Drogba who was a late bloomer done as he aged.

[Cronky]

I don't think it's a coincidence that Torres looks a shadow of his former self when you look at how long he's been playing football for. Especially when you compare to how Drogba who was a late bloomer done as he aged.

 

That's a good point. Owen was also probably a casualty of playing too much too early.

 

I've been reading Craig Bellamy's book, and it's striking how many times he ended up playing with longer-term injuries not completely resolved, or not able to train properly. That has to take its toll.

[Davey_C_73]

I think a lot of it is about having the right manager at the club, who is willing to bring players through, will nurture their development and bring them into a stable team. It was very unfair on our youngsters last season, they just got thrown in at the deep end into an unsettled, injury riddled team and there was a level of expectation that they had to succeed.

 

If you look at clubs where young players have broke through in the last decade or so you've got people like McClaren at Boro and O'Leary at Leeds and looking around the league now I'd expect expect people like Martinez and Rogers to do similar things. You know coaches, rather than 'managers'.

 

With regards to Ameobi and Ferguson, for their ages (both 21) I think they are massively underdeveloped physically. Surely we have dieticians at the club that can help them bulk up several pounds of muscle, to give them a fighting chance of competing in the premier league. But until we've got a stable team where they can slot in without any pressure or expectations on them, I think these two are never going to succeed at our club.