- Jan 11, 2013
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What are people's thoughts about the U23 league? Listening to the Set Piece podcast and they were scathing, basically the matches are like an u18 training game. Would explain why Poch likes to get the more progressed players out of there fairly sharpish to avoid it causing bad habits/lack of intensity
Not a massive fan of it. It always feels like clubs play as young a team as possible so they can have bragging rights if they do beat an older team, rather than just focusing on playing the players that need to play. As such it isn't as competitive as it could/should be and it is almost just like an u18s competition. Would be more useful if squad/reserve players played in it, to regain fitness and to coach others. I'd like us to sign another Khumalo or Hall, or an experienced player who's been out injured for a while who needs fitness, and make an agreement where he will just play for our u23s. Someone to guide the younger players and a consistent face. At the moment it is all a mish mash. Doesn't help that none of ur best academy players play in it as it is.
I'd also arguably switch the whole set-up to match Europe, and change the u18s to u17s, then have u19s and either 21s or 23s.
Would allow more players more opportunities to come through