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The Spurs Youth Thread – 2016/2017

Larryjanta

Well-Known Member
Apr 22, 2014
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Let's see how he does over the season but hope we don't live to regret it

Edit: though I hope he has a very good career
 

StartingPrice

Chief Sardonicus Hyperlip
Feb 13, 2004
32,568
10,280
Have to admit that I'm a little concerned about the club's relationship with our younger players. When Kenny McEvoy bad mouthed the club after leaving saying that he was glad to be out I could just dismiss it as sour grapes, immaturity and spoiled young professional syndrome but when you've got Pritchard saying it as well I start to worry. I can't remember anyone specifically making similar comments before those two but there's something rattling around in the back of my mind that there might have been. I know we don't play as much attention to other clubs politics but their ex-players don't seem to leave on such bad terms. I am not someone who looks for problems with our club, I generally defend it to the hilt but I can't help but feel there's more to it than just a couple of ingrates venting.

TBH, as others have said, I didn't really read it quite as badly as that. He says that in the end he couldn't wait to leave. The Mirror (with their Goon, Chav and Spammer journalists, just choose to emphasise the couldn't wait to leave stating it several times and in the headlines and adding inflammatory words like slammed to emphasise their spin.

What he actually said was that he wasn't given a chance. The question is at which point this became an issue. It certainly wasn't last summer because Poch specially said he was in his plans. We all know he then got injured. So, sometime between the injury and now he has expected to get a chance and feels he hasn't been given one. It's not a massive condemnation and it isn't even necessarily the club that is in the wrong. Further, it is an issue with first team chances/selection and I don't think getting a chance with the first team in a relatively short window was McEvoy's problem.

I know it has been done to death elsewhere previously, but it does really just come down to something that has happened since his injury, and more likely after his recovery. Did Poch tell him post injury that he would have to start from scratch and earn a shot at the first team? Did Poch tell him he didn't believe his fitness was up to scratch post injury? Who was it that decided on the West Brom loan? I read the latter as Pritch's decision. Maybe Poch wasn't impressed and thought he should stay and fight for his place? Or maybe Pritch thought he should get the chance he was promised in the summer? Maybe he expected to come back from the loan and be further up the pecking order than he was? And maybe he wasn't as far up the pecking order as he thought he should have been because he failed to impress on that loan? It is also true that he is a year older, and taking up a squad place - maybe Poch felt that between those ahead of him and those coming up behind him, Pritch wasn't as likely to break through as last summer and he needed the squad spot.

Who knows? Afaik, no-one has mentioned a bust-up. So I really do just think Pritch has been disappointed either after his injury or after his loan not to be as far up the pecking order than he was, while at the same time Poch has decided he can leave. And that's it, Pritch is disappointed not to get a chance and knowing he was surplus to requirements couldn't wait to get to a club where he could get his career back on track.

We will move on and he should too - hope he does well, he's earned the club some more money vindicating the youth set-up. The rest is just anti-Spurs fluff by journos with anti-Spurs bias IMHO.
 

beats1

Well-Known Member
Feb 22, 2010
30,039
29,629
Have to admit that I'm a little concerned about the club's relationship with our younger players. When Kenny McEvoy bad mouthed the club after leaving saying that he was glad to be out I could just dismiss it as sour grapes, immaturity and spoiled young professional syndrome but when you've got Pritchard saying it as well I start to worry. I can't remember anyone specifically making similar comments before those two but there's something rattling around in the back of my mind that there might have been. I know we don't play as much attention to other clubs politics but their ex-players don't seem to leave on such bad terms. I am not someone who looks for problems with our club, I generally defend it to the hilt but I can't help but feel there's more to it than just a couple of ingrates venting.
There have been others but I just dont think they have been in public or they have been publicised as much
I don't think the Pritchard comments are as bad as you're making out tbh. And Townsend was recently absolutely glowing about us when he left.
I dont think Townsend could complain too much plus his dad spends a lot of time at the club which would make it awkward

There have been empty promises though
 

Vincent30

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
900
3,694
Let's see how he does over the season but hope we don't live to regret it

Edit: though I hope he has a very good career

The difference between the championship and top four in the premier league is huge. I know its amazing to develop youth and have them in the first team, but people get way too attached e.g. Pritchard and start questioning the clubs decision to sell, or our relationship with youngsters.

Onamah, Winks our two bright young stars seem happy
CCV is getting a lot of game time and seems happy
Edwards wanted by many clubs just signed a two year deal

To make it into our squad and then a first team player is very difficult now. Just compare us to the likes of Chelsea, City, United, Arsenal, Liverpool...... we are miles in front of any of them for developing players, giving them a chance, or selling them on for a healthy profit.

How anyone can question the decisions are club are making at youth level is beyond me.
 

Krafty

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2004
4,797
2,139
Great to hear Ward doing fantastically on his debut.

As for the concerning comments from former youth players, I think they suffered from the upheaval from Harry to Avb to Tim to Poch. Lots of different manager types, with different attitudes to youth, and by the time Poch comes they are too old and the younger lot are more interesting/malleable to Poch. Unfortunately for them and us, their timing was just out
 

Larryjanta

Well-Known Member
Apr 22, 2014
1,953
5,040
The difference between the championship and top four in the premier league is huge. I know its amazing to develop youth and have them in the first team, but people get way too attached e.g. Pritchard and start questioning the clubs decision to sell, or our relationship with youngsters.

Onamah, Winks our two bright young stars seem happy
CCV is getting a lot of game time and seems happy
Edwards wanted by many clubs just signed a two year deal

To make it into our squad and then a first team player is very difficult now. Just compare us to the likes of Chelsea, City, United, Arsenal, Liverpool...... we are miles in front of any of them for developing players, giving them a chance, or selling them on for a healthy profit.

How anyone can question the decisions are club are making at youth level is beyond me.

Am hoping your snippiness (which is entirely unwarranted) is not aimed at me as I agree with you.

My post was more in fear that you can never know 100% how a player in their early 20s will develop. They may have a year where everything clicks and they become superstars (in an alternate reality, imagine if we'd sold Bale, it's likely he'd still become the same player just a little later). There must be fear pretty much every time you sell a young player who you think, on balance, just won't quite make it or doesn't have the right attitude. You can never know. That's what my "hope we don't regret it" was based on. It's not feasible to keep every single potential prem player on the off chance they might make it. You've got to prioritise.

We've nailed pretty much every single youth player we've sold. Struggling to think of one in recent times we could say we regret in hindsight.
 

Norse

Member
Sep 13, 2009
279
182
Given Chris Hughton's remark regarding the supposed transfer of Pritchard, on Pritchard's behaviour, I am not to upset by his comments about not getting a chance.
 

LexingtonSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
13,456
39,042
Can't be too fussed about Pritchard, Brighton or Norwich imo. Pritchard obviously felt he did not get a fair shake here. But, as others have mentioned, nothing is given, everything is earned. In the end, he reminds me of Holtby, a player you would think could do well for Poch, but for whatever reason does not. Poch places a lot of emphasis on training - if you don't turn up everyday on the training pitch, you won't find yourself in many game squads.

As for Brighton v. Norwich, I imagine Norwich came in with either a higher offer, or, in Pritchard's view, a better chance into the premiership - or both. Either way, its a simple business transaction for all involved. Player should go where he wants in this situation, regardless of prior negotiations. Until you sign the contract, you can go wherever.
 

newbie

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2004
6,097
6,412
I think we screwed up with Pritchard, he is a victim of manager changes, poch clearly has long term plans and ideas / direction his heading, it's clear Winks, Edwards, CCV and Onomah then prob Harrison, KWP his trying to integrate. Mason impressed at the right time, unfortunately Pritchard was unlucky I think his comments are fair he should have had opportunities he was good enough. I wish the lad well and it's sad far far shitter players have got chances at spurs, if he had not got injured I would like to believe he would have had chances. Still feels a waste our academy can produce a player who was wanted by so many big clubs at a young age and yet never gets a chance.
 
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loaderspurs

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2012
576
1,498
There have been others but I just dont think they have been in public or they have been publicised as much

I dont think Townsend could complain too much plus his dad spends a lot of time at the club which would make it awkward

There have been empty promises though
What promises?
 

beats1

Well-Known Member
Feb 22, 2010
30,039
29,629
What promises?
To players that often dont get met, though this is a problem with many academies.

Man Utd whilst being poor and not having the best players has always been one of the few that has managed to deliver. Only because its in their DNA and the fans were behind it as well.
Given Chris Hughton's remark regarding the supposed transfer of Pritchard, on Pritchard's behaviour, I am not to upset by his comments about not getting a chance.
No offence this happens all the time, we have done it to other players its not a measure of a person. If you have only one club after you. You got to that club. when another clubs in you have to make a choice
Can't be too fussed about Pritchard, Brighton or Norwich imo. Pritchard obviously felt he did not get a fair shake here. But, as others have mentioned, nothing is given, everything is earned. In the end, he reminds me of Holtby, a player you would think could do well for Poch, but for whatever reason does not. Poch places a lot of emphasis on training - if you don't turn up everyday on the training pitch, you won't find yourself in many game squads.
Need to impress in training?

Like how apparently Dembele just last season wasnt part of our plans before doing well in matches due to Mason and Bentaleb getting injured with Stambouli going

We dont know that he didnt turn up training and people are guessing

We do know however Pritchard has earned a chance. If anything no other player has earned more of a chance than Pritchard. He has done well on every loan bar one which was due to injury. It seems one not great loan at the club means that you havent earned your chance like Veljkovic
 
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LexingtonSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
13,456
39,042
T

Need to impress in training?

Like how apparently Dembele just last season wasnt part of our plans before doing well in matches due to Mason and Bentaleb getting injured with Stambouli.

We dont know that he didnt turn up training and people are guessing

We do know however Pritchard has earned a chance. If anything no other player has earned more of a chance than Pritchard. He has done well on every loan bar one which was due to injury. It seems one not great loan at the club means that you havent earned your chance like Veljkovic

Dembele did not start doing well because Mason/Bentaleb were injured, he started doing better after meeting with Poch last summer and improving his performance to match what Poch was asking for. Dembele has been very clear that when you do what Poch wants, you play.

As for Pritchard "doing well" on loan - so what? To play for Spurs, you have to do well in training, and you have to play how Poch wants you to play a given position. It is really that simple. This is not a game of lets put the players who played best in another system on the pitch - this is lets put the players who best fit this system.

So, don't give me the "Pritchard has earned a chance" - the chance he earned was to come back and be able to impress Poch on the training pitch. There is no promise of game time for anyone - as Poch himself has said - when you sign for a team, it is not to play, but to train. Only the manager decides who plays.
 

LexingtonSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
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39,042
This is from Dembele last spring:

“It’s exactly like that,” Dembélé says. “It’s important to have someone who has a strong way of thinking and who can translate it to the team. And if you don’t fit into the team, it’s going to be difficult for you. What he wants is how to press, how to be ready for the team, how to come back, determination.

“If he explains that he expects this and this from a player – for example, he wants a midfielder to press and come back, press and come back – and you are not willing to do it, then you don’t fit into the philosophy. So, I have the feeling that anybody can come into the team and anybody can come out, almost.

“Everybody knows that they can be the best player in the team but if they don’t work, then it’s not going to be good enough. I think that’s the difference. We don’t have superstars. Of course, we have players who can make the difference, like Harry Kane, but even Harry knows: ‘OK, I need to work.’ And you see it. I don’t know another striker who works harder than Harry. This puts him on another level to most other strikers.”

This is how every player gets a chance - including Pritchard.
 

LexingtonSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
13,456
39,042
“If he explains something, you can do it wrong once or twice, but if you are not willing to do it, then you don’t fit into the philosophy.
 

beats1

Well-Known Member
Feb 22, 2010
30,039
29,629
Dembele did not start doing well because Mason/Bentaleb were injured, he started doing better after meeting with Poch last summer and improving his performance to match what Poch was asking for. Dembele has been very clear that when you do what Poch wants, you play.

As for Pritchard "doing well" on loan - so what? To play for Spurs, you have to do well in training, and you have to play how Poch wants you to play a given position. It is really that simple. This is not a game of lets put the players who played best in another system on the pitch - this is lets put the players who best fit this system.

So, don't give me the "Pritchard has earned a chance" - the chance he earned was to come back and be able to impress Poch on the training pitch. There is no promise of game time for anyone - as Poch himself has said - when you sign for a team, it is not to play, but to train. Only the manager decides who plays.
Strange because you yourself during last season(after the summer) said that Dembele would struggle to get games once everyone is fit

Also ITK said that Dembele was off in the winter transfer window before the injury crisis at CM that forced him to play there.

So why did they meet last summer and then apparently to this very board still get frozen out by Poch himself?

Then later when got his chance?
 
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LexingtonSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2013
13,456
39,042
I don't think Dembele was frozen out. At the start of last season, Dembele was actually slotted in to the AM roles. It was not until later that he and Alli swapped positions.

I think what happened was that Dembele went to Poch last summer to find out why he was not playing - and then went about his business improving those areas where Poch wanted him to improve. I don't think may would disagree that Dembele's performance last season in the CM2 position was vastly improved over what we had seen from him in the previous two seasons. I think that he was always talented, but not until he started to do what Poch wanted did he start to play, and play well. And, based on the above, I have no doubt that it started on the training pitch, and continued all season long.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,900
32,611
Have to admit that I'm a little concerned about the club's relationship with our younger players. When Kenny McEvoy bad mouthed the club after leaving saying that he was glad to be out I could just dismiss it as sour grapes, immaturity and spoiled young professional syndrome but when you've got Pritchard saying it as well I start to worry. I can't remember anyone specifically making similar comments before those two but there's something rattling around in the back of my mind that there might have been. I know we don't play as much attention to other clubs politics but their ex-players don't seem to leave on such bad terms. I am not someone who looks for problems with our club, I generally defend it to the hilt but I can't help but feel there's more to it than just a couple of ingrates venting.

I think it has been down to our approach to loans and U21 football in recent years. A lot of the players have got stuck... Spurs have kept wanting to give them contracts, but they then got trapped in a cycle of random and often short term loans inbetween clocking up several seasons in our U21 team. People will have breaking points and will have enough of this limbo, which is when you get the Ceballos/McEvoy/Veljkovic situations (and more).
 
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