The Spurs Youth Thread - 2017/2018

[Matecheck]

I really appreciate the insight and knowledge on the youth game posted in this thread and i think its safe to say everyone wants to say our youth players progress but there are a 2 questions i would ask:

1) Do you promote a youth player over a "better" squad player simply because they are a youth player?

The trouble with this question is obvious: how do you know the other player is better if the youth player has never had a run of games at senior level? And don't start telling me about training. In the immortal words of Allen Iverson: "We talkin bout practice?!"

The answer is equally obvious: yes. Or rather, not promote the youth player, but play him over the "better" player until you have a good idea of who really is the better one. Let's face it, the idea that playing KWP over Aurier would have caused us to lose more games is 1) purely speculative 2) EXTREMELY unlikely 3) would have become obvious very quickly in which case you have you're decision made for you.

 

[alexis]

he is not the first and won't be the last one

dont think its only going to be spurs who suffer from this, this will be the beginning of the exodus over the next few years for all clubs where young men want to play and good luck to them.

 

[IGSpur]

Kacper Kurylowicz, Chay Cooper and Harvey White have confirmed they have signed for next year

 

[IGSpur]

Blake D'ARcy also joins Joe Dearman at Cambridge. D'Arcy is a player who represented England at u15 level then sort of when off the radar. There were question marks over his inclusion but can confirm he has left.

The other 2 with question marks, were Pedder and Madueke. Pedder is the only player who from the age group, where tehere were doubts that was still around teh squad during Liam Brady Cup, so likely he is staying.

Madueke still has Tottenham in his instagram bio, so assume he is still undecided

 

[WindyCOYS]

Blake D'ARcy also joins Joe Dearman at Cambridge. D'Arcy is a player who represented England at u15 level then sort of when off the radar. There were question marks over his inclusion but can confirm he has left.

The other 2 with question marks, were Pedder and Madueke. Pedder is the only player who from the age group, where tehere were doubts that was still around teh squad during Liam Brady Cup, so likely he is staying.

Madueke still has Tottenham in his instagram bio, so assume he is still undecided

I'd heard United were confident they'd get Noni.

 

[spurs9]

Kirby was already on the bench in the match against us and plays for their U23.

He has only been on there bench once in all comps. TOB who is the same age has been on our bench 3 times (once in the PL) and came off it to make his debut in the EFL Cup.

 

[Hotspur1978]

 

[Hotspur1978]

 

[Sophos151]

Are we going to have any academy players left? Bloody hell.

 

[Hercules]

I’m shocked at Bennetts, as talk was he was highly rated, and earmarked. Must be in line with what I have been commenting on with the unease in the academy. We need to be very careful, as all is not well within, and Scott Parker has a MASSIVE job on his hands. Like it or not, this is where Tim Sherwood shone, and I believe we need that type of character in the youth leadership to PUSH & FALL OUT if necessary, to promote youngsters who are at that level.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

IGSpur! I Zagreb with you in ALL!

Do you Dynamo Zagreb with him or Locamotiv Zagreb with him?

 

[Cornpattbuck]

I’m shocked at Bennetts, as talk was he was highly rated, and earmarked. Must be in line with what I have been commenting on with the unease in the academy. We need to be very careful, as all is not well within, and Scott Parker has a MASSIVE job on his hands. Like it or not, this is where Tim Sherwood shone, and I believe we need that type of character in the youth leadership to PUSH & FALL OUT if necessary, to promote youngsters who are at that level.

So we've chosen to sell someone who was highly rated. Would there be a buy back/sell on clause involved in a transfer like this where there's every chance he could make it? Seems a bit odd it's not a loan otherwise...

 

[WindyCOYS]

I’m shocked at Bennetts, as talk was he was highly rated, and earmarked. Must be in line with what I have been commenting on with the unease in the academy. We need to be very careful, as all is not well within, and Scott Parker has a MASSIVE job on his hands. Like it or not, this is where Tim Sherwood shone, and I believe we need that type of character in the youth leadership to PUSH & FALL OUT if necessary, to promote youngsters who are at that level.

It's an uncomfortable truth for some that a lot of our successes have had something to do with Sherwood one way or another.

 

[IGSpur]

Are we going to have any academy players left? Bloody hell.

Im sure 95% of the fan base don't really care. Most people's thinking is, if they are not playing they are not good enough, so essentially we're not missing out on anything

 

[IGSpur]

Tbf if they aren’t on the bench at all then there’s a zero chance of coming on so just being there is a step in the right direction.

Anything that can get these kids in the match day squad and a chance of playing is a good idea to me.

That is good in theory, but we've heard Poch say he only gives pressure minutes. WE've had moments where we're 4-0 up with an academy player on the bench and they've never been brought on. Why would that change jsut because we increase the numbers?

All that might happen is players who could be playing u23 football or be on loan end up with splinters on their backside and develop even less.

 

[Hengy1]

That is good in theory, but we've heard Poch say he only gives pressure minutes. WE've had moments where we're 4-0 up with an academy player on the bench and they've never been brought on. Why would that change jsut because we increase the numbers?

All that might happen is players who could be playing u23 football or be on loan end up with splinters on their backside and develop even less.

Im not talking about poch I’m talking the wider picture.

I’d rather have 3 U23s players on the bench than not regardless if they miss some youth league football games.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I did mention the concerns amongst the academy a few months back. Poch is very aware, but told it is a balancing act. Told only the very elite stand a chance.

Unfortunately Herc, this elite rule doesn't seem to apply to signings.

I’m shocked at Bennetts, as talk was he was highly rated, and earmarked. Must be in line with what I have been commenting on with the unease in the academy. We need to be very careful, as all is not well within, and Scott Parker has a MASSIVE job on his hands. Like it or not, this is where Tim Sherwood shone, and I believe we need that type of character in the youth leadership to PUSH & FALL OUT if necessary, to promote youngsters who are at that level.

I really don't think that's the answer, Sherwood actually made things worse, and had AVB digging his heels in because he wasn't going to be told who he should be playing by a fuckwit like Sherwood. It just put the academy kids in the crossfire of egos and ambition of others.

And someone like Pochettino, or any manager with his kind of character and (desire for complete) control isn't going to be told who he should play.

It's an uncomfortable truth for some that a lot of our successes have had something to do with Sherwood one way or another.

Lets not get carried away Windy, the only academy player who's actually had a career with us that he can claim any kind of credit for is Kane, and even then he'd had lots of football for us before Sherwood came along and if he hadn't scored on his first games for Sherwood, he wouldn't have lasted long as Sherwood showed with Bentaleb (who was quickly dropped for no reason - because Sherwood was getting shit for playing him) and at Villa, where rather than use some of their recent YCL winning academy players went out and bought 20 players from France, as soon as he was under pressure of getting sacked in the proper job.

 

[Hengy1]

I think they are more talking when Sherwood was in charge of the academy not from his little time as manager.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

With regards to the Bennetts situation, in general I say good luck to any kid who makes this kind of decision, more of them should.

And this is why I have probably been in a minority of not criticising the Chelsea academy and kids for choosing them. They get great money, they get excellent coaching, then they get sent abroad or around the UK on loans to get real football, which is far more likely to get them a permanent deal away somewhere and Chelsea a better fee.

With regards to Bennetts specifically, I'm perhaps in a minority again, but I'm not overly bothered about this one. I'm not saying he hasn't got some talent and won't make it, or make it at a top division club (here or abroad), god knows Townsend's doing it, but I don't think he would have been good enough for us ultimately, his end product was still very, very unreliable.

 

[coys200]

It’s a different time now than Sherwood era. The squad quality has gone up hugely and the depth. I really hope we have first refusal on Bennett’s buy back. I kind of have a feeling he will reach Townsend level which is obviously good but still not good enough for where we want to go.