Spurs Youth - 2019/20

Blake Griffin said:

it was jeremy kyezu(william is his middle name), not sure why they used that rather than his surname.

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Cheers. Did think it was strange to call up an u15

Spurzinho said:

We do need to rehabilitate our youth program somewhat because the sad truth is that it had begun to haemorrage the best youngsters and we are certainly facing more of a fight than we used to to convince the best kids to come to us. Spoke to someone not long ago who spoke about a couple of real talents that we'd spent a lot of time wooing and scouting who ended up choosing the Gooners. The reason? No pathway. Neither of the kids or their families were Gooners so that didn't even enter into it. The Gooners don't have better facilities or better coaches. It was all about the perception that our youth system had lost its focus. We desperately need to get that back. Luckily I don't think it'll take much to get us back on track. Youngsters getting some cup games, going out on loan and maybe another one making their way into the squad as a regular squad player. That's all it'll need to rejuvenate things. You cannot underestimate the damage that not loaning youngsters out has had on our reputation. For all my misgivings about Jose he does like a very compact senior squad of 22/23 players. Beyond that he relies on youngsters to make up the numbers. He's not renowned for bringing kids through successfully and in fact he's held responsible for the stagnation of a good number of Chelsea youth but he isn't afraid like Mouricio was of getting them out on loan, having them on the bench or throwing them in for dead rubber games.

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I don't think it can all be on Poch though, the whole club has to up its game. We've done to death the quibbles we all had with the pathway in particular and the training/no matches plan, with some justification, but a fair number have been loaned out and a lot of them, particularly the ones going to the Championship or the top end of the loan food chain, have been awful and they end up barely playing. I'm sure a lot of people will say it's because they're not good enough, or bad/soft mentality etc. but it keeps happening so something must be up, unless we're to take it we're just developing crap young players with shit attitudes wholesale? Which I doubt anyone thinks is the case.

I doubt it was Poch identifying and personally selecting each of these loans. In some cases maybe players and their entourages have pushed for a club and ultimately made a poor choice, but on the whole there has to be someone in the academy or the footballing structure taking responsibility for this and getting a better grip. As a starting point I think we need to be fostering a few more relationships in order to have potential takers at around the Championship level, and I've said before I'd also like to see the club being more aggressive in how it manages loans - lets start writing wage (de)escalators into these deals, as Chelsea and others have done, where the more they play the less it costs them in wages/fee, and vice versa, and though I guess there is an argument for a player having to battle for a place and it's good experience, I'd personally like to see the club recalling players ASAP if they're not getting games. We just seem to allow these things to drift on.

And I do think there needs to be a bit of a change in what we're producing and it's probably a time for a shake up in the academy - and I'd include McDermott in that, who has been a great servant and done a great job over the years, but I think everything and everyone has to be scrutinised. We've traditionally in the last generation of youth sides been about championing ability over size and athleticism, but I'll be honest, and I know you cant just magic wonderfully gifted players out of thin air, I don't see the players coming to the end of the conveyor belt really being of standout high base technical quality a lot of the times, particularly when this is the supposed focus, and so not really enough to make up for the lack of physical attributes and so push a few more to first team contention.

IGSpur said:

Good spot. Cant remember the last time an u15 featured for our u18s even if it was the Cup. Especially this early in the season.

I've mentioned him before as someone I liked but haven't seen him recently, assume it means he's liked

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Dombaxe debuted as an U15, as did Shaq. I'm struggling to think of anyone else. Jamie Butler, possibly. I think I was at that game. Coventry if memory serves.

No Parrot in live training streaming. Maybe injured? with U19?

Anuth said:

No Parrot in live training streaming. Maybe injured? with U19?

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Will probably be playing the UYL game with the U19 team.

Anyone know i Ryan Mason is still involved in the Academy?

When Jose took over at ManU he took Carrick and Mckenna as part of his backroom team. Be nice if one of our own Mason was also involved at the club

midge said:

Anyone know i Ryan Mason is still involved in the Academy?

When Jose took over at ManU he took Carrick and Mckenna as part of his backroom team. Be nice if one of our own Mason was also involved at the club

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But why ? Just cause he played for us ? United went downhill when Carrick became number 2. All nice and romantic but let’s not give people jobs unless they really add something. His record with the UYL team currently is very hit and miss.

midge said:

Anyone know i Ryan Mason is still involved in the Academy?

When Jose took over at ManU he took Carrick and Mckenna as part of his backroom team. Be nice if one of our own Mason was also involved at the club

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Ryan Mason has been managing the U19 games in the Uefa Youth league. I would have thought he would be managing the team today.

Our youth game doesn’t seem to be on bt sport today. Usually we are on.

Since when has Walcott been Fagan-Walcott?

loaderspurs said:

Since when has Walcott been Fagan-Walcott?

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He's been that ever since I first became aware of him as a 13 year old.

I hate this thread. Even the most innocuous statements make you sound properly dodgy.

Spurzinho said:

I hate this thread. Even the most innocuous statements make you sound properly dodgy.

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Did you watch him a lot when he was 13?

Spurs beat Olympiacos 1-0. Parrott with the goal.

Keeping an eye on the other game in our group - Red Star v Bayern. Currently 1-0 Red Star at HT.

Do they normally play a 3-5-2?

Supa_spur said:

Keeping an eye on the other game in our group - Red Star v Bayern. Currently 1-0 Red Star at HT.

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1-1 now, we could do with a Bayern win

Hakkz said:

Do they normally play a 3-5-2?

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that's just uefa's graphic which is hardly ever right. it would've been 4231 or 433.

Recently read that Middlesborough have offered scholarships to 12 under 16 squad members for the 2020-21 season. In fact teams like Stoke City have even offered the same contracts to some of their U15 squad to commence 2021. I know we have a few very knowledgeable contributors to this Academy forum, I just wonder if Spurs have done something similar. I would be surprised if they have not offered scholarships to players like Dane Scarlett, Jordan Hackett and Raushaun Mathurin. If they have not then they could be open to these players being taken by other clubs even if compensation is due.