Alex Pritchard...

[mpickard2087]

Look at where we are in the league compared to Liverpool. Man U only promote youngsters who are clearly talented enough.

I'm all for giving youth a chance if they good enough to compete for a first team place like Caulker. There is no point playing youngsters for the sake of it as it will affect the teams overall performance.

But, depending on how you look at it, you have to actually give them games to make that assessment on whether they are good enough or not. How else can you judge them?

 

[Khilari]

But, depending on how you look at it, you have to actually give them games to make that assessment on whether they are good enough or not. How else can you judge them?

Agree. The League Cup, early rounds of the FA Cup when against weaker opposition and the UEFA Cup are ideal competitions to give these players the chance to train with the senior team, be in the first XI environment and give them valuable game time.

That or loan them for experience.

 

[mill]

Rather play him out wide than sigs

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

Not sure it's been posted in here:

Where: SC
When: Jan 25th
Who: Rebrab

For the record, Pritchard is negotiating a new 3 and a half year deal with us. Won't be leaving unless something goes seriously amiss.​

 

[carpediem991]

Not sure it's been posted in here:​

​

Where: SC​

When: Jan 25th​

Who: Rebrab​

For the record, Pritchard is negotiating a new 3 and a half year deal with us. Won't be leaving unless something goes seriously amiss.​

Watch out the ITK RO section, Update 76 me thinks

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

Watch out the ITK RO section, Update 76 me thinks

Thought it would be appropriate to put it in this thread.

 

[whitelightwhiteheat]

Hope Rebrab is right and we get this wrapped up. One for the future, for sure.

 

[Dembele'Disciple]

Give him a new contract and send him out on loan to a ball playing team in the championship.

 

[DJS]

Whereabouts in the team does this lad play?

He's down as an attacking midfielder but so is Carroll and to a lesser extent Mason (who also plays up top and I hoped would deveope into a Teddy Sheringham-type forward, sadly things don't seem to be working for him at the moment).

 

[mill]

Whereabouts in the team does this lad play?

He's down as an attacking midfielder but so is Carroll and to a lesser extent Mason (who also plays up top and I hoped would deveope into a Teddy Sheringham-type forward, sadly things don't seem to be working for him at the moment).

Plays in wide or no10, against Barca away started left but moved to the middle where he had less joy, right footed

 

[sim0n]

If we let Pritchard go we're going to regret it.....mark my words....this kid is gonna be a special player.

Don't get me wrong, not saying Levy/AVB want him to leave but we need to try and keep him on board if we can.

if AVB/Freund rate him, then DL will find a way to keep him

 

[Dan Yeats]

Plays in wide or no10, against Barca away started left but moved to the middle where he had less joy, right footed

Yeah, looked to be playing left sided inside forward from the look of the Wolfsburg highlights.

 

[mill]

Yeah, looked to be playing left sided inside forward from the look of the Wolfsburg highlights.

Sounds like he did today as well

 

[Spursidol]

Sounds like he did today as well

His usual position is the left attacking mid in a 4231, he's right footed and often cuts inside. Good bag of tricks eg I've seen him pass backwards - to himself (!) much to the bemusement of the 2 larger opponents who almost collided (Keystone cops fashion) trying to follow the ball. Possibly the best free kick taker in the club ? - certainly he could teach many in the first team a thing or two in taking free kicks

 

[Bus-Conductor]

1. Liverpool are not that far behind Spurs. More to the point the revenues are still a lot higher than Spurs - if we do not start to get youth through but they do, there is a big risk they will overtake us in a few yeasrs.

2j ManU's youth is not necessarily better than Spurs - in the hiome game against Maan U u 21's Spurs beat them 4-1, in the away game Spurs lost 2-1 to a side with 4 or players having iCL experience captained by Fletcher as one of 3 experienced over age players. For long periods Spurs wre on top with Mason/Carroll in midfield having the beating of ManU's 3 man midfield ddespite Fletcher being in it.

Playing youth is a balancing act - if you don't play them there is no point in having a youth poliicy (which is a key requirement of Sputs long term plan), play too many and we run into trouble. At present AVB has not played them enough, hence they are bnot getting the experience they need and one or two like Pritchard are apparantly considering moving on. The balance needs re-adjusting.

Spot on. Couldn't agree more. Been saying the same all season.

 

[Misfit]

1. Liverpool are not that far behind Spurs. More to the point the revenues are still a lot higher than Spurs - if we do not start to get youth through but they do, there is a big risk they will overtake us in a few yeasrs.

2j ManU's youth is not necessarily better than Spurs - in the hiome game against Maan U u 21's Spurs beat them 4-1, in the away game Spurs lost 2-1 to a side with 4 or players having iCL experience captained by Fletcher as one of 3 experienced over age players. For long periods Spurs wre on top with Mason/Carroll in midfield having the beating of ManU's 3 man midfield ddespite Fletcher being in it.

Playing youth is a balancing act - if you don't play them there is no point in having a youth poliicy (which is a key requirement of Sputs long term plan), play too many and we run into trouble. At present AVB has not played them enough, hence they are bnot getting the experience they need and one or two like Pritchard are apparantly considering moving on. The balance needs re-adjusting.

We've spoken about this before, more just a general feeling as to how we should start blooding youth from myself and you having a much greater knowledge of our set-up and the individual payers invoved has been great to read.

It is approaching shit or get off the pot time for our "academy rebuild". 7/8 yrs of work and we need to start seeing some return soon. I can understand AVB in his first season here, and the large turnaround in our first team squad last summer, playing things safe. From next season on though, we need to see one or two of these boys given chances when appropriate. If they don't hit, so be it. Next couple get a go the season after etc. We'll start to lose players otherwise and will begin to find it more difficult to attract others in the future.

 

[YiddoInPoland]

would it be of benefit for him to go somehwere like wigan, and play for a team, although about as cosistent as MP doing their expenses, are a football playing team and would be similar to the wiltshire loan to bolton, maybe if the contract is done (hopefully) he could go this window?

The issue we have is can't play all the kids, the youth/reserve setup is not adequate i terms of real game time and loans tend to not be productive, especially in the lower divisions where the manager merry go round can be crazy. We know the reason Barca and Real do so well is becuase of the B teams they can farm their players onto and give them truly competitve games at a decent level.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

But, depending on how you look at it, you have to actually give them games to make that assessment on whether they are good enough or not. How else can you judge them?

AVB and the coaches see them in training everyday. If AVB and the coaches feel they will make a positive contribution to the team they will bring them in. At the end of the day AVB wants to win matches so if he feels there are youth players who can help him do that i'm sure he will give them game time. He hasn't got some hidden agenda against our young players like some are suggesting.

 

[Spursidol]

We've spoken about this before, more just a general feeling as to how we should start blooding youth from myself and you having a much greater knowledge of our set-up and the individual payers invoved has been great to read.

It is approaching shit or get off the pot time for our "academy rebuild". 7/8 yrs of work and we need to start seeing some return soon. I can understand AVB in his first season here, and the large turnaround in our first team squad last summer, playing things safe. From next season on though, we need to see one or two of these boys given chances when appropriate. If they don't hit, so be it. Next couple get a go the season after etc. We'll start to lose players otherwise and will begin to find it more difficult to attract others in the future.

Yes, pretty much. Up and till now our best youth has been under 21. Next season we either need to include the first of our 'academy rebuild' players in a squad of 25 or it will become very difficult to play them at Spurs - and loaning them out to PL side will only be possible if they want to register them. A championship side is not good enough, so the only loan option might become abroad - and young British players usually do not speak foreign languages so that's a tough option.

If an over 21 player stays at Spurs he will be in a similar position to either Falque or Obika this season - Falque included in the 25 man squad but hasn't much experience so not pickjed that much by AVB or Obika not registered in the 25 man squad and played in one game v Carlisle in the League Cup and eligible to play in FA Cup (whether he will is uncertain). So Falque has now gone on loan abroiad and not sure what Obika can dio now.

The players we need to consider are :

Born 1991 (must be registered in 25 man squad for 2013/14) : Andros Townsend, Ryan Mason, Adam Smith, Grant Hall
Born 1992 (must be registered in 25 man squad for 2014/15) : Thomas Carroll, Massimo Luongo, Dean Parrett, Ryan Fredericks, John Bostock, Nathan Byrne, Jake Nicholson, Cristian Ceballos, Cameron Lancaster
Born 1993 (must be regiustered for 2015/16) : Harry Kane, Alex Pritchard, Kevin Stewart, Jack Barthram, Jordan Archer etc

It takes 2 or 3 seasons of playing first team football on loan and or the odd appearance for Spurs to build the younger players up so they are in a position to play regularly for Spurs first team - which means that decisions need to be made now about how to give these players the experience they need so that they are ready to step up for Spurs first team.

It would be foolish to believe that all these players will make it to the Spurs first team - some will leave. However at present of this list only Harry Kane, Adam Smith and Jordan Archer are out on loan gaining experience.

Andros Townsend and Tom Carroll have started about twice for Spurs first team with 9 or 10 appearances ion total each. That's probably not enough to give them the experience they need. Adam Smith and Ryan Mason just a couple of appearances.

So the others are playing u 21 football as the only option open to them - and that is certainly not enough. Prepare for players such as Alex Pritchard, Massimo Luongo and Ryan Mason leaving as they are not being given the experience they need to get into the first team and in 2 years time they will 'not be good enough' - but solely due to limited experience.


Does the youth set up matter - well if Spurs have unlimited money tio buy squad players no it possibly does not. However bringing Stephen Caulker through the ranks has saved Spurs £10m +, Jake Livermore perhaps £3m. The players coming through the academy are good enough such that Spurs should get one or two each season coming into the first team like Caulker. That means not needing to spend large transfer fees (which Spurs do not have) to buy players - hands up who wants to sign a Rasiak every 2nd seasoin to make up the numbers ? Thought not !

 

[Spursidol]

AVB and the coaches see them in training everyday. If AVB and the coaches feel they will make a positive contribution to the team they will bring them in. At the end of the day AVB wants to win matches so if he feels there are youth players who can help him do that i'm sure he will give them game time. He hasn't got some hidden agenda against our young players like some are suggesting.

Doubt if anybody is suggesting that.

The question for all clubs is whether to live soiley for the present and try to do the best for this season and ignore the future (and players need a couple of years to get experience so it means you will nt have young players coming through), or balance thins a little by having a system of loans plus first team experience to bring players through - and at present as is patently obcvious, that is not working.

As in previoys posts, Spurs cannot afford to buy all the players it wants - a youth system offers a way to get those players. If the youth system does not give the experience necessary to bring players through - we will not have poorer squads in the future.