Why? It’s not like it’ll see much discussion elsewhere anyway.
Owning a Category One academy and living in League One, you would expect that Sunderland would be continually feeding a stream of youngsters into their first team but this has largely failed to happen with only Denver Hume and Jack Diamond from the U23 team playing over one thousand minutes at first team level (Dion Sanderson also did this as a loanee from Wolves).
Winger Diamond is probably a good example of this issue. For several years he has been the leading player for the Academy of Light and yet has been consistently overlooked for first team action until the 20/21 season aged twenty. There is seemingly a reticence within the Sunderland squad to rely on youthful players which is unfortunate at League One would seem to be a great breeding ground for those talented teenagers.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Anthony Patterson |
| CB | Patrick Almond |
| CB | Cameron Jessup |
| RB | Ethan Kachosa |
| LB | Tyrese Dyce |
| CM | Sam Wilding |
| CM | Josh Hawkes |
| CM | Daniel Neill |
| RW | Stephen Wearne |
| LW | Ellis Taylor |
| CF | Will Harris |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Adam Richardson |
| CB | Ben Williams |
| CB | Henry Fieldson |
| RB | Sam Irons |
| LB | Oliver Bainbridge |
| CM | Caden Kelly |
| CM | Lachriaj Singh |
| CM | Sonny Singh |
| RW | Ashley Akpan |
| LW | Francis Okoronkwo |
| CF | Harry Gardiner |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Dennis Cirkin
- Position: LB
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
Sunderland were screaming out for a full back this summer and they finally landed their man just two days before the season started. Dennis Cirkin is a converted winger and England U19 international who was very highly rated at Tottenham but has been allowed to move on due to the congestion at first team level above him; Reguilon, Davies and Sessegnon. The defender is coming off the back of a tough year in which injury and personal tragedy pretty much destroyed his season and he will be hopeful that a move to Sunderland will allow him a full reset. He joins the League One club with a clear run at the first team and feels like a safe bet to prove himself a useful player at this level.
Patrick Almond
- Position: CB
- Age: 18
- Nationality: Scottish
Having just signed a new one year contract this summer, Patrick Almond will look to build upon a strong U23 season and find his way into the first team. The Scottish defender was the youngest regular at U23 level for Sunderland last season and he has been impressive in the early pre-season outings this year. A dominant central defender with excellent quality in the air, Almond could handle League One football physically if picked to do so and his early outings during pre-season suggest he has the requisite quality to do it also. It will need a change of approach from Sunderland management but Almond deserves at least a chance to make an impression this season.
Josh Hawkes
- Position: AM
- Age: 22
- Nationality: England
It’s actually quite ridiculous that Hawkes didn’t get a real shot at the first team last season. The twenty-two-year-old midfielder was a one man wrecking ball in the U23 squad, scoring fourteen goals and grabbing seven assists in less than two thousand minutes. The former Hartlepool player had been a stand out in the National League but Sunderland manager Lee Johnson overlooked his contributions citing him as being physically underdeveloped. Now, with rumoured interest from Norwich City and West Ham United, the midfielder has a full pre-season to gain the muscle the manager desires and follow in the footsteps of Adam Lallana - another late developing attacking midfielder.
You get the impression Burnley really want a great youth academy but also that they aren’t prepared to put in any kind of investment to get it. While the coaching staff do an admirable job of maximising the talents of those in the system, ultimately the majority end up dropping out of the professional game shortly after leaving Burnley.
There are some bright sparks here though with a very small Burnley squad leading to an increasing use of the likes of Anthony Driscoll-Glennon to at least fill up the squad and sit on the bench. Can any of them develop enough to become first team regulars in a notoriously grizzled and experienced Burnley squad?
I originally had Josh Benson listed as one to watch following his breakthrough last season but Burnley have now sold him for peanuts… Sean Dyche and I are very different people.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Marc Richter |
| CB | Richard Nartey |
| CB | Bobby Thomas |
| RB | Marcel Elva-Fountaine |
| LB | Anthony Driscoll-Glennon |
| CM | Josh Benson |
| CM | Ne-Jai Tucker |
| CM | Anthony Gomez Mancini |
| RW | Max Thompson |
| LW | Lewis Richardson |
| CF | Arman Taranis |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Sam Waller |
| CB | Dan Sassi |
| CB | Benn Ward |
| RB | Jacson Coppack |
| LB | Keelan Williams |
| CM | Will Hugill |
| CM | Will Couch |
| CM | Joe Bauress |
| RW | Kade Ratchford |
| LW | Ruairi Behan |
| CF | Michael Mellon |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Richard Nartey
- Position: CB
- Age: 22
- Nationality: English
Richard Nartey joined Burnley from Chelsea and, in his first season, established himself as a player potentially capable of moving full time into the first team fold. A solidly built defender who is strong in the air, Nartey was on the bench several times last season as well as being a regular in the U23 squad. Having spent time on loan at Burton, whilst an employee at Chelsea, the defender has experience in the adult game but at twenty-two years old really needs to kick on and play more football. He signed a new twelve month contract this summer and has been vocal about his desire to play in the first team. Physically he will no doubt hold up fine, his technical ability may be his weakest aspect but in a Burnley side with very simple instructions on the ball it’s possibly not the greatest concern.
Lewis Richardson
- Position: CF
- Age: 18
- Nationality: English
18 year old Lewis Richardson has already made his Burnley debut, coming on for the final few minutes of games against Tottenham and Southampton. He is a regular member of the travelling squad for the first team now and is probably the best prospect in the Burnley youth system since Dwight McNeil. The striker is also capable of playing wide on the left but has started pre-season for the first eleven playing alongside Ashley Barnes in Burnley’s familiar 4-4-2. A former England U17 international, Richardson is quick and skilful with good instincts in front of goal without ever being a prolific centre forward (although that is partly because of the low quality of the players alongside him). Burnley have probably the smallest squad in the Premier League so Richardson is the kind of prospect you would expect Dyche to be relying upon.
Anthony Gomez Mancini
- Position: CM
- Age: 20
- Nationality: French
Signed from Angers after spending last season on loan with Burnley’s youth team, Anthony Gomez Mancini has started preseason as part of the first team fold and impressed fans with his energetic performances in an unfamiliar right wing position. The former France U19 international lacks true pace but he has an engine that allows him to get around the pitch and possesses an excellent passing range. With a classy first touch, he offers something a little different from Burnley’s industrious midfielders but it remains to be seen if Dyche will trust a player focused on the retention of possession in his team. Early indicators - shunting him out on the right wing - suggest Dyche will still expect a solid two banks of four rather than bringing the creative Mancini into the centre.
Sepp Van Den Berg has been called up for the Dutch u21 provisional squad. Big news for him and a sign of the progress he as made knowing the strength of the squad there.
With a major focus on local players, Stoke has turned into a thriving academy and recently there have been a few who have broken through, including Nathan Collins who was sold to Burnley this summer for big money.
The U23s finished second in Division Two last season and many of those players could make the push for the first team with Stoke looking once again to cut their cloth and focus on youth development. Stoke have been excellent at youth promotion, giving thousands of minutes of football to players U23. Expect the same this season.
A notable youngster is Emre Tezgel. The striker scored seven goals for Stoke’s U18s aged just fifteen years old and looks set to be a dynamite prospect in his first full season as a scholarship player.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Nathan Broome |
| CB | Lewis Macari |
| CB | William Forrester |
| RB | Kieran Coates |
| LB | Edward Jones |
| CM | Dan Malone |
| CM | Tom Sparrow |
| CM | Gabriel Adebambo |
| RW | D’Margio Wright-Phillips |
| LW | Douglas James-Taylor |
| CF | Christian Norton |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Xander Parke |
| CB | Josh Roney |
| CB | David Okagbue |
| RB | Tom Curl |
| LB | Jake Cartwright |
| CM | Jack Griffiths |
| CM | Ryan Malbon |
| CM | Ted Cargill |
| RW | Sam Knowles |
| LW | Shilo Waldo |
| CF | Emre Tezgel |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Christian Norton
- Position: CF
- Age: 20
- Nationality: Welsh
Having joined from Southampton in 2020, Christian Norton made a good impact on the Stoke U23 squad scoring five times and making six appearances in the Stoke first team. Norton is a long-legged centre forward with a slight frame, a good target in the air and accomplished in the press. Although not a prolific goalscorer there is plenty of potential to work with for the Welsh U21 international. Norton is on the fringes of a permanent call up to the first team with his striker partner at U23 level, Ethon Varian, having already left the club on loan.
D’Margio Wright-Phillips
- Position: RW
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
The son of Shaun Wright-Phillips, D’Margio plays the same position but is a very different type of winger. More of a wide forward than a true winger, he likes to attack the penalty area often ending up as the centre forward on the end of crosses from the left wing. He’s quick but more heavy-set than his father and as a result is a touch less explosive. He makes up for that pace with a strong running style and is tall enough to be a threat aerially, especially when playing up against full backs. After failing to make the grade at Man City, he joined Stoke in February and has already worked his way into the first team picture, becoming a mainstay of the Stoke team during this pre-season.
Lewis Macari
- Position: CB
- Age: 19
- Nationality: Scottish
Grandson of Lou Macari, the former Stoke season ticket holder is a central defender making an impression on the Stoke first team during pre-season. Also capable of operating at right back, and probably this would be his route to the first team, Macari is comfortable playing out from the back and has pace to compete with any forward line. Although he isn’t one of the biggest defenders, he is still solid in the air and has been a goal scoring threat when he comes forward for set pieces. Having moved into the first team squad for the first time this season in May, Macari now has the momentum to press for more involvement.
Thanks again Sweeting. Maybe at the end you could do a 5 or 10 to watch. Always appreciated
Watching st pats and a bad clash of heads here with Desmond and Jaros involved. Looked knocked out
Desmond had a seizure afterwards showing the impact of the collision
Jaros got up after a minute or two.
U18s currently 5-2 up against Stoke in the opening game of the season.
Cannonier x2, Frauendorf, Jonas and Balagizi with the goals.
Davies
Bajcetic Jonas Miles Chambers
McConnell Stephenson Balagizi
Davidson Cannonier Frauendorf
Subs: Mrozek; Koumas, Omoruyi, Blair, Roberts
If he continues scoring at this rate throughout his career, he will be remembered as… Capocannonier. 
I’ll get my coat.
Surprised to see Davies and Balagzi in the u18s still. Thought with Davies training with the seniors often it was basically him moving to the u23s. Then thought James was too good for this level. Did see he was captain so he is one of the better players anyways
Who are Omoruyi and Koumas
Liverpool U18s came from a goal down to claim a thrilling 5-3 win over Stoke City in their opening match of the U18 Premier League season on Saturday.
Having trailed inside two minutes in Kirkby, efforts either side of half-time from Melkamu Frauendorf and James Balagizi turned the tide back in the young Reds’ favour.
Oakley Cannonier’s quickfire double put the prolific hosts in further command and Lee Jonas added a fifth, meaning Emre Tezgel’s hat-trick for Stoke was immaterial.
The visitors had gone in front with just two minutes on the clock at the Academy.
Matty Lusakueno was the architect, making headway along Stoke’s left-hand side before guiding a ball across the box for Tezgel to finish beyond Harvey Davies.
Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s Reds shook off the setback to grow into the game as the half progressed, with Frauendorf providing a frequent threat from a wide starting berth – and he brought his team level in the 32nd minute.
U16 player Josh Davidson sparked the attack with a clean tackle in his own half, allowing Balagizi and then Luca Stephenson to feed the ball forward to Frauendorf, who coolly dispatched from inside the box for 1-1.
Stoke almost restored their advantage instantly via the same combination that had produced their early opener. Again Lusakueno set up Tezgel but this time his first-time attempt clattered the post.
Liverpool surged clear on the scoresheet after the interval.
First, Balagizi completed the turnaround on 54, driving through the midfield and subsequently slamming a shot past the goalkeeper once Frauendorf’s initial hit was well stopped.
Cannonier stretched the lead from the penalty spot with an hour gone, Davidson having been felled in the area, and quickly claimed his second and the Reds’ fourth with a finish into the top corner following more incisive approach play and a cutback by Balagizi.
Bridge-Wilkinson’s charges were not satisfied and Jonas got in on the act with an outstanding low effort drilled into the bottom corner to make it 5-1 with little over 15 minutes to play.
Stoke responded in kind and Tezgel helped himself to a hat-trick in the closing stages, converting a spot-kick and then breaking through to send his third of the day past Davies.
But Liverpool’s clinical display earlier in the half had secured the three points and a positive beginning to 2021-22 for the U18s.
Liverpool U18s: Davies, Davidson, Chambers (Roberts, 63), Bajcetic, Jonas, Miles, McConnell (Blair, 74), Stephenson (Omoruyi, 63), Cannonier, Balagizi, Frauendorf.
Unused substitutes: Mrozek, Koumas.
I think we are just waiting for a space to open up when loans are finalized. Clarkson, for example, will likely leave before the window closes. Balagizi will probably just spend the first couple of months in the 18s, maybe up to January, and then move up full time (just dropping back down for the FA Youth Cup).
We do like players to get some experience of being the leadership group. Balagizi, Stephenson, Jonas, Davies, Frauendorf etc where the 1st year scholars last season - now as second years they are expected to be the leaders of the group similar to how Morton, Ojrzynski, Corness and Stewart were last year.
Emre Tezgel, who scored the hat trick for Stoke, is one of the best young players in the country. He was top scorer for Stoke U18s last season having barely turned 15. Made his debut at 14 years old.
He’s too young to make my “One To Watch” series this year but he’s sure to be there in future.
U23s v Man City
Hughes
Gallacher Clayton Koumetio Norris
Morton Corness Dixon-Bonner
Musialowski O’Rourke Woltman
Subs: Kelly; Ritaccio, Stephenson, Chambers,
Pitaliga, Bradley, Beck, Boyes, Wilson, Quansah, Clarkson, Cain, Stewart (injured), Gordon, Bearne, Longstaff all left out.
What time KO.
Kicked off 20 mins ago, 0-0