Like a new… oh wait damn it.
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Marc Bridge-Wilkinson the U18s manager has announced he is stepping down and the resignation is being reported to be reluctantly accepted. His bio reports that he has been with the club for 10 years and has played a role in the development of current first teamers Jones, Quansah, and Bradley.
The average Twitter responses to the announcement is “good, the U18s are fucking shite”
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It does seem like a lean pipeline are the moment. Of course I am going by what others are saying! Has anything changed or are the number of players coming through about the same as ever?
As I said above I think there are natural ebbs and flows to these things. I gave the Man Utd example above, another recent one would be Sunderland who are similar to us in that they rely a lot of locally developed players. Two seasons ago they finished 2nd in the U18s to Man City. Last season they finished bottom. This season they are 9th.
Even Man City themselves. U21 team last season finished 23rd out of 26. This season they are top.
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We revamped our academy a couple of years ago to address what we saw as bloat. It resulted in having kids on the books who could play reasonably well enough for the level but didnt have great prospects for anything more. We made efforts to cut that level of player, in part to focus our efforts on the lads with more prospects and to give them a better chance of finding their right level. The result was fewer players at each age group level and groups put together with less emphasis on their ability to come together as a coherent side that can win games today against their peers.
You have to imagine that in a year like this one where the top of the pyramid was cleaned out with sales and loans and younger kids now have to step up that this move has knock on effects down through every level for a period.
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Watched highlights of the U18’s v City and they looked bigger, stronger, faster and tecnically better.
Possibly due to us playing players far younger, but what struck me was Heskey had 2 sons that represent City, thought we would have got a look in with him being an ex red.
Seems City’s youth academy is possibly a more appealing footballing destination at youth level?
Oh course City is more appealing. Your Dad gets a Ferrari and a secret offshore bank account.
City have a great academy. They’re not much older but 9 of their 11 starters in that game were bought from other clubs, that’s their secret formula for success.
For a youth player Man City and Chelsea are undoubtedly the premier destinations in the country. Best coaching, best competition, best compensation - and it looks great on the footballing CV if/when you leave.
That City team has conceded one goal in their last ten games and has won every game they’ve played since August 26th.
As for Heskey, he lives in Altrincham so going to one of the Manchester clubs makes sense. He may have chose them anyway but geographically the commute to City is much easier.
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We do have a number of other ex-players’ sons.
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FIFY.
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First round of the U21s playoffs tonight. Liverpool the final qualifier having finished 16th in the league. Away at 1st placed man City.
In extra time now, 1-1. Liverpool have been the better team, unlucky with the goal we gave away on the counter but Tommy Pilling scored to level it up. Man City now dominating possession but it’s just sterile and bland by them so far.
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City scored again, good run by Ryan McAidoo - the former Chelsea winger who chose City over us - and his shot was palmed weakly by Harvey Davies right into the path of Divin Mubama who got his 2nd tap in of the game.
Premier League have to think about this format, as I say every year, more than half of the U21 teams in PL2 have no more games until September. It’s only the middle of April.
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Reminds me of Serie B results in the 90s
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Liverpool scout Kyle Wallbanks was spotted at the AFCON U20 in Egypt.
He attended 2 games on Monday:
- Central African Rep 1-3 DR Congo
- Ghana 1-0 Senegal
2 players of interest in the latter 17yo recent Chelsea trialist Yaya Dieme & 18yo Sogndal FW Emmanuel Mensah.
Credit: https://x.com/scoutsattending/status/1920124737394467260
I note Yaya Dieme seemed to be joining Strasbourg (Chelsea) according to Fabrizio Romano.
Credit: https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1877085760983019980
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