We have Trent, Elliott, Jones and Bajcetic in the first team today who all came through the academy.
Brewster was talented but he got a serious injury which took a lot of his pace away, which was his main weapon. After that most people who watch youth football correctly predicted he would have a hard time making it at the top level.
He didnt come from our academy.
Bajcetic still very early days, a handful of sub appearances doesnt mean you’ve made it.
He started in the U18s when he signed for us. If you’re limiting it players who were not signed from other clubs then yes it becomes a very short list.
There was a lot of promise for Rhian, even after picking up the serious injury. I remember being on LFCTV Go at the time and everyone was raving about him, myself included. Being top goalscorer or best player at the u17 tournament which had Foden etc, there was still hope.
Preeceded to do well and bag a few goals at Swansea and even then, some thought it could happen for him.
He’d already made few appearances for Fulham in the league. How long did he spend with our academy before being called into first team picture? 3-4 weeks? We cant take the credit for that in saying he’s a product of our youth system.
HIs significant injuries came the season after that U17 world cup win
Indeed, I was about 20 ft away when he got the injury away at Man City. It was definitely after his best performances.
Doesn’t particularly matter when it came, the timing wasn’t my point. There was still a lot of promise for him around the fan base. Talent doesn’t dissipate with injury…it halts the progress, but never dissipates.
And no one said his talent went anywhere. He was an electric striker who was comparable to Michael Owen with his pace. He’d destroy defenders with his pace and was an excellent finisher. The rest of his game was solid but not outstanding.
After he returned it was clear he was never going to be able to get to that top end of pace again. It took an edge off him and that was more than enough to drop his overall level below that of having a real chance to make it at the European champions.
The modern equivilent would be Doak. Take his pace away from him and what do you have left? A talented football but probably not a first team prospect.
Anyway, the list coming from academy football should be short. We are one of the best teams in the world. It simply cannot not be easy or normal for players to develop through our academy and into the first team. The level of quality required is extreme.
Of course it matters if you’re using performances from before the injury as a measure of his potential. U17s isnt as good a marker of potential as U19 or U21s, but when you look at the other top players from that tournament (Foden, and City’s Gomez) it’s clear Brewster was in great company. But the counter point being made was that those who watched him saw a lessened player once he returned to the pitch. He lost near enough 12 month of his career at a pivotal time and when you add int he physical changes it is understandable that isnt the heights now as his contempories from that tournament are.
Is there a recall option on Morton?
Billy Koumetio‘s loan spell at Austria Wien is to be cut short by Liverpool this month – after he became a regular for the Vienna club’s reserve side not the first team
Was following him over there - looked like he was inconsistent (which is something everyone knew). I believe he was even MOTM in a Europ League game but then followed it up by being responsible for a couple of goals in a league game. It was ambitious loan to go to Austria for his first taste of first team football so not totally confused at why it hasn’t panned out. Getting him out to an English side would be a good next step.
We don’t seem to be great at choosing clubs for our young lads. Lots of recalls
Its hard to be fair. Balagizi went to Crawley to work wirh the England U19 manager but he got fired and Balagizi has gotten injured. Up until then he was arguably the best player in League Two.
Not sure the reason for the rumoured Clarkson recall, he has played regularly and had some really good games. I was reading a bit of criticism of him on Aberdeen forums for being a bit lightweight (although its noticable that I only saw this criticism after it was reported he would be recalled).
Koumetio’s move to Austria Vienna always seemed ambitious - he got a fair shot and was just inconsistent.
Loan spells, particularly first time loan spells, are really hard to know how they pan out. So many factors that go into it beyond just talent on the pitch. If you look at all clubs around the league, most loanees going out for the first time have tough seasons.
Not sure if true but ive read Aberdeen signed 2 young players.
Edit started their game today.
Any knowledge on this?
Ah 4 matches makes sense.
Even for the lads who stay in England, there is a huge culture shock in going from somewhere as nice as Kirkby to all of a sudden having to deal with the facilitates and lack of support (from the club, not fans) of a lower league club.
Like… a… new… SIGNING!!!