[Albion] Progress from the U23's

[Miami Seagull]

This is an interesting read..and is probably representative of most Premier League academies - Cat One or not, including us up until this year. I think this shows how important Potter's use of younger players and promoting from the U23's will be for the future of the club and its ability to attract talent.

https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/...trated-at-pace-of-progress-through-the-ranks/

 

[BNthree]

Interesting article, thanks. Presumably some NSC posters would prefer us not to play U23/Academy players as the need to recruit "proven PL players" is cited regularly on here.

Interesting to note that since Dan Ashworth came in a LOT of our U23 players seem to be out of loan now.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Interesting article, thanks. Presumably some NSC posters would prefer us not to play U23/Academy players as the need to recruit "proven PL players" is cited regularly on here.

Interesting to note that since Dan Ashworth came in a LOT of our U23 players seem to be out of loan now.

It's reassuring to know that in the awful event we lose Lewis Dunk we have Ben White getting experience under Bielsa with Leeds and Matt Clarke at Derby.

 

[schmunk]

Interesting to note that since Dan Ashworth came in a LOT of our U23 players seem to be out of loan now.

And some in the Albion matchday squad - 3/18 against Burnley.

 

[symyjym]

These under 23's going out to lower clubs for experience are potentially our Lingards and Tomoris of tomorrow. Not to mention Tau and Mac Allister waiting in the wings abroad.

The club has to work several years ahead of what we actually see and we are just waiting for the first cycle to complete for the hard back work to start paying for itself in a streamline system.

 

[seagull_special]

Never liked Chelsea but hope they have some of success this year with Lampard and their young guns, Mount, Abraham and Tomori are having an opportunity which wouldn’t have been there without the transfer ban with Odoi and Loftus Cheek to return it shows that there is a crop of British talent coming through and with White, Clarke, Connolly, Alzate, Batuta progressing well and Tau and Alexis thriving hopefully we won’t need to spend a fortune next year.

 

[Stat Brother]

And some in the Albion matchday squad - 3/18 against Burnley.

I was surprised to see Baluta on the bench v Burnley.
That is until I realised we now only had a 22 man squad with injuries and 3 'keepers.

I remember at the time palace saying 'why are we buying Vic C?'
Not only were they right but seemingly centre mid is as much catnip to them as centre back is to us.
The only difference being all ours are out on loan (when they aren't all starting the same game!) learning their trade while rather criminally palace have 14+ centre midfielders sat around twiddling their thumbs.

 

[GT49er]

It's reassuring to know that in the awful event we lose Lewis Dunk we have Ben White getting experience under Bielsa with Leeds and Matt Clarke at Derby.

Don't think Clarke is getting much game-time at Derby. The future of White next summer is really going to ask some hard questions of Potter, Ashworth and co.

 

[Seasidesage]

It's a very tricky balancing act as no one will remember how many young players got a game this season if we are relegated. That said the only way we can make progress in the PL ultimately is to play academy players and buy foreigners and local talent before they reach their potential and ahead of all the other clubs trying to do the same . We can IMO at least only move forward by taking some chances in selection now and in the near future to unearth talent that can play higher. We need to both improve the 1st XI while also unearthing and selling on young talent at a profit. Should be nice and straightforward

Potter and Ashworth appear to me to be more than a nod towards that reality and time will tell how easy it is to achieve.

 

[GT49er]

Granted it's not very clever of Palarse to keep youngsters stagnating year in year out in the U23s/21s - but surely these young lads (and their agents!) have a role to play in this too? Should they not be banging on the coach's door asking to be loaned out, even if it is to League 2, the National League or Belgian second division, wherever? And shouldn't their agents being touting them round, and coming back to Palarse to let them know that they've found a club that's interested?

Or perhaps they're just a tad too comfortable?

 

[dazzer6666]

These under 23's going out to lower clubs for experience are potentially our Lingards and Tomoris of tomorrow. Not to mention Tau and Mac Allister waiting in the wings abroad.

The club has to work several years ahead of what we actually see and we are just waiting for the first cycle to complete for the hard back work to start paying for itself in a streamline system.

Absolutely this - the teeth-gnashing from some people over the 'failure' of the academy to produce anything over the last few years has been laughable - it was always going to take some time. The club's strategy should now be quite clear to even the hardest of thinking.

Build academy
Get promoted
Consolidate for a couple of years
Get talented crop of youngsters 'PL ready' through appropriate loans to suitable clubs
Get someone like Ashworth in to manage all of this
Get a manager in who will a) continue to develop them and b) be prepared to give them a chance in the first team
If we need to sell a 'prize asset' (offer we or the player can't refuse from a top 6 club for example), have ready replacements that we've grown ourselves

Bound to be a few bumps in the road and bad decisions - which could even include relegation - but overall have to say it's kind of starting to look impressively executed. The value of some of our players out on loan must be rocketing.

 

[zefarelly]

If B****t really goes tits up and/or the cash bubble bursts in the PL, those teams with good set ups and youth development plans could well come to the fore.

Chelsea will be a very good marker come April/ May.

 

[symyjym]

Absolutely this - the teeth-gnashing from some people over the 'failure' of the academy to produce anything over the last few years has been laughable - it was always going to take some time. The club's strategy should now be quite clear to even the hardest of thinking.

Build academy
Get promoted
Consolidate for a couple of years
Get talented crop of youngsters 'PL ready' through appropriate loans to suitable clubs
Get someone like Ashworth in to manage all of this
Get a manager in who will a) continue to develop them and b) be prepared to give them a chance in the first team
If we need to sell a 'prize asset' (offer we or the player can't refuse from a top 6 club for example), have ready replacements that we've grown ourselves

Bound to be a few bumps in the road and bad decisions - which could even include relegation - but overall have to say it's kind of starting to look impressively executed. The value of some of our players out on loan must be rocketing.

Yep and I forgot to mention Walton who seems to be worth almost £1m according to Transfer Market. I would be surprised if the timing of the plan wasn't for Walton to step up to the first team when Ryan's contract ends.

 

[dazzer6666]

Yep and I forgot to mention Walton who seems to be worth almost £1m according to Transfer Market. I would be surprised if the timing of the plan wasn't for Walton to step up to the first team when Ryan's contract ends.

Values on that site are all over the place.I'd bet Walton would go for much more than that if we were to sell.

 

[B-right-on]

This is an interesting read..and is probably representative of most Premier League academies - Cat One or not, including us up until this year. I think this shows how important Potter's use of younger players and promoting from the U23's will be for the future of the club and its ability to attract talent.

https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/...trated-at-pace-of-progress-through-the-ranks/

Typical Palarse. Short sighted after quick results now. They'll find it hard to keep any half decent youths and sign any new ones. Which in turn means buying players at top dollar paying them silly money.

Stinks of 'no plans' as a club.

What a shame.


.

 

[AZ Gull]

This is an interesting read..and is probably representative of most Premier League academies - Cat One or not, including us up until this year. I think this shows how important Potter's use of younger players and promoting from the U23's will be for the future of the club and its ability to attract talent.

https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/...trated-at-pace-of-progress-through-the-ranks/

The first lad mentioned, Nikola Tavares, is a central defender who played 5 matches for the Albion U-18 side in 2016-17. Originally from South Africa, he spent a number of years in the Brentford academy and they offered him a scholarship. However, it took more than a year for international clearance to come through and by that time Brentford had closed their academy so he was a free agent for the 2016-17 season.

After trialing at Wolves and Middlesbrough he showed up at Albion. They obviously liked him (hence his five appearances) but there was compensation due to his amateur club in South Africa and some disagreement about who should be liable to pay it (ie Brentford or Albion). Ultimately a deal was never done and he quickly moved on to Palace where he has been ever since.

 

[Perkino]

A 1st team willing to give youngsters a chance and some minutes is a very exciting factor to teenagers trying to decide if they should stay within a set up or move elsewhere. Man City are beginning to lose a few names who cannot see their chance ever coming

 

[Raphael Meade]

Don't think Clarke is getting much game-time at Derby. The future of White next summer is really going to ask some hard questions of Potter, Ashworth and co.

He has definitely been on the bench for a game or two but pretty sure he started at the weekend

 

[Seasidesage]

I think the summer may well show the beginning of our plan taking shape. I wonder for example if we have a serious offer for Dunk or Duffy whether we will be more receptive to it. Both White and Clarke look even after a few games to be too good for the Championship and both relatively young. Add Webster to the mix and someone will need to be moved on...

Similarly in Midfield add Buluta, Molumby and Saunders, possibly MacAllister and Tau and the squad could be a lot stronger if these guys improve as hoped plus a few could be moved on for good money. All of them have shown ability this season at their various loan clubs.

Up front I think only Connolly has the required pedigree at this point but we could generate some considerable profit elsewhere to use for strikers? All ifs buts and maybe's but I'd say the Academy is starting to take shape very nicely indeed....

 

[Taybha]

Ben White will ultimately be one of the main reasons Leeds get promoted, his worth will sky rocket when they do, and hopefully this will finally silence the doubters as to exactly why we need to have a academy costing millions of pounds to sustain.