[Albion] Simon Rusk interview - The Guardian

[Whitechapel]

The real insult for the youth team is just how little of a chance they were given in the FA cup.

Carling Cup comes around and Hughton gives the youth a (slight chance) with Gyokeres, Barclay & Collar all playing the full game and Connolly getting about 60 seconds at the end.

However the FA Cup run is a different story.

Bournemouth - Gyokeres got brought on in the 90th minute. No other youth players made the squad
West Brom H - Gyokeres got 18 minutes off the bench. Sanchez was an unused sub
West Brom A - Gyokeres started and played 80 minutes. Sanchez on the bench
Derby - Gyokeres came on with 9 minutes to go. Molumby, Ostigard & Sanchez as unused subs.
Millwall & Man City - We took it seriously and there were no youth players involved

Out of the collective 6000 minutes our squad played in the FA Cup (90x11x6 + extra time twice) , our youth squad managed 109 minutes. Less than 2% of the available minutes our youth players could have been given in a cup we clearly didn’t care about until the 1/4 finals actually went to youth players. It’s a frankly insulting figure, IMO.

 

[AZ Gull]

Didn’t our U18s knock them out of the cup as well [MENTION=1276]AZ Gull[/MENTION]


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They did indeed.

 

[symyjym]

Tilley's only league appearance came at the meaningless last regular league game of the season at Middlesbrough at the end of the 2014-15 campaign.

I stand corrected but the point remains.

 

[GT49er]

21 or 22 is quite old enough to be playing first team football, whether at League 1/2 level, or Championship level if they're a bit better, or if a bit better still, in the PL. This whole 'not old enough' bollox is just that; bollox.
Perhaps we should go back to having a reserve league (Football Combination, wasn't it?) with no age limits; basically the 2nd.XI, playing adult football, whatever their age, and therefore ready to step into the first team as and when the need arises. That would also mean half our 25 man squad getting a lot more game time than they do at the moment!

 

[Lush]

Interesting points made above. Then I look at 20 year old Trent Alexander-Arnold. Playing most of the season for Liverpool and in the Champions League Final.

Which makes me think that age is just a number. Are you good enough or not?

 

[Machiavelli]

Interesting points made above. Then I look at 20 year old Trent Alexander-Arnold. Playing most of the season for Liverpool and in the Champions League Final.

Which makes me think that age is just a number. Are you good enough or not?

Granted. He is, quite clearly. But are our lot? I don't think any of those given a chance showed that they're good enough to make the match-day PL squad. Molumby (who has been out injured for c21 months) and Connolly look the best options, but I think they need time playing at, say, Championship level to see if they can make the match day 18 with us. That's what Kane and Lingard did, for instance. Potter might think differently.

 

[GT49er]

Granted. He is, quite clearly. But are our lot? I don't think any of those given a chance showed that they're good enough to make the match-day PL squad.

Could you define 'chance' for me - we seem to have a different understanding of the word.

Molumby (who has been out injured for c21 months) and Connolly look the best options, but I think they need time playing at, say, Championship level to see if they can make the match day 18 with us. That's what Kane and Lingard did, for instance. Potter might think differently.

That is something I do hope for. There is no reason one or two can't be on the bench - we can only use three of the substitutes anyway, and can name seven. And if called upon - surprise, surprise - it is quite possible they won't let us down.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Interesting points made above. Then I look at 20 year old Trent Alexander-Arnold. Playing most of the season for Liverpool and in the Champions League Final.

Which makes me think that age is just a number. Are you good enough or not?

And he only got his chance because of long term injuries to Nathaniel Clyne and Joe Gomez, I'm sure he'd have got in eventually but his progression has been helped massively by getting in the team. Harry Kane only got in the Tottenham team because Vincent Jansson is so dreadful, he grabbed his opportunity and hasn't looked back but nobody expected him to be as good as he has become. Bale was in and out of the Tottenham team for years before becoming established on the left wing and then beginning to dominate and develop. Etc, etc, etc.

 

[chaileyjem]

I don't think he had favourites but just didn't like fast tracking youngsters..

Apart from the 2 regulars who developed massively in Hughton's time, are now premier league stars, and joined the club as teenagers.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The real insult for the youth team is just how little of a chance they were given in the FA cup.

Carling Cup comes around and Hughton gives the youth a (slight chance) with Gyokeres, Barclay & Collar all playing the full game and Connolly getting about 60 seconds at the end.

However the FA Cup run is a different story.

Bournemouth - Gyokeres got brought on in the 90th minute. No other youth players made the squad
West Brom H - Gyokeres got 18 minutes off the bench. Sanchez was an unused sub
West Brom A - Gyokeres started and played 80 minutes. Sanchez on the bench
Derby - Gyokeres came on with 9 minutes to go. Molumby, Ostigard & Sanchez as unused subs.
Millwall & Man City - We took it seriously and there were no youth players involved

Out of the collective 6000 minutes our squad played in the FA Cup (90x11x6 + extra time twice) , our youth squad managed 109 minutes. Less than 2% of the available minutes our youth players could have been given in a cup we clearly didn’t care about until the 1/4 finals actually went to youth players. It’s a frankly insulting figure, IMO.

So your strategy would be to play them regardless, so that they had more time at the expense of say Kayal, Bong, Andone, Locadia, Burn, Bruno, Bissouma etc. who also weren't getting much game time when the cup fixtures were on?

For an U23 player to take game time off the full squad, to my mind they have to be exceptional, not just stick them in because you feel it is insulting to the youth set up not to.

 

[GT49er]

So your strategy would be to play them regardless, so that they had more time at the expense of say Kayal, Bong, Andone, Locadia, Burn, Bruno, Bissouma etc. who also weren't getting much game time when the cup fixtures were on?

So who was playing in the cup games then? I thought most of that lot were involved at some of the time. They certainly weren't being kept out by youngsters being played regardless.

 

[symyjym]

Apart from the 2 regulars who developed massively in Hughton's time, are now premier league stars, and joined the club as teenagers.

I am asserting that you are joking and don't really attribute the rise of Dunk and March to Hughton?

 

[chaileyjem]

I am asserting that you are joking and don't really attribute the rise of Dunk and March to Hughton?

For the last 4 and a half years - then yes.

 

[Bold Seagull]

So who was playing in the cup games then? I thought most of that lot were involved at some of the time. They certainly weren't being kept out by youngsters being played regardless.

Exactly. They weren't being kept out by youngsters.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I am asserting that you are joking and don't really attribute the rise of Dunk and March to Hughton?

Definitely had a huge part to play. March wasn't looking a dead cert Championship player until Hughton turned up, let alone Premier League quality. He has improved year on year under Hughton.

Dunk made 14 league appearances over 2 years 2012 -14. He has been transformed from hot headed needless red cards and mistakes per season, to a £40m+ England international defender. I know Hughton has gone and some people are glad, but not attributing any success of the club or players to Hughton is just downright disingenuous.

 

[symyjym]

For the last 4 and a half years - then yes.

He oversaw the rise of two players who were tipped for the top before he came here, but you have sidetracked the point anyway. Why give a U23 player 15 seconds at the end of the game on the last match of the season.

If you can explain the purpose and the psychology behind that decision I will happily concede your side point on March and Dunk?

 

[B.W.]

Our Chris failed to give any U23's a real chance, even tho' they were consistently high-flying in PL2... I am sure that fact contributed to his P45... he certainly helped Dunk and March to develop further, but... look at who he didn't really give a chance to... AC, VC, JM, MS, and so on...

 

[symyjym]

Definitely had a huge part to play. March wasn't looking a dead cert Championship player until Hughton turned up, let alone Premier League quality. He has improved year on year under Hughton.

Dunk made 14 league appearances over 2 years 2012 -14. He has been transformed from hot headed needless red cards and mistakes per season, to a £40m+ England international defender. I know Hughton has gone and some people are glad, but not attributing any success of the club or players to Hughton is just downright disingenuous.

You have completely side tracked my original comment. I wasn't even talking about Dunk and March, of course they were going to develop under Hughton. The point I raised was why give a 15 seconds to a player and if you can let me know the psychology and purpose behind it I would be most grateful?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Our Chris failed to give any U23's a real chance, even tho' they were consistently high-flying in PL2... I am sure that fact contributed to his P45... he certainly helped Dunk and March to develop further, but... look at who he didn't really give a chance to... AC, VC, JM, MS, and so on...

It's a little bit rich that though given I don't remember us bringing a huge number of youngsters through in League One or the Championship as a football club either. We get to the top flight for 2 seasons and suddenly CH is the first manager not to dip into the youth set up?

 

[AZ Gull]

Apart from the 2 regulars who developed massively in Hughton's time, are now premier league stars, and joined the club as teenagers.

When [MENTION=24867]chaileyjem[/MENTION] has to resort to using Dunk and March as evidence of Hughton's commitment to youth development, it underlines just how few opportunities CH gave the kids.

Dunk had made 75 - that's 75 - league appearances before Hughton was appointed. March had made 30 league appearances (and it would have been more, but he missed the first 18 matches of the 2014-15 season with a stress fracture of the back).

Come on [MENTION=24867]chaileyjem[/MENTION], you're better than this.