Steven Alzate signed from Leyton Orient

[Hyperion]

I tell you what though: this Alzate does look a very technically gifted footballer. It's not like he's playing youth team football in that video, where any youngster with a few flicks & tricks can look good against his own age-group peers. He's holding his own against seasoned League Two professionals there, including (one imagines) a few who'd quite happily hoof him eight feet in the air if they could get close enough. Looks considerably different to (for example) Joe Ward or Jonah Ayunga, to think of but two players we've previously acquired from non-league to pad out the Development Squad. Maybe this kid could actually be something quite special in years to come. We can but hope.

He does look rather cultured for his years. I think we may have found a wee gem but as you say, we can hope!!

 

[Whitechapel]

So, not very often then.................and I wonder if the fees received actually covered the investment we'd made, wages and facilities, etc. Cook went for £150K apparantly, Elphick for 'reputedly six figures' - so, less than a million then. JFK to Charlton? - probably not megabucks either.
Don't get me wrong - I want us to have a DS, I'm pleased we've got one, and I want them to succeed. But the chances of a youngster being given a run out in the first team, especially an attacker, seem rarer than hens' teeth.

The way I'm looking at it is as a club we have grown msssively over the last 10 years. The youth team is maybe lagging behind slightly. When we were in L1 we were quite good at churning our solid L1 players with the odd player who made a career even higher up than that. Cox, Hammond, Elphick, Cook, El-Abd, Lynch, Virgo, Caskey etc. On top of this, due to our budget restraints we found is necessary to quite often fill the bench with local youth players; the likes of Sullivan, Rents, Robinson, Gatting, Loft, Fraser etc.

Realistically, how many of those at the age of 17-21 would start in this current development team? Would Tommy Fraser play nearly 100 times for our current U-23's? Well he managed nearly 100 games for our first team. Then look at it the other way round. I reckon the likes of Tilley, Molumby, Bjordal & Collar would probably walk in to a 2008 Brighton team.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Have never heard of him before but he looks really exciting in that video. Especially as it is against seasoned pro's and not kids as stated above.

3 things stand out from that vid: his ability to find space between the lines, his awareness of players around him and his bravery - in possession and in the tackle.

Hope he can break through as purely on the basis of that video he looks a talent.

 

[GT49er]

The way I'm looking at it is as a club we have grown msssively over the last 10 years. The youth team is maybe lagging behind slightly. When we were in L1 we were quite good at churning our solid L1 players with the odd player who made a career even higher up than that. Cox, Hammond, Elphick, Cook, El-Abd, Lynch, Virgo, Caskey etc. On top of this, due to our budget restraints we found is necessary to quite often fill the bench with local youth players; the likes of Sullivan, Rents, Robinson, Gatting, Loft, Fraser etc.

Realistically, how many of those at the age of 17-21 would start in this current development team? Would Tommy Fraser play nearly 100 times for our current U-23's? Well he managed nearly 100 games for our first team. Then look at it the other way round. I reckon the likes of Tilley, Molumby, Bjordal & Collar would probably walk in to a 2008 Brighton team.

I agree the DS is probably better than it was ten, twenty or thirty years ago. It's just our reluctance to promote them, or even put them on the bench for a ten minute run out when we were 3-0 down (or even if we are three nil up!). I get the feeling that if we had Deli Ali, he'd still be playing in the DS, with an occasional run-out in a League Cup match. At the moment the best the DS squad can expect, it seems, especially the attackers, is being loaned out to Oldham or Luton or someone similar and then being sold on, or off on a free transfer.

 

[half time scores]

Is he tall enough?

 

[phoenix]

There seems to be an underlying problem with the Dev Squad.

Is it the standard of player they have to work with or is it that the coaching is not that great ?

It does seem a black hole where signings fail to make it and then leave.

I think we sign these players then we improve as a team, so what was ok then simply isn't good enough now. I am a lot more hopeful with the newer players they should be that much better already.

 

[Nixonator]

Is he tall enough?

Rumours doing the rounds that there are tell-tale signs his LEGS aren't up to scratch.

 

[Megazone]

Looking at the clips, I reckon he'll be sitting on the bench come the 1st game of the season. He looks top quality. I really doubt a player of his touch and balance who has plenty of experience playing professional 1st team football, is going to regress back down to development level football. He looks like he'll be a very handy attacking centre midfielder. This looks like it'll be a very good signing. Anyone writing Alzate off already clearly can't see obvious talent.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

When you're a Champ club taking quality 13 year olds, but 5 years later are down in league 1 or 2 it's easy for them to break through.

When you're down in league 1 and taking whatever local 13 year olds aren't taken by bigger clubs, and 5 years later you're in the PL, it's rather unlikely many of them will break through.

Solly March is an Attacker.

 

[crookie]

If you're good enough you're old enough. Really hoping this lad gets a chance

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Rumours doing the rounds that there are tell-tale signs his LEGS aren't up to scratch.

I've checked the video again and they seem to be moving in the right direction and with the right co-ordination.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Is he tall enough?

I've said the same about Messi for years. Its just a shame he is so short. Think what he could have achieved if he had been over 6' tall. My Dad was the same, always saying what a pity it was about the lack of height of Banks and Springett and Bonetti and Shilton and Clemence. Imagine how good they could have been if they had been 6' 6".

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Adam Virgo and Gareth Barry

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Whilst we have always had youth squads etc I thought the "development squad" was a Gus invention and something aside from the usual age based teams within the club. Or am I imagining this?

 

[heathgate]

I agree the DS is probably better than it was ten, twenty or thirty years ago. It's just our reluctance to promote them, or even put them on the bench for a ten minute run out when we were 3-0 down (or even if we are three nil up!). I get the feeling that if we had Deli Ali, he'd still be playing in the DS, with an occasional run-out in a League Cup match. At the moment the best the DS squad can expect, it seems, especially the attackers, is being loaned out to Oldham or Luton or someone similar and then being sold on, or off on a free transfer.

.... and the problem with that potentially, is that agents and players will get to know this trend at BHA, and steer clear of us in future, no player wants to commit to a few years of no 1st team chances at all.

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[Bakero]

Is he tall enough?

Joking?

He's 5ft 9". No giant but hardly a midget.

 

[El Presidente]

.... and the problem with that potentially, is that agents and players will get to know this trend at BHA, and steer clear of us in future, no player wants to commit to a few years of no 1st team chances at all.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Errr...except that Dunk and March have both come through the ranks, which is more than can be said for many clubs in the EPL.

The Albion have only had Category 1 academy status for youth development for a couple of years, so it will take a fair amount of time for the investment to bear further fruit.

A friend of mine works for the FA as an inspector of academies, and he says the level of support young players get at the Albion is second only to that of Manchester City, who have spent £200 million on their academy and arrange places for their kids at St Bedes, a local private school.

 

[heathgate]

Errr...except that Dunk and March have both come through the ranks, which is more than can be said for many clubs in the EPL.

The Albion have only had Category 1 academy status for youth development for a couple of years, so it will take a fair amount of time for the investment to bear further fruit.

A friend of mine works for the FA as an inspector of academies, and he says the level of support young players get at the Albion is second only to that of Manchester City, who have spent £200 million on their academy and arrange places for their kids at St Bedes, a local private school.

That's good to hear.....

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[AZ Gull]

Whilst we have always had youth squads etc I thought the "development squad" was a Gus invention and something aside from the usual age based teams within the club. Or am I imagining this?

The "development squad" era did come in under Poyet's managerial reign but it was a trend that developed throughout football generally. In 2009-10 our reserves were still competing in the Football Combination but as the number of clubs in that league slowly dwindled (largely due to the Premier League instigating their own reserve competition) the side played only 14 league matches (as 4 of the fixtures were never fulfilled). Luke Williams was appointed as coach to the "development squad" in August 2010 (but it was essentially the reserve team under a different name). In 2010-11 the side completed only 11 league fixtures and in 2011-12 it was only 9!!.

For 2012-13 the club was entered into the new Professional Development League which was officially an U-21 competition (and has since morphed into an U-23 competition). Effectively, there is now no such thing as reserve sides for most Premier League and Championship clubs; instead, the U-23 side (which is one-and-the-same thing as the development squad) is the stepping stone between the U-18 side (commonly known as the youth team) and the first team.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The "development squad" era did come in under Poyet's managerial reign but it was a trend that developed throughout football generally. In 2009-10 our reserves were still competing in the Football Combination but as the number of clubs in that league slowly dwindled (largely due to the Premier League instigating their own reserve competition) the side played only 14 league matches (as 4 of the fixtures were never fulfilled). Luke Williams was appointed as coach to the "development squad" in August 2010 (but it was essentially the reserve team under a different name). In 2010-11 the side completed only 11 league fixtures and in 2011-12 it was only 9!!.

For 2012-13 the club was entered into the new Professional Development League which was officially an U-21 competition (and has since morphed into an U-23 competition). Effectively, there is now no such thing as reserve sides for most Premier League and Championship clubs; instead, the U-23 side (which is one-and-the-same thing as the development squad) is the stepping stone between the U-18 side (commonly known as the youth team) and the first team.

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I agree the DS is probably better than it was ten, twenty or thirty years ago. It's just our reluctance to promote them, or even put them on the bench for a ten minute run out when we were 3-0 down (or even if we are three nil up!). I get the feeling that if we had Deli Ali, he'd still be playing in the DS, with an occasional run-out in a League Cup match. At the moment the best the DS squad can expect, it seems, especially the attackers, is being loaned out to Oldham or Luton or someone similar and then being sold on, or off on a free transfer.

I tend to agree with that. It's a shame players like Tilley and Hunt didn't get more of a chance. For example, Sam Adekugbe seemed to jump ahead of Hunt in the pecking order at times, and he was a loanee from Canada. Not sure why that kind of thing happens