Academy v Blackburn 1100hrs

[FantasyIreland]

Levels........this is a rout.

 

[Fred_Quimby]

Lovely move by Taylor.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Made a thread for him last week......Alleyne continues to impress,a real talent at the back.

 

[Josh_D]

Lovely watch. Dominant, composed, fun. Enjoyed that.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Lovely move by Taylor.

Don't know if he can replicate that, but that was Messiesque.

 

[oldius]

The vast majority of this squad have been at City for a long time, many since they were eight years old. If they continue to develop, we could have a number of Mancunians in and around the first team. That was some performance, today, and we are now ten points clear at the top of the league.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

The vast majority of this squad have been at City for a long time, many since they were eight years old. If they continue to develop, we could have a number of Mancunians in and around the first team. That was some performance, today, and we are now ten points clear at the top of the league.

It's always the same. You never know if they can make the transition. The body of an under-18 (to say nothing of their footballing and general maturity) bears no relation to what they'll be at 21, or even 20. Rico is an absolute freak, perhaps as much as Phil was, because the position Rico plays makes him look very stupid if he makes a mistake (and can be disastrous) in a way that Phil didn't have to suffer. Obviously, they have different talents and roles.
As for the under-18s. Yeah, they look good out on those kinds of pitches. It's when they start getting properly roughed up by old pros who are long in the tooth that you really see what they're made of… which brings me back to Rico again! He's taken some real clogging recently. But doesn't seem fazed. Which makes him even more of a freak.
We can but hope. It would be magnificent to have even two or three kids from Manchester in the squad on a regular basis. But in the big scheme of things, it doesn't matter that much. A club with City's ambitions and dimensions now recruits from Ulan Bator if it judges necessary.

 

[oldius]

It's always the same. You never know if they can make the transition. The body of an under-18 (to say nothing of their footballing and general maturity) bears no relation to what they'll be at 21, or even 20. Rico is an absolute freak, perhaps as much as Phil was, because the position Rico plays makes him look very stupid if he makes a mistake (and can be disastrous) in a way that Phil didn't have to suffer. Obviously, they have different talents and roles.
As for the under-18s. Yeah, they look good out on those kinds of pitches. It's when they start getting properly roughed up by old pros who are long in the tooth that you really see what they're made of… which brings me back to Rico again! He's taken some real clogging recently. But doesn't seem fazed. Which makes him even more of a freak.
We can but hope. It would be magnificent to have even two or three kids from Manchester in the squad on a regular basis. But in the big scheme of things, it doesn't matter that much. A club with City's ambitions and dimensions now recruits from Ulan Bator if it judges necessary.

Indeed, and Rico and Phil are the obvious examples. I suppose the difference is that several of these guys have been in the Academy for ten years, an Academy that is among the best in world football. Hopefully, some of them can make the transition, and there are a few players in that team who are only 16. It will be exciting to watch that development.

 

[failsworthblueboy]

It's always the same. You never know if they can make the transition. The body of an under-18 (to say nothing of their footballing and general maturity) bears no relation to what they'll be at 21, or even 20. Rico is an absolute freak, perhaps as much as Phil was, because the position Rico plays makes him look very stupid if he makes a mistake (and can be disastrous) in a way that Phil didn't have to suffer. Obviously, they have different talents and roles.
As for the under-18s. Yeah, they look good out on those kinds of pitches. It's when they start getting properly roughed up by old pros who are long in the tooth that you really see what they're made of… which brings me back to Rico again! He's taken some real clogging recently. But doesn't seem fazed. Which makes him even more of a freak.
We can but hope. It would be magnificent to have even two or three kids from Manchester in the squad on a regular basis. But in the big scheme of things, it doesn't matter that much. A club with City's ambitions and dimensions now recruits from Ulan Bator if it judges necessary.

Made me think immediately of Neil Lennon at 16 I think and his debut at RB, I think it was Birmingham away and he got absolutely mauled by an old pro player, I don't think the kid was ever the same.

 

[LongsightM13]

Made me think immediately of Neil Lennon at 16 I think and his debut at RB, I think it was Birmingham away and he got absolutely mauled by an old pro player, I don't think the kid was ever the same.

He had a brilliant career