Home Grown Talent

[fbloke]

There's some lively debate about Stevie Irelands possible departure with the majority of people likely to prefer it if he stays and tries another season.

Sometimes a change is indeed as good as a rest so maybe he would benefit from a move?

But is Stevie the best ever product of the City youth set-up?

In my eyes Lakey is the best home grown prospect but of course he never had the chance to prove himself fully.

Who else could challenge for the best ever title?<br /><br />-- Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:35 am --<br /><br />A text received in support of Mike Doyle - why on earth he didn't just post it I do not know.

 

[Maine Rd]

I would put SWP above Ireland, i used to love watching him play in his first spell and he has played over 200 games for us. He has lost some of his magic now though and not sure if he will fit into the new city. I agree Lakey was quality but the one for me is Michael Johnson, although i know not many will agree. I am just so gutted for the lad, i know he hasn't helped himself but he has the lot and plays in the most important position. We are crying out for a box to box midfileder who can create and score goals, whether we see him in a city shirt again remains to be seen. I really hope we hold onto all the academy lads, Onuoha, Ireland, Richards, Weiss, as they all still have room for improvement and could force there way in to the team again in future.

 

[penalty spot]

For me Paul Lake was one of the best prospects for not only City but for England if he had not got the injury .He could play in any position,defend, drive from midfield, and attack.Mike doyle has also to have a mention,but I think a lot of fans are obsessed about Ireland, he had a good season but is not involved enough for a central midfielder, and certainly not physical enough for me.

 

[Gary James]

Good but tough question. I think you can only really judge the true value of a player after they've left the game for good. We've had lots of exceptionally talented home grown players - obviously Lakey, Ireland, SWP etc. but don't forget the way we felt about Michael Hughes, Flitcroft, and so many others when they first broke into the team.

If we are looking at all home grown talent throughout the post war period, you can't really beat the contribution of Alan Oakes, and of course Mike Doyle, Glyn Pardoe, Neil Young.....

 

[fbloke]

Good but tough question. I think you can only really judge the true value of a player after they've left the game for good. We've had lots of exceptionally talented home grown players - obviously Lakey, Ireland, SWP etc. but don't forget the way we felt about Michael Hughes, Flitcroft, and so many others when they first broke into the team.

If we are looking at all home grown talent throughout the post war period, you can't really beat the contribution of Alan Oakes, and of course Mike Doyle, Glyn Pardoe, Neil Young.....

I think the great thing about Oaks, Young, Pardoe and Doyle etc is that they spent most of their time at City and so had massive links to the club.

I was thinking about the years where we had the likes of Earl Barrett who had some success after leaving the club, then of course David White and Andy Hinchcliffe maintained a place in a high enough division but cant ever be described as the best I dont think.

I suppose that Alan Oaks was unlucky enough to be around in fallow times as well as good and didnt have that flair of B,L and S..

 

[the goats backside]

Lakey would have been England captain, he could play anywhere on the park and look class in any position, was such a shame

 

[Hes the left back remember]

There is always murmurings when we let home grown talent leave as we want them to do well and it would be great if we could bring more on.However over the years of the ones we let go how many have gone on to bigger and better things? Not many really.
I remember the uproar when we let Gary Owen go but he didnt exactly set the world alight ,then there was Paul Moulden with people saying we had let a future England centre forward go,Stephen Elliot with people saying he would come back to haunt us.

 

[fbloke]

There is always murmurings when we let home grown talent leave as we want them to do well and it would be great if we could bring more on.However over the years of the ones we let go how many have gone on to bigger and better things? Not many really.
I remember the uproar when we let Gary Owen go but he didnt exactly set the world alight ,then there was Paul Moulden with people saying we had let a future England centre forward go,Stephen Elliot with people saying he would come back to haunt us.

Not forgetting the recent departures of Chedwyn and Ishmail.......not that great an impact.

 

[Blue2112]

Over the years we have had some fantastic players coming through the ranks but far too many have failed to go on and become truly great players. I think its very telling that the likes of Doyle, Pardoe, Booth, Young and Oakes etc have been our most successful in terms of winning trophies etc. These players were also surrounded by other developing players we brought in and had two of the greatest manager/coaches of the modern game in Mercer and Allison.

In much the same way you have to give credit to Fergurson for developing the Nevilles, Scholes, Giggs and Brown etc. Again these players were surrounded by stronger developing players which enabled them in turn to make mistakes that didn't get punished too badly and were allowed to develop and mature. Contrary to popular belief United did not win the title with just kids alone but had a quality in depth around them at the time. More recently other examples you only have to look at are Fletcher, Evans and O'Shea and as much as we like to berate them they are performing at the very highest level amongst the best team in the league.

Since the mid/late 70's all of our emerging talent has been in teams struggling from season to season, changing managers consistently as well as boardrooms and more importantly a real lack of quality amongst a squad of players to train with and play alongside on a daily basis. Any youngster would struggle mentally to push on and make the grade at the very top level brought in under the circumstances this club has found itself in these past 30 years.

Hopefully from here on in we will see this change for the better as the club grows stronger all round. Currently Barcelona are mixing their home grown talent very successfully because they have real quality players around them to let these kids express themselves.

 

[Anonymous]

Currently Barcelona are mixing their home grown talent very successfully because they have real quality players around them to let these kids express themselves.

Ah yeah, but football at Barca is like football at Arsenal. It's all about expression, passing, movement, tempo, etc...

We're yet to have a manager who has a footballing philosophy like those two teams have...

 

[Blue2112]

Currently Barcelona are mixing their home grown talent very successfully because they have real quality players around them to let these kids express themselves.

Ah yeah, but football at Barca is like football at Arsenal. It's all about expression, passing, movement, tempo, etc...

We're yet to have a manager who has a footballing philosophy like those two teams have...

One step at a time billy one step at a time.

I can get my head around the defensive system if it gets us over that line for fourth spot in the hope that all will be forgotten next season if we choose the route of expressing ourselves a little more openly.

 

[Gary James]

We had a spell of letting go some young players who we thought would be world beaters. SWP won stuff at Chelsea. Neil Lennon I guess was one of the more successful after he left City. And of the great 1986 Youth team Andy Hinchcliffe went on to play briefly for England before injury set in, and he won the FA Cup with Everton, and so ended up the most successful in terms of trophy success of that side. Although you could argue that Earl Barrett surpassed that with his Oldham (and England) record.

Ian Brightwell ended up the one who had the longest actual career with City.

It's all relative I suppose because those young players from the mid-80s became the ones City desperately relied on, and therefore they were put under immense pressure from the start.

Ireland & Co haven't had the pressure of relegation/drama of promotion to contend with (but of course SWP experienced some of that) so it's difficult to compare.

With Oakes, Young & Doyle they had the negativity of the 60s and then were a key part of that great Joe Mercer side. Had Mercer & Allison not arrived would they have all ended up following a similar path to Lake, Brightwell & Co.?

It's a very interesting topic and one we could all debate.

Would Barnes, Owen, Caton, Wilson, Warhurst... and so on have developed more had they been able to stay at City. Each of these were tipped to become England stars to some extent, but never enjoyed the career we thought they would have once they moved on/were forced out.

 

[Anonymous]

Ah yeah, but football at Barca is like football at Arsenal. It's all about expression, passing, movement, tempo, etc...

We're yet to have a manager who has a footballing philosophy like those two teams have...

One step at a time billy one step at a time.

I can get my head around the defensive system if it gets us over that line for fourth spot in the hope that all will be forgotten next season if we choose the route of expressing ourselves a little more openly.

Agreed....

 

[scowy68]

I can relate to the players that come through in the mid eighties being the same age as me.Watching lakey and David White begin their careers at City was great.

Even Stevie Redmond,Hinchcliffe,Brightwell and Paul Moulden we're all successful products of our youth academy.In recent years I'd have to say Micah has been the best for me,ok his form has been a bit patchy in the past ciuple of seasons,but he's still got room to improve.

 

[leighton]

While were on the subject of home grown talent. In the coming years the clubs will all have to relie on Home grown talent. I can see the FA bringing in new rules again were it could be out of a squad of 18 at least 8 of the players will have to be home grown. It wont happend straight away but give it 5 - 8 years and it will be up and running. Add this into as well if England have a poor world cup that time could be cut in half.

Also with European cup games City will need to hold onto there home grown players more than ever before so for the sake of the current squad the Neds , Richards , Ireland , SWP , Weiss , Boyata and M Johnson are vital to hold onto in the squad.

Getting back to who is our greatest home grown player. I as a kid loved David White he was a legend looked great. I also loved Lake thought he was nailed on to go on into the England squad but for injuries. Ireland on the other hand is our most gifted player. What the club has done with bringing these players into the team they can be proud as all were vital in the areas they played in. My all time favourite just edging it has to White.