James McAtee

[FantasyIreland]

I've not seen enough of Edozie to make a true opinion. I've seen flashes of good stuff in games I have watched but he's never stood out like McAtee, Palmer, Delap or Lavia.

However, I imagine the transition from Millwall to our academy wasn't easy!

Ive watched plenty,and he has stood out in many games.

He's a proper winger.

 

[McfcK]

McAtee's problem is that we all want to sign Grealish and Kane. McAtee is immense, but can anyone really see him getting any substantial game time ahead of Gundo, KDB, Ferna, Rodri, Mahrez, Cancelo, Zinchenko, Foden, Grealish, Torres, Sterling etc etc? And yeah, I included Rodri, Cancelo, Mahrez, Sterling and so on, despite not being tradititionally attacking midfielders, because we know Pep would rather use a senior player out of position than a kid. The likes of Palmer, Delap, Lavia and Doyle are all deserving too. There's just too many great young players... but a squad packed full of internationals, with a *very* cautious manager when it comes to young talent.

It took ages for a genuinely generational talent like Foden to earn regular minutes - how is that gonna be possible for all those? Foden exists now, so even he's a blocked route into the first team. I know Foden took a while because he's small, but I still think the main reason he took ages was because he's a kid, and Pep's cautious about youth players, especially when he's got a squad full of international superstars so doesn't have to use them.

Personally, I think it's possible to find minutes for them but I don't think Pep is that kind of manager, so it's an either/or situation. If you want Grealish, Kane etc... probably have to accept that these lads just won't get a go.

This is why I think he’s (or soriano it might be) a big advocate for the addition of B teams into the football pyramid. For Barcelona’s best youngsters by the time they are 19 they are ready and experienced for senior football at a high level. Bojan was starting for pep’s Barca in games when he was 18/19 because he’d been in the B side. Foden had to wait till he was 20/21 to get consistent minutes because he’d not had the experience. And it’s different to sending someone on loan because they aren’t getting to play in the same environment, under the same practice etc.

 

[FantasyIreland]

This is why I think he’s (or soriano it might be) a big advocate for the addition of B teams into the football pyramid. For Barcelona’s best youngsters by the time they are 19 they are ready and experienced for senior football at a high level. Bojan was starting for pep’s Barca in games when he was 18/19 because he’d been in the B side. Foden had to wait till he was 20/21 to get consistent minutes because he’d not had the experience. And it’s different to sending someone on loan because they aren’t getting to play in the same environment, under the same practice etc.

100%

 

[McfcK]

100%

Like how many times have we seen really talented players be around the first tens but just not be ready. Maffeo, Angelino, Doyle (a bit so far) probably a few others who have clearly great talent but just not ready. A b team would be a superb addition for the top clubs but could understand how it would have a negative affect on the football pyramid

 

[Centurions]

I've not seen enough of Edozie to make a true opinion. I've seen flashes of good stuff in games I have watched but he's never stood out like McAtee, Palmer, Delap or Lavia.

However, I imagine the transition from Millwall to our academy wasn't easy!

Ahh Millwall, that's why I can't remember seeing much of Edozie. We got him in the Summer of 2019 and then Covid screwed everything up.

 

[twosips]

This is why I think he’s (or soriano it might be) a big advocate for the addition of B teams into the football pyramid. For Barcelona’s best youngsters by the time they are 19 they are ready and experienced for senior football at a high level. Bojan was starting for pep’s Barca in games when he was 18/19 because he’d been in the B side. Foden had to wait till he was 20/21 to get consistent minutes because he’d not had the experience. And it’s different to sending someone on loan because they aren’t getting to play in the same environment, under the same practice etc.

It's definitely why, but I don't really feel sorry for us for not having one. We want to have a huge squad full of stars, and then another B team to put youth stars at... the argument from many is probably 'maybe don't have such a huge squad and leave a few spots for kids instead' - can't say that's unfair really either!

 

[Mr. Wednesday]

It's definitely why, but I don't really feel sorry for us for not having one. We want to have a huge squad full of stars, and then another B team to put youth stars at... the argument from many is probably 'maybe don't have such a huge squad and leave a few spots for kids instead' - can't say that's unfair really either!

Totally. How much cake do the club want to have and eat at the same time? The use of B teams in Spain highlights La Liga’s priorities and isn’t really something I’d like to see here. We’re even loathe to do it here in Scotland where it seems there will be only one of two teams as champions for eternity (no doubt it’ll come though).

Regards Pep giving youth a chance I’m not sure how much is him not trusting the players and how much is his loyalty and deep attachment to respecting seniority. If senior players are doing everything asked of them and find themselves on the bench due to the quality and depth of squad it will be very hard for him to have them make way for youth players without disrupting the harmony of the squad. And he got that pretty much spot on last season.

When Pep leaves it would probably be an ideal time to revisit how City make up the squad and how much they want to integrate the best youth players. As long as his final season isn’t a total disaster the next manager, no matter who they are, will be on a bit of a hiding to nothing. There will be an inevitable transition period, what better time than then to take a little bit of the pressure of expectation off the new guy and mandate they make efforts to introduce some youth.

Won’t happen obviously, but I don’t see why the club couldn’t do that and still be successful.

 

[Kinkladze's crazy skills]

I think Pep has mostly got it right so far with kids but I think we need to bleed more into the first team in the next couple years, we need the right mix of experience and youth which is easier said than done.

I would rather we had a few more kids they will step up though not saying immediately throw them in but it has to happen, it's obvious McAtee is quality gem of a player I'd be seriously surprised if Pep overlooks him in the next couple years... But players like Palmer, Lavia, Delap, Doyle and Harwood-Bellis, at least 3 of them they need to be looked at as probable integrations into the first team squad for me in next couple years, we've got a great conveyor belt of talent at all ages however we can't risk alienating the ones coming through in 5+ years... If we do there's a chance that Foden will be seen as the only exception even if there's players of similar talent, if we don't bleed kids into the match day squad it could end in losing a Foden level talent who lost faith or didn't believe they'd ever get a chance.

Pep will know I think (or hope he does) that needs to get them into more match day squads cos as sends out a clear message, that you can make it here and you will be valued so long as you have the patience you will be rewarded... We really need to reward these kids cos if we don't it could bite us on the arse in a few years.

 

[WallyA]

Potential Integration Plan for Youth over the coming years, each player falls under the backup/understudy category

James McAtee --> Ilkay Gundogan
Cole Palmer --> Riyad Mahrez
Romeo Lavia --> Fernandinho
Delap --> Harry Kane, Jesus likely to be sold letting Delap be his backup/understudy
Tommy Doyle --> Kevin de Bruyne

Year 1 (this year): Limited to training with first team and odd cup game here or there.

**At this stage the club would evaluate the progress of these players and determine if they believe the player legitmately can be useful to the club (has the quality) to go to Year 2, if not, then going on loan would be better for their development.**

Year 2: Slightly more game time, start all cup games, champions league dead rubber and get an odd league game here or there.

Year 3: All cup games, more league and champions leagues games (should be getting atleast 2000 minutes). At this point, assuming they have developed as expected, they should be almost be ready to displace the starter. At the very least, fans would probably be questioning why they aren't starting (ala Foden). Club should be re-evaluating the player if they truly can displace the starter.

Year 4: Around the age of 21/22 and should be a starter, at this point the current starters are around 33/34 (Dinho vacationing somewhere, and Kane is 31) and City will have some plan to move them on (bar Kane), or be backups to the new starters like we have seen with Dinho last season (to Rodri).

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Pep's got two seasons left so, unfortunately, I think academy players are going to be even further down his list of priorities for the rest of his stint.