kunaguero10
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 16 May 2009
- Messages
- 8,153
Apart from the lack of activity, something i have also been surprised about this window is the lack of young players going out on loan.
after last year saw guidetti, razak, assulin, rekik etc going on loan for parts of it, i thought we would have several youngsters going to lower league (or premier league) clubs.
i most expected razak, suarez and rekik to go on loan (also guidetti but his illness has no doubt impacted on our plans for him).
however, presumably these players will not be going on loan (razak perhaps, to a prem club, if we sign another midfielder in time) because of the new U21 league, which aims to provide a more competitive experience than the old reserve league.
there will be many games for our youth players this year, with a full season of u21 league plus hopefully the next round of the next gen, so we will not have our youngsters being deprived of actual football matches.
However, it remains to be seen how effective this u21 league will be. I'm sure its designed to be the level just below first team football, as players over 20 can feature (and 3 over age players each week), BUT if clubs are only going to play 17/18 year olds in it (even 16 year olds like lopes), then i can't see it providing an authentic environment that nurtures players for first team football. also, there will still be question marks over the ability of every player to make the step up into first team football.
despite my concerns, it will still be good for the club to be able to manage our youngsters more closely than if they were on loan at another club, sitting on a first team bench. furthermore, the likes of suarez, rekik and razak will be at the club all season and can still play in the odd games here and there, and having these players to call upon will also be good.
thoughts on the new academy/reserve structure? will this see an end to the traditional move of having to loan players out?
after last year saw guidetti, razak, assulin, rekik etc going on loan for parts of it, i thought we would have several youngsters going to lower league (or premier league) clubs.
i most expected razak, suarez and rekik to go on loan (also guidetti but his illness has no doubt impacted on our plans for him).
however, presumably these players will not be going on loan (razak perhaps, to a prem club, if we sign another midfielder in time) because of the new U21 league, which aims to provide a more competitive experience than the old reserve league.
there will be many games for our youth players this year, with a full season of u21 league plus hopefully the next round of the next gen, so we will not have our youngsters being deprived of actual football matches.
However, it remains to be seen how effective this u21 league will be. I'm sure its designed to be the level just below first team football, as players over 20 can feature (and 3 over age players each week), BUT if clubs are only going to play 17/18 year olds in it (even 16 year olds like lopes), then i can't see it providing an authentic environment that nurtures players for first team football. also, there will still be question marks over the ability of every player to make the step up into first team football.
despite my concerns, it will still be good for the club to be able to manage our youngsters more closely than if they were on loan at another club, sitting on a first team bench. furthermore, the likes of suarez, rekik and razak will be at the club all season and can still play in the odd games here and there, and having these players to call upon will also be good.
thoughts on the new academy/reserve structure? will this see an end to the traditional move of having to loan players out?