MCFC U16's

[Otamendi's Beard]

This may sound harsh, but I hope it's the attacking players of Foden, Campbell, Sancho, Bolton and Dele-Bashiru who've all signed on, rather than the defenders. I feel that they're the ones who have the most potential at that level and could make waves in the ages above. They arguably have more ability/potential than your Nemanes, Kongolos, Buckleys, etc.

The defensive lads are the ones that might struggle more, as we already have Humphreys, Adarabioyo, Oliver, etc, who will block their path further down the line.

They may get into the U18s but looking further ahead I'm not sure.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I wouldn't like to be the dad who looks his kid in the face ten years from now & explains once again, why he took him away from City just as Pep Guardiola was about to take over.

 

[FantasyIreland]

I wouldn't like to be the dad who looks his kid in the face ten years from now & explains once again, why he took him away from City just as Pep Guardiola was about to take over.

I agree.i dont see any reason to take a kid,at 16,out of our academy.Wait till at least 18 when a more mature and realistic decision can be made,those two years will have no impact on their future and it saves a potentially regrettable decision imo.

 

[Centurions]

I've no doubt whatsoever that Pep will completely change the way our youth setup is functioning. I can understand why some parents are concerned, but I would be relieved Pep was coming because for me the concerns are there now. Someone like Barker for instance has been completed overlooked at first team level despite being quite consistent at academy level for a long time and therefore deserving of a chance in my book. Instead he sits on the bench, gets shipped out on loan and then goes back to the EDS and again doesn't get much of a chance. Garcia, a lad who has shown a lot of talent at youth level but who has also been woeful since his previous injury and is only just back from another one - well he doesn't run the game at EDS level and yet he's straight back into the first team setup and likely to get a chance for the first team before Barker does.

It's not just Barker, there are others. There does seem to be one rule for English lads, one for the lads who have cost the club money to purchase. That's not how it should be.

I think Pep will get quite cut throat, he won't care where they're from, he'll care about how good their technique is, how well they listen and implement instructions and how hard they work. The ones that don't tick those boxes will get loaned out or potentially sold, and I think he'll be very good at securing better loan deals for our lads. The ones that do tick that box will be in the first team setup and the ones that have those characteristics in abundance will be under his wing and he'll see them as the ones to define his time at the club. There's obviously a strong Spanish/Catalan theme at our club but I don't think Pep will worry about where the players are from. The board will know the fans want to see local lads come through and I think that Pep will do his best to ensure that happens. There's so much talent at that level, we just have a blockage at the EDS - first team stage which will back up and impact on the U16s/U18s progressing up etc. We need to move lads on when we don't feel they'll make it. But we also need to give young players a chance or we could end up losing really talented kids the way the rags let Pogba go.

How can you say Barker is overlooked at 1st team level and then say he's been on the bench? He frequently trains with the 1st team squad and has made a few 1st team match day squads as well as grabbing a place on the bench. Yes, he hasn't actually played any minutes yet but we're only allowed to play 11 at a time. And he was only consistent last season in the first half, he dropped off in the latter part of the season. Manu Garcia plays in a totally different position (and is a different kind of player) to Barker so you can't compare them.

The comments about English lads and 'the ones that have cost money' not to mention the allusion to the Spanish/Catalan influence belongs more in a EDL thread than a EDS one (I'm sure you can find one in 'Off Topic') and is frankly ridiculous.

All these things that Pep is apparently going to do, re. getting rid of those who wont make it with us and noting the ones who listen and work hard. Do you not think that's exactly what City do now? And how is Pep going to get better loans for the players?

Using Pogba as an example BTW is just lazy.

 

[Damocles]

I agree.i dont see any reason to take a kid,at 16,out of our academy.Wait till at least 18 when a more mature and realistic decision can be made,those two years will have no impact on their future and it saves a potentially regrettable decision imo.

I'm not sure suggesting that ages 16-18 have no developmental bias on future performance is sensible.

 

[domalino]

I'm not sure suggesting that ages 16-18 have no developmental bias on future performance is sensible.

I don't think he means that (surely no one would be that dense) but as I see it the biggest problem we have (and most PL clubs) these days is from EDS level to first team.

Kids who have been in the EDS a year or two need to be shown a clear path to the first team. I don't think our club has a problem with developing players from 16-19, but after that around 19-21 - that's the age where it falls down and that's after the scholarship ends, so it makes sense to stay here until that age.

I think that's what the guy you replied to meant.

 

[FantasyIreland]

I don't think he means that (surely no one would be that dense) but as I see it the biggest problem we have (and most PL clubs) these days is from EDS level to first team.

Kids who have been in the EDS a year or two need to be shown a clear path to the first team. I don't think our club has a problem with developing players from 16-19, but after that around 19-21 - that's the age where it falls down and that's after the scholarship ends, so it makes sense to stay here until that age.

I think that's what the guy you replied to meant.

Haha,correct.......2 further years in our academy,the best in the country allegedly,would only serve to benefit imo.Then,at 18 or so,if there are no signs of progression to our first team,move on accordingly . Some would argue that is still too young to predict a career path,id agree,however,i can also understand there needs to be a decision made as patience would be wearing thin.

 

[g180aj]

Slightly over simplifying it I guess, but there's a point within there. Of the notable foreign lads, I agree regarding Faupala. Really bizarre one. He's not a bad player, just ya know...okay. Bit pointless. Intima was signed ages ago, i'll discount him....other than that its been mainly positive re the foreign lads, with a couple of exceptions.

Faour had a huge, huge reputation and looked great when we initially signed him. It hasn't happened. That's life. Likewise Haug. Bossaerts from the previous gen of signings has looked naff too... but conversely I think its far to say all the Spanish lads look potentially very good. Angelino, Maffeo, Brahim, the Garcias, Sarmiento, Fernandes. Pozo *should* have been great, and looked very promising before two years of injuries hit him. Lopes was class. Shouldn't have sold him. Denayer is top class too. Kongolo is starting to become a very handy player and has put in some great displays recently. Ntcham was a great prospect, and still could be the kind who suddenly gets good. Might not, but not a bad bet. Fofana similar really. Dilrosun started slow but looks brilliant this year for the 18s. Ambrose is a wonderful player too potentially, and there's no doubting Celina's ability. Don't get me started on Kelechi :)

To me there's actually a few English lads that i think are probably not quite gonna be at our level, even though I like their commitment and effort. Horsfield. Plummer. Glendon. Tattum. O'Brien. You'd have to be a brave man to argue that Smith-Brown, Nemane etc are any better than some of those foreign lads too.

I agree some probably aren't up to it, but I don't really think the finger of blame is at the foreign lads. The hit rate is pretty successful overall potentially. Some duds, but most are at least good, with some potentially top class. That's fair. And its the same with the English. I think overall there's just a lot of players, English and foreign, that need to be moved on to free space for the u18s. I don't mind Nemane for example, but i think Buckley's already ahead of him for example. Nmecha is better than Faupala too for me.



To be honest, I just think they prefer Anderson coming through behind him in the 15s. Gunn is excellent, and Grimshaw has been very strong this year too. Lawlor's done very well out on loan this year...they probably just think they'd be cruel to keep Hilton sat on the bench. That's life. Everton is a great club for him and brilliant news for the academy too. It shows that we can give these kids a great future potentially regardless of whether we offer them a contract.



Yep. Heard about the same numbers. About 5 out of 10 offered.

I agree we need to clear some of the players who simply are below par but for some reason I have always had a good feeling about Nemane.

 

[supercity88]

How can you say Barker is overlooked at 1st team level and then say he's been on the bench? He frequently trains with the 1st team squad and has made a few 1st team match day squads as well as grabbing a place on the bench. Yes, he hasn't actually played any minutes yet but we're only allowed to play 11 at a time. And he was only consistent last season in the first half, he dropped off in the latter part of the season. Manu Garcia plays in a totally different position (and is a different kind of player) to Barker so you can't compare them.

The comments about English lads and 'the ones that have cost money' not to mention the allusion to the Spanish/Catalan influence belongs more in a EDL thread than a EDS one (I'm sure you can find one in 'Off Topic') and is frankly ridiculous.

All these things that Pep is apparently going to do, re. getting rid of those who wont make it with us and noting the ones who listen and work hard. Do you not think that's exactly what City do now? And how is Pep going to get better loans for the players?

Using Pogba as an example BTW is just lazy.

How many minutes has Barker had at first team level? I don't give a shit if he's on the bench. He's not there to seriously make an appearance. There have been times we'd have been much better to use him than some of the other subs we've made. With Navas injured we're so devoid of width. On Sunday the average positions of Yaya, Silva and Sterling were the same. Garcia isn't going to solve that lack of width - who on the bench was? Kolarov was the only option but we shouldn't be playing a defender as a winger. I haven't seen Garcia dominate an EDS game, control possession and run the game in a long long time. Yet he's straight back on the bench. Yes it's a different position and if we need a midfielder fair enough, but to have him and Aleix Garcia there seems a bit silly when Barker has been back close to his best form and offers such a unique threat. I might be cynical but if we were talking about a foreign kid called Barkerinho he'd have played more minutes by now...

We've not gotten rid of players yet... we've loaned some out and our first team squad has a fair number of players that probably should have shifted on last summer to allow the next gen through. I want to see that situation improved. Loaning Denayer then buying Otamendi is fair enough. We wanted experience. But should Demi then have gone? He looks like he's played a season too many at this level now. We're starting to bunch up at the 18-21 age group. Many U16s are showing great talent and we probably need a clear out. We need quality not quantity or we do risk a star at 17/18 moving on because of a lack of opportunity or poor management. The use of Pogba isn't lazy - it's the best example of what could happen. 9 times out of 10 the right decision is made, in fact 99 times out of 100 but what would the rags do now for Pogba to be in their midfield? They'd possibly be winning the league if they had his influence. You can't always get it right but I think things will improve with Pep's arrival, more so than you possibly expect. Pep came through at Barca, played under Cruyff and worked his way as a manager through and up that academy system. He will completely and meticulously assess how it works.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I'm not sure suggesting that ages 16-18 have no developmental bias on future performance is sensible.

But you are not going to get better facilities than at City & then the fact Pep is taking over, I can't see the sense in any kid leaving voluntarily.

If Pellegrini was staying for the long term, I'd advise the whole lot to jump ship, but even if they don't get games under Pep, his methods are likely to filter down.