Our Academy Squad in Five Years Time

[City 1 Chelsea 1 1971]

I attended both legs of the 1986 Youth Cup Final and I don’t recall anybody predicting that David White would be the first City youngster from that team to play for England.
Similarly I still maintain that Michael Johnson had more natural talent than the more successful SWP, Barton, Richards and Sturridge.
Such is the fickle hand of fate.
City won the Youth Cup in 2008, but you could argue that we probably had a more talented squad when we lost to Liverpool in the 2006 final.
I haven’t really seen much of the current academy squad, apart from Rekik’s appearance against Reading and a bit of Helan at Sheffield Wednesday.
Eliminating all lightweight strikers and plodding central midfielders can somebody enlighten me as to which of our current Academy squad has the power, technique, pace, and intelligence to adapt to the speed and the occasional nastiness of the Premier League.
Please don't say Guidetti, just because he looked good on ESPN last season.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Lopes or Pozo I guess.

 

[kunaguero10]

Ntcham

 

[woahmark]

From what I've heard Emyr Huws is fairly decent. Greg Leigh has been playing well.

 

[Nelly's Left Foot]

Lopes,Pozo,Ntcham are all decent shouts.Although I haven't been overly impressed with Suarez I wouldn't rule him out.Rekik maybe as well but how about a few outsiders like Huws,Leigh,Bossaerts,Kuate,Intima

 

[michaeltex3]

Lopes,Pozo,Ntcham are all decent shouts.Although I haven't been overly impressed with Suarez I wouldn't rule him out.Rekik maybe as well but how about a few outsiders like Huws,Leigh,Bossaerts,Kuate,Intima

Lopes, Pozo, Ntcham maybe rekik...depends on how he's doing at blackburn

 

[LoveCity]

The new signings Fofana and Marin were brought in after considerable efforts so let's hope they turn out well too.<br /><br />-- Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:03 pm --<br /><br />

Lopes,Pozo,Ntcham are all decent shouts.Although I haven't been overly impressed with Suarez I wouldn't rule him out.Rekik maybe as well but how about a few outsiders like Huws,Leigh,Bossaerts,Kuate,Intima

No chance for Evans, you think? He's the one I want to break through most but I fear it'll be the usual loan to Oldham -> struggles, loan to Preston -> struggles, sold to Rochdale type pattern like with most of our English kids.

 

[WNRH]

The truth is no one knows.

You mention Michael Johnson, SWP, Barton, Richards and Sturridge but they benefited from being at a club that was skint and a club that were mid table at the very best. None of them would be in our side now at 17 like they were then.

People then mention Suarez, Pozo, Lopes, Rekik but all they have is potential, neither have showed anything yet that says they are good enough for us.

Neither do they have to be world class, or first names on the sheet. Rekik might be a partner for Kompany or he might be a 4th choice centre half, he will be a success either way. Pozo might be our Silva in 4 years time or he might be an Anderson/Benayoun/Rosicky i.e a decent squad player. Either way again it will be a success.

I've said it before but players develop at different levels, i've seen so many players regarded as class and the future at 17 and then two years later they are no where.

Cleverley and Johnny Evans were not regarded as class or the future at 17/18 or even mentioned as a future first team player yet here they are at 22/23 being important first team players and internationals at United whilst the ones who they were playing with at 17/18 and playing infront of a few thousand people in the lower leagues.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

You have a look at those players who were knocking on the door of first team football when they were in the 16-18 age group and they were exceptional - Trevor Francis, FatScouseGit and even our James Milner. The only one we have, I think, at the moment that comes into that category is Rekik but when you have a squad like ours you have to wait your turn. The clubs who had those three on their books didn't have extensive squads, but it was still the innate ability that got them in the starting eleven!

 

[Akira]

Pozo seems like he could make the step up.