Rabbi Matondo

[WallyA]

Exactly, our squad is that strong we have senior players on the bench and in the stands already. Now you want to take more off the bench to put youth players there.

How do you possibly know if they don't care or not, as I said, I would be concerned if they are not. If someone like Mahrez is going to sit back and say yeah boss ill sit in my box and Matondo can go on the bench then we have problems. "you tell them they are getting rest because they will play the next game. " Pep is not going to do that and why should he.

I certainly didn't say they won't get paid but they will be losing out on win bonuses, appearance fees and various other parts of their contract. So I am pretty sure they will be interested, also bear in mind their concerns of national team selection.

Yes, we do have a "lad" on the bench most weeks in Foden, we simply don't have room for anymore unless they are dead rubber cup games. Pep is here to create a winning machine, if the academy can produce someone he can use e.g. Brahim, Sancho and Foden then he will. Otherwise they will leave.

You are wrong. I'm sorry, you write alot, but anybody who argues that if you rest one player to put an academy lad on the bench is insane. You wouldn't take the same player off the bench, it rotates. Your basically saying Danilo, for example, would woman because he has to be off the bench for 1 in 5 or 6 games.

This is what your arguing, its ridiculous.

 

[Fred_Quimby]

Muric is on the bench every single week as he's the nominal back up keeper. He wasn't called up for this game as an academy lad involved for a change. Sandler isn't an academy prospect. He's a soon to be 22 year old signing from the Netherlands... i'd have liked Muric and 3 academy players, plus three first team players, on the bench.

So 3+ on the bench? I have said before these players must be good enough to come on - at any time - and take the place of any one of our ‘1st team’. Really, are you prepared to take that chance when EVERY game is a must win?

 

[twosips]

So 3+ on the bench? I have said before these players must be good enough to come on - at any time - and take the place of any one of our ‘1st team’. Really, are you prepared to take that chance when EVERY game is a must win?

For the Burton game that we ended 9-0 up? Yeah haha

 

[Fred_Quimby]

For the Burton game that we ended 9-0 up? Yeah haha

Do you support City? If so you will be aware that the youngsters played the night before in a hard game against Rochdale in the Checkatrade trophy.

 

[twosips]

Do you support City? If so you will be aware that the youngsters played the night before in a hard game against Rochdale in the Checkatrade trophy.

Yes I do. What a bizarre question. Given the brilliance of calendars and foresight, I'd have just asked a few who had earned it to be kept out of the time. A promotion, which is sort of the point really of the b-team thing no? To expose them to competitive games so they can then get into the 1st team. Prioritising the checkatrade over the first team is odd and defeats the purpose of the whole thing entirely. We have countless talented u18s who could have stepped into the checkatrade trophy team just fine.

 

[domalino]

Yes I do. What a bizarre question. Given the brilliance of calendars and foresight, I'd have just asked a few who had earned it to be kept out of the time. A promotion, which is sort of the point really of the b-team thing no? To expose them to competitive games so they can then get into the 1st team. Prioritising the checkatrade over the first team is odd and defeats the purpose of the whole thing entirely. We have countless talented u18s who could have stepped into the checkatrade trophy team just fine.

Are you sure you support City though? Is there any evidence of it? Any videos of you at matches for example or a blog dedicated to the academy?

 

[Fred_Quimby]

Yes I do. What a bizarre question. Given the brilliance of calendars and foresight, I'd have just asked a few who had earned it to be kept out of the time. A promotion, which is sort of the point really of the b-team thing no? To expose them to competitive games so they can then get into the 1st team. Prioritising the checkatrade over the first team is odd and defeats the purpose of the whole thing entirely. We have countless talented u18s who could have stepped into the checkatrade trophy team just fine.

Silly me! I thought the idea was to actually win the trophy.

 

[domalino]

Silly me! I thought the idea was to actually win the trophy.

I actually think a youth team winning would be a disaster for the competition. It's very likely to increase the already high amount of bad feeling towards the competition to the point where it might fall apart and the B teams would get kicked out.

At the moment our kids get roughly 5 games against senior opposition and that's great development to help them get into the first team.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Silly me! I thought the idea was to actually win the trophy.

No, the idea of having so many young players involved in the competition, is to give them chance to play at a higher level, in order to help their development.

If the idea was just to 'win' there would be no point in having U23s in it at all.

Of course, if a team like City B gets through to the last rounds, it becomes more important to the players involved, to win it, as it's a feather in their cap if they beat genuine adult teams to win a competition, but even then all of them would probably prefer to be playing v Burton, for the first team, as that's their whole reason for being here.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Reading through this thread, there still seems to be the notion that it's 'impossible' for more players to be involved at first team level.

The argument, especially, about senior players getting upset, is frankly ridiculous.

If they get so upset & sulky being rotated, that it affects anything in a bad way, sell them. If it makes them more determined to play more often: GOOD.

It's a 'problem' which is nothing more than an excuse.

Then there is the argument about Foden having the bench spot. Easily solved. When he's on the bench, actually use him much more. Then have him on the bench a bit less often & put someone else there sometimes.

Abacadabara, another space opens up, just by actually playing Foden a bit more. He gets more game time less bench time.