The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[ZacNaloen]

From where I was sat it did look like he was trying to edge it back across the goal and got his angle wrong.

But on the highlights it's obvious his intention was far post across the keeper.

[KC Royal]

Great news about the promotion! Good for the development of those who aren’t in the first team next season and hopefully some games will be streamed/televised.

Still got a chance of the title, 3 points behind Middlesbrough with 2 games to play for both, but atm the home game against them is looking crucial. 3-1 up but ended up drawing 3-3 with a late equaliser, in injury-time IIRC. At the time I assumed only one team went up and thought it had ended any realistic hope of winning promotion.

[Hoop Blah]

I broadly agree with Hoop. I'm pretty underwhelmed by the regular U21 back line. Long did score but I'm fairly sure he didn't mean it! Griffin's goal was better and from what I've seen he's beginning to be more influential, but neither of them look like future first teamers.

The same back line that has had seven consecutive wins, seven consecutive clean sheets?

IMO it's more about the players as individuals and how I think they look cut out for first team football. A well drilled back four who combine well at that standard means very little in regards to the left back being good enough to step us to Championship football.

I've watched a fair amount of the youth teams over the years and you can usually spot a player that is likely to make it because they just looked that cut above. You have to keep in mind that the majority of youth players, even at u21 level, don't really make it and so those that can play at this level usually stand out a bit.

[Esteban]

Indeed, quite amazed Arsenal are in Div 2 !

I think their academy are bottom of group 4 too, currently making them the worst side this season.

Anyway, a successful season for the U21s, the U18s only missed out on the top group in the final stages by a point and are going well in group 2 and the U14s reached the final of the Nike cup again. The young players are definitely a high point for the club in a poor season.

[SCIAG]

I broadly agree with Hoop. I'm pretty underwhelmed by the regular U21 back line. Long did score but I'm fairly sure he didn't mean it! Griffin's goal was better and from what I've seen he's beginning to be more influential, but neither of them look like future first teamers.

The same back line that has had seven consecutive wins, seven consecutive clean sheets?

Without taking too much away from them, it's 6 consecutive clean sheets, one of which was earned by a completely different back line, and at least one of which was against a team who barely got past our midfield all match. And ofc the season didn't start seven matches ago - we only kept four clean sheets in our first 18 matches, and three of them were with very different back lines.

Delighted with promotion though. In some ways it's a shame our better players might well be too busy with first team duties next year...

[ZacNaloen]

The two full backs are definitely the weak spot in the back line, but Long for one I can see massive improvement in since the Fa Youth Cup Final played vs Fulham a couple of years back at Craven Cottage where he looked miles behind everyone else.

Not overly concerned by Sweeneys weight, he's looked like that since we got him.
Think he's just stocky and I doubt much of it is fat. He looks no less fit than anyone else and I've seen him play a decent enough game in midfield.

[andrew1957]

A serious question.

Does anyone know if Sweeney likely to make it or do you think he will be released this summer. He has not relay got anywhere near the first team whereas Cooper (who is 5 months younger) has already featured. And we have the likes of Dickie, Keogh and Hyam coming through in Under 21 ranks.

I had always thought Sweeney was quite highly rated at the club but the question is has he missed his chance?

[ZacNaloen]

Under 18s beat West Ham 2-1 this afternoon

[tidus_mi2]

Under 18s beat West Ham 2-1 this afternoon

With that Reading can't finish lower than 2nd in group 2 and are currently 1st, it goes down to Reading vs Sunderland for 1st place, if Sunderland win they will win the group, if it is a draw or Reading win, they top the group and leave it open for Wolves to potentially take 2nd place.

[ZacNaloen]

Definitely going to watch that game Saturday then

[ZacNaloen]

A serious question.

Does anyone know if Sweeney likely to make it or do you think he will be released this summer. He has not relay got anywhere near the first team whereas Cooper (who is 5 months younger) has already featured. And we have the likes of Dickie, Keogh and Hyam coming through in Under 21 ranks.

I had always thought Sweeney was quite highly rated at the club but the question is has he missed his chance?

Normally they are quite brutal if the contract expires and they haven't touched the first team at 21, that's it.

He's not that old yet is he?

[tidus_mi2]

A serious question.

Does anyone know if Sweeney likely to make it or do you think he will be released this summer. He has not relay got anywhere near the first team whereas Cooper (who is 5 months younger) has already featured. And we have the likes of Dickie, Keogh and Hyam coming through in Under 21 ranks.

I had always thought Sweeney was quite highly rated at the club but the question is has he missed his chance?

Normally they are quite brutal if the contract expires and they haven't touched the first team at 21, that's it.

He's not that old yet is he?

He's 21 in September, the closest he's been to the first team is a couple times as an unused sub.

[andrew1957]

Sweeney is 21 in September so borderline.

[ZacNaloen]

Well the question is, will he still qualify for U21s next year?

[andrew1957]

I am pretty sure the cut off for age groups is 1st Sept in which case Sweeney is still an under 21 next season just (born 11th Sept 94) as he will only be 20 on 1st Sept.

[Nameless]

Plus of course you can be over 21 and play in the U21 side.
Agree though that it would be highly unusual to keep a player who is over 21 and hasn't troubled the first team squad

[ZacNaloen]

Reckon he'll get another year on current terms then

[Ian Royal]

Didn't Sweeney pick up an injury at exactly the wrong moment having featured a bit in pre-season? So when there was an opportunity to step into the first team early in the season under Adkins, he wasn't available, which left Cooper to step in unopposed and not look back, basically removing Sweeney's opportunities once fit.

Short of playing the two against Watford rather than signing that waste of space Knight.

[P!ssed Off]

Didn't Sweeney pick up an injury at exactly the wrong moment having featured a bit in pre-season? So when there was an opportunity to step into the first team early in the season under Adkins, he wasn't available, which left Cooper to step in unopposed and not look back, basically removing Sweeney's opportunities once fit.

Short of playing the two against Watford rather than signing that waste of space Knight.

Yes.
I thought Sweeney was ahead of both Cooper and Keown last season.
Keown looked quite handy at fullback last season, so I think that versatility is why Clarke favoured him over Sweeney as back up for the bench towards the end of the season.

With a few more senior defenders leaving now there should be room for Sweeney and Keown to get some games next season. As well as Cooper obvs.

[ZacNaloen]

Not bad at all.

Reading’s U10s have qualified for the Premier League International Cup where they will take on Villarreal, Benfica, Club Brugge, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea at Warwick University at the end of May.

The U10s have already experienced European competition this season after reaching the last four of the Ajax International Indoor Cup, and they overcame Aston Villa, Leicester City, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers to win their qualifying group.

Jamie Greenwood, the U10s’ coach, said: "This is a great opportunity for our players to test themselves against top international opposition.”

Assistant Academy Manager Lee Herron added: “Under the vision and leadership of Eamonn Dolan, we as an academy have a great, collective determination to help our young players succeed; everyone behind the scenes puts a lot of hard work and the U10s’ success is our latest achievement.

“Already this season we have seen the U14s reach the Nike Cup final again, which was fantastic. The U16s got to their national finals at the start of the season, he U15s qualified their national finals and the U14s won their national final.

“The U10s, who along with all of the younger age groups are brilliantly led by Lewis Goater and his staff, are now in their final, the U9s were only narrowly beaten by Ajax in Holland and obviously the 11 players that have come through and broken into the first team and made their debuts just show what we’re trying to do.”
Read more at http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article ... Yrk707x.99