Forbury LionPerhaps he's improved with age, some kids do (Shaun Wright Phillips, released by Notts Forest) whilst others lose their shine (Sonny Pike)Super Si Sorry, Chicken Balti, but I played football with him a number of times and could clearly see that he didn't stand out at all. If you are to become a premiership footballer I think that you would clearly be a lot better than the other kids who just play football up the park.
Murty was released by his home town club - Middlesboro!
and, FWIW,
I was a physio assistant at the Royals academy for two years, and happened to look after the under 14s and 15s when Simon Cox was in that age group, and also worked with the youth teams.
I have seen Peter Castle, Curtis Osano, Darren Campbell, Jamie Young, Simon Cox and many more, (Including Dill's twins, who didn't make the grade at Reading)at various stages of development and watched most of them disappear.
The club have so many more ways of assessing players than just what you see on the park, and with huge help from academy physio (at the time) Glen Driscoll, they were measured in every imaginable physical capacity. For science geeks like me, it was amazing to see the results of the physical tests and to see the way that different characteristics and attributes were related. The boys are measured as athletes as well as footballers, and progress closely monitored.
In my time there, some players stood out, and some were the ones you would put in the 'possibly might make it category', as well as the 'not a chance' category.
Coxy was regularly standing out in the U14/15 games, and the club have seen fit to pursue their interest, obviously.
IMO, it is league matches that really develop a players abilities, once you have reached a certain level of coaching. Getting lower league experience will be of great benefit to Coxy AND the club, as he will get to develop, and the club will get an improved player, and possibly more of an idea of whether THEY think he will become the finished article.
Everyone can name players that have been released by 'big' clubs, only to come good many years later. Like someone said, some players develop later than others. That is the big gamble with developing youth players, how long do you hold onto them in the hope they will become a future star? Obviously, it is a trade off between patience/costs, and the fear of someone else getting the benefit of all your hard work!
Not an easy job!
