The Academy

[Berry]

If any one thinks Henry is good enough, you want to speak to people who actually know him, he is no where near good enough for the Championship, Conference standard maybe and as for Aarron Brown yes he is a thug of a defender in the Mackie mould, but has a strange gait and because of which is unable to run.
The Academy has unearthed nothing for this year, nor the next unless Naz Bashir is shown the door.
One of our biggest losses in recent years was Brendan Rodgers and that will come back and haunt us as now Steve Coppell has decided to trim the squad and use what we have.
If we had a buzzing Academy it would bode well, but the truth is there is a lot of Cannon Fodder within the Academy supporting a couple of maybe players.
There needs to be a shake up and quickly.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Brown didn't have anything to do with the Academy.

With that in mind I treat the rest of your post with a huge pinch of salt.

Any academy only really supports a few players who might go on to make it, although having said that our's has been pretty ineffective for the last 15 years. Why I'm not sure.

[Berry]

Brown has had coaching within the Academy Structure ie Naz Bashir etc etc, Naz needs to be moved on and quickly, he is the last link before they hit the Reserve team etc.
Geoff Warner works with the younger players and beds them in brilliantly, but as I have said Naz has the final say, which is why we will regret Brendan Rodgers leaving and taking most of his scouting network and expertise with him.
At one point he was tipped as a future Reading Manager, I am proud to of known him at Reading.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Brown has had coaching within the Academy Structure ie Naz Bashir etc etc, Naz needs to be moved on and quickly, he is the last link before they hit the Reserve team etc.
Geoff Warner works with the younger players and beds them in brilliantly, but as I have said Naz has the final say, which is why we will regret Brendan Rodgers leaving and taking most of his scouting network and expertise with him.
At one point he was tipped as a future Reading Manager, I am proud to of known him at Reading.

Training with the kids is a totally different thing to coming through the academy.

Bashir may well be rubbish though, although Rodgers didn't really have much more success to be fair to him.

[Royalee]

Alex Pearce will be good enough, I wouldn't write the academy off just yet.

[Platypuss]

If any one thinks Henry is good enough, you want to speak to people who actually know him, he is no where near good enough for the Championship, Conference standard maybe and as for Aarron Brown yes he is a thug of a defender in the Mackie mould, but has a strange gait and because of which is unable to run.
The Academy has unearthed nothing for this year, nor the next unless Naz Bashir is shown the door.
One of our biggest losses in recent years was Brendan Rodgers and that will come back and haunt us as now Steve Coppell has decided to trim the squad and use what we have.
If we had a buzzing Academy it would bode well, but the truth is there is a lot of Cannon Fodder within the Academy supporting a couple of maybe players.
There needs to be a shake up and quickly.

This is the Aaron Brown who joined us at the age of 22?

[Berry]

Training with the kids is a totally different thing to coming through the academy. Quote

Totally disagree, Geoff Warner gives them the grounding at 6 or 7 years old and then its like a chain moving on to hopefully the Reserves and then The First Team, The player is being schooled in the Reading FC ethic and shown the right approach.
Kids become Players and so on.
My argument is that the link breaks with Bashir. I believe very much in what Mick Gooding says about the Academy.
As for Brendan Rodgers, Chelsea wanted him, what does that say of his abilities?
He would of made a difference im sure.

[Berry]

This is the Aaron Brown who joined us at the age of 22?

My mistake I meant Alex Pearce, so please dont slag me off for typing in wrong name, Im getting old and forgetful LOL

[rfcfan13]

There's a few players just coming through this year..

Karacan looks promising, and Alex Pearce has already shown he can playin this standard of league with Norwich. Robson-Kanu I've only seen a couple of times, and he's alright.

Henry isn't as good as people think because he's been overhyped, and we're in need of a right winger. He could be a good player.

[Berry]

Henry is not and never will be good enough, He reminds me of a poor Scott Taylor.

[Southbank Old Boy]

This is the Aaron Brown who joined us at the age of 22?

My mistake I meant Alex Pearce, so please dont slag me off for typing in wrong name, Im getting old and forgetful LOL

Well that just changes everything then!

[Berry]

LOL at me

[rfcjoe]

Training with the kids is a totally different thing to coming through the academy. Quote

Totally disagree, Geoff Warner gives them the grounding at 6 or 7 years old and then its like a chain moving on to hopefully the Reserves and then The First Team, The player is being schooled in the Reading FC ethic and shown the right approach.
Kids become Players and so on.
My argument is that the link breaks with Bashir. I believe very much in what Mick Gooding says about the Academy.
As for Brendan Rodgers, Chelsea wanted him, what does that say of his abilities?
He would of made a difference im sure.

Brown has had coaching within the Academy Structure ie Naz Bashir etc etc, Naz needs to be moved on and quickly, he is the last link before they hit the Reserve team etc.
Geoff Warner works with the younger players and beds them in brilliantly, but as I have said Naz has the final say, which is why we will regret Brendan Rodgers leaving and taking most of his scouting network and expertise with him.
At one point he was tipped as a future Reading Manager, I am proud to of known him at Reading.

You're Geoff WaROFLner?

[Berry]

No im his Long Lost Son.........................

[strap]

Desperate to find a chink of good news in this dreadful pre-season so far, i was interested to hear David Downs on BBRB during the Franchise FC friendly. He was of the opinion that we have a clutch of Academy players who will come through this season. Specifically, he singled out Pearce and Karacan, (perhaps obviously), but also Julian Kelly at left back (what has happened to Golbourne BTW?).

Fingers crossed that in the doom and gloom, a little ray of hope may just exist. Of course, once Eamonn Dolan becomes the new RFC manager next season, we should see a good few more being given a chance. Trouble is by then we will be a lower mid table Championship side by then, at best.

[Roger the Rabbit]

So Berry, on the one hand the fact that Chelsea wanted Rogers is your evidence that th ebloke is good.

Yet do you not recall James Henry being chased by Chelsea and turning them down to stay with us ? The same James Henry you dismiss ?

So which is it ? Does interest from Chelsea prove someone is top rate, or is it irrelevant ?

What's your beef with Naz by the way ? Another poster slated him and it turned out it was becasue the poster had not been kept on at the Academy.

[Streets]

LOL at me

What ^ said.

[Geekins]

So Henry no good?? Why were chelsea after him a couple of years back but he said no as he wanted to stay with his home town club.

[georgerob]

henry is quality, i bet none of u have ever seen him play!! the academy is good but the only problem is coppell because he never plays any of the academy players and never gives them a chance in the first team, when there performing well in the reserves etc. this season he said he will play the academy players so wait and see how they perform when they get there chance.
btw aaron brown joined us when he was 22 from tamworth, so didn't go through our academy at all.
Derby spent 10 million on their academy a few years back, and no players at all have come through, or are close to the first team! i don't know why clubs even have academy's these days.

[rg6royal]

So Henry no good?? Why were chelsea after him a couple of years back but he said no as he wanted to stay with his home town club.

Wern't Chelsea after him like at the start of last season?
Henry needs to be given a chance and I believe he will get it soon...