The Academy

[readingfc13]

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.

Giles Barnes??? Lewin Nyatanga??? I've never read so much crap as I have on this thread....

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

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.

Giles Barnes??? Lewin Nyatanga??? I've never read so much crap as I have on this thread....

I hope Henry is "quality" but to be fair, sent back from Forest, didn't make the bench at Norwich and had 2 games at Bournemouth, that doesn't seem to be quality.

He may of been scouted for Chelsea 2 years ago, but if he was still good then some others would of come in surely? if the management thought he was good enough he would of played. simple.

[Roger the Rabbit]

He may of been scouted for Chelsea 2 years ago, but if he was still good then some others would of come in surely? if the management thought he was good enough he would of played. simple.

Chelsea was last summer was it not ?
Spurs have shown considerable interest as well.
He's been starring for the England U19 side.
The kid has just turned 19 (after the end of the season). To suggest that because an 18 year old was not pushed into a struggling Premiership side he is no good is simply ridiculous I'm afraid.

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

He may of been scouted for Chelsea 2 years ago, but if he was still good then some others would of come in surely? if the management thought he was good enough he would of played. simple.

Chelsea was last summer was it not ?
Spurs have shown considerable interest as well.
He's been starring for the England U19 side.
The kid has just turned 19 (after the end of the season). To suggest that because an 18 year old was not pushed into a struggling Premiership side he is no good is simply ridiculous I'm afraid.

This the U19 England side who are having an absolute nightmare at present?

No its not ridiculous in the slightest im afriad. We had no right winger last year and he didn't play, even involved as a substitute. All this hes only 18 years old is a load of rubbish. Giles Barnes, Theo Walcott, James Vaughan, Endless names of players who have played from 15 onwards.

People can speculate about James Henry but hard facts have shown that only a couple of decent games at Bournemouth still leave people with optimism he may one day come through

[voice of reason]

Chelsea's interest in Henry was when he signed profesional terms with the club, about 3 years ago now I think. I think that speaks volumes about the potential of the player and also his attitude, given that he chose his home town side over a shot at the bigtime and undoubtedly more money.

There is no doubt the kids got talent and anyone who has seen him play cannot argue with this. I saw him score a Hat-trick against Arsenal reserves and not look out of sorts against Ashley Cole, playing in Chelsea's reserve team , when he was just 18. The fact he has gone on to impress at England Under 19 level gives a good indictation of genuine quality. Weather he can make another step up to impressing regularly in the Championship is the all important question, and it is my opinion that he can. I've seen less of Alex Pearce but I can't help feel his development will be hindered by the fact there at least 5 recognised central defenders in front of him in the current pecking order. But regardless, the fact he played regularly at Norwich last season really suggests our Academy might finally be producing players of at least Championship quality.

I think it is very harsh to judge the Academy and the investment put in to it on the failed youngsters of previous seasons e.g. Campbell, Castle and co. It only turned from School of Excellence status about 6 years ago I believe, so it is only really the current generation of Karacen, Henry and Pearce that have enjoyed the full benefits of the Academy system. Surely it is a bit early to be calling for Naz Bashir's resignation as there is every indication, e.g. loan appearances last season and promising starts to pre season, that the Academy is now producing players good enough for the First Team.

[Ian Royal]

Isn't our academy only about 8 or 9 years old. Maybe less? Didn't it start in tier 3 and is now trying to produce players good enough for tier 1/2?

Don't we have 3 or 4 players currently threatening to make their presence known in the first team?

Berry = bitter Reading reject IMO.

[papereyes]

Chelsea's interest in Henry was when he signed profesional terms with the club, about 3 years ago now I think. I think that speaks volumes about the potential of the player and also his attitude, given that he chose his home town side over a shot at the bigtime and undoubtedly more money.

I think there's the possibility of a player moving without much of a fee around the point he decides to go professional so it would make some sense for a club to look at him then as, iirc, they can't really approach him when 'underage' but if he signs a contract, there is definitely a fee. It is (roughly) how United and Arsenal signed Pique and Fabregas on the cheap.

There is no doubt the kids got talent and anyone who has seen him play cannot argue with this. I saw him score a Hat-trick against Arsenal reserves and not look out of sorts against Ashley Cole, playing in Chelsea's reserve team , when he was just 18. The fact he has gone on to impress at England Under 19 level gives a good indictation of genuine quality. Weather he can make another step up to impressing regularly in the Championship is the all important question, and it is my opinion that he can.

I think the hardest step is going from a top prospect at 18-19 to a player who can really play at a top level against, well, men at 24. You see so many players who do so well at the end of their teens and there's so much that can go wrong from injury issues to personality to simply not being quite good or committed enough to really earn or want it.

Isn't our academy only about 8 or 9 years old. Maybe less? Didn't it start in tier 3 and is now trying to produce players good enough for tier 1/2?

Don't we have 3 or 4 players currently threatening to make their presence known in the first team?

I think the point is that the players that are coming out now were acquired 5+ years ago and we were aiming at a lower output and competing with teams such as Southampton and Palace who were clearly at a higher level than us at that point.

The way I see it is that we have to have one but we also have to have a strict set of criteria of what is success for it. None of our players have really gone on at a high sum or improved the first team but we will, one day, probably soon. I don't think you could call the academy a success now but it would be mindless to even contemplate changing everything. The club will also be looking to improve it at every level (and it would be criminal if they aren't). Just keep aiming progressively higher, where possible, and we'll see the rewards.

[Southbank Old Boy]

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.

That was only what another poster suggested though wasn't it? I didn't realise that made it true!

[Berry]

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.

My beef with Naz Bashir is that he is useless, believe me I have had dealings with him and no im not a triallist or ex player.
I have seen first hand kids being taken to Ipswich and distant venues and going on for 1 min and not just once. I have seen him build Cliques up between players. Ive seen his coaching skills first hand and Ive been fed bullshit by him on one or more occasions, I guess that gives me the right to voice an opinion.
Henry turned down Chelsea for Reading as he likes being a big fish in a little pond and yes it usually proves you are quite good at your job if a bigger company come after you ,a la Brendan Rodgers.

[Berry]

All I was doing in this Thread was letting everybody know a bit of inside info, but to oxf*rd with being called a Reading Reject.
There are some sensible posters on here, but the majority are retarded, I mean HTF do you chat with someone who states Derby have unearthed no talent in the last few years from there Academy.
I will keep fukcing quiet in future and just add to the brown tongue tribute threads or The Old School Reading X1 posse.

[brendywendy]

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.

That was only what another poster suggested though wasn't it? I didn't realise that made it true!

the poster didnt argue when people laughed and said you just hate him cos he told you he wasnt good enough

in fact he as good as admitted it

[Southbank Old Boy]

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.

That was only what another poster suggested though wasn't it? I didn't realise that made it true!

the poster didnt argue when people laughed and said you just hate him cos he told you he wasnt good enough

in fact he as good as admitted it

Fair enough, that's not quite how I recalled the conversation. I thought he admitted he didn't make it, laughed at the comment about being bitter, but said something along the lines that Bashir just wasn't someone he rated.

I don't know Bashir at all. I know Geoff Warner a bit and I've watched some of his coaching sessions with the youngsters and he seems pretty good. He's been at it long enough to have been found out by now anyway so he must be doing something right.

[Ian Royal]

I assumed it was the same poster.

[SteveRoyal]

LOL at me

LOL @ YOU.

[cmonurz]

All I was doing in this Thread was letting everybody know a bit of inside info.

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.

Looks to me like you were just spouting off because you don't like Henry or Pearce (or Aaron Brown ). If Henry is Conference standard, and the club knows this, you have to question why he has a contract with us.

[Berry]

To keep funding coming in, The Academy needs to unearth some talent, mark my words Henry will NOT make any impact at this club, If he does all on here can act stupid, send Dodd photos and whatever you do to deride people.
There are however 3 players currently training with the U15s which look very good, unless Bashir gets involved!!!

[SirGarth]

Known both Pearce and Henry since youth football, coached by a friend.

Both are good enough, Pearce has the right attitude and takes things onboard all the time. Henry needs to play football rather than living the footballers life. If he can get his attitude right then he could be quality. Hopefully that will come as he gets a bit older.

[Roger the Rabbit]

He may of been scouted for Chelsea 2 years ago, but if he was still good then some others would of come in surely? if the management thought he was good enough he would of played. simple.

Chelsea was last summer was it not ?
Spurs have shown considerable interest as well.
He's been starring for the England U19 side.
The kid has just turned 19 (after the end of the season). To suggest that because an 18 year old was not pushed into a struggling Premiership side he is no good is simply ridiculous I'm afraid.

No its not ridiculous in the slightest im afriad. We had no right winger last year and he didn't play, even involved as a substitute. All this hes only 18 years old is a load of rubbish. Giles Barnes, Theo Walcott, James Vaughan, Endless names of players who have played from 15 onwards.

People can speculate about James Henry but hard facts have shown that only a couple of decent games at Bournemouth still leave people with optimism he may one day come through

There is a lot more than that to support the view that he's a good prospect...
A small number of players (to claim it is 'endless' is self defeating surely) get games at a young age but many who make that early break through then disappear. To not be a regular starter in a Premiership team by the time you are 18 tells you absolutely nothing about whether you'll make it at a later age. Glen Little made his first team debut at 21 - whatever happened to him ?
Opinions (they are no more than that) on what talent he has are based on more than the games he had at Bournemouth. He cealry has ability. Whether that can be put to effective use at the highest level can only be decided one way.

[Roger the Rabbit]

All I was doing in this Thread was letting everybody know a bit of inside info, but to oxf*rd with being called a Reading Reject.
There are some sensible posters on here, but the majority are retarded, I mean HTF do you chat with someone who states Derby have unearthed no talent in the last few years from there Academy.
I will keep fukcing quiet in future and just add to the brown tongue tribute threads or The Old School Reading X1 posse.

Berry chill out !
It wasn't inside info, just your view - and a pretty aggressively expressed one at that. If people chose to disagree then that's tough, they have as much right to disagree as you have to have your opinion. No one called you a 'Reading Reject' but when you make some pretty serious personal allegations about individuals it naturally raises the question 'why' ? Almost everyone involved in local football will know the likes of Naz, Geoff Warner and the other Academy coaches. I know kids at the Academy and hear good and bad things about all the coaches, that's life. If Nas was such a serious blockage to the progress of th ekids then would Eamon Dolan not have done something about it ?

[Ian Royal]

All I was doing in this Thread was letting everybody know a bit of inside info, but to oxf*rd with being called a Reading Reject.
There are some sensible posters on here, but the majority are retarded, I mean HTF do you chat with someone who states Derby have unearthed no talent in the last few years from there Academy.
I will keep fukcing quiet in future and just add to the brown tongue tribute threads or The Old School Reading X1 posse.

Berry chill out !
It wasn't inside info, just your view - and a pretty aggressively expressed one at that. If people chose to disagree then that's tough, they have as much right to disagree as you have to have your opinion. No one called you a 'Reading Reject' but when you make some pretty serious personal allegations about individuals it naturally raises the question 'why' ? Almost everyone involved in local football will know the likes of Naz, Geoff Warner and the other Academy coaches. I know kids at the Academy and hear good and bad things about all the coaches, that's life. If Nas was such a serious blockage to the progress of th ekids then would Eamon Dolan not have done something about it ?

I did. One of my more pissy moods and had him confused as the same guy who'd already slated Naz.