The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Simon's Church]

Has th u18s changed format? I dont rememver there being north and south last season.

Yeah, explained here with the fixture list.
http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article ... 05960.aspx?

Cheers. Missed that.

[P!ssed Off]

Not directly * Reading FC related but I've been trying to find a comprehensive list of which academies have changed status across 1-4.
How the oxf*rd is there not an article covering this on the internet?
Anyone finds a good article let me know please.

*Except it concerns whose players we are more easily able to pinch. e.g. Cardwell from Hull

No clubs have had category 1 status removed, with the 2 new additions previously mentioned.

Just read the news that Ispwich Town received last month:
Ipswich Town have been informed that their application for Category One academy status has been rejected.
Following a complex audit in May, carried out by an independent Belgian company, the Blues fell short of the required 75% result by just 0.3%.

[P!ssed Off]

For anyone that is interested I've compiled a list:
There doesn't seem to have been too many changes.

Upgraded from 2 to 1
Brighton and Hove
Derby County

Upgraded from 3 to 2
Colchester United

Granted 3
Cambridge United
Mansfield Town

Category 3 Academies Folded
Crawley Town
Macclesfield Town

Not 100% sure on the specifics but I think you're guaranteed a status for a minimum period of years (3 I think I read somewhere?). Hence why nobody has been downgraded, except those that chose to fold. You can request to be upgraded though, clearly.

Pleased for Colchester United, good youth set-up there. Crawley Town become the only team in the top 3 divisions not to have a Cat 3, or higher, academy. Bit weak really.

Don't think we can expect too much of a challenge from Brighton or Derby this season. Brighton U18s were 4/10 in the Cat 2 South, U21s 7/10. Derby U21s came 5/10 in the North.

[winchester_royal]

FAO Pepe

Novakovich scored hat trick for U21s on Saturday

[maffff]

And there was Pepe writing him off.

Booooooooo. Pepe out.

[SPARTA]

FAO Pepe

Novakovich scored hat trick for U21s on Saturday

Left foot, right foot, header. Made a big impression already. Sounds very promising.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Rofl. If he doesn't start tonight I'm going to return my season ticket.

[akranes]

Here are the goals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6idJ28602k

[P!ssed Off]

tbf it was against a League 2's U21 side.

[Victor Meldrew]

For anyone that is interested I've compiled a list:
There doesn't seem to have been too many changes.

Upgraded from 2 to 1
Brighton and Hove
Derby County

Upgraded from 3 to 2
Colchester United

Granted 3
Cambridge United
Mansfield Town

Category 3 Academies Folded
Crawley Town
Macclesfield Town

Not 100% sure on the specifics but I think you're guaranteed a status for a minimum period of years (3 I think I read somewhere?). Hence why nobody has been downgraded, except those that chose to fold. You can request to be upgraded though, clearly.

Pleased for Colchester United, good youth set-up there. Crawley Town become the only team in the top 3 divisions not to have a Cat 3, or higher, academy. Bit weak really.

Don't think we can expect too much of a challenge from Brighton or Derby this season. Brighton U18s were 4/10 in the Cat 2 South, U21s 7/10. Derby U21s came 5/10 in the North.

In the case of Derby they have a history of putting their good youngsters in the first team at the earliest opportunity.

[P!ssed Off]

Will Hughes and Mason Bennet. Both decent players but their exclusion from the youth teams are hardly a valid excuse for said teams rather average league placings last season.

The most successful Cat. 2 academy last season was Crewe, winners in the U21, runners up in the U18.
And their 1st team is predominantly made up of players that would qualify for either U21s or U18s.

[Ian Royal]

It's nice to see your youth team doing well in the leagues and cups, but the most important thing is developing the player's ability, not winning games and competitions.

[Old Biscuitman]

It's nice to see your youth team doing well in the leagues and cups, but the most important thing is developing the player's ability, not winning games and competitions.

The two are likely to be in tandem if their development is to reach the standards needed for playing at Championship level.

[Ian Royal]

It's nice to see your youth team doing well in the leagues and cups, but the most important thing is developing the player's ability, not winning games and competitions.

The two are likely to be in tandem if their development is to reach the standards needed for playing at Championship level.

Not necessarily. You can teach players to win at the youth level and they can do well. It's much easier to have a bigger, stronger, fitter team than your opponents to win in youth football. But they don't necessarily have the attributes built in to be really successful in the professional game.

That's where we've (England) gone wrong for so long. Emphasising results, athleticism and strength, over skill, awareness and decision making.

[AthleticoSpizz]

...and doing them out of team places with importing players in the over zealou$ pursuit of club excellence

[Old Biscuitman]

It's nice to see your youth team doing well in the leagues and cups, but the most important thing is developing the player's ability, not winning games and competitions.

The two are likely to be in tandem if their development is to reach the standards needed for playing at Championship level.

Not necessarily. You can teach players to win at the youth level and they can do well. It's much easier to have a bigger, stronger, fitter team than your opponents to win in youth football. But they don't necessarily have the attributes built in to be really successful in the professional game.

That's where we've (England) gone wrong for so long. Emphasising results, athleticism and strength, over skill, awareness and decision making.

Fair point. Skills training in England is relatively neglected. Unfortunately awareness and decision making are partly a matter of intelligence. Our professional footballers appear to be deficient there compared with their counterparts in the rest of the world.

[SCIAG]

The U21s lost 1-0 to Arsenal, who picked a strong side including Miquel and Akpom.

Our team: Lincoln; Dickie, Griffin, Hyam, Sweeney (McLennan 78); Shaughnessy, Fridjonsson (Cardwell 56), Owusu, Fosu, Kelly; Samuel

We had a centre back at right back because Owusu is needed on the wing. I'd guess that Kelly dropped deeper when Cardwell came on and we either switched to 4-4-2 or Cardwell took Kelly's position.

We've got a serious lack of wingers at all levels right now, particularly with Edwards bizarrely being used centrally. Of course, it will be an abundance (except at U18) when McCleary, HRK and Mackie are fit.

Keown is injured, but I think Cooper, Long, Kuhl, Tshibola, Tanner and Stacey are all fit, and therefore it is fair to assume being saved for tomorrow - that could even be tomorrow's bench, minus McCarthy. 13 Academy graduates in the 18

[Pepe the Horseman]

Where was Novakovic? Unused sub?

[Royal Ginger]

Shirly he can't be in the squad for Ipswich?

[SCIAG]

He's still eligible for the U18s, right?

We can only have one striker on the bench (5 subs -the unused ones were Ward, Husin and Lawal) and Cardwell has got that spot. Hopefully soon he'll be the main striker...