Academy General Topic

[useless]

Game finished 2-2.

Seems typical of our season, that we twice threw away a lead, that they only had one shot on target but still managed to score twice, both their goals came from us scoring two own goals. We had seven shots on target compared to their one shot on target.

Been a difficult season, only small heath and Norwich finish below us in the league.

[VillaJ100]

11 minutes ago, useless said:

Game finished 2-2.

Seems typical of our season, that we twice threw away a lead, that they only had one shot on target but still managed to score twice, both their goals came from us scoring two own goals. We had seven shots on target compared to their one shot on target.

Been a difficult season, only small heath and Norwich finish below us in the league.

Blimey sounds like they are going to continue the legacy of the senior team at that rate

[useless]

Some of it down to injuries, some of it because of losing the better players to the U23s, and other factors, but even allowing for the fact that we know sometimes results will suffer because of putting individual player development before team results, I think there will be some disappointment with how the season has gone, if they're seen to be doing well probably helps with recruitment, last summer we had the FA Youth cup win, but don't really have anything like that this time.

I suppose the success story this time around has come from how well the loans have gone, and players like Iroegbunam making the first team.

We're still improving our academy, it's not something that can be fixed in a couple of seasons, will take time for us to develop the players we need from an early age, and get to a point where instead of one or two stand outs coming up from the U16s, we've got an whole teams worth, we had something close to that with the Youth Cup winning team, but hopefully in a couple of years or so we will start producing more year groups like that, not sure about the U16s, but I think the age groups below that have been doing very well this season, so the signs are promising.

[MWARLEY2]

22 minutes ago, useless said:

 

We're still improving our academy, it's not something that can be fixed in a couple of seasons, will take time for us to develop the players we need from an early age, and get to a point where instead of one or two stand outs coming up from the U16s, we've got an whole teams worth, we had something close to that with the Youth Cup winning team, but hopefully in a couple of years or so we will start producing more year groups like that, not sure about the U16s, but I think the age groups below that have been doing very well this season, so the signs are promising.

This is so true mate. It took Chelsea 15 years to turn their academy into a factory of excellence. We have done brilliantly in bringing players through up to Championship and football league level. We have always been a good academy.  The hardest part is bringing them through to the first team and keeping them there in the prem. It will happen more and more as the quality of British coaching has gone way way up.

But it will take time . What we have going for us is really a free reign now at the best players in the Midlands and down the M5 . Because we have invested so heavily in the academy we will end up getting first dibs at the brightest talents .

And do not underestimate the inner city academy. Look at how many players come from south london inner city. There is zero reason why we would not have the same kind of talent in North Birmingham.  And now there are no excuses for us to miss out on players that want to play with huge talent  but drift away from the game because they cannot get access to local.coaching due to BMH being miles away. 

Mark Harrison did an amazing job spotting and developing talent at the Baggies. What he has now is the budget to hone that talent with better coaches and facilities. 

Futures bright.

[Villa_Stateside]

8 hours ago, useless said:

Some of it down to injuries, some of it because of losing the better players to the U23s, and other factors, but even allowing for the fact that we know sometimes results will suffer because of putting individual player development before team results, I think there will be some disappointment with how the season has gone, if they're seen to be doing well probably helps with recruitment, last summer we had the FA Youth cup win, but don't really have anything like that this time.

I suppose the success story this time around has come from how well the loans have gone, and players like Iroegbunam making the first team.

We're still improving our academy, it's not something that can be fixed in a couple of seasons, will take time for us to develop the players we need from an early age, and get to a point where instead of one or two stand outs coming up from the U16s, we've got an whole teams worth, we had something close to that with the Youth Cup winning team, but hopefully in a couple of years or so we will start producing more year groups like that, not sure about the U16s, but I think the age groups below that have been doing very well this season, so the signs are promising.

Youth team success isn’t metric that a player being recruited should care about. If you take look at Everton youth team they had great success in the league and nothing of real note came from it. 
The loan system and how we develop player to professional level  is all that matters to a player. The fa youth cup is just a tool to showcase yourself for a loan. I hear it’s the most watched by scouts and managers. 

[useless]

Young players will be bothered about playing for a team that does well, they're footballers and naturally want to play and win games, so whilst it shouldn't be the only factor, how well or not a potential new team has done results wise will probably play into their thinking. Loans and pathway to the first team most important thing but if you've also got an U18 and U23 team winning most weeks then that's going to make the academy even more attractive.

FA Youth Cup is the most important competition at youth level, the one tournament where everyone plays their best team possible and results come first rather than sacrifing results in favor of individual development, when we recruited academy players in the summer of 2019/20 we used the fact that we were going to make a big push to win it as a selling point as it's a big deal, and no doubt when we were recruiting academy players last summer we used the fact that we had just won it as a selling point.

[useless]

No idea what the score was after 90 minutes, but our U14s beat Millwall on penalties in the semi-final of the Albert Phelan Cup today.

[Villa_Stateside]

I think our recruitment isn’t based of results in the pl2 league is all i am saying. We would put more effort into picking a stronger side if that was the case. I think the fact we attracting good players still shows that has no major impact. The pathway to first team will always trump everything else. But i do agree that FA youth cup is important competition 

[useless]

Just seen that next season starts earlier than usual, so might be that retained / released lists are published earlier than usual as well, as there will be less time for players to find new clubs before the season begins. I imagine we will be letting quite a few go, a number approaching or already in their twenties who are going to find it very difficult to make it with us, so even though they've got promising futures might be best for them to go where they will get more chances.

Maybe some of those older youngsters we will keep to loan out in the hope they can make us some money, similar to the Azaz situation.

Between players being released and others going back out on loan, we could end up being short on numbers, depends on what we have coming through from the U16s, we've obviously signed Katsukunya and Kellyman recently, and we know about Kadan Young, Mitchell, Pavey, Duerden, and Edwards, as they've all already been involved with the U18s, and Triston Rowe and Lynch, but I'm not sure if those two are U15s or U16s, but as they've already played at U18 level chances are they will be involved next season regardless.

Will be interesting to see what recruitment we do.

[useless]

No idea if he's someone we will be interested in but Reyes Cleary has put a picture of the West Brom training ground on his instagram with the caption 'What a journey it's been, thank you for everything', so looks like he won't be signing a professional deal with them and will be joining a new team.

thirteen goals in eleven U18 appearances this season, and seven goals in fifteen U23 appearances, turned eighteen last month.

Between players going out on loan, and lack of options from this years second year scholars who will be too old for the U18s next season, I think us going for him to play for our U23s could make sense, but he's been linked to a lot of top teams.

A couple of other West Brom players have also announced that they're leaving Zac Delaney and Owen Windsor, don't know anything about them, also noticed that Aurio Teixeira is out of contract as well in the summer, was impressed with him playing alongside Iroegbunam last season in the Youth Cup.

 

[useless]

Some good results for our younger age groups this weekend, not sure who they played but U16s won 10-0 with some of the U14s playing a couple of ages up, U15s beat Coventry 4-3 and Man Utd 1-0, Proctor saved a penalty against United, and U14s beat Derby 6-4, apparently they're 29 games unbeaten now.

[useless]

According to The Athletic small heath's academy are losing their category 1 status after just one season, might cost them a few of their better players, they've got a few in and around the England U15 squad that might be worth picking up.

There's also a rumour that Reading and West Brom might also be losing their category 1 status, so again we could potentially take advantage of that if true.

[BOF]

17 minutes ago, useless said:

According to The Athletic small heath's academy are losing their category 1 status after just one season, might cost them a few of their better players, they've got a few in and around the England U15 squad that might be worth picking up.

There's also a rumour that Reading and West Brom might also be losing their category 1 status, so again we could potentially take advantage of that if true.

I think we're taking advantage of that one already Maybe we're why they're losing it

[useless]

I think we've already taken quite a few from small heath as well, was clicking around on linkedin recently and quite a few of our academy staff have come from them, and we've also signed a few players from them in the lower age groups.

I don't know if it's 100% accurate but I saw a comment that the minimum investment for category 1 status academy next season is going to be £3m, I imagine there will be some clubs not able to afford that, or won't think it's worth the investment if they're only going to lose their better players to clubs with more money.

[OutByEaster?]

6 hours ago, useless said:

I don't know if it's 100% accurate but I saw a comment that the minimum investment for category 1 status academy next season is going to be £3m, I imagine there will be some clubs not able to afford that, or won't think it's worth the investment if they're only going to lose their better players to clubs with more money.

That sounds very much like the type of rule that the richest clubs have forced through to their own benefit.

Is it my imagination or are there different rules for taking players from a Category 1 academy to a lower category academy?

[VillaParkAvenue]

On 07/05/2022 at 14:05, useless said:

Game finished 2-2.

Seems typical of our season, that we twice threw away a lead, that they only had one shot on target but still managed to score twice, both their goals came from us scoring two own goals. We had seven shots on target compared to their one shot on target.

Been a difficult season, only small heath and Norwich finish below us in the league.

At least there is no third division in Premier League 2.

[useless]

I think the minimum investment thing is supposedly set by the FA, with money spent on facilities, staff, welfare provisions and so on, also I don't think the minimum investment is usually for just one season, academies are audited every three years, so I'm guessing the minimum investment is spread across that period.

I don't know the extact rules for signing academy players from the various cateogories, but I do know that there are stricter rules in place when signing players from category 1 status academies, as clubs have to prove that they haven't tapped the player up or haven't offered parents or agents a financial incentive, and things like telephone records and bank records can be requested as proof.

Presumably clubs probably also have to pay more compensation when signing players from category 1 academies.

Edited May 16, 2022 by useless

[useless]

On 14/03/2022 at 21:58, useless said:

That's three goalkeepers in our academy under the age of sixteen, Sam Proctor, Sam Lewis, and Alexander Hammond, that have played with England at youth level in the last few months or so. So seems we've got plenty of promising goalkeepers coming through.

We've got another keeper at the England goalkeeper camp currently being held for 2008s.

[useless]

I see we're advertising for a 'Lead U18 Professional Development Phase Coach', which from the description seems like we're looking for a new head coach for the U18s. Liam Bramley who used to do that role with Sean Verity has of course left for Norwich.

[useless]

Man Utd are playing Man City today in the final of the northern section of the Albert Phelan Premier League Cup, so Imagine there's a good chance our final against Albion in the southern section will be this weekend.