Development/Youth Squads 2022/2023 Thread - U18/U21

[moore_94]

I wonder who gave away the penalties

 

Lindsay also got subbed off for Booth after Fulham scored the 1st penalty

[moore_94]

1-1!

 

Own goal from Wanya's free kick

Edited 31 March 2023 by moore_94

[CosbehFox]

35 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...he was much more than that!!!

Had an aura of leadership, good distributor and good with the ball on the floor.

  He may have seem imposing at the back due to his size, but he offered a lot more, so far as I can see.

  I seem to be encouraging players to get out of this club, in order to move ahead with their careers. 

Nope, he’s just not very good. Folk made an opinion off a pre season friendly which is played at a lot slower pace than anything competitive. 
 

He wasn’t wanted by Villa whom have a very good record with youngsters. They are not within the top flight in Under 21s football as they prioritising getting their best players out on loan - two of them are doing exceptionally well in the Championship. 

[moore_94]

1 minute ago, CosbehFox said:

Nope, he’s just not very good. Folk made an opinion off a pre season friendly which is played at a lot slower pace than anything competitive. 
 

He wasn’t wanted by Villa whom have a very good record with youngsters. They are not within the top flight in Under 21s football as they prioritising getting their best players out on loan - two of them are doing exceptionally well in the Championship. 

I have to agree

 

He looked decent in pre-season and the first few under 21 games but that was about it, hasn't stood out or put in a good performance since August from what I can remember of the games I have watched

 

Hopefully we stop with signing these 19/20 year old rejects from Villa's academy, 4 in the last 5 summers so far

[moore_94]

wtf is wrong with our under 21s

 

Genuinely seems like every game whenever we make a sub we concede so soon after

 

2-1 Fulham

[moore_94]

Kian Pennant makes it 2-2

[moore_94]

Full Time 2-2

 

5 games left and realistically you would think we need to win all of them to give ourselves a chance of staying up

 

Under 21s haven't won a game (excluding the penalty win vs Bradford) since 27th August

 

[Ric Flair]

That's a half decent result, even though anything other than wins does little for them. Fulham U21 side absolutely buried us earlier in the season at home. 

 

That Harris is the new Harry Kane against our academy.

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

That's a half decent result, even though anything other than wins does little for them. Fulham U21 side absolutely buried us earlier in the season at home. 

 

That Harris is the new Harry Kane against our academy.

Did we deserve a point ? An OG and their keeper threw one in 

[Ric Flair]

3 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Did we deserve a point ? An OG and their keeper threw one in 

They beat us 7 nil at home earlier this season 😂😂

[moore_94]

9 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

They beat us 7 nil at home earlier this season 😂😂

That was due to the Vestergaard effect though! 

[Kilworthfox]

15 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

@Kilworthfox would it be fair to say our diabolical track record of recruiting players aged 16-19 and through making it through to the first team is an indicator of the poor standard of coaches at U18 and U21 level, as opposed to those that do make it whom have tended to come through the age groups where the coaching standard seems to be much better?

 

Or is it because as a club we have never given merit in to trying to recruit quality prospects in that age group?

Bloody hell mate 😂

 

It's a long and complex answer like all things when properly looked in to. 

 

It's too simplistic to say it's just coaching. However it will be an element of regressing or progression. 

 

I understand there is alot of frustration, but I feel that we concentrate on the negatives on here rather than the positives with the academy. 

 

What I can say that if there was a top talent, who never suffered a major injury, had poor coaches, and was professional /dedicated in their own physical and mental development they would have a career irrespective of what club they are at. 

 

There are lots of factors that will lead a player down a certain road and not all are controllable. The club and staff in general are very thoughtful about what is the best path for development. 

 

To answer your question about 16 to 19:

 

There was a scout hired a few years ago to look at 16 to 21 specifically. It is a quite different role than working with younger or older players. So the club have recognised this and that's a good sign. 

 

We used to track players who we believed would be released. Now we will look to purchase players as we have bigger budgets. 

 

Personally my opinion is that its never going to be an easy transition at these ages to come into the club irrespective where they have come from. 

 

You would like to think that the scouts and coaches all look for the same things and see the game and players the same, but that is not always the case. 

 

We seem on here to want to weedle out the less competent footballing staff members, I have my opinions, everyone at the club talks, but it's all subjective.

 

There are some wonderful coaches who are very good. I wouldn't swap them for anyone. However there are some who I don't think as highly of. It will be the same as you guys watching the first team players, and the same in your workplaces.. People are people! 

 

I think the u18 and u21 needs to be overhauled. I think younger players need to play in "proper" matches that have some value to them and aren't just a training exercise. 

 

In the past we used to have reserve football, I don't know why this was removed? 

 

We also have a situatioon where a player in an academy will have a pre conditioned value. For example Luke Thomas will be worth over 10 million. On the basis that he is and England u21 has played in the Prem on many occasions and is English. 

 

This leads clubs to pay out very high wages to keep players at clubs as they don't want this value off their balance sheets. 

 

To keep these assets the clubs pay out huge wages and this stops them from wanting to go out and play football at lower league football as theu may become injured and their opportunities to earn more reduced. 

 

So we have overplayed overhyped players in the ages you mention who the majority of won't play for the first team.. 

 

It is not an easy job for a coach when you consider these issues. We have not even touched on the interpersonal issues that a coach will face when dealing with young men who have lots of time and spare cash and outside influences. 

Edited 1 April 2023 by Kilworthfox

[Ric Flair]

16 minutes ago, Kilworthfox said:

Bloody hell mate 😂

 

It's a long and complex answer like all things when properly looked in to. 

 

It's too simplistic to say it's just coaching. However it will be an element of regressing or progression. 

 

I understand there is alot of frustration, but I feel that we concentrate on the negatives on here rather than the positives with the academy. 

 

What I can say that if there was a top talent, who never suffered a major injury, had poor coaches, and was professional /dedicated in their own physical and mental development they would have a career irrespective of what club they are at. 

 

There are lots of factors that will lead a player down a certain road and not all are controllable. The club and staff in general are very thoughtful about what is the best path for development. 

 

To answer your question about 16 to 19:

 

There was a scout hired a few years ago to look at 16 to 21 specifically. It is a quite different role than working with younger or older players. So the club have recognised this and that's a good sign. 

 

We used to track players who we believed would be released. Now we will look to purchase players as we have bigger budgets. 

 

Personally my opinion is that its never going to be an easy transition at these ages to come into the club irrespective where they have come from. 

 

You would like to think that the scouts and coaches all look for the same things and see the game and players the same, but that is not always the case. 

 

We seem on here to want to weedle out the less competent footballing staff members, I have my opinions, everyone at the club talks, but it's all subjective.

 

There are some wonderful coaches who are very good. I wouldn't swap them for anyone. However there are some who I don't think as highly of. It will be the same as you guys watching the first team players, and the same in your workplaces.. People are people! 

 

I think the u18 and u21 needs to be overhauled. I think younger players need to play in "proper" matches that have some value to them and aren't just a training exercise. 

 

In the past we used to have reserve football, I don't know why this was removed? 

 

We also have a situatioon where a player in an academy will have a pre conditioned value. For example Luke Thomas will be worth over 10 million. On the basis that he is and England u21 has played in the Prem on many occasions and is English. 

 

This leads clubs to pay out very high wages to keep players at clubs as they don't want this value off their balance sheets. 

 

To keep these assets the clubs pay out huge wages and this stops them from wanting to go out and play football at lower league football as theu may become injured and their opportunities to earn more reduced. 

 

So we have overplayed overhyped players in the ages you mention who the majority of won't play for the first team.. 

 

It is not an easy job for a coach when you consider these issues. We have not even touched on the interpersonal issues that a coach will face when dealing with young men who have lots of time and spare cash and outside influences. 

Thanks, very insightful.

[Kilworthfox]

15 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

@Kilworthfox would it be fair to say our diabolical track record of recruiting players aged 16-19 and through making it through to the first team is an indicator of the poor standard of coaches at U18 and U21 level, as opposed to those that do make it whom have tended to come through the age groups where the coaching standard seems to be much better?

 

Or is it because as a club we have never given merit in to trying to recruit quality prospects in that age group?

1 insight I can give you, which may explain alot of the frustrations is that when I joined the club, we did not have the resources that we do now. 

 

I remember at the time our older non signed academy ages were very poor in terms of quality. I will leave it at that. Poor age groups come from poor recruitment 6 to 10 years previously. We are  now seeing these age groups at the u21 level. 

 

I can tell you that in the subsequent years the concentration and commitment from the club has been elite! We can go against anyone with confidence that the majority of the age groups will defeat the majority of cat 2 and 3 clubs like you should expect from our academy. We will be at least the standard of the majority of cat 1 academies also. 

 

You will see these boys coming through over the the next 8 to 10 years. 

 

You are seeing now the fruits of of what was, however in the next decade I think things will be very different. 

 

[Ric Flair]

3 minutes ago, Kilworthfox said:

1 insight I can give you, which may explain alot of the frustrations is that when I joined the club, we did not have the resources that we do now. 

 

I remember at the time our older non signed academy ages were very poor in terms of quality. I will leave it at that. Poor age groups come from poor recruitment 6 to 10 years previously. We are  now seeing these age groups at the u21 level. 

 

I can tell you that in the subsequent years the concentration and commitment from the club has been elite! We can go against anyone with confidence that the majority of the age groups will defeat the majority of cat 2 and 3 clubs like you should expect from our academy. We will be at least the standard of the majority of cat 1 academies also. 

 

You will see these boys coming through over the the next 8 to 10 years. 

 

You are seeing now the fruits of of what was, however in the next decade I think things will be very different. 

 

This is what is interesting as I feel like the quality of academy players we are bringing through now, compared to several years ago hasn't improved and yet the last decade our financial strength has changed astronomically. 

 

I hope you're right but we've certainly not recruited much in the 16+ age category, the investment in transfer fees or identifying overseas youngsters whilst it was easier to bring under 18 players in has been very low key compared to our rivals.

[Kilworthfox]

8 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

This is what is interesting as I feel like the quality of academy players we are bringing through now, compared to several years ago hasn't improved and yet the last decade our financial strength has changed astronomically. 

 

I hope you're right but we've certainly not recruited much in the 16+ age category, the investment in transfer fees or identifying overseas youngsters whilst it was easier to bring under 18 players in has been very low key compared to our rivals.

If we have players coming through from our own academy we wouldn't have such a big need to sign players to cover our own failings.  Something to consider perhaps? 

 

I agree that we could be more proactive, but it is not my responsibility. So it's not my place to intervene.  This is a mentality within the club! 

 

It is actually almost impossible to bring in a player from abroad under 18 now and would be deemed child trafficking. So the club have completely stopped with recruitment for players under 18. Even if they are educated in the UK! 

 

 

[davieG]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11927673/Newcastle-Brentford-eye-Leicesters-Amani-Richards-impresses-against-old-club-Arsenal.html

 

Newcastle and Brentford are keeping tabs on Leicester starlet Amani Richards as he impresses against former club Arsenal... but Bundesliga interest in 18-year-old is a threat to Premier League suitors
Richards was at Arsenal for only a year and failed to make a senior appearance
The forward has score 14 and assisted eight goals in 24 appearances 
Foxes are hoping to extend his contract, which expires in 2024

 

Leicester teenager Amani Richards is the subject of mounting interest after impressing against former club Arsenal in midweek.

Forward Richards came back to haunt his old club by scoring both Foxes goals in their under-18 meeting with Arsenal with scouts from Newcastle and Brentford among those watching on.

German duo Wolfsburg and Freiburg were also present along with talent spotters from clubs in Holland and Belgium.

Richards has been in impressive form at youth level for Leicester this season, scoring 14 goals and setting up eight more in 24 appearances for their under-18s.

The former Chelsea youngster joined Leicester from Arsenal last January, after only spending a year at the north London club. 

The 18-year-old signed his first professional contract with the Gunners just three months before his move to Leicester in 2022, having failed to break into either Mikel Arteta's side or the under-23 team. 

Instead, Richards had seven appearances for Arsenal's under-18 team before he made his permanent move north.  

The Foxes are keen to fend off Richards’s admirers by extending his contract which expires in 2024.

[sacreblueits442]

2 hours ago, Kilworthfox said:

I agree that we could be more proactive, but it is not my responsibility. So it's not my place to intervene.  This is a mentality within the club! 

...without this looking as if I am having a go at you, why is it not your place to put forward ideas or pushing back at things that you see are not working in the best interest of the club!!!

  Nothing changes until someone speaks up to change the status quo. If you are excelling in your work and we are failing elsewhere, how do we get everyone on the same page?

[Kilworthfox]

8 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...without this looking as if I am having a go at you, why is it not your place to put forward ideas or pushing back at things that you see are not working in the best interest of the club!!!

  Nothing changes until someone speaks up to change the status quo. If you are excelling in your work and we are failing elsewhere, how do we get everyone on the same page?

Wow could be another long answer incoming 😂

 

I guess in short all relationships come down to push and pull, and do I have enough pull (credit and respect) to push ( voice my opinions openly to decision makers) in the hope they listen and make changes. 

 

Everyone talks within their own circles same as in any industry, but do you knock on the directors door and tell them they we are shit, with a presentation breakdown of how you see it? What do you think would happen, would I / you be promoted or removed? 

 

We don't live in a fair world. If we did incompetence would be erased fast. 

 

There are 2 main reasons why! 

 

Internal football mechanisms, and the balance between competition and fear. 

 

Everyone has valid footballing opinions!  We are in fact all experts, if you aren't after watching football after a decade then I'm shocked. The opinions on here re the first team are pretty much spot on, maybe a bit slow to mature / crystalize opinions on here but they come out about right in the end. Just my opinion again. 

 

Then there is the world of serious football where its about money and the fans which brings pressure. 

 

People value their jobs, and fear losing them if they are seen as incompetent. Then there is proving they are crap! That's a different matter entirely, especially with the employment laws in the UK after 2 years in a company. 

 

You can have all the qualifications (football mechanisms) and football friends, but it doesn't make you any good. It doesnt mean you have any passion for your role. 

 

In reality it's a job! To you on here its your passion. There is a huge gap!!! 

 

You don't have to support the club to work for the club, so it's a job. Are you passionate about your job like you are lcfc? If not, how can you expect someone to be passionate about your club? 

 

When there is no passion there is nothing, just average box tickers. I am not saying you have to be a fan of the club your work for, but be passionate about your role, then you will excel. This works in normal life aswell obviously. 

 

There are folk in roles that have no interest, so there is no mechanism to hold your subordinates to account. As they don't see the issues, because they don't look for them. 

 

Even if there was an issue flagged..  How do you portion out blame? Its such a subjective industry. Aslong as you tick the boxes you are asked to tick..  How can you be managed out? 

 

So you end up in a situation where you gravitate towards the areas that you can make a difference, and work with the passionate staff and help the people you can, and avoid the non elite people, as they are a waste of space. 

 

I belive it's called controlling the controllables, and not sweating the shit you can't effect. 

 

At the club there are very well defined boxes that you have responsibility within. If you go outside of that, it's just odd. If I tried to fix the copier it would be as odd, as the office staff trying to run a session. 

 

I hope that answers the question, but I am sure it is exactly the same as your business or social circles. People are people after all. Just that due to the interest locally, the football people are seen in an elevated position socially, but have a responsibility to the fans, but the individual is or isn't arsed.. But the fans believe you should be, once again its subjective. 

 

Now if I were in an elevated position I would like to believe that I was so competent within my role I would be able to allow an open forum to my subordinates... That doesn't exist at lcfc but maybe that's just my perspective? I could be wrong. 

[Jimmy]

nothing will change sadly until Rudkin is gone from this club

[South Shire Fox]

4 hours ago, davieG said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11927673/Newcastle-Brentford-eye-Leicesters-Amani-Richards-impresses-against-old-club-Arsenal.html

 

Newcastle and Brentford are keeping tabs on Leicester starlet Amani Richards as he impresses against former club Arsenal... but Bundesliga interest in 18-year-old is a threat to Premier League suitors
Richards was at Arsenal for only a year and failed to make a senior appearance
The forward has score 14 and assisted eight goals in 24 appearances 
Foxes are hoping to extend his contract, which expires in 2024

 

Leicester teenager Amani Richards is the subject of mounting interest after impressing against former club Arsenal in midweek.

Forward Richards came back to haunt his old club by scoring both Foxes goals in their under-18 meeting with Arsenal with scouts from Newcastle and Brentford among those watching on.

German duo Wolfsburg and Freiburg were also present along with talent spotters from clubs in Holland and Belgium.

Richards has been in impressive form at youth level for Leicester this season, scoring 14 goals and setting up eight more in 24 appearances for their under-18s.

The former Chelsea youngster joined Leicester from Arsenal last January, after only spending a year at the north London club. 

The 18-year-old signed his first professional contract with the Gunners just three months before his move to Leicester in 2022, having failed to break into either Mikel Arteta's side or the under-23 team. 

Instead, Richards had seven appearances for Arsenal's under-18 team before he made his permanent move north.  

The Foxes are keen to fend off Richards’s admirers by extending his contract which expires in 2024.

Newcastle and Brentford eyeing our best youngsters, if there was ever a sign to show how far this club has fallen then its something like that 🤣

[Lesta Legend]

41 minutes ago, South Shire Fox said:

Newcastle and Brentford eyeing our best youngsters, if there was ever a sign to show how far this club has fallen then its something like that 🤣

These clubs do well to spot the best young talent (toon have since the Saudis took over anyway. It means we have a bloody good player on our hands. Besides countless scouts from Europe were there too. 
 

How far we’ve fallen is we’ll have not seen what we have and he’ll have left before ever getting near our first team. 

[Sigma]

Joshua King has been called up to the Czech U16 side for a tournament in France.   Does anyone have more info on him?   

 

https://repre.fotbal.cz/nominace/nominace/722

[Jimopinion]

On 01/04/2023 at 12:06, Kilworthfox said:

1 insight I can give you, which may explain alot of the frustrations is that when I joined the club, we did not have the resources that we do now. 

 

I remember at the time our older non signed academy ages were very poor in terms of quality. I will leave it at that. Poor age groups come from poor recruitment 6 to 10 years previously. We are  now seeing these age groups at the u21 level. 

 

I can tell you that in the subsequent years the concentration and commitment from the club has been elite! We can go against anyone with confidence that the majority of the age groups will defeat the majority of cat 2 and 3 clubs like you should expect from our academy. We will be at least the standard of the majority of cat 1 academies also. 

 

You will see these boys coming through over the the next 8 to 10 years. 

 

You are seeing now the fruits of of what was, however in the next decade I think things will be very different. 

 

Some interesting points you stated especially on future investment on buying players at academy level. Steve Travis still in charge of emerging talent? I think lcfc need to be more aggressive in recruitment. I was at a premier league international tournament in Nottingham last week and did not see one Leicester scout. Saw a lot of villa scouts and west brom

[UniFox21]

On 01/04/2023 at 11:48, Kilworthfox said:

It is not an easy job for a coach when you consider these issues. We have not even touched on the interpersonal issues that a coach will face when dealing with young men who have lots of time and spare cash and outside influences

I think this is a really interesting point, football is polluted with so many agencies/hangers on out there solely to make as much money for themselves as possible without a care for the player/person. 

Add that to young people given huge amounts of cash and spare time, there's no shock of the amount of failed youth stars we see.

 

I've heard in countless podcasts (Crouch and Foster's come to mind) that they've seen tonnes of players brought down or sabotaged by the company they keep.

 

I imagine, if not already in place, there'll be a system at clubs with recommendations of agents and how to keep good company etc