Development/Youth Squads 2023/2024 Thread - U18/U21

[AjcW]

34 minutes ago, Holly B said:

Forest haven’t got Cat 1 because of their “results” at Academy level 

We played them recently at all the lower age groups and only one of our teams lost. Included in the wins were 3 absolute drubbings where we won by double figures 

Games against Derby and Villa are much closer but how many Premiership players have those two produced from their Academy’s in recent times ?

Whilst our Academy is far from perfect it keeps producing players. 

The majority of successes we’ve had have skipped U21 altogether. To be honest if you’re good enough you probably should skip that level to go on loan or straight to first team. 
 

Does make you wonder what the point of the U21 level is really. Basically a holding pen for lads who are either released or sold. 
 

I wouldn’t mind if we had a similar coach and set up to first team, but right now it’s not fit for purpose. 

[South Shire Fox]

Would love someone who goes to these meetings with the club to ask about the academy. Surely theres a strategy in place to utilise the ridiculous facilities we have and make us one of the best academies in the midlands. All the players who have come through the academy to the first team in recent years have been developed out on loan (Barnes, Chilwell, Hamza, KDH, Mcateer) barring Thomas

Edited 26 September 2023 by South Shire Fox

[SemperEadem]

5 minutes ago, South Shire Fox said:

Would love someone who goes to these meetings with the club to ask about the academy. Surely theres a strategy in place to utilise the ridiculous facilities we have and make us one of the best academies in the midlands. All the players who have come through the academy to the first team in recent years have been developed out on loan (Barnes, Chilwell, Hamza, KDH, Mcateer) barring Thomas

Needs asking 100% but the staff they usually bring out for these meetings would know as much on the academy as most on here.

[SemperEadem]

Just now, SemperEadem said:

Needs asking 100% but the staff they usually bring out for these meetings would know as much on the academy as most on here.

Actually Foxes Pride appear to get semi regularly meets with the high up’s. Foxes Trust get a monthly meeting.

[Fox on the Rox]

4 hours ago, coalvillefox said:

I watched the game last night and Middlesborough where a joy to watch. Clear game plan, well organised, great communication and thoroughly deserved to win. Leicester on the other hand, disjointed, slow on the ball, slow off the ball, very little or no communication and a near silent bench. Spare a thought for Ben Nelson though, I thought he was terrific and this OG was very unlucky. Madivadua was poor, if he hopes to get back in the first team, it won't be on the back of last nights performance.

Looked to me like Nelson was unwell. He wasn't moving right and fled the pitch rapidly both at half time and when he was subbed off. Wasn't sure if he maybe asked to be taken off because he was unwell, as he literally sprinted off the field heading for the changing rooms.

[Stormfox]

8 minutes ago, Fox on the Rox said:

Looked to me like Nelson was unwell. He wasn't moving right and fled the pitch rapidly both at half time and when he was subbed off. Wasn't sure if he maybe asked to be taken off because he was unwell, as he literally sprinted off the field heading for the changing rooms

Looked like he was very definitely struggling with ummmmmm... retention! 

[Holly B]

1 hour ago, Lambert09 said:

villa record is up their with ours. 

 

Grealish, Ramsey, archer, ramsey, chukumeka, philogene is at hull and highly regarded. 

 

 

The last two they paid for after someone else had developed them which is their new model. Basically cherry pick the best prospects at around 14 and spend mega bucks it just doesn’t get reported like the Man City and Chelsea’s of this world. They have spent millions of pounds since the new owners took over on Academy signings and not convinced they have much to show for it.

[Dan LCFC]

3 hours ago, Kopfkino said:

Shows the complete absence of an obvious connected strategy at the club & even beyond to include Leuven. Think they’ve stumbled across Maresca more than it being part of a bigger strategy.

The training ground should have been at the centre of the clubs strategy but it seems driven by a ‘tools’ mentality to me - if we have the best shiny tool everything else falls into place when in reality it’s the opposite way around.

Yep. I'm not fooled that we've turned this corner yet as a club. Maresca looking a great appointment mind.

[Lambert09]

31 minutes ago, Holly B said:

The last two they paid for after someone else had developed them which is their new model. Basically cherry pick the best prospects at around 14 and spend mega bucks it just doesn’t get reported like the Man City and Chelsea’s of this world. They have spent millions of pounds since the new owners took over on Academy signings and not convinced they have much to show for it.

well maybe but they still developed them from that age on. it only takes one sale of someone like ramsey to fund the acadamy for 3/4 years, so they are doing something right.

 

I feel we probably should be doing the exact same thing. We had 10 years of being the dominant force in the area, even a team known to give youth a chance (whether that myth is true or not is up for debate) but we didn’t take advantage and poach all the young talent in the east midlands. We really should have been ruthless as it would have set us up for years! 

[Holly B]

21 minutes ago, Lambert09 said:

well maybe but they still developed them from that age on. it only takes one sale of someone like ramsey to fund the acadamy for 3/4 years, so they are doing something right.

 

I feel we probably should be doing the exact same thing. We had 10 years of being the dominant force in the area, even a team known to give youth a chance (whether that myth is true or not is up for debate) but we didn’t take advantage and poach all the young talent in the east midlands. We really should have been ruthless as it would have set us up for years! 

Not disagreeing 

Club has decided to spend the vast majority of any transfer funds on the first team rather than gambling on unknown quantities but as you say you only need one to come off 

[UniFox21]

 

Less about how our academy has done, but just highlights how hard it is to even get to a professional club.

 

[Frances Dempsey]

3 hours ago, Fox on the Rox said:

Looked to me like Nelson was unwell. He wasn't moving right and fled the pitch rapidly both at half time and when he was subbed off. Wasn't sure if he maybe asked to be taken off because he was unwell, as he literally sprinted off the field heading for the 

3 hours ago, South Shire Fox said:

Would love someone who goes to these meetings with the club to ask about the academy. Surely theres a strategy in place to utilise the ridiculous facilities we have and make us one of the best academies in the midlands. All the players who have come through the academy to the first team in recent years have been developed out on loan (Barnes, Chilwell, Hamza, KDH, Mcateer) barring Thomas

And they were allowed out on loan!! 

[lcfc043]

Even tinpot Cov who have been down in League 2 recently have produced two England internationals in Maddison and Callum Wilson. 
 

 

[Foxy-Lady]

On 20/09/2023 at 16:37, Stadt said:

Ian Cawley is academy manager and his background is in teaching rather than coaching. I can't imagine too many other clubs with a £100m training ground would do the same.

 

 

Ian Cawley is effectively Jon Rudkins messenger which is probably why he was promoted so quickly to that position so JR could maintain proxy-control.

 

To my knowledge, Cawley has zero footballing background.....why wouldn't you put him in charge of a £100m state of the art footballing academy facility..?!?.

[sacreblueits442]

7 hours ago, CosbehFox said:

Idiakez funnily enough lives in Leicestershire and he’s been appointed Villa’s Under 21 manager recently 

...you just couldn't make it up, if you tried, no one would believe you!!!

[Foxy-Lady]

7 hours ago, CosbehFox said:

Idiakez funnily enough lives in Leicestershire and he’s been appointed Villa’s Under 21 manager recently 

He should have got that job at leicester years ago.....but they wanted him to work under Beaglehole and he refused to do that!

 

Absolutely superb coach....watched him for years and he was instrumental in the development of so many of the our current first team academy graduates.

[Ian Nacho]

I’d have thought all the academy coaching staff at U21/23 level are all Rudkin‘a chums. 

[st albans fox]

Man U u21’s lost 8-1 at Bolton  

not just us then ….

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leicester-city-notebook-willy-caballero-8783280

 

Former players back as coaches

Speaking of coaches, City have welcomed back a couple of familiar faces this month to do some extra work with the academy lads. Lee Tomlin and Adi Yussuf have both been at Seagrave to help out the Under-21s and Under-18s.

Tomlin, who had a prolific career in the EFL with the likes of Peterborough, Middlesbrough and Cardiff, is originally from Leicester and was in the club’s academy until he was released at 16. He’s currently working on his Uefa A Licence but has been invited to City to work with their prospects. He wrote on social media: “No better place to be developing myself and others than at a club like LCFC.”

Yussuf, who plays for National League North side Banbury United, was also at City as a youngster and was a prolific striker in the academy until he was released at 19. He’s also been back working with the club.

He said: “Whilst still pursuing my football career it’s great to be back at LCFC as a player coach. I started my football career here so working with the 18s and 21s on their football development is a real honour.”

[AjcW]

Hope Lee Tomlin isn't giving diet and lifestyle advice... 

[Lillehamring]

On 26/09/2023 at 13:36, Kopfkino said:

Shows the complete absence of an obvious connected strategy at the club & even beyond to include Leuven. Think they’ve stumbled across Maresca more than it being part of a bigger strategy.

The training ground should have been at the centre of the clubs strategy but it seems driven by a ‘tools’ mentality to me - if we have the best shiny tool everything else falls into place when in reality it’s the opposite way around.

I think it's naive to assume that things can just be changed on an instant and that the club don't have a strategy.  After the calamity of last season, the priority has to be the first team - there's no point overstretching the club by trying to change everything all at once.

 

We've seen in the hiring of Maresca and most of the back room team that the club are beginning on a new path, it seems highly likely that Maresca would have made it a condition that the whole playing hierarchy needs to be rebuilt.  But it's so early, it's hardly likely we'll see sweeping changes from top to bottom after just three months. 

[Shane]

17 year old Lewis Miley starts for Newcastle against Man City but Braybrooke & Alves couldn’t get a sniff against Newport, Gillingham etc. Good job Brendan 

 

Edited 27 September 2023 by Shane

[Ryy]

We already knew this but still….

 

 

[Ryy]

Just now, Ryy said:

We already knew this but still….

 

 

Age is wrong tho he’s 19

[davieG]

https://www.lcfc.com/news/3703990/keep-at-it-says-petty?fbclid=IwAR2mYZWROCP31rHiG9_NHnu13lkLIOXHAWKvf22WbAMAQ-du73iiBEFwzFY&lang=en

 

Keep At It, Says Petty
LCFC MEN U21S

More hard work is the message from Ben Petty as Leicester City’s Development Squad look to turn their form around at Fulham this weekend.

- Leicester City’s Development Squad meet Fulham in Premier League 2 on Friday
- The young Foxes lost out to Middlesbrough earlier this week
- Coach Ben Petty has urged the team to stick together in the face of adversity
- There is no substitute for hard work, he says, as they try and recover from a loss of form

A tough spell has seen the young Foxes lose their last six matches across all competitions, most recently a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough on Monday. Amani Richards’ late goal proved to be a consolation at LCFC Training Ground.

Speaking following full-time in Seagrave, Petty reflected on the performance: “I think we started the game really well and just couldn't get our noses in front and then the effects of Wigan last Tuesday night really took effect. When they went a goal up, I thought you saw the confidence drain out the lads.

“We got them in at half-time and we wanted to be much more aggressive and then unfortunately we lose the own goal, which is a bit of a freak goal and we're up against it again.

 

 

“We talked about Wigan being clinical last week. I thought Middlesbrough were very clinical. Brad [Young] has probably only been called into action on three or four occasions and we've got three goals against us, which is very unfortunate. So, we're very, very disappointed.

“He (Richards) didn't have his best game tonight, but again he's on the scoresheet and he will have peaks and troughs, because it's his first year as a professional. But I thought young Bade [Aluko] did really well at right-back at 16 years old.”

That result leaves the Foxes 24th in the Premier League 2 standings prior to travelling to meet the Cottagers in a 7pm BST kick-off at Motspur Park on Friday evening. Building a spirit within the young squad is a priority during this difficult run, while also considering the end goal for players at this stage of their development.

City’s coach explained: “That’s where we're at the minute. We're finding it tough and it's about how the players get through this sticky period and stick together. We've got to keep the faith and keep trying to play the right way.

We are very much about togetherness and being united and these lads are working really, really hard but the results aren't showing that at this moment.

Ben Petty
“Obviously the lads are hurting. And they're not high on confidence at this moment in time. So it's up to myself and the rest of the staff to keep them uplifted and keep working them. And we are working really, really hard on the training ground, so it'll come good for us.

“We know that and we have to believe that we're doing the right thing. We see Kasey [McAteer] getting in the First Team and doing so well and we've got a lot of good young talent. It's just about getting them to play more as a team and gelling them together.

“We are very much about togetherness and being united and these lads are working really, really hard but the results aren't showing that at this moment in time. But we have to keep looking at Kasey, we have to keep looking at Hamza [Choudhury] and at Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and they had difficult times as well in the Under-21s.

“It may be a difficult season, but we have to keep trying to produce players for our First Team.”

 

One positive from Monday was the return of Ben Nelson following injury, with the centre-back starting against the Teesiders and coming through three quarters of the game. Having made his senior debut earlier this term, Petty hopes to see the youngster gain more opportunities.  

“It was just about good habits and getting himself fully match fit in case he is required, which I hope he is for the First Team,” the 46-year-old added. “He played through an illness, which goes to show you his attitude and, on another night, maybe it would have gone in his favour.

“But he wasn't feeling very well, he soldiered on and managed 75 minutes, which I'm really pleased about. But he's a great player, Ben, and we think a lot of him, so I'm sure he'll step up to the next level.”