17 Feb 2020 17:21:28
People have been writing on here for a few years about our youth development system and how it's coming along great. We know that we aren't going to be financially stable as long as we keep bringing in other peoples high priced talent. Eg I like Kent and he will contribute, I don't like the price we paid though. I really don't like burning up money on the likes of Grezda, Alves and the two mexicans. My preference is Scottish players if they are good enough. I know its difficult to find home grown top class talent but neither are we a top class squad at the moment. And I find it hard to believe we couldn't develop players who couldn't contirbute more to the team than the four mentioned above. My point is when are we going to see some of these youths graduate into the first team either as squad players or eventually first team players. Some of which would know that it sometimes takes more than skill and finesse to win an SPL game. It would be nice to have a stable of players that other scottish teams would consider instead of having to pay them cash all the time.
17 Feb 2020 18:39:06
Just caught part of 2nd half of under 21s was really impressed with boy Dickson. There was a few that looked good but he stood out.
17 Feb 2020 19:06:25
blue, it seems we have the knack of recognising young talent but when they become of age, very few ever get a chance to shine. Why? I really don't know. Lots of youngsters play well enough in the academy then leave because they are being constantly overlooked, and wherever they go, most of them disappear into oblivion, personally I think that's because they are demoralised. We sometimes see the likes of Patterson get a game, they play well and again disappear into oblivion. In all honesty, if I were a youngster wanting to play professional football, Ibrox is the last place I would choose BECAUSE it's very unlikely that I would ever get the chance. Also, personally I think there should be a general rule at all pro clubs, that 3 of the subs MUST be under 21's or from an academy. That way they get a chance to play, AND they get a real taste of matchday. Don't forget the likes of Derek Johnstone got his chance at 16 AND he made it count.
17 Feb 2020 21:24:59
ritchie, please give it a rest with the DJ thing, 50 YEARS ago! I once coached in the Ibrox youth system (almost 30 years ago) and nobody left because they were 'demoralised' they were allowed to leave because they weren't good enough which was usually confirmed by the fact that they did vanish into oblivion. I watched this boy Patterson, who looks half decent, being ripped apart by an Atletico Madrid player the same age, so obviously he is nowhere near being a replacement for Tavernier - yet. Remember, our management team and coaches have been in place for just 20 months, so have had to improve our academy by bringing in a better class of youngster like NYC who has just turned 17. I believe that some players (Paterson, Kennedy etc) have come on a ton in the last 20 months and will eventually get close to the first team. There are, however, a lot more who will not, it's just the nature of the game.
Supporters read about these lads having a good game and latch on to a name then shout about getting them into the first team. It's just not that simple. Look at young Atakayi, looked good in the academy but was completely out of his depth when he was stepped up. Even Mebude, who we have high hopes for, is not ready yet.
Having watched our youth set-up from both inside and out for 30 years, I believe it is miles better and far more professional than it has ever been, but patience is required.
Only one in a thousand is a Barry Ferguson, maybe one in a hundred will turn out to be a Hutton. maybe one in 50 a Maurice Ross or a Stephen Hughes. That's the reality, not DJ from half a century ago in a different world, different game.
17 Feb 2020 21:45:37
Problem is our fans love to slaughter the home grown talent. Take a look through this forum, Scottish players always getting slaughtered yet other players get a pass for being an empty jersey because for some reason we think if they are foreign or from down south they must be better.
17 Feb 2020 22:00:57
The problem is we sign guys on 4 year deals then we upgrade or try and upgrade each transfer window and we're still left with the guy we're trying to replace so end up with guys who are in mid to late 20s and can't sell them on fast enough so they just become squad players, before we know it we've the Holts and Hallidays etc and we can't justify bringing in 17/ 18 from youth team when we've still got so many 'senior players' on our books.
If we did run squad right down we would have say 17/ 18 senior players backed up by our u21s.
Someone mentioned DJ reason guys like that got there chance was squad sizes weren't as big then.
I'd love to see us scrap the 3rd choicers that we have just now and use our youth set up to bolster our squad.
17 Feb 2020 22:30:58
Jzer, I think to an extent that will come about in a year or two. However, the squad would still need to be at least 20 strong and at the end of the day the most important thing will always be the first eleven. And you are, of course, correct about DJ, we had a regular squad of about 14 at that time including two goalies, so two players out and a kid was in.
18 Feb 2020 08:12:46
Good post Covenanter. Also replies good. The youth we had not good enough.
I read nyc scores a goal last year in alkass tourney loads on here say get him in first team fgs he was 16 and no where near ready.
I to was at athletico game last eeek Paterson got a lesson. Not ready yet.
18 Feb 2020 10:21:49
No wonder young players don’t get a chance have you seen the abuse players get in here? Also we are just getting young squads together during the Green era he got rid of most of our coaches any young player with a bit of talent was sold, we had to start from scratch again.
SH and his staff have now moved the youth teams into more competitive leagues playing across European leagues and against men’s teams in lower leagues so that will stand them in good stead but no club gets a whole team through its own youth system but we have a few now out on loan and at the academy who just might make it let’s hope so.
18 Feb 2020 14:44:46
Twacoos what young boys are getting abuse, please name.
Also what young players did we sell in green era. Mcleod springs to mind, to pay a bill but that was not green.