I see Craig Bellamy's Under 18's have scored 17 goals in their last three games against Sheff Utd, Watford and Huddersfield. This is a great return at this level. Hopefully some of these players will filter through the Cardiff system.
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I see Craig Bellamy's Under 18's have scored 17 goals in their last three games against Sheff Utd, Watford and Huddersfield. This is a great return at this level. Hopefully some of these players will filter through the Cardiff system.
I think we'll soon find out. If we could get one or two on the bench next season that would be great. Perhaps loaning out a couple would be more realistic.
I'm waiting to see this near 16 year old boy at Celtic.
He's supposed to be the real thing.
He's already played for the under 20's at 14/15
https://youtu.be/cEDhG4x4gOY
Hopefully Craig Bellamy will filter through the Cardiff system and become our next manager :ayatollah:Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluebelief
Does he play for us?Quote:
Originally Posted by Louth
Craig Bellamy is a very good coach and seems to coach his sides in how to play football, which you can see through the U18's play. Sion Spence has scored 6 in the last three games, which is a total of 28 for the season from midfield. Isaak Davies has scored 5 in the last three games as a striker. A good return from both.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wales-Bales
That's a fantastic return for any midfielder! Surely, even at this young age, this boy has a good career ahead of him? :ayatollah:Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluebelief
Any more recent insight from Loramski or TOBW?
But what waits for these Under 18 players when they get too old to play for that team? I went along to Leckwith yesterday afternoon to watch the Under 23s play against Colchester and gave up watching after an hour - I asked myself was the reason I left early because I had things to do with my house move (which I did) or whether it was because I had no desire to watch any more of what was on offer and decided it was the latter - I would have stayed if there was anything worth watching.
As for the game, Colchester won 1-0 with a goal stabbed in from about eight yards when City failed to clear a corner and,in the first half at least, were comfortably better than the usual mixture of trialists and young professionals unfortunate enough to have been selected for us.
I missed the first few minutes, so maybe City did all of their dangerous attacking then, but the only goal attempt I can remember from them in the opening forty five minutes was a shot by James Waite which ballooned miles over the bar.
Waite was in the starting line up, as were the Wales Under 21 internationals Mark Harris and full backs Coxe and Abbruzzese. Harris played in his normal position up front, but the other two had to be moved to accommodate trialists (one of whom was called Josh Whittingham!) and so Coxe was on the right wing and Abbruzzese in the pointless sitting midfield role that he had been used in once earlier in the season - a little under a year ago, these three (especially Coxe) were doing well for Wales in the prestigious end of season Toulon tournament, now, like Waite, Harris and a few others, they are coming to the end of a campaign which I would argue has seen their career progress stagnate or even decline.
For me, this is because the never ending stream of trialists has meant there is no sense of continuity in the team they play for and the young City lads are forever performing in a side where around half of their team mates are new faces - add in the adoption of a hit and hope long ball policy and watching Under 23 matches has had little to recommend it this season.
The glorified trial that has been the Development team's season hasn't been a complete failure. After all, it brought about the signing of Ciaron Brown and the McKay twins (Paul the centreback was doing well until he sustained what looked a bad injury about a month ago), but I noticed that Brown's level of performance was well down on what he was doing three months ago - it looked to me as if he has had been dragged down to the Development team level after looking like someone who could possibly play first team football in the first few matches after he signed for us.
Judging by the way things have gone in 17/18, the likes of Brown, Harris, Coxe etc and the better players in the Under 18 team will be hoping they get loaned out next season.
Thanks for the report, as always insightful and informative. It seems to be a trend for some clubs to just sign up young players simply to bulk up their U23s which is a shame for their development as well as younger lads within each respective academy to potentially make the step up.
Shouldn't Spence have moved up to U23 level by now? What's keeping him with the U18s? Perhaps they've cut their losses with this season and have plans for some shakeup next season?
I spent much of the first half of the season saying Spence should be playing Under 23 football by now, but, on further reflection, I think he was better off staying where he was - I also believe Craig Bellamy was in favour of keeping the Under 18 team together for the whole of the season.
I totally agree. The U18 players have developed under the guidance of Craig Bellamy. Hopefully he will move up to the U23's and promote some of these players. The U18's have beaten every team in their league at least once and have out played most of these sides. They have also reached the U19 Welsh cup final where they will play Swansea at the Liberty stadium on Tuesday 1/05/18. This will be a good indication of the quality of our players as they will be playing against a premier league academy.Quote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
Can a case be made that this season the club are using the DVP as a proving ground for trialists this season whilst they wait for the Under 18s to move up to the DVP side next season?Quote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
Dunno, I doubt it, but I hope you're right.Quote:
Originally Posted by City123
I'd say there can. Given they got rid of a load on players in one shot, it seems clear to me that this season has been a case of bringing triallists in to stock the DVP side, see what's out there that could be better than what's coming through. Give Bellamy the full season, see how that goals. If players are really developing under Bellamy, it makes more sense to keep them at u18 level as long as possible to maximise the development. Once that happens, then push them into DVP.Quote:
Originally Posted by City123
The hype will catch up and he’ll tail off.Quote:
Originally Posted by Louth
case study - Martin Odegaard.
Another win for the U18's today; 3-1 away at Crewe. Sion Spence scored one and assisted Isaak Daves with his 2 goals. 29 for the season for Spence and one for Wales U19's. That's four wins on the bounce. Great result.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluebelief