The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

[jon1959]

Under 23s at home tonight - it will be interesting to see what the team looks like, could be a bunch of Academy kids or could be like recent home matches where half the team have been senior squad members.

http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/...h-3517123.aspx

A few weeks ago Warnock was quoted saying that Rhys Heeley and a few others would be given practice matches in early January so they could be assessed by the management team to decide if they stay or go out on loan (again). Apart from Heeley there are a lot of other 'senior' players who haven't kicked a ball in anger for a while, or are feeding on scraps. The u23 game might be an opportunity to give some of them a run out along with Academy players? If not I expect something else to be arranged for the likes of Heeley, Kennedy, John, O'Keefe, Guonongbe, Ajayi...

Have any more of the loan players come back this month? Deji Oshilaja?

(In their coverage of Tom James' move to Yeovil Wales Online are saying that Tommy O'Sullivan has also got a club - has anyone seen reports that his trial with Colchester has been made permanent?)

[jon1959]

And Theo Wharton on trial with Russell Slade at Coventry.

https://coventryobserver.co.uk/sport...samba-diakite/

[Pedro de la Rosa]

And Theo Wharton on trial with Russell Slade at Coventry.

https://coventryobserver.co.uk/sport...samba-diakite/

I think anyone over 21 and not involved in the first team set up is going to get moved on. We might make a mistake and miss someone but I think it's the right thing to do for the players, as they're not going to kick on here. Hopefully it allows people like Mark Harris to get more game time and more chances. Slade taking a chance on Wharton is quite funny given his reluctance to play any of the youngsters during his tenure!

[surge]

I think anyone over 21 and not involved in the first team set up is going to get moved on. We might make a mistake and miss someone but I think it's the right thing to do for the players, as they're not going to kick on here. Hopefully it allows people like Mark Harris to get more game time and more chances. Slade taking a chance on Wharton is quite funny given his reluctance to play any of the youngsters during his tenure!

Prioritising a 22 year old academy player from a higher division over a potentially equally talented and younger player from within seems exactly like a Slade move. Tapping into his experience to find a player who is likely to be useful addition is where it all falls down.

I wonder how many players from our youth set-up look somewhat enviously at Tom Lockyer? He was released from the academy much sooner than those who have been waiting for an opportunity and has now played 156 games of senior football. Bristol Rovers aren't a million miles away from a play-off place either.