I see Sion Spence is back in the goals

[Lawnmower]

Appeared to be injured for a few weeks, but has come back recently and got 2 more again today vs Watford

How long until he starts playing for the under 23s ?

Seems to regularly produce assists and goals, many of them real quality.

[Father Dougal]

Appeared to be injured for a few weeks, but has come back recently and got 2 more again today vs Watford

How long until he starts playing for the under 23s ?

Seems to regularly produce assists and goals, many of them real quality.

Under 23s? Really?

Is there even any point in that team? How have we benfitted from it? For me if hes good enough lets use him pretty soon- if not then go and play first team somewhere else- even if on loan.

[the other bob wilson]

Appeared to be injured for a few weeks, but has come back recently and got 2 more again today vs Watford

How long until he starts playing for the under 23s ?

Seems to regularly produce assists and goals, many of them real quality.

He was playing some Under 23 football two seasons ago Tim, but he's not done so since then. It seems that Craig Bellamy prefers the Academy players to stick to Under 18 football until they're too old to play at that level - last season the Under 18 players who got game time for the Development team tended to be ones who were not first choices for the Academy side.

[Father Dougal]

He was playing some Under 23 football two seasons ago Tim, but he's not done so since then. It seems that Craig Bellamy prefers the Academy players to stick to Under 18 football until they're too old to play at that level - last season the Under 18 players who got game time for the Development team tended to be ones who were not first choices for the Academy side.

I agree with that actually. Be interesting to see if it works.

As an aside- whats Bellamy like on the touchline bob?

[Lawnmower]

I agree with that actually. Be interesting to see if it works.

As an aside- whats Bellamy like on the touchline bob?

So, what’s the step up from the youth ?
Straight into the first team ?

Wasn’t under 23 set up to develop lads like this ?
These days it just seems to be somewhere for trialists to be looked at or 2st framers coming back from injury or not likely to ever get a game.

Wouldn’t it be better to use the likes of Spence and Griffiths to see if they can cope with playing against grown men ?

[Lawnmower]

He was playing some Under 23 football two seasons ago Tim, but he's not done so since then. It seems that Craig Bellamy prefers the Academy players to stick to Under 18 football until they're too old to play at that level - last season the Under 18 players who got game time for the Development team tended to be ones who were not first choices for the Academy side.

Yeah I vaguely remember that, he must only have been 15 or 16 then

[Father Dougal]

So, what’s the step up from the youth ?
Straight into the first team ?

Wasn’t under 23 set up to develop lads like this ?
These days it just seems to be somewhere for trialists to be looked at or 2st framers coming back from injury or not likely to ever get a game.

Wouldn’t it be better to use the likes of Spence and Griffiths to see if they can cope with playing against grown men ?

Yes the last paragraph is correct. Step up from youth football is first team football. Not more youth football with the addition of often disinterested men in the under 23 set up.

Doesn't matter so much where the first team football is but has to be first team adult football.

Under 23s were set up for the right reasons but i just dont think its worked. Its just being used as a comfort blanket for players and clubs alike. Move up or move out.

[jamieccfc]

Yes the last paragraph is correct. Step up from youth football is first team football. Not more youth football with the addition of often disinterested men in the under 23 set up.

Doesn't matter so much where the first team football is but has to be first team adult football.

Under 23s were set up for the right reasons but i just dont think its worked. Its just being used as a comfort blanket for players and clubs alike. Move up or move out.

Agree with this, this is why I thought today would be the perfect chance for these youngsters to have a go

[the other bob wilson]

I agree with that actually. Be interesting to see if it works.

As an aside- whats Bellamy like on the touchline bob?

You can hear him shouting at players sometimes, but from what I've heard, I'd say it's more encouragment or reminders than anything else - it's pretty obvious he gets frustrated with players sometimes, but I've not seen anything from him which I would call bullying behaviour.

[the other bob wilson]

So, what’s the step up from the youth ?
Straight into the first team ?

Wasn’t under 23 set up to develop lads like this ?
These days it just seems to be somewhere for trialists to be looked at or 2st framers coming back from injury or not likely to ever get a game.

Wouldn’t it be better to use the likes of Spence and Griffiths to see if they can cope with playing against grown men ?

Increasingly I hear it said that the Academy system is failing and there are clubs now who have closed their's down because they didn't they justified the expense, but I'd be more inclined to knock Under 23 football on the head if it was my choice to make - maybe it has it's uses at other clubs, but I don't see many of them at Cardiff and haven't done for the last couple of seasons.

[Lawnmower]

Increasingly I hear it said that the Academy system is failing and there are clubs now who have closed their's down because they didn't they justified the expense, but I'd be more inclined to knock Under 23 football on the head if it was my choice to make - maybe it has it's uses at other clubs, but I don't see many of them at Cardiff and haven't done for the last couple of seasons.

I think we’ve had this discussion before. I’d prefer the old style football combination style reserve football.
You’d have experienced old heads mixed in with up and coming youngsters in a league which seemed to mean something.

Someone performing well for the reserves would have a great chance of breaking into the first team.

U23 games seem to have little or no credibility these days for us at least

[Lawnmower]

Agree with this, this is why I thought today would be the perfect chance for these youngsters to have a go

There are 3 slightly older ones with the squad- Waite, Coxe and Humphries, but it all seems too little too late. Players need testing at 16 and 17, not 20 and 21.

Also think we should have a LOT more out on loan - these 3 are an example. Get them playing L1,L2, Conference football and see how they cope at 18,19,20 . Then either get them in the squad or sell them on.
Surely you can see if a player can make it by the time they are 20 if they’ve had 2 seasons out on loan.


It’s worked well for Swansea with McBurnie and Roberts

[splott parker]

Under 23s is crackers, even at international level it went down to under 21 some years ago. If you haven’t cracked it at your current club by, perhaps, 18, 19 or 20 you’re at the wrong club.

[the other bob wilson]

Under 23s is crackers, even at international level it went down to under 21 some years ago. If you haven’t cracked it at your current club by, perhaps, 18, 19 or 20 you’re at the wrong club.

It was Under 21 when the current format was introduced in the season we first got promoted to the Premier League I believe it was - it was raised to Under 23 about three years, it made no sense to me at the time and still doesn't now.

[Lawnmower]

Coxe and Humphries on the bench today

[Lawnmower]

Just a thought.
Maybe teams should be forced to play ‘x’ number of academy players in say league cup games ?

[Father Dougal]

Just a thought.
Maybe teams should be forced to play ‘x’ number of academy players in say league cup games ?

Would be interesting. However a team is more likely to get fined for doing so currently!

[City123]

I agree with that actually. Be interesting to see if it works.

As an aside- whats Bellamy like on the touchline bob?

Here's a recent picture of Bellamy on the touchline

Owain-Glyndwr.jpg

[Bruce Foxton]

Increasingly I hear it said that the Academy system is failing and there are clubs now who have closed their's down because they didn't they justified the expense, but I'd be more inclined to knock Under 23 football on the head if it was my choice to make - maybe it has it's uses at other clubs, but I don't see many of them at Cardiff and haven't done for the last couple of seasons.

There might be something in the idea floated a few years ago about ‘B’ teams playing in the lower divisions,like in Spain.
Paul I pm’d you a couple of weeks ago

[the other bob wilson]

There might be something in the idea floated a few years ago about ‘B’ teams playing in the lower divisions,like in Spain.
Paul I pm’d you a couple of weeks ago

Apologies for not replying Bruce - I sent you something yesterday.

[Bruce Foxton]

Thanks mate,was it a PM.Cant seem to see it��

[the other bob wilson]

Thanks mate,was it a PM.Cant seem to see it��

I definitely sent a PM on Sunday, I could have sworn I replied to your original message as well because I definitely read it and this makes me think I did do, but there's nothing in my sent messages to say they went out.