The Bluebirds Academy and DVP thread...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tom Davies has today joined Newport County on a permanent basis. ✍️<br><br>We&#39;d like to thank Tom for his hard work over the years and wish him the very best of luck for the future. ��<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CityAsOne?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CityA sOne</a></p>&mdash; Cardiff City Academy (@CF11Academy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CF11Academy/status/1880223548775469312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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Originally Posted by Michael Morris

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tom Davies has today joined Newport County on a permanent basis. ✍️<br><br>We'd like to thank Tom for his hard work over the years and wish him the very best of luck for the future. ��<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CityAsOne?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CityAsOne </a></p>— Cardiff City Academy (@CF11Academy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CF11Academy/status/1880223548775469312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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Surprised by that as he seemed to have moved in front of Luey Giles in the pecking order because he’d done well at Centre back in the under 21s - good signing for County.

Think we’re probably in a position where we’ll seriously consider any offer which can lead to a reduction in the wage bill.

Don’t forget the under 18s are in action tonight in the Youth Cup at Leckwith against the wurzels who are top of our league, kick off at 7.

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Originally Posted by Michael Morris

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tom Davies has today joined Newport County on a permanent basis. ✍️<br><br>We&#39;d like to thank Tom for his hard work over the years and wish him the very best of luck for the future. ��<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CityAsOne?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CityA sOne</a></p>&mdash; Cardiff City Academy (@CF11Academy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CF11Academy/status/1880223548775469312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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Probably a decent move for him.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Surprised by that as he seemed to have moved in front of Luey Giles in the pecking order because he’d done well at Centre back in the under 21s - good signing for County.

Think we’re probably in a position where we’ll seriously consider any offer which can lead to a reduction in the wage bill.

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A few years older than Giles isn't he?

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Originally Posted by City123

A few years older than Giles isn't he?

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Two or three I would have thought.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Surprised by that as he seemed to have moved in front of Luey Giles in the pecking order because he’d done well at Centre back in the under 21s - good signing for County.

Think we’re probably in a position where we’ll seriously consider any offer which can lead to a reduction in the wage bill.

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Surely Tom Davies' wage isn't going to make a big difference to the overall wage bill?

I just think he is too far down the pecking order with Bagan ahead of him and Giles probably overtaking him now as well.

Tonight’s team.

https://x.com/cf11academy/status/188...002115771?s=61

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Tonight’s team.

https://x.com/cf11academy/status/188...002115771?s=61

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YouTube link - I hope.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cARNpmMMrU0

Dan Ola makes it 1-0.

Wurzels equalise within two minutes.

1-1 half time. Good game with a real contrast in styles, the wurzels are big, set piece orientated and as direct a team as I’ve seen in age group football in years - City are the much better footballing side and have probably had more chances although the wurzels had the best opportunity when they hit the bar from a simple chance. City took the lead with a good finish from Ola after nice play from Perrett in midfield and the wurzels equalised almost straight away with a simple header from a beautifully delivered corner.

Poor defending from a corner and City go 2-1 down.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Two or three I would have thought.

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2 years 9 months. Tom is a good player, I'd have a wager that Newport will turn a profit on him. O'Dowda-Bagan-Giles is probably enough cover at left back for a Championship Club. I presume, also, that Jac Thomas will also get a pro contract. The move, probably, suits both parties.

Finished 2-1, Barton hit the crossbar with a great free kick in added time, but Bristol were the better team in the second half and deserved their win as an awful lot of City players suffered from cramp in the closing minutes.

Thought Troy Perrett was the best footballer on the pitch.

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Originally Posted by AdrianAlston

2 years 9 months. Tom is a good player, I'd have a wager that Newport will turn a profit on him. O'Dowda-Bagan-Giles is probably enough cover at left back for a Championship Club. I presume, also, that Jac Thomas will also get a pro contract. The move, probably, suits both parties.

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:thumbup:

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Finished 2-1, Barton hit the crossbar with a great free kick in added time, but Bristol were the better team in the second half and deserved their win as an awful lot of City players suffered from cramp in the closing minutes.

Thought Troy Perrett was the best footballer on the pitch.

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He's looking a real prospect, yes.

Shame that. We let ourselves get bullied out of it in the second half. Couldn't stand up to their attacks, panicked when they pressed us and couldn't string any passes together. It was men against boys (if that's possible in an under-18 game) and people by me were getting up and going with 10-15 minutes to go, the ref would've stopped it if it was boxing.

Then, out of nowhere, we got back into it. Jac Thomas nailed a shot and the keeper made a great save, Ola (who was a handful and worked hard) had one deflected just wide and then Barton's free kick. It showed what we were capable of. Barton was a bit wasteful at times but they were struggling to cope with him, shame we didn't have Kpakio (or Jake Davies) up the other flank to really stretch them.

The better team won but still positives to take out of it, we've got some good youngsters coming through.

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Originally Posted by Loramski

He's looking a real prospect, yes.

Shame that. We let ourselves get bullied out of it in the second half. Couldn't stand up to their attacks, panicked when they pressed us and couldn't string any passes together. It was men against boys (if that's possible in an under-18 game) and people by me were getting up and going with 10-15 minutes to go, the ref would've stopped it if it was boxing.

Then, out of nowhere, we got back into it. Jac Thomas nailed a shot and the keeper made a great save, Ola (who was a handful and worked hard) had one deflected just wide and then Barton's free kick. It showed what we were capable of. Barton was a bit wasteful at times but they were struggling to cope with him, shame we didn't have Kpakio (or Jake Davies) up the other flank to really stretch them.

The better team won but still positives to take out of it, we've got some good youngsters coming through.

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I used the word "footballer", rather than player about Perrett because I thought Bristol were more like athletes with their height and strength advantages all over the pitch. Was it a deliberate policy to play in such a way I wonder or is it just that their current group happen to be big and powerful and so they've adjusted their style accordingly I wonder?

Must admit, I was a little disappointed in some of the younger players I'd not seen a great deal of before - to me, we were over reliant on Perrett, Barton and Mafico (i.e. the players with a fair bit of under 21 experience). That said, I thought the keeper and the centrebacks stood up to the aerial barrage pretty well and, as you say, Ola was a handful. Interested to see Tankiewicz come on as the first sub and do quite well - he struck me as a clever player when I watched him playing for Wales under 16s in the Victory Shield.

I mentioned the number of City players that suffered with cramp in the closing stages, I've not seen that before on the Leckwith pitch and I suppose it might have been a reflection on what a physical challenge it was for them to be playing a team like that.

Tan Nyakuhwa linked with Anderlecht

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Originally Posted by City123

Tan Nyakuhwa linked with Anderlecht

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Odd one this, he's had a quiet season and hasn't been a regular starter for the under-21s.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

I used the word "footballer", rather than player about Perrett because I thought Bristol were more like athletes with their height and strength advantages all over the pitch. Was it a deliberate policy to play in such a way I wonder or is it just that their current group happen to be big and powerful and so they've adjusted their style accordingly I wonder?

Must admit, I was a little disappointed in some of the younger players I'd not seen a great deal of before - to me, we were over reliant on Perrett, Barton and Mafico (i.e. the players with a fair bit of under 21 experience). That said, I thought the keeper and the centrebacks stood up to the aerial barrage pretty well and, as you say, Ola was a handful. Interested to see Tankiewicz come on as the first sub and do quite well - he struck me as a clever player when I watched him playing for Wales under 16s in the Victory Shield.

I mentioned the number of City players that suffered with cramp in the closing stages, I've not seen that before on the Leckwith pitch and I suppose it might have been a reflection on what a physical challenge it was for them to be playing a team like that.

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Highlights here. I've still no idea how the Bristol City number 7 misses the open goal in the first half. Their number 11, Luke Skinner, just signed a three year professional contract. He gave us a lot of problems.

https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/vide...e-5c589cd26f12

I was hoping for a coach/captain interview after, I'd have been interested to hear what conclusions were drawn. As you say, there were some disappointing performances and a few didn't seem to fancy the physical side of it or trust their technique under pressure.

Saying that, the three 'senior' lads you talked of pretty much ticked every box on the night, which is encouraging going forward, Ola seems to have something and while Jac Thomas didn't have his best game he led from the front and never gave up. Ola and Thomas suffered most from cramp but they never hid, Thomas went through the pain barrier to win that free kick at the end.

I'm not trying to sugarcoat a disappointing performance overall but there's enough going on at u-21 and u-18 level currently to give hope that our youngsters will carry on breaking into the first team in the years to come.

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Originally Posted by Loramski

Highlights here. I've still no idea how the Bristol City number 7 misses the open goal in the first half. Their number 11, Luke Skinner, just signed a three year professional contract. He gave us a lot of problems.

https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/vide...e-5c589cd26f12

I was hoping for a coach/captain interview after, I'd have been interested to hear what conclusions were drawn. As you say, there were some disappointing performances and a few didn't seem to fancy the physical side of it or trust their technique under pressure.

Saying that, the three 'senior' lads you talked of pretty much ticked every box on the night, which is encouraging going forward, Ola seems to have something and while Jac Thomas didn't have his best game he led from the front and never gave up. Ola and Thomas suffered most from cramp but they never hid, Thomas went through the pain barrier to win that free kick at the end.

I'm not trying to sugarcoat a disappointing performance overall but there's enough going on at u-21 and u-18 level currently to give hope that our youngsters will carry on breaking into the first team in the years to come.

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There were threads on Twitter about how Dan Ola should be picked in the first team squad for the Sheffield United cup tie and I responded by saying that, as far as I’m aware, he had not even played for the our under 21s yet. Having watched our team in the Youth Cup games though, I’m surprised at his lack of game time with the unde21s as he looks ready for consideration at that level now.

Great credit to Jac Thomas for the Way he battled through his cramp and indirectly almost got us level after ninety minutes, but I don’t get the feeling with him yet that I had when watching Giles and Beecher (who seems to have been set back by his injury last season) at his age that they could be first team regulars one day.

U21s away at Charlton at 1pm today. It's due to be streamed on Charlton TV, but looks like you need a subscription.

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Originally Posted by Undercoverinwurzelland

U21s away at Charlton at 1pm today. It's due to be streamed on Charlton TV, but looks like you need a subscription.

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Conte back at left back.

https://x.com/cf11academy/status/188...738924177?s=61

3-1 down at half time, Morgan Wigley the scorer.

6 - 1 loss. Painful!