Sion Spence signs for.............................

[the other bob wilson]

Jarrod Bowen was talking in the Daily Mail I think it was about how he cried when City turned him down after a trial. You look at someone like Tom Lockyer who has been signed by another Championship team and has never let Wales down when selected - are we supposed to believe that he is nowhere near good enough for us today? Would he have developed quicker if he stayed and been given a chance at an early age?

[Ianto13]

Jarrod Bowen was talking in the Daily Mail I think it was about how he cried when City turned him down after a trial. You look at someone like Tom Lockyer who has been signed by another Championship team and has never let Wales down when selected - are we supposed to believe that he is nowhere near good enough for us today? Would he have developed quicker if he stayed and been given a chance at an early age?

Josh Magennis is a ex Academy player who now plays for Northern Ireland!

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Josh Magennis is a ex Academy player who now plays for Northern Ireland!

That's one we got right

Fair play to Ardley for turning him into a striker though! Made a good career for himself.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Jarrod Bowen was talking in the Daily Mail I think it was about how he cried when City turned him down after a trial. You look at someone like Tom Lockyer who has been signed by another Championship team and has never let Wales down when selected - are we supposed to believe that he is nowhere near good enough for us today? Would he have developed quicker if he stayed and been given a chance at an early age?

Bowen had trials all over, there will be lots of stories like this. It must be tough to judge someone over a week or so, especially when they'll probably have to let someone else go to make room permanently. Bowen really only made an impact at Hull when was 21+, quite a late bloomer! Tom Lockyer has done terrifically well to come from the conference to the Wales side but it's been a long road back for him, 328 games! He needed that and he wouldn't have got that time here, we've been promoted twice since then, it's our fault for not kicking on. Sheffield Wednesday shouldn't beat themselves up for Vardy going at 16 and we should be looking to give our long lads chances but there will always be players that make you look stupid.

[Tuerto]

Bowen had trials all over, there will be lots of stories like this. It must be tough to judge someone over a week or so, especially when they'll probably have to let someone else go to make room permanently. Bowen really only made an impact at Hull when was 21+, quite a late bloomer! Tom Lockyer has done terrifically well to come from the conference to the Wales side but it's been a long road back for him, 328 games! He needed that and he wouldn't have got that time here, we've been promoted twice since then, it's our fault for not kicking on. Sheffield Wednesday shouldn't beat themselves up for Vardy going at 16 and we should be looking to give our long lads chances but there will always be players that make you look stupid.

Good post, balanced. I think that it's obvious that our youth programme has been failing for years and i'd say that one of the biggest problems associated with that is the last three managers. I'll give Malky a pass on this subject as he was getting us promoted to the Premier league and we don't know what his intentions may have been if we'd been relegated under him, although he did give Declan john a pop at it.

The other problem is the way we play. Young developing players are never going to be coached in a way that complimented our style of play under Slade or Warnock, that's the clubs fault, not the respective managers, so how can those managers be expected to trust young players who have been drilled to play the 'right' way?

A severe lack of continuity, short termism by our owner and his stooges have inadvertently cost us players who may have developed, although i do get your point that it isn't completely one way, it is difficult to make a judgement on players, even more so with modern coaching as there doesn't seem to be that many flaws in these young players game. On the flip side, there doesn't seem to be a great deal of assertiveness or of the cuff ability either.

Harris seems to be acknowledging youth andi think that he may be brave enough to give them a chance.

[DubaiDai]

Good post, balanced. I think that it's obvious that our youth programme has been failing for years and i'd say that one of the biggest problems associated with that is the last three managers. I'll give Malky a pass on this subject as he was getting us promoted to the Premier league and we don't know what his intentions may have been if we'd been relegated under him, although he did give Declan john a pop at it.

The other problem is the way we play. Young developing players are never going to be coached in a way that complimented our style of play under Slade or Warnock, that's the clubs fault, not the respective managers, so how can those managers be expected to trust young players who have been drilled to play the 'right' way?

A severe lack of continuity, short termism by our owner and his stooges have inadvertently cost us players who may have developed, although i do get your point that it isn't completely one way, it is difficult to make a judgement on players, even more so with modern coaching as there doesn't seem to be that many flaws in these young players game. On the flip side, there doesn't seem to be a great deal of assertiveness or of the cuff ability either.

Harris seems to be acknowledging youth andi think that he may be brave enough to give them a chance.

I seem to remember an article written by Craig Bellamy stating this to be a problem within the club.
The players we sign and the style we play (extremely direct) was always at odds with the way the youngsters were coached (possession). Given that obvious disparity you have to lay the blame at the owners door (or Choo).
Maybe that is a big reason why we struggle to bring players through