Quote Originally Posted by J R Hartley View Post
Think youre being a little unfair, half of those clubs were when he was 18/19 going out on loan. Id much rather someone go out on loan playing mans football than playing academy football. We know only too well from our own acadamy weve had many prospects who played meaningless academy football for far too long instead of going out on meaningful loans and have just drifted out of the game.
Agree, and u23 football. Whenever I have watched it it looks like an exercise in showing how an individual has been coached to death, a bit like those shit courses you have to go on with work that are carried out in safe and forgiving environments without the obvious Panic factor of a real life situation. Maybe that's harsh, but it's noticeable when young players make the step up.

Thing is, and without sounding like an old Twat ( which I sort of am) there doesn't seem to be the urgency with young players coming through at the club, and I don't think it's their fault, it's got to be the way they're coached and nurtured. Look at the players we have produced pre academy. Gunter, Lesley, Earnshaw, Ginge, Ramsey, Mathews etc They all had their faults, but they all had that character to succeed, take control of situations, prepared to make mistakes. That type of attitude seems to have gone with this ultra level of coaching. Might be wrong as it's only anecdotal, although I'm only speaking about our club.