I heard last night that only 2 of the U18's in their 2nd year were given Pro contracts, the left back & captain, the rest have been told they can leave including Ben Godfrey who's been doing great in the reserves.
Real shame for these kids, best of luck for the future.
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So who's staying? Is the Left Back Jack Clark? Who is the Captain?
Fact of life though with the youngsters - not many get pro contracts year on year.
Sad fact of life is that we cannot afford to have the ones that would be a gamble stay unless we could guarantee they would all go out on loan so a third party would pick up some of the burden. It gives those we are unsure about a better chance
They'll be generally a lot more young players let go this year, especially from desperate cash strapped clubs
Young players mature at different times, so it'll be a shame if the late developers don't get a chance.
But if they are committed, determined and get the necessary 'lucky' break - then they've still got a chance of coming through.
It may depend on just how much they want it.
Its really sad for them as at 18 suddenly the world that they always dreamed about comes shattering down and instead of dreaming of Real Madrid they are dreaming of Scunthorpe at best. For most of us its our forties when we re adjust our sights.
Link
I have every confidence in Steve Gritt's judgement.
Let's be honest given our poor form, both first team and reserves, any half decent youngster has had every opportunity to break through this season.
Mambo is a first year Scholar DOB 22.10.91 so just turned 17 in October.
The second year scholars, according to the yearbook, are
Callum Christie
Harry Lee
Jack Clark
Steve Lorenzo-Calderon
Taylor Sinfield
Ben Godfrey
Sam Long
Callum O'shea
Alex Stavrinou
Not clear who the captain is but Clark is a left sided defender from Sidcup.
Jack Clark = Left Back
Wasn't one of the keepers playing for Arsenal in a few games recently?
Clark I've been very impressed with. I believe he is genuinely two-footed and looks very composed.
but we have two very young keepers at the club who hopefully will be with us for a while yet
Godfrey - Didn't look anything special in a couple of games I saw him in, but not particularly bad either. What's his goalscoring record for the reserves? I don't think it's good and that's probably why they're letting him go.
Christie - Remember they've seen Randolph and Elliot come through, must have a fair idea how good he is compared to them at his age. Not big for a keeper which doesn't help him.
Lozano-Calderon - another typical quick and skilful winger, what I've seen it's probably because there's not quite enough about the rest of his game.
Sam Long - another who isn't bad but nothing special either. Could end up in non-league and work his way up like Barry Fuller.
Sinfield - Is a year older than Mambo and Jenkinson but they are ahead of him at centre back.
O'Shea is getting work experience with Cray Wanderers, in the Isthmian Division One league. From what I've read he's only been on the bench for them.
Harry Lee is getting some games to help out Arsenal as their keepers are injured. If they don't think Christie is good enough to get a pro contract, they probably don't rate Lee either.
By this time in their careers at 17/18 they've got to be pushing into the reserve team. Solly is also in their year but he went pro at 17 like Arter & Wright did and (hopefully) Shelvey will.
And that Glenn Hoddle link - Rhys Coleman (who we released at the end of last season) has gone there. Will be interesting to see if they help him and he proves the club wrong.
[i]Seventeen-year-old defender Jack Clark - who was last month named in Charlton's first-team squad - and 18-year-old midfielder Alexander Stavrinou will both be offered professional contracts with the Addicks, the club announced on Tuesday.
The duo are among eight members of the club's academy ranks who have recently been told their futures by Steve Gritt.
Second-year scholars Callum Christie, Ben Godfrey, Sam Long, Steve Lozano-Calderon, Callum O'Shea and Taylor Sinfield will all be released at the end of the season. But the coaches have yet to make a decision on goalkeeper Harry Lee.[/i]
Good luck to then all
full story http://www.cafc.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=33803
I can't rememember. Probably someone on here knows..... ?
yes, and a squad number
He loved the club but loves Chelsea more...
Just remember how much football is all about opinions. I thought Fuller and Cottrell would do great, Fuller is Gillinghams captain, Cottrell spent a season in the reserves at Millwall and is now doing bugger pro-football wise.
Yeah, look where the 'superior knowledge' of our coaches have got us. They are as fallible, unconsciously biased, and guessing in the dark, as the rest of humanity. Hence the balls-ups that we see in virtually every field of human endeavour. The famous phrase from Hollywood applies widely - "Nobody knows anything". If Stavrinou makes it, I will eat a CAFC burger (much more difficult to digest than my hat).
10% luck
80% hard word
As (a easy) example Robbie Savage, talented player, but more than prepared to go the extra mile and work his cods off to get where he wanted to go in the game.
Fuller has done well to work his way back up, like Turner, Campbell-Ryce and Shittu did, although at a lower level. He probably wasn't good enough at the time but after a few years experience he's now a decent League Two player.
Cottrell is one of the ones who's slowly dropped down and found his level.
If you go back through our youth squad looking on the OS, most of them aren't in football, or at least not at a level where you can find out about them.
The club haven't made many mistakes (Danny Haynes was one, and they let him go as a schoolboy) and I don't think they have here. Sam Long is the only one I can see possibly proving us wrong, but there's still a clear difference in ability between him and another full back in Solly.
Don't agree with that. Yes effort and having a good attitude plays a big part, but if that was true, every club would bring in the most hard working, determined youngsters they could and they'd all make it as professionals. A lot of young players can work hard but end up in non-league football.
The talented players make it with those ratios
Personally I think Cottrell shit out because at the time when he was knocking on the door we had the England right back and a few other international footballers who would drop in. If he and Fuller and Campbell-ryce had been where they were then when we are where we are now then they would be more than involved. However football is about opinions and a lot of ifs and buts