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Are any of our youngsters good enough to step up?

Via countless Valley Gold promotions and other fanfares, the club is often congratulating itself on its 'successful youth policy', and indeed we've had a few top-level products in the last 2-3 years. But that followed a few lean years (Sam, Basey, Campbell-Ryce - OK they've made a living, but they're not really Parker or Shelvey, let's face it).

So with our current crop, how good are they really? If any of them are that good, shouldn't they be pushing for a place on the bench at least in league games, or attracting some rave reviews out on loan.

I'm not able to get to youth/u-21 games. Anyone here closer to events able to say whether there's anyone with genuine Championship/Prem potential there?
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    There's several threads about them. The U18's are a hugely promsing lot. Search Scoham's threads as he knows many of them very well.

    A couple of names I have heard that are highly likely to do well in the game are

    Joe Gomes - young, v strong ball playing centre back. Massive amount of potential from what I hear
    Diego Poyet - Seems highly rated though I've personally never seen him excel in the few games I have seen with him. England youth so clearly talented though
    Harry Osborne - 2 years ago I thought he was the dogs danglies but a broken leg last season may have hindered him. Really liked what I saw of him.
    Joe Pigott - Old school centre forward. For his age looked very good with his back to goal. Shearer style physicality but obviously a lot to learn.
    Tobi Sho Silva - Lightning fast. Eye for goal
    Ade Azeez - Runs like Michael Johnson (upright) very fast. Doesn't look to have the skills and tricks but blisteringly quick and very strong. Big bugger too
    Callum Harriot - A coach told me he had unbelievable potential but needs an attitude adjustment. Could be amazing or could be the next Leon Knight
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    I guess i'm trying to figure out whether any of these are the real deal...Harriott, for example, doesn't seem to have pushed on. Of course it's too early to tell with the younger lads

    I wonder also, whether we struggle (or, to be fair, struggled in the past) more at U-21 level, i.e. we fail to convert promising 16-17 y/olds into 19/20 y/o squad players. The subsequent re-purchase of Haynes, Green and Wilson suggest that - let's hope we do a better job with the current lot
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    The subsequent re-purchase of Haynes, Green and Wilson suggest that - let's hope we do a better job with the current lot

    I think this only really shows that we're playing at a lower level than we were when we released them.
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    tricky said:

    The subsequent re-purchase of Haynes, Green and Wilson suggest that - let's hope we do a better job with the current lot

    I think this only really shows that we're playing at a lower level than we were when we released them.
    Possibly, though if we felt they were good enough for the Championship when we let them go, they would have least come close to the 1st team (when with us) & maybe even got us a sell-on fee - as with Michael Turner.
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    Cousins, Mambo and Bover are all well worth a mention. We really should start seeing them soon if they are going to do anything with us.
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    Can't see it happening for Bover unfortunately. He's 21 this year and that's pretty late for a midfielder to try and break into the first team at this level.

    Ade Azeez seems to be the one that is going to get the push.
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    Olly said:

    Cousins, Mambo and Bover are all well worth a mention. We really should start seeing them soon if they are going to do anything with us.

    I agree that Cousins & Mambo could come in and hold their own. From what I've seen of them. Also I think Sho-Silva could have a cameo or two and it would'nt hurt.

    Bover- deadwood.

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    edited January 2013

    I guess i'm trying to figure out whether any of these are the real deal...Harriott, for example, doesn't seem to have pushed on. Of course it's too early to tell with the younger lads

    I wonder also, whether we struggle (or, to be fair, struggled in the past) more at U-21 level, i.e. we fail to convert promising 16-17 y/olds into 19/20 y/o squad players. The subsequent re-purchase of Haynes, Green and Wilson suggest that - let's hope we do a better job with the current lot

    I think we were still in the Prem (just about) when the decisions regarding Haynes, Green and Wilson would have been made and thus regularly buying in supposedly better players.

    More a case of surplus bodies than academy failings in my view.

    I think both Haynes and Green have subsequently admitted that their attitude was not always the best when at Charlton the first time too which could also have been a factor.
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    Jarman said:

    Olly said:

    Cousins, Mambo and Bover are all well worth a mention. We really should start seeing them soon if they are going to do anything with us.

    I agree that Cousins & Mambo could come in and hold their own. From what I've seen of them. Also I think Sho-Silva could have a cameo or two and it would'nt hurt.

    Bover- deadwood.

    Deadwood? really? What have you seen or heard?
    I liked the little i have seen from him, but i must admit I thought he would have seen the bench a bit more by now if he was the real deal!
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    Jordan Cousins, Diego Poyet, Callum Harriott and Ade Azeez as mentioned, also Morgan Fox at LB and possibly Bradley Jordan as another Pritchard-type.
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    You have failed to mention Jenkinson in your openning post, he deserves a mention :)

    Who knows but Azeez sounds like the most promising at the mo, im suprised Cousins hasnt stepped up yet although with Solly there its hard to see where he would fit. But maybe he can play CB or CM, cant see anyone else breaking in this season other then Azeez
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    Morgan Fox is another to mention. Been on the bench a couple of times this season, admittedly to cover our left back woes, but liked what I saw of him against Man U last season for U18s
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    You have failed to mention Jenkinson in your openning post, he deserves a mention :)

    Fair point, not by name, but Solly & Jenks (+ Shelvey) are the 'recent successes' i was thinking of.

    Lots of names being banded about, but who is really knocking on the door? Mind you, the same could have been said of Jenkinson this time 2 years ago

    Anyway, I hope that if we are reasonably safe come April that SCP considers giving one or two of these guys a run out. He seems a bit reluctant generally - is that him, or are the players not really good enough?
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    edited January 2013
    I thought this was going to be another thread about Red Division
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    Anyway, I hope that if we are reasonably safe come April that SCP considers giving one or two of these guys a run out.

    He seems a bit reluctant generally - is that him, or are the players not really good enough?

    As things stand (and from CP's quotes throughout the season) ....it's all about safety first, ensuring we're not sucked into a relegation scramble. All very 'Curbs'.

    Once the safety target is met, we may well see the shackles taken off the tactics and 1 or 2 promising youngsters blooded.


    We just need another 7 match unbeaten run soon, including a couple of back-to-back wins or 3 wins in a row. Well possible.
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    have only watched the man utd fa youth cup match, but the one that really stood out for me was tariq holmes-denis.
    being a year younger than the rest (i think), he looked very assured.
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    It's a bit much for the club (and Valley Gold) to include Haynes, Wilson and Green as successes for our youth scheme, as they are all players which we we produced, released on a free, then spent money buying back!

    Of our current crop, I imagine Poyet will be more saleable because of his name and father...

    On another thread, I expressed surprised that Cousins didn't play in defence against Spurs yesterday, he seems a long way from being considered Solly's understudy at RB?
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    yep, tariq holmes-dennis looked superb in that game. If that is anything to go by he will be a very good player.
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    edited January 2013


    On another thread, I expressed surprised that Cousins didn't play in defence against Spurs yesterday, he seems a long way from being considered Solly's understudy at RB?

    They are waiting for the day Cousins is taller than Solly.

    ;o)

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    If we only have Taylor and Morro available for saturday then what youngster is likely to be 3rd choice cb for the day?
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    He was the league's young player of the season last year, so maybe not write him off just yet. Better for him to develop physically and mentally before being thrown in: the way things are now the boo boys will probably be having a pop at him when he's warming up if we're not winning.

    In terms of Valley Gold I'm quite happy that my contribution is bearing fruit: our current player of the season came through the ranks as did Arsenal/England fullback Jenkinson. The money brought in from Jenkinson and McGinty sales has had a massive part in keeping us going, developing our squad. We're punching well, well above our weight at this level.

    If anyone is interested in finding out for themselves there's the youth cup game at the Valley next week.
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    Ajayi I think.

    Azeez and Fox seem like they're doing well. Bench appearances for them both.
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    Some of the youth/reserves team will make it - it won't necessarily be the most talented, but those who work hardest and perhaps get the break. It isn't always the obvious players who become the stars...

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    Some of the very promising youngsters,Gerard,Tarieq-Dennis,Poyet,Muldoon,Sho Silva,Ajayi are still very young and six months to a year away from pushing themselves into first team contention.The ones who I would have expected to push on into the first team:Cousins,Harriott,for whatever reason,haven't.It would be nice to see some young players given a chance,maybe when we are safe towards the end of the Season.
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    dickplumb said:

    Some of the very promising youngsters,Gerard,Tarieq-Dennis,Poyet,Muldoon,Sho Silva,Ajayi are still very young and six months to a year away from pushing themselves into first team contention.The ones who I would have expected to push on into the first team:Cousins,Harriott,for whatever reason,haven't.It would be nice to see some young players given a chance,maybe when we are safe towards the end of the Season.

    Didn't Cousins have a longterm injury or am I thinking of someone else?
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    Cousins had an injury but he has been back for a while,Poyet was out injured for a while.I am not one to usually criticise Powell but I couldn't understand,as you are playing an under strength team,why you couldn't play Harriott instead of Kerkar and Cousins instead of Wilson at right back.It would give us a good idea to see if they could cope against a full strength team.
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    dickplumb said:

    Cousins had an injury but he has been back for a while,Poyet was out injured for a while.I am not one to usually criticise Powell but I couldn't understand,as you are playing an under strength team,why you couldn't play Harriott instead of Kerkar and Cousins instead of Wilson at right back.It would give us a good idea to see if they could cope against a full strength team.

    This.....

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    On the other hand he had no hesitation in giving Carl Jenkinson a run in the team a couple of seasons back. I'd leave it to CP and his judgment - perhaps playing Wilson at RB and resting Solly was done with a view to seeing whether he'd be a good replacement if Solly was injured/suspended or moved on. Perhaps that was a more pressing need than giving Cousins a run out?
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    if we get to 8/9 games out and we arent in serious trouble would be good to see the above getting some games
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    On the other hand he had no hesitation in giving Carl Jenkinson a run in the team a couple of seasons back. I'd leave it to CP and his judgment - perhaps playing Wilson at RB and resting Solly was done with a view to seeing whether he'd be a good replacement if Solly was injured/suspended or moved on. Perhaps that was a more pressing need than giving Cousins a run out?

    I think we've seen enough of Wilson at RB to know the answer already, whereas if he had played the likes of Cousins and Harriott on Saturday, we might have learnt something new.
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