Alan Mwamba Signs Long Term Contract

ForeverAddickted · August 30

One aspect that I'd love to see from us getting Cat.1 status as an Academy would be an attempt to join the EFL Trophy with our U21 team - Its the aspect I actually miss from League One, it was an awful competition to be in, from the perspective of having to play First Team players, but the amount of kids who got token game time, I suspect it was invaluable... Would probably be really useful for the likes of Josh Edwards returning from injury too.

Back on the topic of Mwamba, I bet the Cowley's are shaking their heads in despair at never getting him on loan now.

fenaddick · August 30

MarcusH26 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

MarcusH26 said:

killerandflash said:

Cat 1 won't keep the best 15/16 year olds with us. The money and resources of the giants will still be a massive draw.

Players like Mwamba getting first team Championship football at a young age will be a big tick though.

This ^ , Cat 1s still sign players from other Cat 1s it's just the fee is a bit more.

But showing these players at 15/16 that there's a genuine pathway to the first team could be enough to keep a couple of them from going elsewhere and ending up on the loan carousel.

I think this is what saddens me the most when these players leave Charlton for the bigger clubs... Its clear for everyone to see how few actually make it into the First Team at Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea the direct route... Stick around and if you're good enough, you'll get in our team and we're not the type of club to hold you hostage, so you'll get your move eventually.
I think Sarmiento is a great example at the moment, given then hype surrounding him at Charlton, and the mess we've been in of late, he surely would have been making his debut for us at 17-18... Six years later and he's settling at a club who (for now) are below us in the same Division - I almost wonder if there is a mixture of over-confidence that they can make it at big clubs when they leave, but feel there is a lack of self-belief as well, not confident at the same time... and think perhaps they won't make it in the game or there is the fear of injury or whatever, so take the safe route and make the life changing money from the Sport just in case.

I think it's a really interesting thing to look at , of course the money for a lot of these players even if it's an academy deal is absolutely life changing.

I have no doubt as soon as he turned 16 Sarimento would have made his first team debut , I get the prestige of going to Benfica was a huge draw but he's just ended up spending the last 7 years bouncing from loan to loan and now at 24 finally seems to be settling down somewhere at Boro.

Whereas the message has always been regardless of manager and especially under NJ that if you impress at Academy level you'll get your chance. I'd be surprised if Mwamba is the only youngster we give a chance to this season, think we might see a couple more.

I think it's impossible to underestimate the drive and confidence these academy players have. They've already been the best player in the playground, then at a club on the weekend, secondary school and in their age group in the academy. Why wouldn't they believe they can go to Man City and be the best there too? And if they don't make it there then why can't they move to Chelsea like Palmer and make it there?

The parents get swept up in it all too. They believe their kid is the best thing since sliced bread and then they get promised XYZ that we'll never be able to afford as a club.

I'd be willing to bet that the players who stick around and do well here aren't the ones who look amazing at 15. A few Lifers have pointed out how quickly Mwamba has improved, I'm willing to bet TC was shy on the pitch at 15 as well as being "too small", Leaburn was released from Cat 1 etc. The ones who are a success here are the ones who work hardest, notice when they get recognised for it and use it to drive forward

Chunes · August 30

Have any players who were poached from our youth teams gone on to do well? I struggle to think of any other than Jermain Defoe.

killerandflash · August 30

stoneroses19 said:

I hadn't realised that was his home debut, as all his other appearances have been away. Indeed it's easy to forget how few appearances he's made

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvgy6z3j04mo

Cardiff have had a really good academy in recent years, but have just lost Axel Donczew to Arsenal. The system is massively flawed.

YannTheMann · August 30

This kid is absolute box office, I think he'll go on to have a career at the top level if this is what he can produce so early his time, very exciting prospect

Pelling1993 · August 30

Chunes said:

Have any players who were poached from our youth teams gone on to do well? I struggle to think of any other than Jermain Defoe.

Beadle is at Brighton (on loan at Brum again).

Sarmiento is at 'Boro.

Jordan Ibe played a decent amount for Liverpool.

Michael Turner went on to have good career although i'm not sure if we got rid rather than him being poached.

Agreed though there really aren't many big one i can think of outside of Defoe

ForeverAddickted · August 30

Semi Ajayi is doing well at Hull still, has gone on to have a decent career

Kasey Palmer has had done well at a level above us, until joining Luton this season... But thats because of injuries

I cant think of a single one that has been poached at Academy level and has gone on to be a success at that club other than Defoe of course... But then look at the England team as well; O'Reilly, James, Saka, Kane, Mainoo and Rashford... thats it from the World Cup squad who really broke into the First Team from Academy, the rest had to go away and prove themselves.

You'd hope both those things are reminders being advised to these kids / families before they get attracted by the big clubs.

Scoham · August 30

Pelling1993 said:

Chunes said:

Have any players who were poached from our youth teams gone on to do well? I struggle to think of any other than Jermain Defoe.

Beadle is at Brighton (on loan at Brum again).

Sarmiento is at 'Boro.

Jordan Ibe played a decent amount for Liverpool.

Michael Turner went on to have good career although i'm not sure if we got rid rather than him being poached.

Agreed though there really aren't many big one i can think of outside of Defoe

Yeah Turner wasn’t poached, think we sold him to Brentford while we were in the PL and they were L1?

Ibe I think we let go.

Largie Ramazani, Sean McGinty and a GK who went to Arsenal and ended up in non-league are another three I can think of.

Then there’s the ones who have all left in the last 3 years, at least 8. Too early to say for them.

SantaClaus · August 30

I was at the game and see where everyone's coming from but we need to remember how giddy we all got last season about Fullah after one stellar substitute performance and how hard it was for him to replicate that impact when he was promoted to the starting XI.

Crispywood · August 30

SantaClaus said:

I was at the game and see where everyone's coming from but we need to remember how giddy we all got last season about Fullah after one stellar substitute performance and how hard it was for him to replicate that impact when he was promoted to the starting XI.

Difference was though is that Fullah had the ability he’s just not got the physicality, Mwamba on the other hand has that in his locker which is usually the stumbling block for most youngsters on the verge of the first team

Bostonaddick · September 2

So what’s the verdict after tonight 1) just a bad game. NJ will continue to start him with Chalobah injured 2) might be a little too soon for him. Will continue to play a role but NJ will ease him in with a little more measured approach to his development 3) latest example of our fans overrating our youth based on playing well for what amounts to less than 60 minutes of competitive football

LargeAddick · September 2

2) especially now we have Skipp in who I expect to start at Stoke. Mwamba will get game time off the bench but I don’t think he’s ready to start yet.

NabySarr · September 2

I think he started tonight because we had no option really. Ouma isn’t fit enough yet, Costello I don’t think has the mobility to start in that role. Mwamba will learn a lot from that game I’m sure

Nicholas · September 3

Think he done really well against a tough WBA team. Hopefully he can stay in and around the team for the season to develop him properly.

Todds_right_hook · September 3

Slap bang average tonight which isn’t bad considering his age, it was his full debut and we spent 70% of the game defending.

fenaddick · September 3

Todds_right_hook said:

Slap bang average tonight which isn’t bad considering his age, it was his full debut and we spent 70% of the game defending.

Also have to consider he had a striker playing in the 10 ahead of him. Grant worked hard defensively but it isn’t his natural game and it left the two 6’s with a bit more work to do

Garrymanilow · September 3

MarcusH26 said:

ForeverAddickted said:

MarcusH26 said:

killerandflash said:

Cat 1 won't keep the best 15/16 year olds with us. The money and resources of the giants will still be a massive draw.

Players like Mwamba getting first team Championship football at a young age will be a big tick though.

This ^ , Cat 1s still sign players from other Cat 1s it's just the fee is a bit more.

But showing these players at 15/16 that there's a genuine pathway to the first team could be enough to keep a couple of them from going elsewhere and ending up on the loan carousel.

I think this is what saddens me the most when these players leave Charlton for the bigger clubs... Its clear for everyone to see how few actually make it into the First Team at Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea the direct route... Stick around and if you're good enough, you'll get in our team and we're not the type of club to hold you hostage, so you'll get your move eventually.
I think Sarmiento is a great example at the moment, given then hype surrounding him at Charlton, and the mess we've been in of late, he surely would have been making his debut for us at 17-18... Six years later and he's settling at a club who (for now) are below us in the same Division - I almost wonder if there is a mixture of over-confidence that they can make it at big clubs when they leave, but feel there is a lack of self-belief as well, not confident at the same time... and think perhaps they won't make it in the game or there is the fear of injury or whatever, so take the safe route and make the life changing money from the Sport just in case.

I think it's a really interesting thing to look at , of course the money for a lot of these players even if it's an academy deal is absolutely life changing.

I have no doubt as soon as he turned 16 Sarimento would have made his first team debut , I get the prestige of going to Benfica was a huge draw but he's just ended up spending the last 7 years bouncing from loan to loan and now at 24 finally seems to be settling down somewhere at Boro.

Whereas the message has always been regardless of manager and especially under NJ that if you impress at Academy level you'll get your chance. I'd be surprised if Mwamba is the only youngster we give a chance to this season, think we might see a couple more.

I think a lot of the problem is that the money and the facilities are so incredible for young players now that even if it doesn't work out at the big club you go to it's still an absolute win. Sarmiento is 24 years old; in terms of his working life such as it is he's taken in two additional countries, played in the Premier League and Serie A, made 24 appearances for his chosen country and played in a World Cup, and is no doubt a multi-millionaire. Imagine your work telling you that you're going to spend 6 months in Northern Italy when you're 23 and they'll keep paying you tens of thousands of quid a week to do it. To be honest the only blip in his career is he will have had to spend a year living in Burnley but his life will have been absolutely fantastic so far and he's not even one of the ones who will have been given the biggest contract. He might have developed more or at the very least played more football if he'd stuck with us but I doubt he's spent a single second regretting not having to play away at Scunthorpe in November even if it would have helped his development.

Crispywood · September 3

With Chalobah’s injury issues he’s realistically going to make the bench most weeks and depending on the game we can always handpick appearances and matches for mwamba which should be helpful

elbiglad · September 3

Decent cameo in an understandably poor team performance v Spurs, good showing in an ok team outing v Preston, average last night along with most other players.

He’s clearly a talented player with huge potential. We don’t need to have a referendum on him (and all other players) every single time they play. He’s 19 years old, let’s give him a chance to get settled.

Alan Mwamba Signs Long Term Contract

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