Alan Mwamba Signs Long Term Contract

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

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.

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 

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 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