Those not in the first team squad

[eatonparkboy]

With the departure of Jamar on loan to Yeovil, along with the numerous other players out on loan, I wonder how supporters feel about the younger members of the playing staff and their future at the club?

I have always dreamt of the day when the club would field a team with a great number of home grown young men and manage to hold their own at a high level. And I consider the top 8 of the Championship puts our club at a high level for certainly the last five years.

I consider a number of players at the club are holding back the chance for a number of our younger players to progress. Is O'Neill, not a definite starter, preventing McGeehan from making progress? Is Cuellar holding back Toffolo's development?

I know many think some of these lads are too young and inexperienced. I disagree and can point to Southampton where trust and no fear were factors in developing so many of their home grown players who have moved on to other clubs for massive amounts of money and in fact would appear to have more than justified the money spent on their youth development programme. 

"You won't win anything with kids" has become one of the most used quotes not to illustrate QED but to mock the quoter.

 

[morty]

I think the answer is, plain and simple, they aren't good enough yet.

And of course you can retort that 'How do you know until you try?" But thats the reason for sending them on loan, you let someone find out for you, rather than perhaps taking risks yourself, and maybe jeapordising a game.

I am sure if we were to throw youngsters in, and things didn't go well, people would be quick enough to criticise.

Really, to quantify the comparison with the likes of Southampton, you would have to know each youngsters specific development, including whether or not they went on loan anywhere.

And, to be honest, Southamptons youth policy is some years ahead of ours.

 

[RhythmicTheory]

Southamptons catchment area (along with policy) is whats propered them, while the 90 minute rule was in place all we had was miles and miles of farm land.

To answer the original post, I personally think the murphys should have appeared more this season, particularly Josh, but then I prefer out and out wingers.

 

[Yellow Fever]

It's good to see the Murphy's doing well and I think they may well make it through. Toffolo is doing well at Swindon alongside Louis Thompson. McGrandles shows a lot of promise, as does Loza. Fortunately Alex Neil is very keen on developing young players, so they should get their chance to show what they can do.

 

[Suffolk Canary]

I think the loan system is definitely better than sitting on the bench in a lot of cases for youth players.  

Just look at Toffolo and McGeehan.  Toffolo is playing brilliantly in a team which is now top of League 1, and playing great football which suits his style much better than ours does currently. So he is definitely better off away from Carrow Road for this season.  And McGeehan said going to Luton last year was perfect for his development as a player, going up against proper men every week rather than playing development football. And I'm sure he'll prove himself again at Cambridge.

I don't think them occasionally coming off the bench in the 75th minute would develop them a lot.  

 

[Personal Trainer]

My feeling is that if we do not get promoted this year then next seasons team will be made up of a few experienced NCFC "old-stagers (Martin, R.Bennet, Garrido et al) and the youngsters signed last summer or those who have progressed out on loan The two lads at Swindon looked good against Coventry.

 

[splutcho]

If we hadn't got the likes of O'Neil in and we're supplementing our team with our youth players, we'd probably be bottom half. There's a reason they're all going on loan to lower league sides.

 

[Canaryboy]

My feeling is that if we do not get promoted this year then next seasons team will be made up of a few experienced NCFC "old-stagers (Martin, R.Bennet, Garrido et al) and the youngsters signed last summer or those who have progressed out on loan The two lads at Swindon looked good against Coventry.

That's probably a year too early, our parachute payments don't reduce until the summer of 2016. I'd expect similar if we don't go up, only next season rather than this one, with the exception of a couple of our big name players. Doubt we'll hang on to Redmond and Ruddy.

 

[eatonparkboy]

I think the answer is, plain and simple, they aren't good enough yet.

And of course you can retort that 'How do you know until you try?" But thats the reason for sending them on loan, you let someone find out for you, rather than perhaps taking risks yourself, and maybe jeapordising a game.

I am sure if we were to throw youngsters in, and things didn't go well, people would be quick enough to criticise.

Really, to quantify the comparison with the likes of Southampton, you would have to know each youngsters specific development, including whether or not they went on loan anywhere.

And, to be honest, Southamptons youth policy is some years ahead of ours.

I don't believe their system is way ahead of ours to be honest. Ahead yes but not way ahead. Since the Prem league was started in 92 they have played in one FA Youth Cup Final. And I don't buy the catchment area argument either. They have far more competition on their doorstep. I agree I don't know the specifics and certainly don't watch our youth squad to comment. But Reed, Targett and Ward Prouse all played last night against Ipswich and they have all recently come through their academy without being loaned out and are the same age as players we are considering too young and fragile to start matches.

Certain clubs have always had a reasonably decent youth system. We were one of them and I'm sure the recent FA Youth Cup win confirms that. And sometimes you get the "golden" generation come along and not only do you end up with a good squad but save money and make money with sell ons.

Certain managers make use of this obviously Ferguson the best example. Some fail to use it, Mike Walkers second spell a perfect illustration. And if a manager has some decent players already at his disposal, the young lads don't get a look in and move on.

However, I don't believe that some of the present squad can be said to be so good that their poor performances can be overlooked when we obviously do have talent at our disposal.

Of course the fear factor that has now become so embedded at NCFC by club and supporters alike that if you are not in the Prem then you might as well pack up, is probably why the lads aren't being given time to play and mature.

I do hope however that the new manager and the apparent attitude we are being told he has, will be true to his word and will play who he thinks is the best and most suitable and won't be blinkered by age and appearances.

 

[morty]

Embedded fear factor? Really lol?

 

[ZLF]

youngsters are great and the hope for one of our own overwhelming.   However the transition from youth winners to acceptable pro is a big step in the championship,  let alone the prem.

Right now none of the cup winning side are quite good enough,   Josh has shown naivety in his play which has outweighed his good points.    He is the best potential we have but he is not yet ready - if we didnt have better alternatives we should be looking to buy or loan in.

They have the potential to improve over the coming couple of years - but it would be exceptional for more than one to progress to a champs standard starter player - let alone a team built on it.

Excited to see how far these players go though. 

 

[Brian Fantana]

I think the recent reaction of our fans to poor performances show why we do not have a large number of youngsters around the first team squad; we are fast gaining a reputation as a club that sacks early if things are not going well so no manager can afford to take the risk. This, compound with our lack of obviously first team ready players why would anyone take the risk?

 

[eatonparkboy]

Embedded fear factor? Really lol?

Oh yes. The fear that if we don't go straight back up that the world will cave in. Even if we don't make it back up this season, or next, their will still be football played at Carrow Road. Hopefully entertaining, winning stuff. Let's leave the fear to Hartlepool's fans,