Darrell Clarke says

Tbf, that’s something I’ve bemoaned for years, regardless of whether it’s academy or squad members. So many times we have given players a change in early round cup games, only to see an uninspiring performance. It’s part of the reason I avoid many such games at oakwell.

 

Thank you. Reading this it's a little bit deeper than presented. But hopefully changes the script to a degree.
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/spo...nds-blunt-warning-to-clubs-youngsters-4847479

 

Even if it is mis-quoted, it does open a debate on the academy. It was set up in the aftermath of the Premier season and was based on the thinking of FA, I recall in particular Howard Wilkinson. It might have made sense in the late 1990s. We were further up the football pyramid and there was still a market for players in the lower leagues, so if we or the higher ups didnt want players we could sell them on and recoup some costs. That market has gone. Disputes for players transfer fees has also been re-written by the greed league. Under 24 and contract expired? The big club only have to compensate us for development costs, not what the player is worth on the open market. We are not producing anything like the quantity of youngsters for our own team that would justify keeping it in its current form. I think it has been wholly over taken by events.

 

spot on !!

 

Thanks Hooky. I was trying to add the link but couldnt.

 

That's a fair point - I was just passing comment on an interview I hadn't read or listened to.

Which is a daft thing to do.

 

It’s basic stuff tbf isn’t it mate? Their only remit is to have a career as a regular first team footballer. He’s just saying how it is.

 

Listening to D Clarke interview, he is asked is that did anybody who played against Doncaster had catch his eye and could be a possible inclusion to the first team squad. He answered No. Having watched the match I must agree with him. Even players like Jalo, and Cotter did not impress in this game. Benson worked hard, whilst Marsh (despite scoring) did not really did not stand out as worthy of a first team place.

 

Certainly does change the script, nowt wrong with what he's said there.

 

Suggesting future conversations with Mladden and the board. Will possibly and hopefully see a change . ?

 

Or his sacking?

 

He’s said absolutely nothing in that article that slated the young uns just an expectation of standards.

 

If we’re going to start on a thread referring something can we at least take the time to represent it properly so the subsequent debate is rooted in reality?

90% of this thread is a complete waste of time, it’s also a little careless to make a claim the Clarke would say something like that which ultimately isn’t really what happened at all.

 

Bang on. It was a great legacy from our Prem season but it’s now just an expensive millstone for me. It’s not justifying the expense.

 

So we spend a million a season when one in a hundred might make it for us and that person will need to be sold to cover losses of however many seasons it has been since the last sale.

It makes the academy seem pointless.

 

Context is everything. What he said is pretty much true.

I’m more concerned by the standards shown by more senior pro’s. An 18 year old making is first senior appearance has time to learn. Established players should lead by example but Benson and Cotter in particular were diabolical.

They were all stitched up by abysmal team selection in playing players, including young kids, out of position. It’s hardly giving any of them a chance to succeed. Clarke does need to look in the mirror as well….

 

Suggesting conversations with the owners is one thing, and he's entitled to ask for that of course.
Whether it will do him/Clarke and us any good though, remains to be seen.

 

A bit of a thankless task, being in charge of an academy.

Seems to me that we probably approach the potential and development of youngsters in the same vein that we approach the big boys - spreadsheet analysis.

It's an inexact science and I bet it gets more random with the juniors.

You never know who's gonna be good enough until they actually are.

I thought Digby was going to be an England regular.

 

Fair point but we have picked up a few from other academy's. Higher profile and continued with us.

 

He's not impressed with the kids. I'm not impressed with the adults

Hourihane (I don't care, he was signed as a PLAYER and coach not as a coach who isn't allowed to set foot on a football pitch), killip, Cosgrove, Phillips, O'Keeffe, McCarthy, earl

All 26 or older. All been on the whole absolutely ***** this season.

Maybe before calling out kids who have been given a few minutes here and there we should call out the higher earning older heads who have been ****.

Or while we're at it why not cal out yourself Clarke because your managerial decisions have been far worse than any on field decision that Fabio jalo has ever made