I have an idea some might see it as simplistic

Footballs a simple game. Every club seems to need to make it over complicated. If we went down the best player for each position in our price range route i think it might just work.

 

i think Gomes is a pretty meh. Player. He will see a season out contributing no assists or goals from midfield. In terms of protecting the defence that’s not exactly been great. I suspect their are financial penalties for not picking him.

 

Also, isn’t this why our club complain to the EFL about their ‘lenient’ or not pursuing for more appropriate punishment for the likes of Reading, Wigan, Derby et al, who break the rules and prevent the likes of us (non- cheats) from being more competitive in the transfer market?

 

It's the money grabbing parents that are the problem. Until they change the rules to stop clubs tapping up the parents. It won't alter.

 

Aren’t they a bit old now?

 

It's easily solved by putting a cap on numbers .

 

That's the problem with the Axademy system. Clubs can sign players within a 35 mile radius which means Man City can scoop up every youngster with any potential from the Barnsley area. They can pick them up very young and just discard any that don't make the grade. There are lads from South Yorkshire going to academy's in Manchester and Leeds which are a bigger draw than Oakwell. Not sure if there is still a Barnsley Boys but we always used to pick up a few 15 year olds from that source. It's likely these lads will already be signed up to big acadamies.

 

Gomes hasn’t exactly been great as he, and to be honest I don’t think we’d be worse off if we played one of the youngsters instead. I certainly wouldn’t be bothered about him leaving.
Vita is our only fit left footed left back, he’s clearly a good player & will be playing higher level football soon.

Wolfe could end up like Palmer if we’re not careful. Palmer looked decent last season & the lack of experience alongside him has completely ruined him.

 

You're spot on with this. The top tier academy status puts smaller clubs at a huge disadvantage and means that in our area at least, big club catchments besides the yorkshire clubs eat into our territory. In turn though, we are better placed than clubs who don't have a tier 2 academy.

Having said that, I think we've hampered our young players in the last 4-5 years by acquiring very young players that have blocked the potential rise of our academy players. Or, have just downright failed and contribute only to clogging up our financial arteries.

It's not an easy balance to attain for sure, but we feel a million miles away from something effective, let alone ideal.

 

There is still a Barnsley boys but the standard doesn't compare to the past, as you've said the good ones are already in the academy system.

 

I really disagree with you about Gomes. I think he's a fantastic player.

 

Can’t afford them. Apparently.

 

Why would the standard have declined?

 

That’s the thing with us signing the potentials, do we hinder our academy players development.

This might be a controversial thing to say but there’s an argument to say our Academy has failed for a few years now as we don’t seem to be developing the young uns to come through to the first team(not people signed and put into U23).

If there’s some truth in the above statement it then raises the argument we should have one or the other not both.

 

Because the best young footballers are at academies.

 

No doubt you are right Helen, but my grandson plays for the Horizon U14’s who are doing really well. Several of his teammates play for Barnsley Boys and are also at various academies.

 

Didn't think you could play club football if you were at an academy proper?