Academy

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Popped along to the swamp Carrington this morning to watch the under 16's play and the academy side were also playing.
Where I was stood by the touchline for the 16's there actually was a swamp just behind me!!

Anyway from the little bit I saw of the academy side they were pretty poor and with a few minutes to go were 4 nil down. They looked pretty poor to me and talking with somebody who watches them regularly it isn't a great surprise. He reckoned we have been poor at that particular age group for a while and nothing has been done about it. Strong comments and maybe compared to the recent few years this years crop of under 18's is not at the same level. Certainly we have had some real quality in the past few years and it got me wondering , if we are weak this year , whether the blame will be put on the fact that Jim Cassell isn't in charge anymore? Clearly not the reason if that age group have been weak all along.

In the game I watched more the score ended 2.2 and overall was probably a fair result. They were on top for quite a while in the first half without looking overly dangerous but we got more and more into it.Twice we went ahead and then gave away soft equalisers. Goood to watch the youngsters for a change with the only bad note being our right fullback who was carried off with a suspected broken leg.

[MaineRoadMemories]

i saw some of the victory shield games. U16 internationals between home nations. My god!! All of them were awful. Not one kid can control and pass the ball. The tactics of all the teams is to punt it long and hope your striker can run faster than their defender. All long ball and designed to play on the weaknesses of these players, i.e. not one of them can head the ball.

Rather than training these kids to win football games we should be training them to learn how to play technically at this age. Winnning games can come later and should not be at the expense of learning how to control and pass the ball.

[jelly&icecreamblue]

so but we should still get some players out of it...Guidetti and Benali are useful,ive seen em a few times

[Douglas Higginbottom]

i saw some of the victory shield games. U16 internationals between home nations. My god!! All of them were awful. Not one kid can control and pass the ball. The tactics of all the teams is to punt it long and hope your striker can run faster than their defender. All long ball and designed to play on the weaknesses of these players, i.e. not one of them can head the ball.

Rather than training these kids to win football games we should be training them to learn how to play technically at this age. Winnning games can come later and should not be at the expense of learning how to control and pass the ball.

Not sure I saw our boys trying to do anything but play football. certainly not just long ball but "they" were just better on the ball and I thought quicker and stronger.

The final score was only 3 nil I now find.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Cassell leaving is already having it's efect.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Cassell leaving is already having it's efect.

As I said earlier this age group has been weak for some time , most of which was under Jim Cassell.

He was there today with Brian Kidd and Paul Power.

[the_georgian_genius]

What about the U15's or U14's Doug? (can't remember which one) My nepthew goes to school with one of them and on facebook every sunday they always ask how they got on and i don't think i have ever seen the City lad respond with anything but a win. It's always won 4-0, won 6-2, won 5-0 ect. I asked him if they had any decent lads and he said it was a good team who have lost about 4 games in 4 years. Sometimes you get that with academies, the club would be flooded with too many excellent players if they were producing year after year, sometimes there is a bad year or two and the next crop "crop" up.

[MHiggi]

In the game I watched more the score ended 2.2 and overall was probably a fair result. They were on top for quite a while in the first half without looking overly dangerous but we got more and more into it.Twice we went ahead and then gave away soft equalisers. Goood to watch the youngsters for a change with the only bad note being our right fullback who was carried off with a suspected broken leg.

Also worth a mention in this game was that utd played 4 over-age u17's, whereas City's line-up included 4 from the age-group below, the U15's, and even so we more than held our own.

Best wishes for the number 2 who was taken to hospital with a suspected broken tibia - get well soon lad.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Cassell leaving is already having it's efect.

As I said earlier this age group has been weak for some time , most of which was under Jim Cassell.

He was there today with Brian Kidd and Paul Power.

ok then.

Anyway, in youth football you sometimes get weak age group. For whatever reason in one team players just don't develope at rate they are expected. Could be lack of real star in the team that push lads around him forward, could be lack of enthusiastic and competite atmosphere in squad or could simply be lack of raw talent.