Roberto Mancini - The Kids

[ant london]

I have to say (and I know that our Italian posters did highlight this when he arrived but seeing is believing) one of the things I am most impressed/surprised/relieved about Mancini is his willingness to have a look at people....especially our young players

So far he's played Weiss and Boyata and last night he had Abdisalam Ibrahim on the bench with Dedryk.

If nothing else, this early use/involvement of some of our kids (and previously frozen out) players is a brilliant message to send out to the talent we have coming through the ranks that...if you have talent and the right attitude, you will get your chance.

Sure we have a bit of an injury crisis at the moment but I am hugely encouraged by the manager's approach. Instead of choosing to play square pegs in round holes he appears more inclined to involve someone who actually plays in that position...even if they are short on experience. Revolutionary stuff.

So my question is.....who will be the next lads to be involved

In terms of the reserve set-up and the young lads on the verge I would say it could be any of these lads....but would be very interested to get the views of Doug and the others who follow the junior/reserve set-ups more closely. It would be tremendous to see some more of these kids being blooded in a team which is increasingly high on confidence and surrounded by immensely talented/experienced teammates.

Kieran Trippier
Ben Mee
Javan Vidal
Andrew Tutte
Scott Kay
Adam Clayton
Robbie Mak
Alex Nimely
Jack Redshaw
David Ball

It's still early days but I think the board's decision to change manager...and their timing in doing so is looking like an increasingly smart move.

[Grob]

Hopefully it will be Mike Quigley

[feedthegreek]

its good to see, giving everyone a chance.
thats been the downfall of scum and liverpool.
neglecting their youth set ups and buying off the peg,
squandering their cash, in pursuit of more money.
its great to see our young lads coming through mixing it with the
experienced pros.
the future looks good.

[Vhero]

I like how he's giving the young ones a chance it shows no matter how rich we are we still give our youth team a chance and that's what counts.

[salford city]

Clayton was getting rave reviews but chose to come back from Carlisle to be with the squad which says to me that he thinks he may get a chance to impress closer to home or that we've called him back. Strange that he was allowed to play and get himself cup-tied against Everton though?

[Hinch's 5 Fingered Salute]

I was thinking Clayton as well, but it looks like he has fallen behind Ibrahim now. Tutte made the bench at Boro though, I think he is saying whoever impresses on a weekly basis may get a chance on the bench, and some may be likely to be involved against Scunthorpe.

So far we have seen Weiss, Boyata, Vidal, Ibrahim, Trippier and Tutte on the bench. It's anybody's guess really. I think Mee won't make it and will be gone, and the midfielders may find it harder as injuries come back. Ibrahim could well be the next or maybe Clayton.

It will be hard that's for sure but Boyata has certainly impressed him even getting a few minutes yesterday.

[rick1894citizen]

It was a shame Ball got injured when he did as i think he would of got a look in and sounds like a promising striker and being a local lad aswell as a blue it would be great for him to make the step up.

With the injury-acon problem at the back, trippier could get a look in but looks like he needs to bulk up abit, reckon we could see a few kids at Scunthorpe (which will be nervey as it'll be tough at Glanford park) but with the semi's on either side of it i can see us resting anyone with a knock in the FA cup.

[Ted Hughes]

If he's going to rotate young players on the bench, which I'm all for, I'd like to see Robbie Mak involved. Sort of player who could come on & scare the shit out of tired defenders in a game like last night.

The other reasoning behind this could be to find out his best youngsters for next season, if we need to comply with the regulations re Chump's league squads; that you have to have a percentage of home produced players.

[Fidel Castro]

How old is the Benali kid now? He's supposed to be shit hot

[BlueinBosnia]

I think Vidal will be next to make an appearance, possibly in the next 6 weeks.

[zuricity]

I hope , because he has an exceptional turn of pace, and is very fast and strong, Mancini will try to give Robbie Mak a try out.

To think , these lads wouldn't have go a look in under the previous regime.

[Ted Hughes]

I hope , because he has an exceptional turn of pace, and is very fast and strong, Mancini will try to give Robbie Mak a try out.

To think , these lads wouldn't have go a look in under the previous regime.

Why do people insist on making statements like that? Weiss was brought into the squad by Hughes. Him & Boyata, got 1 game under Mancini against a lower league team when we had 10 players injured & a cup semi v the rags due 3 days later. All the youth cup winning lads not on loan have had run outs in friendly games under Hughes (& been mostly shite)& last season he played Sturridge in the cup games & was slaughtered for regularly playing Ched Evans. Why try to score points on what a manager who's been sacked may or may not have done in the future when you haven't got the slightest idea if it's true?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

There is some validity to both sides of this. It is good that Mancini is involving some of the younger players and it's clearly the best way to have a look at them as there hasn't been a reserve game since he arrived but to an extent it has been forced on him with the number of players missing.Undoubtedly though it will give a boost to the "kids" and obviously if they get a chance and take it like Boyata did it's fantastic for them.
I certainly don't expect it to carry on when we have a fully fit squad and I would be surprised if the names mentioned get a real look in this season. I have no doubt though that Mancini will be watching the reserve games with interest.

Of all the names Ant listed the one I might have expected to be involved might have been Trippier but he seemed to have gone off the boil towards the end of last year.The fact that they havent played for a month means that the new reserve team management will only have seen them in training and that in confined spaces at the edge of the undersoil pitch at Carrington or maybe indoor at Platt Lane.
The problem for Clayton is he is basically a sitting midfield player like Barry so his chances I would say are very small and even less now Vieira has arrived.I would join the Robbie Mak enthusiasts though as I think he has something.

[Ted Hughes]

There is some validity to both sides of this. It is good that Mancini is involving some of the younger players and it's clearly the best way to have a look at them as there hasn't been a reserve game since he arrived but to an extent it has been forced on him with the number of players missing.Undoubtedly though it will give a boost to the "kids" and obviously if they get a chance and take it like Boyata did it's fantastic for them.
I certainly don't expect it to carry on when we have a fully fit squad and I would be surprised if the names mentioned get a real look in this season. I have no doubt though that Mancini will be watching the reserve games with interest.

Of all the names Ant listed the one I might have expected to be involved might have been Trippier but he seemed to have gone off the boil towards the end of last year.The fact that they havent played for a month means that the new reserve team management will only have seen them in training and that in confined spaces at the edge of the undersoil pitch at Carrington or maybe indoor at Platt Lane.
The problem for Clayton is he is basically a sitting midfield player like Barry so his chances I would say are very small and even less now Vieira has arrived.I would join the Robbie Mak enthusiasts though as I think he has something.

Kiddo was always promoting the youngsters at OT so perhaps he'll try to do it a bit more along with Mancini? As you say, it's unlikely to be vastly different once everyone's fit though.

Been really disappointed with Trippier on the few occasions I've seen him this season. Had high hopes for him but perhaps he'll come good again. By the way does anyone know who the new reserve manager is?

[Mase]

Speaking of Kieran Trippier some of my mates are mates with him and they were giving it "Oh Fergie will come calling soon Kieran and you can join United" to which he replied, "I'd never sign for them!!"
Good to know our kids have their heads screwed on :)

[Douglas Higginbottom]

There is some validity to both sides of this. It is good that Mancini is involving some of the younger players and it's clearly the best way to have a look at them as there hasn't been a reserve game since he arrived but to an extent it has been forced on him with the number of players missing.Undoubtedly though it will give a boost to the "kids" and obviously if they get a chance and take it like Boyata did it's fantastic for them.
I certainly don't expect it to carry on when we have a fully fit squad and I would be surprised if the names mentioned get a real look in this season. I have no doubt though that Mancini will be watching the reserve games with interest.

Of all the names Ant listed the one I might have expected to be involved might have been Trippier but he seemed to have gone off the boil towards the end of last year.The fact that they havent played for a month means that the new reserve team management will only have seen them in training and that in confined spaces at the edge of the undersoil pitch at Carrington or maybe indoor at Platt Lane.
The problem for Clayton is he is basically a sitting midfield player like Barry so his chances I would say are very small and even less now Vieira has arrived.I would join the Robbie Mak enthusiasts though as I think he has something.

Kiddo was always promoting the youngsters at OT so perhaps he'll try to do it a bit more along with Mancini? As you say, it's unlikely to be vastly different once everyone's fit though.

Been really disappointed with Trippier on the few occasions I've seen him this season. Had high hopes for him but perhaps he'll come good again. By the way does anyone know who the new reserve manager is?

I was wondering that Ted. Will probably only find out at the next match.

[zuricity]

I hope , because he has an exceptional turn of pace, and is very fast and strong, Mancini will try to give Robbie Mak a try out.

To think , these lads wouldn't have got a look in under the previous regime.

Why do people insist on making statements like that? Weiss was brought into the squad by Hughes. Him & Boyata, got 1 game under Mancini against a lower league team when we had 10 players injured & a cup semi v the rags due 3 days later. All the youth cup winning lads not on loan have had run outs in friendly games under Hughes (& been mostly shite)& last season he played Sturridge in the cup games & was slaughtered for regularly playing Ched Evans. Why try to score points on what a manager who's been sacked may or may not have done in the future when you haven't got the slightest idea if it's true?

Well Ted, it's quite simple, Hughes was at City for about 18 months and in all that time he showed great reluctance to even play a youngster. There's nothing wrong in writing that. Furthermore under Sven , youth was positively encouraged ( Johnson and Ireland, Kasper and Joe ) for example.

If you can't analyse what's happening now compared to what's happened in the past , how do you improve ?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with making comparisons. Why are you uptight about that ?

I happened to watch the youth team when they were over here last month and the only reason i mentioned Mak, is because of the fact that the lad has blistering speed and control. Blimey, what's wrong with writing that ?

Furthermore, as you know only too well, the friendly games set up by Hughes before the season had to have some of the youth playing because a lot of the squad still weren't back from their holidays and anyway you would expect them to get their chance to shine there.

[Ted Hughes]

I hope , because he has an exceptional turn of pace, and is very fast and strong, Mancini will try to give Robbie Mak a try out.

To think , these lads wouldn't have got a look in under the previous regime.

Why do people insist on making statements like that? Weiss was brought into the squad by Hughes. Him & Boyata, got 1 game under Mancini against a lower league team when we had 10 players injured & a cup semi v the rags due 3 days later. All the youth cup winning lads not on loan have had run outs in friendly games under Hughes (& been mostly shite)& last season he played Sturridge in the cup games & was slaughtered for regularly playing Ched Evans. Why try to score points on what a manager who's been sacked may or may not have done in the future when you haven't got the slightest idea if it's true?

Well Ted, it's quite simple, Hughes was at City for about 18 months and in all that time he showed great reluctance to even play a youngster. There's nothing wrong in writing that. Furthermore under Sven , youth was positively encouraged ( Johnson and Ireland, Kasper and Joe ) for example.

If you can't analyse what's happening now compared to what's happened in the past , how do you improve ?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with making comparisons. Why are you uptight about that ?

I happened to watch the youth team when they were over here last month and the only reason i mentioned Mak, is because of the fact that the lad has blistering speed and control. Blimey, what's wrong with writing that ?

Furthermore, as you know only too well, the friendly games set up by Hughes before the season had to have some of the youth playing because a lot of the squad still weren't back from their holidays and anyway you would expect them to get their chance to shine there.

I'm fucking sick of this shite.

[Hinch's 5 Fingered Salute]

I hope , because he has an exceptional turn of pace, and is very fast and strong, Mancini will try to give Robbie Mak a try out.

To think , these lads wouldn't have go a look in under the previous regime.

Why do people insist on making statements like that? Weiss was brought into the squad by Hughes. Him & Boyata, got 1 game under Mancini against a lower league team when we had 10 players injured & a cup semi v the rags due 3 days later. All the youth cup winning lads not on loan have had run outs in friendly games under Hughes (& been mostly shite)& last season he played Sturridge in the cup games & was slaughtered for regularly playing Ched Evans. Why try to score points on what a manager who's been sacked may or may not have done in the future when you haven't got the slightest idea if it's true?

Ted, I think what most people are trying to say is Hughes would never take such a gamble as sticking Boyata in a centre half and starting Weiss (and other youth on the bench)and having essential none 1st teamer's against a mid table championship team. I for one didn't expect it as I thought we don't need a Notts Forest debacle. Hughes would as he did in the Carling Cup stick the 1st eleven out every time. Mancini seems to have an arrogance/confidence in himself and his tactics to still get the result with not necessarily the 1st eleven. I think that it is what is refreshing, and is essentially what all of the top end teams do, pick teams for each opposition. Not the strongest eleven every time. I expect it will be similar against Scunthorpe, but a totally different team against Scum.

[ant london]

The highly-rated Academy graduate, who hasn’t played since October after sustaining a metatarsal stress fracture, was back in training at Carrington after six weeks of rehab.

"I’d been running outside and did a turn and felt some discomfort,” said the 21-year-old striker. “I’d resumed training and obviously wanted to impress the new manager.

“The medical team x-rayed my foot as a precaution and discovered that the callous surrounding the original injury had fractured down to the bone, so I’ll be out for around six weeks again.

“I felt flat because I wanted to show the boss what I could do. There was also talk of one or two Championship clubs wanting to take me on loan, but obviously everything is on the back-burner now.”

Ball made the bench for the games with Manchester United and Fulham and was in sparkling form for the reserves with six goals in six games before his injury.

“That’s football,” he smiled. “I’m going to work as hard as I can in the gym and hope that the next few weeks pass as quickly as possible. It’s a pity because I felt stronger than ever, but there are far worse injuries you can have than a stress fracture.”

Ball has noted manager Roberto Mancini's open-minded approach to the City youngsters, with Vladimir Weiss and Dedryck Boyata making their full debuts in the FA Cup win at Middlesbrough.

David said: "It was great to see Vladimir and Dedryck play the other week and, in truth, it’s a relief for all the younger players in the squad. You do get a bit worried when there is a change of management because you feel you have to start from square one again.

“To see two more Academy lads playing so soon after the boss has come in gives everyone a real boost. Now I have to get back to full fitness, show him what I can do, and hopefully join that list."