Under 18's V Sunderland

[Douglas Higginbottom]

My god the weather was unreal at times during this game but a good 2 nil win in the end which I think was fully deserved.The wingers Barker and Intima were frightening Sunderland early on with some great running and it was a Barker run into the box that set up Bryan for the first goal.Real quality and well worth a watch when the highlights are shown on the OS.

Quite a few other chances created but not taken and although Sunderland were lively they didn't create too much clear cut.Ash Brown I though was very good but the one that caught my eye in defence was Pablo Maffeo Baccera at right back.The next Zaba as a good strong defender who likes to get forward.Very similar in stature too.

Looking at the side it seemed we might have a 4.0.6 formation with so many attacking players on view but the team blended quite well and worked hard.Celina, a winger playing in central midfield, scored the 2nd in very cool fashion with a couple of dummies thrown in.Another worth a watch when you can.

[nottsblue]

Just a quickie Doug. Do you have a preference for which team you watch. First team for obvious reasons or EDS to see potential and imagine you get to chat with players or families or maybe a different age group. I ask just because you report on a wide range of games and it seems you get a lot of enjoyment out of them. Cheers

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Just a quickie Doug. Do you have a preference for which team you watch. First team for obvious reasons or EDS to see potential and imagine you get to chat with players or families or maybe a different age group. I ask just because you report on a wide range of games and it seems you get a lot of enjoyment out of them. Cheers

The 1st team are just a joy to watch and we are currently blessed with some of the best football seen anywhere so that's a given. I do enjoy watching say from under 18's upwards and getting early views on the quality we have coming through. Some of my early watching was because I knew one of the academy lads quite well so I went to watch and support him.Through that I got know a few of the parents so yes, getting the chance to hear a few things here and there.

The quality has improved a lot in the 5 or 6 years I have been watching and I do thoroughly enjoy watching the games moreso now than before.I can also tap into some of the knowledge of some of the guys who watch the kids play home and away.Their dedication is staggering but some of them have fantastic knowledge of who is who and what's going on.

Monday night the under 21's play the scum at the Salford Stadium but I cant go to that one.(not dedicated enough) and then next Saturday the 18's are at the swamp Carrington training ground which I hope to get to if I can find a gas mask.

[Ted Hughes]

We have such a collection of promising fullbacks. I'll be rather disappointed if we don't get one or two through to the first team.

The Spanish lads look class going forward.

As I've said before, I really like the look of Brandon Barker; seems to have just about everything required for a wide man.

What do you think of Intima & Celina Doug ? I haven't been able to find much on those two, but Celina has looked class every time I've seen him. I have gained the impression that Intima is both highly dangerous & a little bit headless at the same time; is that fair or is it just that the bits I've seen have been misleading ?

[Douglas Higginbottom]

We have such a collection of promising fullbacks. I'll be rather disappointed if we don't get one or two through to the first team.

The Spanish lads look class going forward.

As I've said before, I really like the look of Brandon Barker; seems to have just about everything required for a wide man.

What do you think of Intima & Celina Doug ? I haven't been able to find much on those two, but Celina has looked class every time I've seen him. I have gained the impression that Intima is both highly dangerous & a little bit headless at the same time; is that fair or is it just that the bits I've seen have been misleading ?

Brandon has real quality.Travels superbly with the ball,takes people on for fun with great balance and seems to have 2 decent feet.I reckon the issue with him will be keeping his feet on the ground to make sure he isn't one of those who believes all the hype and thinks he has made it.There have been the odd moments in games where I feel he has switched of a little.

Intima I liked a lot the first time I saw him and then for a while he seemed to do nothing.But I feel he has picked up well with Jason Wilcox and is indeed a very dangerous player.Quick like Barker but maybe just one footed but he also seems quite tenacious and gets back to do his defensive work.Not quite sure about the headless. Maybe that was last year but definitely an improved player.

Celina I haven't seen a lot of.Tends not to be a first choice selection.Yesterday he played central midfield and at times looked a bit out of place but the team was short of a few regulars so he got that chance and it will have been good experience for him to realise the importance of keeping the ball compared to a winger who arguably is expected to take full backs one etc etc.He is talented and the goal he scored yesterday showed great composure but overall I haven't seen enough of him yet to have a clear idea.

[Ted Hughes]

We have such a collection of promising fullbacks. I'll be rather disappointed if we don't get one or two through to the first team.

The Spanish lads look class going forward.

As I've said before, I really like the look of Brandon Barker; seems to have just about everything required for a wide man.

What do you think of Intima & Celina Doug ? I haven't been able to find much on those two, but Celina has looked class every time I've seen him. I have gained the impression that Intima is both highly dangerous & a little bit headless at the same time; is that fair or is it just that the bits I've seen have been misleading ?

Brandon has real quality.Travels superbly with the ball,takes people on for fun with great balance and seems to have 2 decent feet.I reckon the issue with him will be keeping his feet on the ground to make sure he isn't one of those who believes all the hype and thinks he has made it.There have been the odd moments in games where I feel he has switched of a little.

Intima I liked a lot the first time I saw him and then for a while he seemed to do nothing.But I feel he has picked up well with Jason Wilcox and is indeed a very dangerous player.Quick like Barker but maybe just one footed but he also seems quite tenacious and gets back to do his defensive work.Not quite sure about the headless. Maybe that was last year but definitely an improved player.

Celina I haven't seen a lot of.Tends not to be a first choice selection.Yesterday he played central midfield and at times looked a bit out of place but the team was short of a few regulars so he got that chance and it will have been good experience for him to realise the importance of keeping the ball compared to a winger who arguably is expected to take full backs one etc etc.He is talented and the goal he scored yesterday showed great composure but overall I haven't seen enough of him yet to have a clear idea.

Thanks Doug.

Be interesting when those Nigerian lads arrive to team up with this lot.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

We have such a collection of promising fullbacks. I'll be rather disappointed if we don't get one or two through to the first team.

The Spanish lads look class going forward.

As I've said before, I really like the look of Brandon Barker; seems to have just about everything required for a wide man.

What do you think of Intima & Celina Doug ? I haven't been able to find much on those two, but Celina has looked class every time I've seen him. I have gained the impression that Intima is both highly dangerous & a little bit headless at the same time; is that fair or is it just that the bits I've seen have been misleading ?

Brandon has real quality.Travels superbly with the ball,takes people on for fun with great balance and seems to have 2 decent feet.I reckon the issue with him will be keeping his feet on the ground to make sure he isn't one of those who believes all the hype and thinks he has made it.There have been the odd moments in games where I feel he has switched of a little.

Intima I liked a lot the first time I saw him and then for a while he seemed to do nothing.But I feel he has picked up well with Jason Wilcox and is indeed a very dangerous player.Quick like Barker but maybe just one footed but he also seems quite tenacious and gets back to do his defensive work.Not quite sure about the headless. Maybe that was last year but definitely an improved player.

Celina I haven't seen a lot of.Tends not to be a first choice selection.Yesterday he played central midfield and at times looked a bit out of place but the team was short of a few regulars so he got that chance and it will have been good experience for him to realise the importance of keeping the ball compared to a winger who arguably is expected to take full backs one etc etc.He is talented and the goal he scored yesterday showed great composure but overall I haven't seen enough of him yet to have a clear idea.

Thanks Doug.

Be interesting when those Nigerian lads arrive to team up with this lot.

Certainly will.Not to mention some of those other "stars" in the under 16's age group now.

[getdressedmctavish]

I quite often have to write loss of earnings reports on young footballers and one becomes aware just how awful the attrition rate is.There is so much more required than ability to make it.So many have the skill but don't seem to achieve the pace and power and then there is the question of attitude.Look around the first team. The big players are huge characters, Joe, Vinnie, Zabba, Aguero.David Silva is a great role model for young skillfull players, but even in Spain , how many are there who have the robustness to fight for the ball and keep it?We are obviously developing by fishing in the world pool which is encouraging but we will think it a good result if we get 2 or 3 through and becoming established first team players, particularly if we are trying to be the best team in the world.The kids are better. But the bar has just been raised and its almost out of sight.