Latest Rumours Another youngster on the way out?

[DTS]

I wonder why we always produce midgets?

Herd, Moussa, O Keefe, Crawford all little men.

Also Rob can I ask if Furlonge gets snapped up then will we get any sort of fee and where did we get him from?

 

[SARF]

If we get a reputation for Top clubs wanting our Youth programs best players then all the best youth players in our area will be beating a path to Southends academy.. this can only be good for us

 

[Strykr]

The likes of Herd and Moussa came up through the youth team a fair while ago, and we've only just entered the Premier League's minds as being a progressive Centre of Excellence. When I interviewed Duncan last year, he said that we're now considered one of the best CoE's in the country and that, in his opinion, it's better to work with the Prem Academies rather than against them.

Youth football is entirely different to Senior football. It's faster, it's tougher and you get next to no time to think. That's why, when Prem scouts watch YTS games, they look for different aspects and strengths as opposed to a scout watching a senior player.

At an early age, they can teach you positional sense and, with Sports Science as in-depth as it is these days, they won't necessairly worry about a lack of size or athleticism. They look for a natural understanding of the game, a masterful first touch and raw technique that they can hone into something desirable.

Fair enough ESb, thanks for that, i want aware that we had one of the best COes in the country, which can only be a good thing,
I would still like to see some of this raw techique and masterful first touch put to use on our squad though from time to time, still tilly knows best :)

often think it must be stange for a young footballer, its like at such a young age they must become very aware of there place, ie im only ever gonna be a league 2 player etc, but then there are always exceptions ala eastwood etc

 

[EastStandBlue]

Fair enough ESb, thanks for that, i want aware that we had one of the best COes in the country, which can only be a good thing,
I would still like to see some of this raw techique and masterful first touch put to use on our squad though from time to time, still tilly knows best :)

often think it must be stange for a young footballer, its like at such a young age they must become very aware of there place, ie im only ever gonna be a league 2 player etc, but then there are always exceptions ala eastwood etc

I'd say the mental side of the game is the most important within youth football. Your technique and physical stature will only improve through hard work and perseverance and you need the right application to do that.

More than 50% of football is in your head. You need the awareness and vision on the field and confidence in your ability, whether it's to skin the full back, pitch that pass or slot the ball beyond the 'keeper's grasp. If players think they're only good enough for League Two, then chances are that's where they'll end up...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I wonder why we always produce midgets?

Because the big players get snapped up by the big clubs.

We get left sniffing around those who were too small, slow or skilful to make it.

 

[fredheim_holm]

I wonder why we always produce midgets?

Herd, Moussa, O Keefe, Crawford all little men.

Also Rob can I ask if Furlonge gets snapped up then will we get any sort of fee and where did we get him from?

Crawford and Moussa aren't that small, and that striker we sold to Liverpool certainly wasn't!

 

[DTS]

Crawford and Moussa aren't that small, and that striker we sold to Liverpool certainly wasn't!

Crawford is small mate. I saw him in the car park a few weeks ago. I am 6'1 and he was a lot lot smaller than me I would say.

Moussa looks tall becuase of his dreadlocks but is infact 4 ft 6.

 

[Strykr]

he can be two foot tall as long as he bangs them in :)

ive never thought the whole 9 foot tall "target man" approach has worked for us anyway,

 

[fredheim_holm]

Crawford is small mate. I saw him in the car park a few weeks ago. I am 6'1 and he was a lot lot smaller than me I would say.

Moussa looks tall becuase of his dreadlocks but is infact 4 ft 6.

Haha. Crawford wasn't as big as I thought he was when he came on, but he's still 18 odd so could grow another couple of inches.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Crawford is small mate. I saw him in the car park a few weeks ago. I am 6'1 and he was a lot lot smaller than me I would say.

Moussa looks tall becuase of his dreadlocks but is infact 4 ft 6.

Don't exaggerate.

You're not 6'1.

 

[Fiftyone]

Link to an article on Manchester City's official website: Furlong chase could produce photo finish;
and the Daily Mirror, who included it in their 'Football Spy' column: Manchester City in battle with Fulham to sign young Southend defender.

For a little bit of background, Furlonge (I now understand that his name has an 'e' on the end) has just broken into the Under-18s side at Boots & Laces in the right-back berth. First impressions show that he is comfortable on the ball, likes to get forward and it tall and powerful enough to be considered a prospect at centre-half as well as full-back. He has played in both of the last two home Under-18 matches and has been impressive in both games, despite the team being beaten.

Rob, I assume that Furlonge has been offered terms for next season - do you know the names and positions played of other youngsters offered terms?.

 

[DTS]

Rob, I assume that Furlonge has been offered terms for next season - do you know the names and positions played of other youngsters offered terms?.

Jamie Dennis
The defender with the African name
Duran Duran Reynolds...

Whittaker released...

 

[Exiled Shrimper]

Rob, I assume that Furlonge has been offered terms for next season - do you know the names and positions played of other youngsters offered terms?.

Brian,

Not yet in terms of those offered Under-18 scholarships - I think these are normally offered around the start of March and then announced when the players are introduced to the crowd at half-time during a first-team fixture.

Furlonge is the only one that has been pushed into the Under-18s at the moment, along with Luke Chambers, the goalkeeper who we all know about after he joined us from Arsenal last month. Jack Paxman, a midfielder, is another of the Under-16 squad to have made a youth-team appearance, coming off of the substitutes' bench in the 2-0 Youth Alliance Cup win over Aldershot Town and staying on the bench in last season's final game against Millwall. Michael Hassini is the tall centre-half signed after being released by Tottenham Hotspur who was paraded on the pitch in November.

 

[Shrimpersfan]

So if we have one of the best COe's in the country does that mean better than some prem clubs? Quite an achievement when you think about it. How much do most prem clubs invest in youth development? Don't often see many coming through to play in prem

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

So if we have one of the best COe's in the country does that mean better than some prem clubs? Quite an achievement when you think about it. How much do most prem clubs invest in youth development? Don't often see many coming through to play in prem

Centres of Excellence are a step below Youth Academies.

I expect most Prem clubs have Youth Academies and I'd guess that the entire England squad (with the exception of Hargreaves) have gone through the Youth Academy system. I'd guess that most clubs in the Prem field a home grown player.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Centres of Excellence are a step below Youth Academies.

I expect most Prem clubs have Youth Academies and I'd guess that the entire England squad (with the exception of Hargreaves) have gone through the Youth Academy system. I'd guess that most clubs in the Prem field a home grown player.

Had a quick scan through of the last league game played and the no. of home grown players

Might have missed one or two, but by my reckoning it is:

Man U 2 (Neville and Fletcher) plus both subs (Scholes and Giggs)
Chelsea 1 (Terry)
Arsenal not sure if Fabregras, Clichy, Eboue etc count as home grown. They may have been part of their youth academy as they were signed when teenagers
Spurs 1 (Crouchinho)
Man City 3 (Richards, Johnson, Ireland) plus 1 sub (the useless SWP)
Liverpool 2 (Carragher and Gerrard)
Villa 1 (Delfouneso came on after 14 mins, Agbonlahor usually plays though)
Everton 1 (Osman, plus Rodwell as sub)
Birmingham 0 (although interestingly at least 3 came thro the Villa youth system
Fulham 1 (Smalling)
Blackburn 2 (Jones and Dunn, plus Hoilet as sub)
Stoke 0
Sunderland 1 (Henderson)
Bolton 0
Wolves 0
Wigan 0
Wham 1 (Tomkins, although Stanislas come on as sub)
Burnley 0
Hull 0
Pompey 1 (Wilson)


Our youth system has provided 43 starts and 6 sub appearances in 37 league matches which is pretty much in line with what the premier$hite clubs averaged in their last game.

 

[EastStandBlue]

A lot of the so called "Golden Generation" England field now came through Lilleshall before being taken up by Prem club academies. An Academy isn't necessarily the elite of youth football, Crewe basically financially support their club through the product of their CoE, but it does allow you take in a lot more players of a lot higher calibre.

Just to back up YB's point, below are some stats I pulled up during my research last year about using CoE products in senior football:

During the 2008/09 season, the club used at least one youngster in 55% of their competitive fixtures, two or more in 21% and three or more in 10%, a massive increase from just three years prior. These performances were also credited to a total of six youngsters in comparison to the two used three seasons ago.

This may show that the club are now producing more young talent, but how does this compare with clubs of a similar size? Northampton Town, who also compete in Coca-Cola League One, used at least one academy product in 61% of their competitive fixtures in the 2008/09 season, two or more products in 17% and 3 or more in just one fixture, credited to four individual players.

This shows that Southend are not only producing more youth talent than clubs of a similar size and budget, but are also fielding them in more fixtures, allowing them to gain more valuable experience to aid their development.

If anybody wants the full article, send me a PM with your email and I'll send it across.