Youngsters

[redpole]

Does anyone know how good the next lot of youngsters that are coming up through the ranks? any good lads to keep a eye on? Didn't I read somewhere that man utd and chelsea were sniffing around one of our young players?

I wonder if they will get a chance under coppel?

[eastonboy]

Of what I have seen, Edwards and Ball(CB's) look very decent and could do well at L1 level on loan next season.

Ashley Kington also looks pretty useful.......

[DaveF]

Of what I have seen, Edwards and Ball(CB's) look very decent and could do well at L1 level on loan next season.

Ashley Kington also looks pretty useful.......

Daniel Ball?

[punnett]

Does anyone know how good the next lot of youngsters that are coming up through the ranks? any good lads to keep a eye on? Didn't I read somewhere that man utd and chelsea were sniffing around one of our young players?

I wonder if they will get a chance under coppel?

16 year old Bobby Medjeboud was the player Chelsea were allegedly interested in recently, he played the whole game last night

[Wycombe Royal]

I wonder if they will get a chance under coppel?

Coppell doesn't like using youngsters. We had hardly any come through during his 5 and a bit years with us. For example we lost Simon Cox to Swindon because of Coppell's reluctance to use him, even though the strikers we were playing were firing blanks....

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

Of what I have seen, Edwards and Ball(CB's) look very decent and could do well at L1 level on loan next season.

Ashley Kington also looks pretty useful.......

Edwards won't ever make a centre back, unless he starts growing at a dramatic rate!

[Rocky]

Sound familiar

Coppell doesn't like using youngsters. We had hardly any come through during his 5 and a bit years with us. For example we lost Simon Cox to Swindon because of Coppell's reluctance to use him, even though the strikers we were playing were firing blanks....

[chowie]

[eastonboy]

Edwards won't ever make a centre back, unless he starts growing at a dramatic rate!

I thought it was Muggeridge at the back who was the "shorter" one?

[CliftonCliff]

I thought it was Muggeridge at the back who was the "shorter" one?

I agree Edwards size is against him at CB, but though short he is fairly stocky and a tenacious, gutsy character, and I have seen him perform very well at full back for the reserves. In fact, I thought that was his preferred position, but I may be wrong. The only time I've seen him play CB was in a reserve fixture when City had so many unfit players that several had to play out of position, including Frankis Artus at left back.

Muggeridge is certainly diminutive and looks about 12, but on the few occasions I've seen him actually looked quite a good little footballer. He played in the same game I'm referring to above, though again at full back, if my memory (which is notoriously fallible) is correct on this occasion.

You never know. When I had a long talk with a member of the Academy staff some years ago, he thought at the time that Frankie A was quite outstanding and would develop into a star player. Sadly, we all now know how that's ended, at least as far as his City career is concerned. Same thing happened to Marvin Brown, for those who remember him. Matt Hill, on the other hand, always looked awkward on the ball and most observers among the fans thought he'd probably fade into oblivion, whereas he's done quite well in the game, and at a decent level, too.

It's a funny old game...

[MackMaine]

I think some realistic views need to be displayed when it comes to youth prospects, it isnt easy for youth to get through in this day and age. A lot of factors can contribute to success or failure, some managers will not give youth a chance or might use a system that requires more experienced players. I can't think of many clubs that have an succesful youth policy at present.

[john shaws hair]

Said before, been meaning to do a post on this but here is a quick version;

First the academy seems to be earning some respect in the last year or so, here is one interesting snippet.

There's quite the Chelsea connection at the Bristol City academy. Managed by ex-Blue David Lee, they have Lee Stripp, Nathan Livings, Daryn Hennessey and Harry Rubbins amongst their ranks, all former schoolboys at Cobham. 18-goal top scorer from last season Marlon Jackson has begun the push to the first team and will need to be replaced, but Joe Lennox looks capable. They play some of the most exciting football at this level, and if their 5-4 pre-season defeat at Chelsea is anything to go by, will be great value.

Key Player: Joe Lennox

I've read from a Scout (few weeks ago) that Harry Rubbins is looking very good, seemed we snapped him up after a bad injury at a bad time (from Chelsea) and he's looking good. Some info on him;

has played at the highest level of football for a long time, starting his career at leyton orient where he had an excellent couple of season before he felt it was time to move on, left before his contract ended and ended up being signed straight away by west ham where his leyton orient contract came back to haunt him and sufferd a set back due to contract fees, he then moved onto chelsea where they bought his contract from leyton orient and he had a very succesfull run, earning the respect of the club to make him captain leading the team out to various nike cups, and tours around the likes of holland, ireland and various others, Harry then had a set back of breaking his arm at the milk cup tournement which came at a horrible time of when it was time he found out about his schoolarship. sadly didn't get fit and time and had to let him go, but he was swopped up by bristol city where he has just finished his 1st season and now preparing for his 2nd year. hopefully trying to gain his professional contract at the end.

Chelsea Captian, also read he had a great tournament for them in the USA apparently.

Harry Rubbins Profile

harry and nathan have been released by the club and joe edwards is a full back not a central defender ,oh and ps they came a couple of years before dave lees showed up think chealsea released them both

[Kid in the Riot]

Coppell doesn't like using youngsters. We had hardly any come through during his 5 and a bit years with us. For example we lost Simon Cox to Swindon because of Coppell's reluctance to use him, even though the strikers we were playing were firing blanks....

Considering he was your God, you don't seem to have too many positive things to say about Coppell.

Still chewing on a few sour grapes?

[chowie]

harry and nathan have been released by the club and joe edwards is a full back not a central defender ,oh and ps they came a couple of years before dave lees showed up think chealsea released them both

Yeah Edwards is a full back!

When did Harry leave then, must have been very recent?

Yeah Chelsea did!

[john shaws hair]

Yeah Edwards is a full back!

When did Harry leave then, must have been very recent?

Yeah Chelsea did!

not sure but neither him or Nathan were offered pro deals bout as much as i no really

[Tins]

Coppell doesn't like using youngsters. We had hardly any come through during his 5 and a bit years with us. For example we lost Simon Cox to Swindon because of Coppell's reluctance to use him, even though the strikers we were playing were firing blanks....

This is the same guy who a few weeks ago said whats the point of having an academy if your not bringing through 2 players a year? and the same guy who has already spoke to the Academy?

[john shaws hair]

This is the same guy who a few weeks ago said whats the point of having an academy if your not bringing through 2 players a year? and the same guy who has already spoke to the Academy?

our academy will need a lot of running repairs done to it , eg coaching ,scouting etc and this will probably take a few years to put right at least as we all no are last manager wasn't the biggest fan

[Forza Revolution]

Dan Ball is the best player I have ever seen in a city shirt.........................he is my cousin though so I'm slightly biased.

[Tins]

our academy will need a lot of running repairs done to it , eg coaching ,scouting etc and this will probably take a few years to put right at least as we all no are last manager wasn't the biggest fan

Are academy isnt that bad at the moment, i only see the younger ages, 14 and under, but theres some good players there and the coaches all seem quite capable. At least they play some good passing football which will suit Coppell

[James M]

Not sure how much our youngsters develop between about 16 and 18 which I think is our big issue. We seem to have lots of hyped youngsters who don't even end up getting a first team look in - now I concede that the scenario was not helped by GJs reluctance to look to youth, and given Coppell's track record I'm not hopeful, but surely there are other reasons that they never got a chance - they simply aren't good enough for Championship football?

It's a bit of an easy cop-out to suggest that they're not given a chance, but I'm one of those of the belief that the problem is symptomatic of English football at present - our academy systems on the whole are dreadfully ineffective, and so clubs would rather invest in proven quantities who are better players, rather than trust below-par kids. The worst thing to happen to English football was the regional limit to clubs for picking up youngsters. It's easy to say "omg, then Arsenal or Man United will just get the best" but there's a reason for that - they spend the most money and have the best facilities, etc to develop these players. Why should a player from the South West be limited to playing for a club that is not in the top flight, and thus will not have the resources available to help them develop into the best possible player? I know it doesn't help that certain players slip through the net, etc (and obviously instances such as how Beckham would have been a Spurs youngster until United snapped him up), but I think it's no coincidence that there hasn't been a great influx of young English players since the mid-late 90s with that United team, or with the West Ham academy, etc.

I was speaking to a City youth coach last week and he said he was shocked at how little talent we actually have in terms of real footballers. He said that plenty look good from 14-16, but after that they need to be playing with better players than we have. I guess we'll see what happens over the next couple of years, but would anyone else apart from me be shocked if we have, say, 3 academy players get a good look-in in the next....5 years? I just can't see it happening, which is a real shame.

[eskay]

There's quite the Chelsea connection at the Bristol City academy. Managed by ex-Blue David Lee, they have Lee Stripp, Nathan Livings, Daryn Hennessey and Harry Rubbins amongst their ranks, all former schoolboys at Cobham.

I think one of Kevin Scott's boys was signed up by Chelsea so maybe that is where the link used to be??

[Cornacix the Druid]

I'm not sure about the youth set up. (Well, the younger lads anyway). Last season, I watched a lad play for a certain team just outside Bristol. Brilliant footballing brain, natural leader, very tallented footballer, controlled his centre midfield position in every game and their side beat all oponents (Including City). He's a massive City fan and amongst other teams had Trials there. Unfortunately, the lad and his parents (who are also city fans) thought the set up/organisation pretty poor and felt let down at City for certain reasons. Long story short, he was unveiled at "Cardiff City" at the last game of the season, as a very promising new "8 year old" signing.