madmax Posted June 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Some of you have said the Academy is worth while because it produces quality players like, Coles, Hill etc... But when their contracts up and we have done nothing about it, purely because we don't know what division were in, is poor. I'm not slating the club, but I do feel that if we kept up on contract neg's then we could be asking for a fee now. Tommy D, Danny Coles, Matt Hill and Louis Carey could all leave for free after coming through 'our ranks' some through the Academy. We are not a club with lots of money, I just feel we could make sure our prized assests are worth money and not just walk away from the club after we have given them the oportunity. MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bristollionheart Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 I would say there is a very big question about it actually. Scott Murray was our best player by a country mile a few seasons ago and he couldn't hack it! Murray wasn't near our best player, he just got great service from Tins and he was our most effective because he was so quick and playing WITH CONFIDENCE. He didn't have a chance to settle in at Reading, was clearly playing WITHOUT CONFIDENCE and didn't get any service, if he was playing in Division One for us he'd be just the same as he is in Division Two for ######sake. Wilkshire, for example, looked really good for Middlesborough in the Premiership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Gows' Tash Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 That is exactly the same mistake we made a few years ago, there is a massive difference between div's 1 and 2. Until we get there (When) we will not be in a position to judge how our players measure up to the 1st div. Is there though ? Look at the teams that went up last season (e.g. Cardiff who just missed out on the Div 1 playoffs ?). I am sure that any team of the Last 4 years could survive in Div 1 - breaking it down to individual players is misleading I reakon. I think our "natural" position is as a mid table Div 1 side - in a bad season we could be on the edges of a relegation battle and in a good season on the edges of the playoffs. The mistake made last time we got promoted was certain board members getting carried away and expecting us to go straight up to the Prem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchred Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Murray wasn't near our best player, he just got great service from Tins and he was our most effective because he was so quick and playing WITH CONFIDENCE. He didn't have a chance to settle in at Reading, was clearly playing WITHOUT CONFIDENCE and didn't get any service, if he was playing in Division One for us he'd be just the same as he is in Division Two for ######sake. Wilkshire, for example, looked really good for Middlesborough in the Premiership. Wilkshire only played about 8 games, if he was any good AT THAT LEVEL they would have kept him! Murray didn't do it for US the last time we were in Div 1, why would this time be any different, because from what I saw last season when he came back He was pants! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bristollionheart Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 That is exactly the same mistake we made a few years ago, there is a massive difference between div's 1 and 2. Until we get there (When) we will not be in a position to judge how our players measure up to the 1st div. You couldn't be more wrong! The mistake we made in 1998/99 was changing the promotion team and bringing in loads of new players, Watford who we came up with didn't change a thing and went straight up to the Prem, everybody knows that our promotion team was miles better than Watford's. Reading finished 6th in Division Two, went up through the Play-offs, the following season they kept the exact same squad of players and finished 3rd in Division One! There is not much difference at all between Division One and Division Two, watch QPR next season if you don't believe me! Robbie Earle said on 'On The Ball' that whoever goes up out of us or QPR would finish in the top 30 in the country next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchred Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Is there though ? Look at the teams that went up last season (e.g. Cardiff who just missed out on the Div 1 playoffs ?). I am sure that any team of the Last 4 years could survive in Div 1 - breaking it down to individual players is misleading I reakon. I think our "natural" position is as a mid table Div 1 side - in a bad season we could be on the edges of a relegation battle and in a good season on the edges of the playoffs. The mistake made last time we got promoted was certain board members getting carried away and expecting us to go straight up to the Prem. If you actually look at statistical historical facts we are a division 2 side i am afraid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilksi Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 I would say there is a very big question about it actually. Scott Murray was our best player by a country mile a few seasons ago and he couldn't hack it! Welll this season we had the second best defensive record in the COUNTRY.. and half of it was made up of academy players...... I rest my case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bristollionheart Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Wilkshire only played about 8 games, if he was any good AT THAT LEVEL they would have kept him! Murray didn't do it for US the last time we were in Div 1, why would this time be any different, because from what I saw last season when he came back He was pants! Wilkshire played 24 Premiership games and he looked just the same as he does for us. Even Murray played in the Premiership at right-back for Villa and looked really good when he was running at players, just couldn't defend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchred Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Wilkshire played 24 Premiership games and he looked just the same as he does for us. Even Murray played in the Premiership at right-back for Villa and looked really good when he was running at players, just couldn't defend. Scott Murray in the premiership for Villa was about as rare as rocking horse poo! If you saw him fair play but as we did not have saturation tv coverage in those days I do not believe you. Once again if he was any good AT THAT LEVEL they would not have sold him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cider head Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 well the Academy i have said for a long time ''is it worth it'' a youth policy is good but not at the expense we are paying. those young players that have matured in to our squad have as yet to get us anywhere and no young lads have come through as we are signing players from outside the club, goodfellow, miller, wilkshire and gilespie, we are now breeding players who end up released or on loan to other clubs, all that time and money spent on them when it is clear they won't make it at ashton gate, we see burnell, the 2 brown brothers, mabe hill, woodman and carey will or have left, all i see the Academy has done is kept us in the division we are in for the past 5 or 6 seasons, too much money spent for no big return for me, and we are to spend more money on transfers which tells me not alot is coming through... WHO ARE THE NEW YOUNG BREED if cuts are made, cut down the Academy and get players in for today as out of the young lads who have come through, yes are good players but the bigger picture has shown we are still at square one with all around us moving on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.