Breaking News Allegations of a Top Departure

[Tampa Blue]

I am sure that Arsenal would not be linked with Ricky Duncan and Luke Hobbs if the footballing world thought that our Youth Set Up was a waste of money and time.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

How on earth can Crewe be the benchmark for bringing talent through? They are the best lower league club to do this, so to say we should just give up because we aren't the best. Crewe have been doing it for 30 years and we have only done it for 10, so we can hardly compare.

As for the last statement, that is just crazy. How is league 2 barely non-league standard? If that were true then every team coming from the conference would simply walk the league.

We have had a youth team for as long as I can remember - 40 years? We competed in the South East Counties League for much of that time.

I agree with your view that a youth system should be important. However, all the plaudits in the world about RD will not disguise the fact that the return on investment is virtually zero.

 

[chapperzUK]

We have had a youth team for as long as I can remember - 40 years? We competed in the South East Counties League for much of that time.

I agree with your view that a youth system should be important. However, all the plaudits in the world about RD will not disguise the fact that the return on investment is virtually zero.

Ferdinand, Delle-Verde and N'Goo got us 6 figure sums and will get us more if they fulfil their potential. Sorry if I was wrong with the youth team, but wasn't it shut down at one time?

 

[EastStandBlue]

We have had a youth team for as long as I can remember - 40 years? We competed in the South East Counties League for much of that time.

I agree with your view that a youth system should be important. However, all the plaudits in the world about RD will not disguise the fact that the return on investment is virtually zero.

We may have had a youth team in the sense that eleven players representing the club played, but investment ground to a halt until Duncan was brought in after Cambridge's demise. It was in a complete state, and one of Ron Martin's few triumphs is that investment has continued to change that. We've gone from producing the likes of James Lawson, to the likes of Kane Ferdinand in a comparatively short time frame, and with fairly poor facilities.

Considering the investment and constraints RD and his staff have worked under, then I'd consider the state of the youth development programme now compared to what it was like ten years ago a more than suitable return on investment. Next season could see Bentley, Chambers, Auger, Pinnock and Njie fill positions in the squad.

 

[ryansm05]

A lot of people keep mentioning Crewe and their system- yes they invest heavily and reap the benefits, but remember their location.

Manchester and Liverpool are two of the three biggest footballing cities in the country. With only a handful of clubs coming from the two, and Crewe being not too far.. they do have a lot of talent on their door step.

Southend on the other hand has maybe 40/50 teams to compete with bordering/London where a young lad could easily commute.

 

[southend4eva]

While I am disappointed, it's hardly surprising, I as I have wondered how we ave held on to him this long!
good luck to him, as he has earned it.

 

[buffalowolf]

Southend United colts was first formed way back in 1961 if my memory serves me correct and played in the local youth league.In 1962 they had 2 teams and Southend held their first Youth International Tournament, With teams from Holland and Germany participating,along with West Ham youth and Arsenal youth .Borrussia Munchengladbach i think was the german youth team and Sparta Rotterdam the Dutch youth side.Captain of the Southend youth side was Mickey Wright .So in writing all this Southend have had a youth team for over 50 years now.:smile:

 

[Firestorm]

A lad I knew in Billericay .George Measures, played for the Youth team in the 70's.
IIRC got released after being sent off for lumping someone in a tournament in Holland

 

[danburyshrimper]

As much as i have always been a massive fan of Ricky Duncan + our youth set up , i feel without regular reserve team football , having a youth set up is somewhat pointless. We have invested lots of time + money and we have produced many many quality players , but the vast majority of these players who potentially could be 1st teamers with a bit more experience just do not get the chance to play !

Most of our youngsters are either poached by bigger clubs youth teams ( for a small fee sometimes i agree ) or allowed to leave without ever playing a 1st team match. A few are loaned out to local non league clubs but this is not always to the benefit of the player as often they are forced into the deep end of a bruising non league match rather than being nurtured to help the particular individual under specific guidance as he would be in a reserve league match.

I really feel that a priority of Phil Brown + whoever his number 2 will be is to ensure we play regular reserve team football ( at least 20 matches per season ) ... and this must include a good deal of the better youth team players, to bring then along , give them a target to aim for + a feel that they can progress through the ranks by playing alongside the likes of Eastwood+ Corr , they will learn a lot.

...and of course this will greatly benefit the fringe 1st team players too to keep up match sharpness.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

As much as i have always been a massive fan of Ricky Duncan + our youth set up , i feel without regular reserve team football , having a youth set up is somewhat pointless. We have invested lots of time + money and we have produced many many quality players , but the vast majority of these players who potentially could be 1st teamers with a bit more experience just do not get the chance to play !

Most of our youngsters are either poached by bigger clubs youth teams ( for a small fee sometimes i agree ) or allowed to leave without ever playing a 1st team match. A few are loaned out to local non league clubs but this is not always to the benefit of the player as often they are forced into the deep end of a bruising non league match rather than being nurtured to help the particular individual under specific guidance as he would be in a reserve league match.

I really feel that a priority of Phil Brown + whoever his number 2 will be is to ensure we play regular reserve team football ( at least 20 matches per season ) ... and this must include a good deal of the better youth team players, to bring then along , give them a target to aim for + a feel that they can progress through the ranks by playing alongside the likes of Eastwood+ Corr , they will learn a lot.

...and of course this will greatly benefit the fringe 1st team players too to keep up match sharpness.

Excellent point!

 

[stortford]

The problem is that in this part of the country not having a Tier 2 academy means there is no reserve league available. The FA's pyramid rules mean the only non-leagues available are at too low a level to be useful.

 

[Gremlin]

the only diffrance is the crewe manager plays the youth players regular as were our managers haven't, ie kane ferdinand and a run in the first team, and moved on, someone saw potenail in gary hooper, micheal kightley and look at them now, did southend/steve tilson, oh and the kid that went to fulam, is another

Please tell me you're not really 31.

 

[Mick]

The problem is that in this part of the country not having a Tier 2 academy means there is no reserve league available. The FA's pyramid rules mean the only non-leagues available are at too low a level to be useful.

We voted for the "new" academy system and rules; only got ourselves to blame.

 

[chapperzUK]

We voted for the "new" academy system and rules; only got ourselves to blame.

With allegations of the Premier league threatening to stop youth funding to football league clubs ....

 

[southend4ever]

Good Luck to Duncan. He deserves to be headhunted. Our list of excellent youth players coming through has nearly reached 4 names.

 

[jaffa1]

Lots of posts on this subject - but nothing concrete I believe (?). Duncan is highly thought of in youth circles. I know a youth coach at Arsenal, who recently told me that Liam Brady is packing it in there imminently.

 

[Tinks]

Lots of posts on this subject - but nothing concrete I believe (?). Duncan is highly thought of in youth circles. I know a youth coach at Arsenal, who recently told me that Liam Brady is packing it in there imminently.

Well watch this space then - as they say and it seems to make sense if Liam Brady is going

 

[chapperzUK]

Lots of posts on this subject - but nothing concrete I believe (?). Duncan is highly thought of in youth circles. I know a youth coach at Arsenal, who recently told me that Liam Brady is packing it in there imminently.

You're not wrong, but will be leave next May.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21261881

 

[EastStandBlue]

With allegations of the Premier league threatening to stop youth funding to football league clubs ....

They weren't allegations, it was proven. The Premier League's opinion was that they were no longer prepared to continue with the percentage of solidarity payment earmarked for youth development if it was to continue in its current mode, so Football League clubs were forced to either accept EPPP or have this funding withdrawn.

 

[tommy tucker]

Yes this is correct that the prem big boys told the clubs from the football league .Either toe the party line and vote for what they wanted or have there funding withdrawn .Barry Fry was banging on about this on the last local football show 2 sundays ago .He pointed out it was nothing more than blackmail by the prem big boys against all the smaller clubs . Men in ivory towers springs to mind men at the top calling all the shots again . And the little clubs suffer .