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Powlay

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Posts posted by Powlay

  1. had a think about this approach and i can see quite a few positives in the wing and Armstrong signings.

     

    first off they were stand out players at the level, now they will be given this marvelous opportunity to join up with a club in the top leagues. their drive and determination will hopefully rub off on the privileged few who end up at academies before falling away into obscurity. without the proper attitude and application you end up like porritt. hopefully our young prospects can learn a lot from them.

    The micky mouse cup our u23's entered last season might have been a cause for concern. resulting in this change in strategy. we were battered by league 2 sides. not through lack of ability or technique but more overwhelmed by their determination desire and work rate also playing to the strengths of their teammates. rather than the plodding possession style these academy lads get brainwashed with. 

    now we are maybe thinking like a few have mentioned across the forums, we are looking for the next jamie vardy. looking for young lads with massive desire and drive to come in and thrive at the chance of playing for the BORO. 

    unlike the usual academy lads who just accept it as the norm. fail to impress and end up none league and have to start again.

     

    Armstrong was our player wasn't he and we released him?  So he's just an ex academy player who has been re-signed.

     

    We're just getting players in with the required experience for when we're down playing at that level.

     

    :D  come on, at that level. its nothing like that is it. 

    i think we see more chance of getting a player with a better attitude from lower leagues/none league. its pointless keeping top coaches for the kids if they are more interested in fifa. get these rough diamonds in and polish them up. talent is nothing without the right attitude to go with it.

  2. Middlesbrough played Thornaby in the North Riding Senior Cup semi-final after the pitch was given a check and mark of approval by the FA after heavy downpours on Wednesday.

     

    Thornaby have a few Middlesbrough links, they’re managed by Paul Edwards whose two sons came through the Academy system, Kieran a former England U16 captains the Thornaby side and Curtis plays in Sweden now. Former Boro academy players Rocky Andrews and Theo Furness were also selected whilst Nathan Porritt and Jason Honeyman have made appearances for the side early in the season.

     

    The pitch despite being passed fit was very heavy and cut up easily making it a tough game for a Boro side more used to the flat pitches at Rockliffe but they equipped themselves well considering.

     

    Boro started quickly and young Austria forward Arnel Jakupovic found Callum Cooke with a long cross field pass but Cooke’s shot was blocked. It was all Boro early on and Brazilian Joao Morelli was the next to have a chance, he latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the Thornaby box before driving a low shot which Thornaby Keeper Michael Duff was equal to.

     

    Morelli was the right man in the right spot moments later, the ball; was worked left to the overlapping Nathan McGinley who fired a low cross just past the stretching Duff and Morelli was there at the back post to stab the ball home!

     

    GOAL BORO! – 0-1 Morelli

     

    It could have been 2-0 moments later when Morelli played in Jakupovic, he was in the 18 yard box on the right side with the keeper coming out to meet him, the forward played a deft dink over the keeper whom just got a hand to it to keep it out. Next the advancing Callum Johnson cut into the box on the right and he squared it to Jordan Jowers who turned well and fired a shot low towards the Thornaby goal only to see Duff keep it out with his legs.

     

    At the other end Thornaby had a good attack and were unlucky not to be awarded a corner. Richard Walker played a delightful right to left ball and found Stephen Morrison, the full back took down the ball well and hot a low shot across Coddington in the Boro goal, the young keeper seemed to get a palm to it which just took it away from Gary Mitchell on the far post but the referee signalled for a goal kick.

     

    Boro did double their lead just after the 20 minute mark, Callum Johnson crossed to Jakupovic whose shot was saved by Duff but Morelli was there to tap home despite to protestations of the home side for offside.

     

    GOAL BORO – 0-2 Morelli.

     

    The young Brazilian who is at Boro as part of the link up with Juninho’s side Ituano could have completed his hat trick in the first half hour, Joe Wheatley won the ball through a superb tackle and Boro broke, Alex Pattison floated a ball over to Morelli who found himself one on one with Duff but could only blast the ball into the side netting.

     

    Thornaby were next to attack, a ball swung from right to left found Bligh whose shot across goal was tapped in at the back post by Grant Mitchell.

     

    GOAL THORNABY – 1-2 Mitchell

     

    Boro were straight back into it, and with the half coming to an end nearly added another, Joe Wheatley fierce in the tackle got the ball wide to Johnson, he left it though for Morelli who crossed low finding Pattison but he pulled his shot wide.

    The next chance was started at the back, Boro man mountain Matthew Elsdon flighted a ball forward towards Jakupovic, he was beaten in the air but the ball landed centrally and after a touch Morelli hit the bouncing ball into the bottom corner of Duff’s goal! What a strike to get your hat trick!

     

    GOAL BORO – 1-3 Morelli (Hat Trick)  

     

    Boro broke from the next Thornaby attack, Morelli had the ball with two men to his right and one left, he chose left and McGinley pulled the ball across goal and out for a goal kick.

    With the last chance of the half Jakupovic beat duff at his near post but saw the ball rebound away safely.

     

    Half Time Thornaby 1 Middlesbrough 3

     

    The second half kicked off and it was straight into the action for Boro, within a minute of the restart Morelli struck a low hopeful shot from 18 yards, Duff who had been excellent all night will be disappointed as the ball snuck under him into the net.

     

    GOAL BORO – 1-4 Morelli

     

    It was all Boro for the next few moments, Jakupovic went round Duff but saw his shot cleared off the line and in the action afterwards Pattison hit one just wide.

     

    Boro Sub – Cooke off, McAloon on. Jakupovic off, Jones on.

    Thornaby Sub – Bligh off, Furness on. Ruddy off, Butterworth on.

     

    Thornaby Sub – Walker off, Rowe on.

    Boro Sub – Pattison off, Kitching on.

     

    Jones was straight into the action tormenting the Thornaby right back with his pace and directness. Morelli could have had a 5th but after a great Jones run and cross Duff got a fingertip to it and knocked it off the head of the Brazilian who would have had a simple header from half a yard out!

    It was from a move on the Boro left where Kitching found himself with the ball in the box, he turned in, then out and back in before hitting a low shot past Duff at his near post!

     

    GOAL BORO – 1-5 Kitching.

     

    Kitching had a late free kick well saved and Theo Furness went down under minimal contact late on in the Boro box but the referee waves away the appeals for a penalty.

     

    Full time Thornaby 1 (Mitchell) Middlesbrough 5 (Morelli 4, Kitching)

  3. The issue with the youth set up is that you are playing with peers. To really improve you need to play with people better than you. With the old reserve system you were surrounded by better players. You then raise your game to their level or you don't. Being the best player year after year doesn't help a player development but can help their value.

     

    I'm not sure where yourself and others get the idea that the old reserve league was full of 'better players' or as others think it was full of 'experienced professionals' it wasnt.

     

    Look back 5 years in the Boro reserves/U21s youth forum on this website. I did a few reports back then.

    Boro vs S***horpe - Ripley, Pilatos, Oliver, Hines, Reach, Luke Williams, Smallwood, Thomson, Fowler, Halliday, Main, Subs Brobbel, Atkinson, Jackson, Wyke, Coddington.

    Only really experienced professional in the Boro line up was Thomson. 

     

    S***horpe had a very young side that night. Looking at the other games in that time Boro played young sides as did the opponents.

     

    Its not much different now over age players can play and do often play for all sides especially when coming back from injury or when not fancied by the manager (but often loans get them out before reserve football is used) 

     

    The last side i remember at reserve level playing a fair few first team squad players was hartlepool against us and they whooped us on a cold, wet windy night.

  4. They probably have not because the class of 92 are a one off once in a lifetime group.

     

    But they have it right they have had a academy grown player in their match day side every game for the last 3000+ i believe

     

    3,788 consecutive first team games since October 1937 with youth player in squad
  5. Wilson Kneeshaw was released and went to romania, came back signed for Darlington and recently for Blyth where he scored 5 in a game.

     

    Bruno Pilatos has run in after run in after run in with the club, and seemed to have got it all behind him and was playing really well for the club at right back. Dont know what happened but he was released during the season a few years back. Ended up in the northern league like so many do.

  6. We have some who do that but its slowed down over the last few years for sure.

     

    Going from our Golden generation to now....so the last what 15 years? (Gibsons year was the best year in a long long time and that shows.

     

    2001-02

     

    Andrew Davies – Ross County

     

    Chris Brunt – WBA

     

    Ross Turnbull – Leeds

     

    Danny Graham – Sunderland (Blackburn)

     

    Niklas Nordgren – Sölvesborgs

     

    Paul Harvey –

    Jonathan Cooper –

    Andrew O'Shea –

    Allan Neill –

    Alan Harrison ¬–

     

    2002-03

     

    Anthony Peacock – Spennymoor

     

    James Morrison – WBA

     

    Andrew Taylor – Wigan

     

    Tony McMahon – Bradford

     

    Gary Liddle – Chesterfield

     

    Tom Orchard –

    Peter Masters -

    Michele Van Geele –

     

     

    2003-04

     

    Jason Kennedy – Carlisle

     

    Tom Craddock – Guiseley

     

    David Knight – West Auckland

     

    Dale Roberts – RIP

     

    Danny Reed – Retired

     

    Nathan Mulligan – Whitby

     

    Adam Johnson - Firmly established himself in the Middlesbrough 1st team in 2009/10. Represented England at U19 and U21 level. One of the Champioships hottest propects, he finally moved to Premier League side Manchester City in January 2010 for an undisclosed fee, rumoured to be in the region of £7m.

     

    Matthew Bates – Hartlepool

     

    David Wheater – Bolton

     

    2004-05

     

    Kevin Burgess – Darlington

     

    Chris Pennock – Coach at MFC

     

    Adam Clough –

    Christophe Lemaire –

     

    Lee Cattermole – Sunderland

     

    Rhys Williams – MFC

     

    Ben Hutchinson – Basford FC

     

    Herold Goulon – FC Viitorul

     

    Graeme Owens - Retired

     

    Jonathan Grounds – Oldham

     

    Seb Hines – Orlando SC

     

    2005-06

     

    Richard Langthorne –

     

    Stephen Thompson – Darlington

     

    Peter Watling – Whitley bay

     

    Jason Honeyman – Thornaby

     

    Daryl Robson – Brentwood town

     

    Nathan Fisher –Spennymoor

     

    Josh Walker – Bengaluru FC

     

    John Johnson – Bengaluru FC

     

    2006-07

     

    Lewis McCardle –

     

    Lewis Smith –

     

    David Hillerby – Billingham Synners

     

    Matthew Atkinson – USA?

     

    Nathan Porritt – Thornaby

     

    Jonathan Franks – Ross County

     

    Shaun Saiko – Retired

     

    Jason Steele – Blackburn

     

    Joe Bennett – Aston Villa (Sheff Wed)

     

    2007-08

     

    Theo Furness – Thornaby

     

    Jason White – Wearside League?

     

    Ryan Burton –

     

    Nathan Bonar – Stokesley

     

    Sam Filler - Raynes Park Vale FC?

     

    Johnny Harris –

     

    Richard Smallwood – Rotherham

     

    James Cronesberry –

     

    Gary Martin – Iceland

     

    Jordan Robinson – Sweden

     

    Ashley Corker – Australia

     

    2008-09

     

    Keiran Edwards – Northern LEague

     

    Derrick Bassi -

     

    James Gray - Wrexham

     

    Daniel Hawkins – Northern League

     

    Kyle Oliver – northern league

     

    Patrick Otte – NASL2

     

    Cameron Park – Northern League

     

    Oniforos Rouchias - Omonia

     

    Conor Sellars - Tadcaster Albion

     

    Phil Shead – Coach MFC

     

    Paul Weldon – Northern League

     

    2009-10

     

    Andreou Marinos - Onisilos Sotira

     

    David Atkinson - Carlisle

     

    Ryan Brobbel - TNS

     

    Matthew Dolan - Yeovil

     

    Ben Gibson - Boro

     

    Conor Murphy - Bohemans

     

    Bruno Pilatos – Northern League

     

    Adam Smith - Northampton

     

    Connor Ripley - Boro

     

    Luke Williams - S***horpe

     

    Charlie Wyke - Carlisle

     

    Adam Reach - Boro

     

    2010-11

     

    Michael Roberts

     

    Lewis Galpin – Northern League

     

    Adam Jackson - Boro

     

    Curtis Edwards - Sweden

     

    Jarrett Rivers - Blackpool

     

    Lewis Sirrell - Colwyn Bay FC?

     

    Matthew Waters - Whitby

     

    Wilson Kneeshaw - Blyth

     

    Jake Fowler – Northern LEague

     

    James Montgomery – AFC Telford

     

    Jake McCormick

     

    2011-12

     

    Luke Coddington – To be released

     

    Andre Bennett - Boro

     

    Anthony Hernandez - Gibraltar

     

    Shane Bland - Whitby

     

    Keiran Weledji - Whitby

     

    Lewis Maloney - Boro

     

    Jordan Jones - Boro

     

    Zak Boagey - Aycliffe

     

    Jimmy Warnett

     

    Adam Garrity

     

    Dylan McGlade - Shelbourne

     

    2012-13

    Bryn Morris Boro

    Bradley Fewster Boro

    Priestly Griffiths spennymoor

    Mark Kitching (Pro 2016 with 1 year option)

    Ross McNabb northern league

    Joe Fryer Boro

    Jonathan Coleby northern league/USA?

    Thomas MacAloon

    Luke Armstrong Scotland

    Stephen O'Neil Australia

    Conor O'Neil Australia

    Scott McCarthy Northern LEague

    Robbie Tinkler Boro

     

    2013-14

    Callum Cooke

    Matty Elsdon

    Dael Fry

    Jonathan Helm - Guisborough

    Callum Johnson

    Jordan Jowers

    Nathan McGinley

    Junior Mondal (otherwise known as Lewis Scoble)

    Nathan Plews – Northern League?

    Joe Wheatley

  7. We probably have more youngsters out on loan than we have at any time in the last 10 yrs.  wether they make the first team or not the academy is working

     

     

     

    But is having them out on loan a sign that the academy is working? What if everyone of those loaned out drop out of professional football?

     

    Short term picture doesnt always reflect the longer term one.

     

    Even if you count those with a contract it's quite high

    If playing for your first team is the measure then man city.  ***nal. Liverpool. Chelsea etc have all got failed academies

     

     

    I go off the quote i posted on the last page for what my measure is. PLaying forst team football at a specific club is not the measure.

  8. We probably have more youngsters out on loan than we have at any time in the last 10 yrs.  wether they make the first team or not the academy is working

     

     

     

    But is having them out on loan a sign that the academy is working? What if everyone of those loaned out drop out of professional football?

     

    Short term picture doesnt always reflect the longer term one.

  9. Thing is its not just about talent, its about opportunity, its about luck, its about injuries.

     

    Chapman is a very very special young man. One of the best kids ive seen at this level ever. But he has got years ahead of him, growth, women, beer, many many things that can take him off the path that could lead him to the top. So i wont add to the pressure and say anything on how good he COULD be.

     

    How good is he now? I'd have him on the bench for the first team instead of De Pena as he can change a game.

     

    Regarding Gibson, ive watched him at U18 level, watched his reserve debut at Hartlepool. Watched a lot of him over the years on loan also and now for the Boro and he is learning, learning, learning.

     

    I think we will see him in the premier league sooner or later. That more than likely will be with Boro though.

  10. There hasn't really been a production line has there? Just been one average player who's decided to come back and a nonce?

     

    I think the best way to respond to this is to offer up a quote from someone more intelligent than I.

     

    it's good to remember that the correct way to judge a club's (or a nation's) youth development isn't by the number of superstars (or internationals) produced, it's by the number of professionals it churns out. You can't legislate for extreme talent. Wayne Rooney came through the ranks at Everton, he could have done so at Birmingham, Millwall or even Raith Rovers and, odds are, he would still have made it. Same goes for Rio Ferdinand or Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard. Where you judge the quality of a youth set-up is in the second or third tier players. How many Gavin McCanns or Phil Bardsleys or Andy O'Briens does it produce? The gap in natural talent between these guys and their colleagues in League One isn't that great: the difference lies in their footballing education. And that's what youth development is about. 

  11. Nope but if for whatever reason a player was forced off and we needed to bring on one of those youths, I'd much rather Zucculini and Stephens over morris & Co because they're an unknown quantity.

     

    I respect your ties to the youth team and I defer to your opinion when it comes to judging their talent but I still think there's anything wrong with how this year is playing out.

    Why are the youth players unknown quantities? Because they have no or little first team experience? 

     

    Theyve trained with the first team, theyve played with the first team in friendlies. Theyre not unknown.

     

    A example of unknown might be a championship manager buying a south american on the basis of DVD's for £2.6m then hardly playing him.

  12. I've said it earlier in the post I'm certain Karanka will get updates from the youth team coaches all the time, and will be given an indication whether they're ready to step up.

    So while some on here may not have seen much of the youth players, the youth team coaches, and Karanka and Agnew have, so you  must respect their judgement. Karanka must have been told and then seen for himself that Fry was ready.

     

     

    Do you know that youth coaches have not said YES these players are ready, and then the players have not been given a opportunity?

  13. Oh yeah, Morris, the guy that didn't impress in either of his loan spells in lower divisions.

     

    Sure, lets whack him on the bench, why not.

     

    Cooke and Maloney I can't really talk about because they've got literally 0 games between them. Neither seem to be excelling in the U21s Premier League though, although Cooke had a very good UEFA youth league with 4 goals and 1 assist in 5 games, suggesting he probably wasn't playing as a pure CM anyway.

    Morris DID impress though, read what JFH had to say about him or Sean O'Driscoll.

    Cooke and MAaoney you cant talk about? why? have you not seen them play?

    As for Cooke, you dont have a clue, so again why comment?

  14. There is some good arguments to both sides..

     

    I think we also all have an element of 'Rose Tinted' views of our youth players!

     

    Who remembers the Steele V Butland conversations from a few years back. Those who couldn't understand why Butland was being picked over Steele at England U21's - why because Butland is the better keeper as is demonstrated by where there career path have gone.

     

    Equally being outstanding at U19 or U21 level has no baring on where a professional career will go. How many wonder kids have disappeared into League 1/2 or even Non-League obscurity.

     

    We have to trust in the decisions made by the coaching staff at the club... They are the only people who sees players day in day out and are able to make the judgement call. I think it would be naive to think the likes of Dave Parnaby don't have a say on where and if youth players go out on loan- why only suggest that's it's Karankas decision.

     

    Personally I'd rather see our youth players playing at the highest level their current progress allows. If that's deemed to be League 2 that's fine.

     

    If you need a player on the bench who 99 times from 100 won't get a game - I'd rather that not be one of our youth players, who otherwise could be out on loan gaining experience.

     

     

    Feel free to go back to the Steele vs Butland thing and see what my opinions were  :dodgy:

    Whilst i will not pretend i do have a view on our youths that may be slightly biased i would say its a educated opinion. Where as a lot of replied in here are anything but.

    How many of the people replying have watched Chapman IN PERSON. How many have watched our U18s in a league game? How many have watched out U21s?

     

    Again though another you miss the point. This isnt about sitting on the bench for a season, Maloney has not been on loan, Cooke has not been on loan, chapman just went out, Fry has not been on loan, the list is long. 

     

    So they wouldnt be playing elsewhere would they?

  15.  

    The thing is..we're going for promotion. Why should Karanka risk games by trying out youngsters when he has a plethora of more experienced and already proven options to choose from.

     

    As for bringing in outside youth loans to take bench places, again it's an experience thing. When you're chasing promotion I'd rather have Zuculini and his near 100 league games against men (albeit in the Argentine division) rather than an untried and untested player like Cooke, regardless of how good he MIGHT be. 

     

     

     

    Zucilini has 30 minutes of English football to his name prior to his loan, De Pena has been given time to acclimatise and played in certain games, but a loan of a player similar is ok?

     

    Yes he has played some games before joining city, but he certainly isn't a experienced player who has proven himself, is Stephens a experienced proven player? Less than 50 games all at a lower level than Boro!

     

    Kike sola comes in and Karanka said he would wait for the right time to blood him, we have loans coming in not ready to supplement the first team! Kike Sola is the player who joined and went on the bench replacing a young player at Bristol City despite the manager knowing he wouldn't use the new loan signing.

     

    What I would say is, have these three loaned players added anything notable to the season? Have they been regulars? Could their minutes have been better used elsewhere? Karanka isn't to risk games blooding youngsters, but he is ok to do so risking loan players?

  16. People seem to have missed the point greatly, a point which Ladyspite has seen.

     

    Its not about putting our youths in for 90 minutes week in week out, its about bringing in short term loans, players who play 3, 4, 5 games (with sometimes very few minutes) and then get shipped back out.

     

    And its also about NOW, the tail end of the season where we are still pushing for promotion.

     

     

    All that said id like to pick up on the point of 'if theyre good enough they will play'. What proof is there of this? Its something ive seen mentioned a few times but its unfounded when ive spoken to academy level coaches, to them its all about opportunity. Players this season (youths) have trained with the first team for months at a time, some even down to be included in match day squads until loans came in. They to me just didnt get the opportunity when maybe they should have.

     

    I most certainly wouldnt use Dael Fry as a stick to attack Karanka with as some people seem so ill judged to have accused me of. Fry played early in the season why? Was it because he was good enough, or because opportunity arose and he took it with both hands? Is he good enough? In my opiion yes, but would he be playing if Ayala wasnt injured? Course he wouldnt. Its opportunity! Injuries to Ayala, poor form and the returning of stephens, niggles to other players. Its the same with when David Wheater made his debut. Sent back from loans where he really didnt do well, and really struggling he came in after injuries to many a centre back and took the opportunity and learnt quickly playing alongside one, if not the best centre half to play for Middlesbrough in Southgate.

     

    Of course this is all MY opinion, you're all welcome to yours.

     

    I've not posted on here for a while, and from a lot of the replies, its gonna be a while before i bother again.

  17. This week has seen a fantastically talented U19 side bow out of Europe in the last 16 of the UEFA Youth League (The U19 Champions League for better explaining) but as a fan of youth football and a huge fan of youth football at Middlesbrough I’m concerned for those players and those in our academy. Does Karanka trust in our youths? Does he trust those who have progressed through the academy?

     

    There will always be an argument of experience over youth, especially when the club is on the cusp of the most financially rewarding league in the world, but do we as a club put everything we stand for aside for that reward? Or does the manager need to concentrate on everything the club has in achieving that goal? When George Friend broke his shoulder against Nottingham Forest there was talk James Husband whose loan with Huddersfield expired later that week would be kept to cover or that Academy graduate Adam Reach would be brought back. Karanka chose to go into the loan market and bring in experienced Leicester player Richie De Laet. Earlier this season the tone was set, with midfielders on the verge of suspension and Adam Forshaw injured Boro found themselves short in the middle. With youngsters Lewis Maloney (Northern Irish U21 cap), Bryn Morris (various England youth teams captain) or Callum Cooke (Another England youth international) ready to fill in Karanka turned to Manchester City’s Bruno Zucilini, a player with 30 minutes football to his name at City. Whilst Maloney made the bench for the Wolves game, Zucilini made 3 starts and 3 substitute appearances. In the time of need for a player to fill a short term gap the manager we have looks elsewhere first before what’s under his own nose.

     

    Before the FA Cup game against Burnley Karanka again made it clear his thoughts on up and coming academy players. “I know them all but I want to win and if I choose to play players from the academy then we will not win, that’s for sure.” What a kick in the teeth for our young players and in case it didn’t get through… “Today it is impossible to play with players from the academy and win the games.” Now I am not even going to pretend I know the players anything like Karanka does, but I will stick my neck on the chopping block and say including one academy player in a situation where he is filling a gap will not always end up in defeat. Hell the proof of this was on the opening day of the season when young Dael Fry stepped up into the starting XI and Boro didn’t lose. Dael recently started against Leeds and Cardiff and guess what? They didn’t lose. Karanka seems to have missed this. Zucilini and even Stephens could have stayed at home for the influence they have had. Cooke, Maloney, Morris, Fry and Burn could all have filled in on the bench and for the few minutes that the pair played.

     

    Adam Reach who played the most games in career in a season last term was quickly loaned out after the signing of Carlos De Pena. Whilst it’s great that Preston are in the Championship and Reach is gaining experience and playing every game one cannot but think right now could he not offer something from the bench? Whereas De Pena seems to have so far struggled greatly.

     

    Harrison Chapman who today went on loan at Barnsley has been a shining light in the U18s then the U21s and has been to put it simply….AMAZING in the U19 UEFA Youth League run. Part of me thinks it’s brilliant that Boro have got a young player out on loan so early for once, but the majority of me happens to be concerned. He is a touch player, he loves to run at players, run at pace with the ball will he be able to do that in League One on their pitches? Wouldn’t it have been better to have thrown him in off the bench against tired legs on the far better pitch of the Riverside? Oh wait, course we cannot win with Academy players I forgot that.

     

    With the big bucks of the Premier League visible at the end of the tunnel, the win at all costs evolution of football is it going to be harder and harder for our academy prospects to get first team football at Middlesbrough? Are the days of the home grown player being the backbone of the club a thing of the past for fans to remember fondly?

     

    With many people concentrating on Middlesbrough’s championship challenge and possible Premier League promotion the future of many players is to be decided and the league Middlesbrough find themselves in may not make a difference to their contractual outcomes.

     

    With 15 professional players out of contract this summer the futures of professionals young and old at the club will be under consideration. Yes, it’s true of that 15 there are only 3 seasoned professionals in Jonathan Woodgate (who retired and un retired last summer), Rhys Williams and Damia Abella (both of whom have just returned from long term injuries) but it’s the youngsters futures who should be concentrated on. Players like Jordan Jones who have made a first team appearance but seem to have been over looked despite great U21 form. Lewis Maloney who made it onto the first team bench this season, Mark Kitching, another who has made the first team bench and Bradley Fewster a striker whom so many screamed and shouted for first team inclusion and scored in a cup game last season.

     

    Some decisions may have already been made on players futures, Luke Coddington played for Huddersfield U21s vs Leeds this week despite the club having the option to extend the keepers contract by another year.

     

    Of course there are other situations at can force decisions regarding players. Coddington and maybe Joe Fryer may find themselves surplus to requirements due to Tom Dawson and Aynsley Pears becoming 3rd years (if they get extended deals) which will mean there are way too many goal keepers who are vying for a single U21 starting spot. Add into that mix Connor Ripley who will be returning from his loan at Motherwell.

     

    It’s worth noting also that all the current third years are tied down on professional deals except Nathan McGinley who has returned this year from an injury ridden 18 months and Jordan Jowers. 4 of the 9 second years have pro deals, so only Dawson, Pears (as mentioned above), Lee Hetherington, Daniel Jardine and Niall McGoldrick have scholarships that expire this summer. They can either be given a final single years scholarship, sign a pro deal or be released by the club.

     

    With so much at stake in getting to the Premier League, if we get there as a club will the academy return to what is once was? A system for bringing on players to supplement the first team squad, whilst bringing on players to become life professionals in the realm of football? Time will tell. 

     

    Edit- Something id not put in regarding the Premier League is it could well be a saviour of the academy. Loan rules mean only 2 players from fellow PL sides and no separate loan window (although thats gone soon in the Football League) mean short term gap filling loans wont be available, so the likes of Maloney, Cooke etc may be more likely to be involved than the Zucilini types.

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