Everton Youth Teams Thread

[Lanolin]

Well I mean I'm personally not unsure on Astley, I don't think he's PL material but some may disagree. I just think they need to play against men in games where the results actually matter.

Yeah and I totally get that, but that's what I mean really. As long as we're honest like that and admit it's our own curiosity we're talking about it's fine, where it becomes an issue is people saying that the club need to send them out to find out. It's just not how it works, never has been and never will be. If the club don't think he's going to make it here and just want him to fill a gap in the under 23s then obviously they won't loan him out because it would defeat the object of keeping him in the first place.

The fact is that will apply to 90% of the players we have, there's no great expectation that they're going to be the next big thing, they're just allowing us to put teams out and potentially helping along the small number of players they have really high hopes for. For as long as people think that everyone in our under 23s has a realistic shot of making it with us they're going to be sorely disappointed because it will never happen.

 

[BigMick]

I mean me personally I'd rather they went to a midtable team, with nothing really to play for, where game time would be more guaranteed and he has a chance to shine. Promotion push? Settled team, aint getting in. Relegation battle? Too much on the line, aint getting in.

The very best kids don't need a loan but the ones we're unsure on definitely do. Like Astley, never been a massive fan but we'll never know if he's got it for this league if he's playing U23's games at 21. We could always just sell anyone that's not in the first team squad by like 19 but then we might make some big mistakes for late bloomers.

It's a tricky situation.

The only thing I'd add is that even if a loanee doesn't manage to hold down a 1st team place it doesn't necessarily make it a waste of time. It can still be a learning experience, training with 1st team players every day. It's all down to the individual - look at Gordon's spell at Preston. My memory is that he spent most of it on the substitutes' bench, but I think it helped him to realise that he had to add more to his game and couldn't afford to drift in and out as he'd done previously.

Agree about Astley - I would have thought playing against a gnarly old centre-forward in the 1st division would do him more good than playing against teenagers in the U23s.

Anyone remember Jack Rodwell being given a chasing by Jason Ewell and Brett Ormerod in a pre-season friendly at Blackpool, in the days when some people were suggesting Rodwell was a future England centre-half?

 

[Eggs]

i've a similar view on loans to you but personally think its a great move for him, hes nowhere even close to getting a 1st team opportunity despite some people raving after watching 1 game on youtube.
if he smashes it he'll stand more of a chance but if he doesnt do that well hes probably no worse off.

….fingers crossed. The only Academy youngster I can recall who truly seemed to ‘smash it’ was Liam Walsh who was outstanding iduring his loan for Yeovil, even Barkley and Gordon failed to impress, although there was more positive feedback on Osman.

 

[bluebud]

….fingers crossed. The only Academy youngster I can recall who truly seemed to ‘smash it’ was Liam Walsh who was outstanding iduring his loan for Yeovil, even Barkley and Gordon failed to impress, although there was more positive feedback on Osman.

It’s true our youth loans haven’t been very fruitful over the years but the system has worked brilliantly for better run clubs than Everton, look at the success Chelsea have had with their youth’s going out each year, Mount and Tomori at Derby, Tammy Abraham went to Bristol City, Swansea and then Villa, Reece James had a great loan spell at Wigan. This year Gallagher is flying at Palace but that’s his fourth loan, he’s previously been out at West Brom, Swansea and Charlton Athletic. Kane had lots of loans from Spurs some good and some bad but eventually put all the pieces together. More recently for Spurs the lad Skipp had a great season at Norwich last year and now starts every week for their first team. I think we just need to be better at it, which starts with better raw materials, better players recruited, better player development and better link ups with the right clubs and managers at the right time for the individual player.

 

[Lanolin]

It’s true our youth loans haven’t been very fruitful over the years but the system has worked brilliantly for better run clubs than Everton, look at the success Chelsea have had with their youth’s going out each year, Mount and Tomori at Derby, Tammy Abraham went to Bristol City, Swansea and then Villa, Reece James had a great loan spell at Wigan. This year Gallagher is flying at Palace but that’s his fourth loan, he’s previously been out at West Brom, Swansea and Charlton Athletic. Kane had lots of loans from Spurs some good and some bad but eventually put all the pieces together. More recently for Spurs the lad Skipp had a great season at Norwich last year and now starts every week for their first team. I think we just need to be better at it, which starts with better raw materials, better players recruited, better player development and better link ups with the right clubs and managers at the right time for the individual player.

That is 99% of it to be honest. It hasn't mattered whether they've have gone straight into our team, been loaned out, or left without kicking a ball really, very few of our academy graduates have turned out to be top class players regardless. The key is to identify and attract better players - coaches and loans can't turn straw into gold.

 

[mightymoyes]

It’s true our youth loans haven’t been very fruitful over the years but the system has worked brilliantly for better run clubs than Everton, look at the success Chelsea have had with their youth’s going out each year, Mount and Tomori at Derby, Tammy Abraham went to Bristol City, Swansea and then Villa, Reece James had a great loan spell at Wigan. This year Gallagher is flying at Palace but that’s his fourth loan, he’s previously been out at West Brom, Swansea and Charlton Athletic. Kane had lots of loans from Spurs some good and some bad but eventually put all the pieces together. More recently for Spurs the lad Skipp had a great season at Norwich last year and now starts every week for their first team. I think we just need to be better at it, which starts with better raw materials, better players recruited, better player development and better link ups with the right clubs and managers at the right time for the individual player.

i remember watching kane few times for england u20s in same team as stones and barkley and he looked hopeless, guaranteed league1 career at best. amazing how he ended up

 

[Cameron Manning]

….fingers crossed. The only Academy youngster I can recall who truly seemed to ‘smash it’ was Liam Walsh who was outstanding iduring his loan for Yeovil, even Barkley and Gordon failed to impress, although there was more positive feedback on Osman.

I think Liam Walsh was held back by a series of niggling injuries, like you say he had everything in his game, dribbling, passing, tackling and the will to win, not just for himself but pushing others to do better even though some were older than himself.

He also had ambition, wasn’t content to wait and see if he would get a chance at Everton, don’t think he ever made the bench so he went to Bristol City for over £2M, which indicated, to me, that he was well known outside of Merseysid, he’s been on loan at Coventry, did well there, helped them to promotion if I’m not mistaken, went from Bristol to Swansea on a permanent deal last summer and has just gone on loan to Hull City in this transfer window. I wish him well but maybe his time has gone for making it in the premier league, I think he lacked the one thing every footballer needs, no matter how talented, luck!!

 

[EFC_FRANCIS]

It’s true our youth loans haven’t been very fruitful over the years but the system has worked brilliantly for better run clubs than Everton, look at the success Chelsea have had with their youth’s going out each year, Mount and Tomori at Derby, Tammy Abraham went to Bristol City, Swansea and then Villa, Reece James had a great loan spell at Wigan. This year Gallagher is flying at Palace but that’s his fourth loan, he’s previously been out at West Brom, Swansea and Charlton Athletic. Kane had lots of loans from Spurs some good and some bad but eventually put all the pieces together. More recently for Spurs the lad Skipp had a great season at Norwich last year and now starts every week for their first team. I think we just need to be better at it, which starts with better raw materials, better players recruited, better player development and better link ups with the right clubs and managers at the right time for the individual player.

The problem with this argument is every player you've listed wouldn't be loaned out by us because they'd be in our first team from about 17/18. Spurs and Chelsea squads mean that they've been able to loan out high end England youth talent were as we put our in the first team. Besides the fact chelsea had 37 players on loan last season so stands to reason some would probably turn out good.

You can't compare our situation with that of the best academy in the country who pump more into their academy than we did into our first team this year. We realistically don't actually need to improve at doing loans because anyone half decent is in our first team squad a la Gordon, Dobbin, Davies, DCL etc.

 

[blueloon]

There’s a good interview with Reece Welch on the OS. This was also highlighted for tomorrow:
Watch Everton Under-23s in Premier League 2 action against Leicester City on Friday night LIVE on our official YouTube channel! Kick-off is at 7pm GMT and our coverage begins at 6.45pm.

 

[Eggs]

There’s a good interview with Reece Welch on the OS. This was also highlighted for tomorrow:
Watch Everton Under-23s in Premier League 2 action against Leicester City on Friday night LIVE on our official YouTube channel! Kick-off is at 7pm GMT and our coverage begins at 6.45pm.

….been disappointed with what I’ve seen of him this season after being impressed in last years FA Youth Cup. He has all the physicality but other than one terrific block against Sheffield United (I think) he hasn’t been dominating games like I’d hoped.

I thought he’d be a leader but he doesn’t seem that type.

 

[Nymzee]

….been disappointed with what I’ve seen of him this season after being impressed in last years FA Youth Cup. He has all the physicality but other than one terrific block against Sheffield United (I think) he hasn’t been dominating games like I’d hoped.

I thought he’d be a leader but he doesn’t seem that type.

I'm not all that impressed. He's tall but meh.

 

[chippy1722]

i remember watching kane few times for england u20s in same team as stones and barkley and he looked hopeless, guaranteed league1 career at best. amazing how he ended up

I watched him for England U21 and bits on loan, he always seemed to get chances but was an awful finisher, I think the biggest difference between then and his breakthrough was his composure in front of goal.
That’s why I always had hope for Dom, he’s never been a natural finisher for me, but it shows it can be improved.

 

[jerseytoffee]

I'm not all that impressed. He's tall but meh.

Every time I've watched him he's switched off letting people through and not really dominating.

I've seen him likened to Rio Ferdinand, but feel he's a bit more Anton.

 

[Nymzee]

Every time I've watched him he's switched off letting people through and not really dominating.

I've seen him likened to Rio Ferdinand, but feel he's a bit more Anton.

Yeh I want to see players really stand out at that level especially at the back. Of course he's only 18 and still getting used to his body but I'd like to see him take to the games like he's the boss and the attackers will know he's been there.

 

[jerseytoffee]

Yeh I want to see players really stand out at that level especially at the back. Of course he's only 18 and still getting used to his body but I'd like to see him take to the games like he's the boss and the attackers will know he's been there.

Not writing him off at all, still very young... he seems decent and good on the ball. Have just seen people put him in the first team squad for next season as a back up for the starters, but he looks way off that.