Everton Youth Teams Thread

[tjcefc]

Just watched the game back and thought we were miles the better team even with the squad we had available not playing particularly well. Think Feeney & Foulds did well, as did Beni, Harry and Sambou. Evans looked a little tired at times. Their captain and left winger were decent.

Jones, Robinson & Dyson aren't good enough in my opinion and definitely won't make it at Everton.

Is there a link to watch a replay of the full game mate?

 

[Nymzee]

Is there a link to watch a replay of the full game mate?

Yes mate -

 

[maccavennie]

A little bit on Unsworth as I promised. I can't speak highly enough of him and he is growing all the time into a fantastic operator for us. Stubbs did a good job and has gone on and been successful elsewhere but everything about Unsworth is a cut above even Stubbs. From the fact he came through our academy, to getting what the club means to how he genuinely puts the clubs interests first he has been fantastic.

I think there is a growing chance Unsworth may be our next manager. It would have been the wrong appointment this time, as we needed to make a statement on appointment to reassure the fans, players and the rest of the football world. However 3-4 years down the line hopefully with a top 6/top 4 club, a board very adept and a DOF with developed transfer and scouting networks I think he could be the perfect manager.

As has been said above he seems to get a perfect balance between development and winning. Between getting them to look after their own games but also having them play as a team. In his first season we struggled a bit for results but each year they have improved. For us to be competitive at the top of the under 21's league, with so many local lads, so many out on loan, others in the first team squad and giving experience to so many under 18's is a fantastic achievement.

On a personal level he is very warm and confident in his own ability without it bordering into arrogance. I think having the other ex Evertonians such as Duncan, Joe Royle & John Ebbrell helps that. There are lads who come through the clubs youth sides and I think would keep anyone honest. He knows what it takes to come through and it must e a re-assurance for the young players to listen to what he says. I like how his role has become more important under Koeman (as it deserves to be) and the young players will know he will go into bat for them and fight their corner to be given a first team slot.

The young lads I see seem to love working with him. I can see particularly how defenders have come on, but also players like Davies, Dowell, Feeney, Foulds, Galloway have all developed under his tutelage. They seem to be having fun but also working very hard. That is how it should be. I'm not a fan of the harsh approach with the young lads people suggest but also there needs to be a firm set of standards.

If he does as he suggests and brings through 8 or 10 lads for the first team over the next 3 years expect him to be a serious candidate. Primarily as it would be outstanding for him to do so and indicative of a fantastic coach. Also though because the young lads who worked with him will then be of an age where they are ready to play first team football as regulars and be well suited to him. His personality and approach reminds me of a young Howard Kendall. He is very positive, warm and makes people feel loved and comfortable. There is also a modesty there. Underneath it all though he is ruthless. I can't really speak highly enough of the job he is doing.

brilliant last 2 posts as always mate. I will reply to the other one in a minute but on this point I reckon you are spot on regarding Unsworth - I think he will be the next manager as well. Time will tell I guess but I think if he's still around in the next 2-3 years he will be nailed on for it. Good point by @Eggs regarding lack of experience in the transfer market. I reckon this is where the DoF will come in very handy.

Hopefully Koeman gets us to a great level these next few years and then we have a home grown manager in place when he leaves.

 

[maccavennie]

It was a really good watch yesterday. I will try to give a player by player analysis below but a couple of striking over arching points were.
1) The play varies very much from the first team last season. I think that was always the case but we have gone even further that way. Lots of "percentage balls" hit and less emphasis on keeping the ball in our last third.

2) As has been mentioned this is essentially our second string reserve side. If you consider lads like Ledson, Connolly & Kenny are away on international duty, while Davies, Grant, Dowell are with the first team. You then probably have older lads like Galloway/Holgate/Pennington/Browning who while we feel is normal to be with the first team squad in a lot of other under 21 sides they play regularly for them. (I remember Teixera regularly playing last season for Liverpools reserve team for example.)
From the lads unavaible we could have had on infield side looking like;
Connolly, Pennington, Holgate, Galloway,
Davies, Walsh, Ledson, Williams, Kenny
Dowell
Not perfectly balanced but an illustration of the quality of players we have 21 and under.

3) Unsworth (but I will talk about him at the end/a separate post).

As for the lads involved:
Jones: I don't think he will make it at Everton. However he played well today. I am impressed with his power and pace. This pre season he probably needed to make an impact. He will make it as a league footballer but probably not here.

Foulds & Feeney: Very impressed with these lads. Folds has a lovely left foot and can spring passes from the back. Both seem to read the game well and will benefit massively from being managed by Unsworth. Fenney has physically developed in the last 6 months but still has a way to go. He gets very tight to forwards and is all over them like a rash. Reminds me a little of the former Chelsea defender Carvalho. I think they feel he will keep growing and when he does he will be a good prospect.

Robinson: Had a very good game (one of his best) but ultimately like Jones not good enough, especially with whats ahead of him at left back.

Henen/Dyson: Unfortunately Dyson just isn't good enough. In all honesty neither is Henen. When you consider the lads who are with the first team, and his age for him not to be dominating these games is not enough. He does have some nice flashes but he won't make it here.

Banningame: Again played very well. A brave lad who gets around the pitch and always wants the ball. He is the most natural central midfield player of the young lads. The only caveat to him is there is a plethora of quality ahead of him.

Charsley: Charsley is a very strange one. He basically hasn't really kicked on in 3-4 years since he was quite a regular in the reserves as an under 16. I'm not sure this is mainly his fault. What has happened is in his position younger lads have just overtaken him 1 by 1. He hasn't developed an awful lot physically. He reminds me of a Naismith type player and does have a knack for a goal (as we saw yesterday) and will benefit from having a central role but probably won't make it here.

Evans: Had quite a quiet game for his standards. However there are moments and things he does that show his class. It's often just a touch, or a decision he makes that show he is a level ahead. There was a 1-2 manouvre in the opposition box that showed great vision late in the second half. It didn't come off, ultimately his team mates aren't on his wave length. He is very similar to Dowell in this regard. Often he was a level or 2 ahead of those around him.

Kiersey: For me he was the most impressive lad for us yesterday. We have become a bit de sensitised to 17 year olds doing well for the reserves as it's become commonplace. He is only a slight lad and needs to fill out a bit. However at doing the basics right I thought he was fantastic. He was very comfortable on the ball, always wanted it, found space very well and had a good range of passing. I have a soft spot for those sort of creative midfielders but I was very impressed by him.
I will be keeping a close eye on him. I think with some of the older lads moving up you are seeing the talent of some of the smaller, younger and a bit shyer lads like him coming to the fore. I had never noticed him before but he really impressed me yesterday.

Sambou: Worked very hard, looks a big strong lad. A big threat to Brewster really as quite a similar player. Will be interested to see who gets the nod there. Allowed us to "play percentages" far more and worked the channels well.

Number 18: Not sure who this lad is (maybe an under 16?) but was a big lad and thought did ok.

brilliant post. A couple of points - Banningame just looks a player, looks like we have another quality player on our hands.

Charsley I just feel that knack of popping up and scoring goals is a knack that can't be taught. I can see why you compare him to a Naismith type of player for that reason. I like him, I like players who have that special knack for grabbing goals. Cahill made a bloody good living from doing that and I ain't gonna write Charsley off as an Everton player yet though of course there's a few ahead of him.

It's great that we are talking about genuine talent coming through the ranks though, guided by the likes of Sheedy and Unsworth must be an absolute dream as kid.

top posts as always mate, I know a lot of us really appreciate your input on the youth sides and always look forward to your posts.

 

[Dario Terracotta]

brilliant post. A couple of points - Banningame just looks a player, looks like we have another quality player on our hands.

Charsley I just feel that knack of popping up and scoring goals is a knack that can't be taught. I can see why you compare him to a Naismith type of player for that reason. I like him, I like players who have that special knack for grabbing goals. Cahill made a bloody good living from doing that and I ain't gonna write Charsley off as an Everton player yet though of course there's a few ahead of him.

It's great that we are talking about genuine talent coming through the ranks though, guided by the likes of Sheedy and Unsworth must be an absolute dream as kid.

top posts as always mate, I know a lot of us really appreciate your input on the youth sides and always look forward to your posts.

Bangemin always springs to mind when I see that kids name,lets hope he does maccalol

 

[Nymzee]

brilliant last 2 posts as always mate. I will reply to the other one in a minute but on this point I reckon you are spot on regarding Unsworth - I think he will be the next manager as well. Time will tell I guess but I think if he's still around in the next 2-3 years he will be nailed on for it. Good point by @Eggs regarding lack of experience in the transfer market. I reckon this is where the DoF will come in very handy.

Hopefully Koeman gets us to a great level these next few years and then we have a home grown manager in place when he leaves.

Yeh I know everyone on here raves about transfers so a DoF is essential but it also makes managerial transitions much simpler because we simply then need to have a manager who can organise, train and run the team more than all the transfer side of things.

 

[maccavennie]

Bangemin always springs to mind when I see that kids name,lets hope he does maccalol

 

[rochdaleblue]

It was a really good watch yesterday. I will try to give a player by player analysis below but a couple of striking over arching points were.
1) The play varies very

A little bit on Unsworth as I promised. I can't speak highly enough of him and he is growing all the time into a fantastic operator for us. Stubbs did a good job and has gone on and been successful elsewhere but everything about Unsworth is a cut above even Stubbs. From the fact he came through our academy, to getting what the club means to how he genuinely puts the clubs interests first he has been fantastic.

I think there is a growing chance Unsworth may be our next manager. It would have been the wrong appointment this time, as we needed to make a statement on appointment to reassure the fans, players and the rest of the football world. However 3-4 years down the line hopefully with a top 6/top 4 club, a board very adept and a DOF with developed transfer and scouting networks I think he could be the perfect manager.

As has been said above he seems to get a perfect balance between development and winning. Between getting them to look after their own games but also having them play as a team. In his first season we struggled a bit for results but each year they have improved. For us to be competitive at the top of the under 21's league, with so many local lads, so many out on loan, others in the first team squad and giving experience to so many under 18's is a fantastic achievement.

On a personal level he is very warm and confident in his own ability without it bordering into arrogance. I think having the other ex Evertonians such as Duncan, Joe Royle & John Ebbrell helps that. There are lads who come through the clubs youth sides and I think would keep anyone honest. He knows what it takes to come through and it must e a re-assurance for the young players to listen to what he says. I like how his role has become more important under Koeman (as it deserves to be) and the young players will know he will go into bat for them and fight their corner to be given a first team slot.

The young lads I see seem to love working with him. I can see particularly how defenders have come on, but also players like Davies, Dowell, Feeney, Foulds, Galloway have all developed under his tutelage. They seem to be having fun but also working very hard. That is how it should be. I'm not a fan of the harsh approach with the young lads people suggest but also there needs to be a firm set of standards.

If he does as he suggests and brings through 8 or 10 lads for the first team over the next 3 years expect him to be a serious candidate. Primarily as it would be outstanding for him to do so and indicative of a fantastic coach. Also though because the young lads who worked with him will then be of an age where they are ready to play first team football as regulars and be well suited to him. His personality and approach reminds me of a young Howard Kendall. He is very positive, warm and makes people feel loved and comfortable. There is also a modesty there. Underneath it all though he is ruthless. I can't really speak highly enough of the job he is doing.

You make a really good points regarding unsworth. I'm hoping that koeman will allow unsworth to join the coaching set up of the first team when time allows, to give him some more experience around the first team players. As for being manager after koeman, like giggs at United I feel that he may need to leave the club to gain some managerial experience ala Stubbs. Steve Walsh speaks highly of unsworth's capabilities in his interview and hints at his next step going into leagues management ,but I don't necessarily think he means with us. But certainly he is one for the future.

 

[maccavennie]

Yeh I know everyone on here raves about transfers so a DoF is essential but it also makes managerial transitions much simpler because we simply then need to have a manager who can organise, train and run the team more than all the transfer side of things.

exactly mate. Hopefully ( and of course there's no assurance it will work for us ) if it does work then the next manager we get just concentrates on being a coach and setting a good environment. Unsworth that last game of the season looked right at home imo. Too soon now and I think we've picked a peach in Koeman for the next 3 years but past that I would like to think Unsworth by then would be pushing himself to be given the chance.

 

[maccavennie]

You make a really good points regarding unsworth. I'm hoping that koeman will allow unsworth to join the coaching set up of the first team when time allows, to give him some more experience around the first team players. As for being manager after koeman, like giggs at United I feel that he may need to leave the club to gain some managerial experience ala Stubbs. Steve Walsh speaks highly of unsworth's capabilities in his interview and hints at his next step going into leagues management ,but I don't necessarily think he means with us. But certainly he is one for the future.

that's the thing isn't it mate, does he cut his teeth somewhere else or so we get a chance for him to cut his teeth by promoting within. I certainly would like him to stick around when he's really working hard bringing kids through.

Not trying to get rid of Koeman yet here either as I'm really quietly optimistic that he may just be the best appointment we've had in a very long time.

 

[rochdaleblue]

exactly mate. Hopefully ( and of course there's no assurance it will work for us ) if it does work then the next manager we get just concentrates on being a coach and setting a good environment. Unsworth that last game of the season looked right at home imo. Too soon now and I think we've picked a peach in Koeman for the next 3 years but past that I would like to think Unsworth by then would be pushing himself to be given the chance.

Unsworth would certainly have the backing of many people within the club. My only reservation would be if everything goes to plan (and it's a big if) and in 3 years time if moshiri's plans are beginning to bear fruit and we are once again a footballing force that we all hope and pray we become once more, whether a) koeman will sign another contract or b) another high profile manager being enticed to come here. If that scenario does happen, I'd love unsworth to be made assistant manager to either manager to gain more managerial experience with the intention he takes over the reins after that.

 

[maccavennie]

Unsworth would certainly have the backing of many people within the club. My only reservation would be if everything goes to plan (and it's a big if) and in 3 years time if moshiri's plans are beginning to bear fruit and we are once again a footballing force that we all hope and pray we become once more, whether a) koeman will sign another contract or b) another high profile manager being enticed to come here. If that scenario does happen, I'd love unsworth to be made assistant manager to either manager to gain more managerial experience with the intention he takes over the reins after that.

good point mate, maybe even a promotion to assistant manager with a view to the next step being manager.

I always felt like Giggs at the mancs was never gonna get it, they just had this bullshit blag excuse that they were staying with tradition. With Unsworth like to think just like with players, there would be a pathway for him. If I'm not mistaken I think Barca have done similar a few times haven't they

 

[Nymzee]

good point mate, maybe even a promotion to assistant manager with a view to the next step being manager.

I always felt like Giggs at the mancs was never gonna get it, they just had this bullshit blag excuse that they were staying with tradition. With Unsworth like to think just like with players, there would be a pathway for him. If I'm not mistaken I think Barca have done similar a few times haven't they

Guardiola went from Barca B to Barca at the beginning, just a thought...

 

[jinkyali]

Love listening to Unsworth post match, always gives a balanced view.

I have friends who are high up at Preston North End.

Rhino is very highly thought of there for when Grayson departs (within the next 18 months or so depending on performance)

 

[rochdaleblue]

good point mate, maybe even a promotion to assistant manager with a view to the next step being manager.

I always felt like Giggs at the mancs was never gonna get it, they just had this bullshit blag excuse that they were staying with tradition. With Unsworth like to think just like with players, there would be a pathway for him. If I'm not mistaken I think Barca have done similar a few times haven't they

Good point about giggs, I'll be honest he's never struck me as a manager type. But who knows what the future holds? Luis Enrique at barca went to another club (don't know which one to learn his apprenticeship in the managerial game) but as you state unsworth is at higher starting point then both as the success he has endured with the under 21s.