Leighton Baines new Coach!

[BirkenheadBlue]

I will.

Kenny isn't good enough. Davies isn't good enough. DCL we bought and only played about 20 minutes for the U23s as he was in the squad from the off. Gordon still has lots to prove.

We haven't had one player from Unsworth that's really nailed down a position in the squad.

Fair enough on DCL, thought he’d played more.

Kenny and Davies (going by reports) could be sold this summer for ~£30m for the pair... probably covers the academy running costs for most of if not all of the last 5yrs

 

[Billy Dean]

Fair enough on DCL, thought he’d played more.

Kenny and Davies (going by reports) could be sold this summer for ~£30m for the pair... probably covers the academy running costs for most of if not all of the last 5yrs

Jury also still out on Lesdon, Dowell, Walsh. Holgate played a season under him too.

 

[Toast]

Is the new role sponsored by USM ?

 

[Efcjake]

Fair enough on DCL, thought he’d played more.

Kenny and Davies (going by reports) could be sold this summer for ~£30m for the pair... probably covers the academy running costs for most of if not all of the last 5yrs

I will say right now there is not a chance we get 30 million for the pair of them.

Kenny we maybe get 10 million for after a decent season on loan, don't see it happening though.

I can't see anyone coming in for Davies, he has no standout qualities that would see teams come looking for him to fill a role. What type of midfielder is he? It's been about 3 years and not one of us knows.

Regardless of what they could be sold for the point of the academy is to produce players that will contribute here. He hasn't had a hand in any player that looks like they could be a nailed down starter here.

I'm not expecting loads of quality players but I think one player in a decade who is better than just being a cheap homegrown back up option shouldn't be too much to expect from a premier league academy.

I used to rate the academy. We had Osman, Hibbert and Rooney come through that were decent enough to start. Maybe not so much for hibbo. Then we had Rodwell and Ross come through who were good enough to start for us at the time.

Since then it's been Unsworth's show and there's not been much to rave about coming out of there.

 

[matty1878]

Nah, Baines has just had a role invented for him.

don’t get why we do it honestly lol

 

[BirkenheadBlue]

I will say right now there is not a chance we get 30 million for the pair of them.

Kenny we maybe get 10 million for after a decent season on loan, don't see it happening though.

I can't see anyone coming in for Davies, he has no standout qualities that would see teams come looking for him to fill a role. What type of midfielder is he? It's been about 3 years and not one of us knows.

Regardless of what they could be sold for the point of the academy is to produce players that will contribute here. He hasn't had a hand in any player that looks like they could be a nailed down starter here.

I'm not expecting loads of quality players but I think one player in a decade who is better than just being a cheap homegrown back up option shouldn't be too much to expect from a premier league academy.

I used to rate the academy. We had Osman, Hibbert and Rooney come through that were decent enough to start. Maybe not so much for hibbo. Then we had Rodwell and Ross come through who were good enough to start for us at the time.

Since then it's been Unsworth's show and there's not been much to rave about coming out of there.

Of course you could argue (and it’s borne out by most other side’s academies) that we were just operating way ahead of expectations for a while.

 

[Neiler]

Seems like a ridiculous question to have to ask but has Baines does his coaching badges?

 

[Efcjake]

Of course you could argue (and it’s borne out by most other side’s academies) that we were just operating way ahead of expectations for a while.

But then why reward mediocrity with this new position?

He hasn't impressed me, regardless of how many reserve titles he's won.

 

[efcste97]

Jury also still out on Lesdon, Dowell, Walsh. Holgate played a season under him too.

Disappointed in benningames progression also, needs to be loaned out to a League 1 club

 

[Billy Dean]

Disappointed in benningames progression also, needs to be loaned out to a League 1 club

I'd say it's still a bit too early to judge how the players will go who were in his U23 side. The ones I mentioned are doing well in the lower leagues and could still get back to the prem. Antonee Robinson is back in the prem and nearly went to AC Milan. John Lundstram also played under Unsworth in the 23s.

 

[Eggs]

The news about Baines is great. I'm not sure what blackmail Unsworth has on folks to get this new role. Our academy players have been a let down for the past five years.

I hope Gordon makes it because if he doesn't then the brightest feather in Unsworth's cap is Tom Davies.

....I’m no fan of Unsworth but I doubt he has much to do with recruiting the vast majority of players he manages.They will be recruited as youngsters, although it is on record that he identified and persuaded the Board to buy DCL for £1m.

He won a PL2 as coach and although he was found wanting when he stepped up as Caretaker, I think he gets undeserved criticism on here for issues that have little to do with the scope of his job.

 

[Bluestar]

Someone needs to explain to me how the prevailing opinion seems to be that Unsworth has done such an awful job with the U23’s, yet with the same breath we’ve got DCL, Davies (hmm), Kenny, Gordon in and around the 1st XI or possibly being sold for 8 figure sums and people wanting Gibson and Simms to be given a go.

Swear people are expecting us to be producing 5 first team ready players a year.

The perceived wisdom around here seems to be that winning the U23 league was not a good thing to do. Apparently he focussed too much on winning the league and not enough on developing the players.

However, we also seem to want to send them all out on loan for development, where presumably the focus will be even more win at all costs.

Being competitive and winning leagues seems to me to be exactly what we want.

There is loads and loads of other time for development as the U23 games are not that frequent.

 

[mill]

We don't know.

Ancelotti wouldn't be offering him a year extension if he wasn't.

I just find it odd he retired to become a coach. He'd always said he'd bail on football when his career is over, in that context I understood the retirement of why sit on a bench for most of a season when you can go and take on a new project etc;



I'm a huge fan of Baines so I'm glad he's still around the club, just find it a surprise.

It'll be interesting how committed he is to coaching and how long he'll be about.

Sorry I’m not saying that’s what I thought by the way.

I just got the feeling that he’s one of those players who’d want to end things on his own terms. Decide when to retire. Turning down a year contract knowing he wasn’t good enough to start probably have him that autonomy.

as I say, I don’t know. Was just offering a plausible thought process really.

 

[Anti]

I hope it's an avenue he wants to pursue and not something to just cruise along with.

 

[Bluestar]

Great player, delighted for him.
Dont understand what his new role is.