http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2463245,00.html Good timing considering some of the threads on here at the moment about Luke Shaw and other nippers.
Was a good read, I think the players named are the one's to look out for right now - with others still developing as I know there is more that have the potential
Jack Stephens can't be far away. He's played first team football with Plymouth, is physically bigger than most lads in his age-group, although I think he maybe injured at the moment?
Isn't this just the best time ever to be a Saint? I found this article uplifting as we already have a very good academy, and this indicates that there is a vision to improve it still further. In doing so the whole club will continue to improve. And we know if anyone wants to buy they have to deal with The Don. Great times. Seeing a home grown player like Lallana come through is incredibly exciting. I recall being green with envy when a 16 year old Channon first played for us (I was better than him, I thought - he did prove me wrong in spades of course!) and seeing the buzz that players who are genuinely committed to the club get when they score or the team wins is brilliant.
There's loads of young players around that have a chance of making it. Also CBK I like the way that you have been able to seamlessly shorten your name - like Madonna, or Guly.
I find it difficult to come to terms that we do not have an actual reserve team as such. That play week in week out to keep a lot of these youngsters match fit. They surely would be more able too show what they can do and against just a bit higher level perhaps than would normally be open to them? Whats your views?
All joking aside, all the top clubs and probably many of the ones at Saints level know exactly the respective potentials of all academy players no matter what clubs they are at. I chatted to a Chelsea scout at a Saints youth game years ago and he had a dossier on all the Saints players, he wasn't just there to scout Walcott or Bale, but to update the Chelsea file on all the nippers on show. I'm sure Saints have scouts doing exactly the same at other teams each weekend. When you think about it, seeing as many of the lads are in reality kids (under 16) then there is a slightly disturbing side to it. I'm surprised that more clubs havn't restricted access to youth games to parents & family only, but I guess they have no control over what happens at away games.
Most games are videoed anyway, and I imagine most of the recordings get distributed to other scouts in one way or another. Actually now I think about it, I have a DVD of Saints v Chelsea U14 from last season lying around somewhere.
I'm looking at our midfield in the future and I'm seeing... Moore, JWP, Cork, Schneiderlin, Rowe, Lallana How do we fit all of them in!?
