With every game now being high stakes and high pressure, it makes me wonder when we will get the chance to give some of our good academy players some game time. Hopefully the championship won't go to the wire and we can play some in the Coventry game. Otherwise, is it just the carling cup? Is that enough to realise what was part of our ambition (I thought) to bring more players through into the first team? Such is the size of our squad now, the kids are not even making the bench.
Good question. The higher the progress the bigger the risk of blooding kids. However, when not out on loan Nigel will be fully aware of how good and strong the are. The tough bit is having the balls to play one without it going Pete Tong. Sometimes you just have to take a gamble but that will only happen in an important league game if we have a number of missing players.
They'll get a chance only when our position is confirmed. Wouldn't be surprised to see Stephens, Falque, JWP and Reeves in for the final couple of games as well as that right back who is supposed to be mustard.
If the comments on the other threads are right and the players are looking knackered we may see a couple on the bench Saturday.
The football leagues short sighted reduction of substitutes to 5 has restricted opportunities for the youngsters. I'm sure Reeves would have been a staple member of the bench. I think the main reason is that our 19-21 year olds are not quite up to standard for the top of the championship. I'm sure next season will see the likes of JWP, Stephens & Shaw given opportunities for the less pressured early season and cup games.
Cup matches yes, but if we go up, league games no. There are no "less pressurised" league games in the premier league.
We will produce more academy players than we can use, but the very best will break into the first team (as already planned). Adkins is not in a position to take chances at the moment. If we go up, the extra room on the bench will help.
As been said before, if we had 7 subs I'm sure Reeves would be involved more, along with the other youngsters but unfortunately not We only have Reeves/Hoskins in the 18-21 age bracket capable IMO, with about 8 int he U18s we could give a chance in the next few years They'll get their chance when the time is right I'm sure hopefully they will form the core of our Premier League side
the best thing to do is to send them out on loan to the FL. that is the best way of them to develop gradually improving the league they are in every time. But the key is to make sure that they get 90 mins every game pretty much.
As Fran has correctly said, more bench spaces will become available if we make the Premiership, however stepping up another gear will also make it harder for them to progress. Nevertheless with the right manager some youth players will develop and come through, like Bale and Oxlade-Chamberlain, wherever we are positioned.
Assuming we're not fighting for our lives against relegation, the stakes will be much lower than they are currently and I think, perhaps counter-intuitively, that there will be more opportunities for youngsters to get in the team.
I'm pretty sure Adkins was appointed for this reason - he has said many a time about bringing through the youth players and they are a big part of our future plans
This I remember seeing a certain David Beckham down at Sincil Bank when he was younger. Playing for Preston NE. Don't know what happened to him after that but he looked quite a good prospect at the time.
i believe that if by he age of 20 a player is not involved in the first team then he should be released so his career is not damaged,may miss out on a late bloomer once in 5 years but it is best for both parties esp as we have no reserve side that plays every week. would love to see half the team made of homegrown players and the aim must be bring in 1 quality player a year. people keep on saying bale- but he could be one of the top 10 players in the world if playing for the correct team, so i would say if we could produce 1 player a year of the quality of surman or oxo and keep hold of them
