Just seen that our under 21s beat the under 21s from Villareal. "Among the promising young talent on show was 15-year-old winger Glenn Middleton, who won a penalty, which 16-year-old striker Benny Ashley-Seal saw well saved." Scotland U17 international Middleton is working with legendary Canaries wide-man Darren Huckerby to develop his talent." We can only hope!!!! http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...illarreal_are_beaten_at_carrow_road_1_4263201
I'll start to believe in the youth system when we actually have one regularly making the team or at least sold for at least a 6 figure sum a mill plus even better! Whilst this lad and others sound promising we were all feeling the same about a number of the lads from the cup success against Chelsea and it's something of a "where are they now?" scenario. I'm starting to doubt any of them will be anything more than a ElBen, useful squad member who might be content to play a bit part. In the championship the Murphy's would be decent squad players and Toffalo but I'm not sure starters, so will they ever step up to the prem? I have my doubts! Bah!
I agree General, but all we can do is hope that one day we'll have a product of the youth system who can make it to become a regular first team regular. Interesting also as to who has really gone on to shine from the Youth Team Cup winners - I did hope that Josh might make it, but doesn't look likely now.
I think Toffolo could actually do well in the Prem now. Every time I've seen him he has been very good. He gets forward well and seems to have a good knowledge of when to get forward and when to hang back.
I saw Toffolo in the Rotherham cup game and whilst only one game he was decent but I thought he was a little too gungho at times and got caught out of position a couple of times. He isn't ready for the Prem in my book and now we have an almost embarrassment of riches down the left he will be a ways down the pecking order. The potential is still there and I hope he will make it, but as far as I know there is not a queue of championship clubs banging on the door looking to loan him and with Olsen, Brady he isn't likely to see any game time with us aside the cup and even that's less likely if Olsen needs more game time with Brady currently preferred. Bah!
I've watched the U21s highlights and it was a great goal and they certainly had the better chances. Considering the average age was 18 against a much more experienced Betis side, that was quite an achivement. As for our current youth players like the Murphys and Toffolo, it's expecting a lot for them to displace our current PL players. I still think some of them will come through.
Agree with you that chances are going to be limited but I'd say the only way to know if he is prem quality is to give him a chance. Just look at Southampton and Everton both are using young full backs and both are playing pretty well.
As a club we are in a bad position for promoting youth players to the first team. Mainly because it is such a big risk! We are not an established club so we can't take chances in playing youth players that some more established clubs can. You only have to look at how all the fans in the summer were so desperate for us to sign proven quality because they were worried our current squad would not have enough to stay up. If we did not get promoted last year I am sure we would of seen a couple of youth players playing first team football, but now the risk is deemed too high. Saying that, it would be nice (if they are seen as good enough) to think Neil would give the younger generation a chance. But he is in a tough position.
Fair point tipsy. It is much easier for the more established PL clubs to take a chance on a youth team graduate and even carry them for a few games until they find their feet as the rest of the team has the quality and experience to mitigate and weakness. For the likes of us we desperately need our best XI playing at close to 100% to even compete and so counter-intuitively it is probably harder for youngsters to get a run at NCFC than maybe Everton or Saints. It is a shame that Toffolo who does look a prospect and the Murphy's don't look like they are going to make it as they are not much younger than the likes of Redmond who got his chance elsewhere. I suppose it is the case that the talent will shine through and if they were better than other squad players they will get their chance. If nothing else the academy is developing players who are good enough to sell on to the lower leagues which will probably mean that it is funding itself until one day we get one or two really special players come through the ranks who can either add a lot to the first team or be sold on at a significant profit.
Or Southampton or Everton have just found better players who can make that step up. Whether that is all talent or better coaching or just that they have more draw to better youths who knows? But it's no coincidence that some of our youth have dropped out of/ been rejected by your Arsenals and Chelseas youth systems b4 finding a second chance at City. It's unlikely that we have got the cream under those circumstances. We may get the best of Norfolk, maybe Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire? But a lot of them seem to be London rejects, harsh maybe but our location means we will always be up against it! Bah!
Very good point. I'm sure that the AN/DM '5 year plan' includes bringing on young players as we become an established PL team. Most will need to get more experience on loan this year.
