With Gulacsi, Chester, Bradley, Dudgeon, Devitt, Evans, Cairney, Brady, Stewart and Simpson; all first team players who are roughly 18-22 (I'm guessing Simpson is the oldest at about 22) and other players like Hobbs, Rosenior, McShane, Harper, Fryatt and McLean all at a peak sort of age. I'd suggest we'd have one of the youngest squads in the league. Anyone care to look into it any deeper than that? And how do other Championship squads compare?
Hobbs is only 22 I think, and Fryatt is only 25. Seems we have a good mix of youth and experience this season
Gulacsi East Hobbs Chester Dudgeon Stewart Evans Cairney Brady Simpson Cullen Subs: Oxley, Cooper, Devitt, Atkinson, Emerton Good mix I guess
I think you just proved the point, even if we put out our oldest team possible, it still has two players in their mid 20's.
I was thinking this the other day, imagine if we started with this line-up when Cam gets fit: Gulacsi (21) Rosie (26) Chester (22) Hobbs (22) Dudgeon (20) Stewart (20) Evans (20) Cairney (20) Brady (19) Simpson (22) Fryatt (25) Average age - 21.5 Ok it won't ever happen because NP wouldn't play such a young team but they're all players we'd start in other systems. The future's bright (the future's amber )
The point is it averages out and is not actually a young squad, certainly not the youngest in the championship. For what it's worth, that team made up of the elder players would not let you down at this level, it seems to be a good mix as a squad.
I don't know, many people's XI for Blackpool would be that team except Koren for Stewart. That could actually happen.
its not beyond the realms of possibility. structure and discipline instilled by the manager (we suspect those are areas in which he excels) combined with confidence, expression, flexibility and the fearlessness of youth. i dont think that the team you suggest would struggle at all and i fail to see what an 'old head' would bring to the mix.
Personally, i can't see it. I agree that it's not a weak line-up by any stretch and if the going's good they'd rip up a few teams at this level, but if a few things go wrong i think you need an old head to keep heads up and generally lead the team. It's been the theory of nearly every manager ever and only Sir Alex has ever won anything with kids, but we all know how good those kids where!
From seeing two teams listed with the youngest players and the oldest players mixing them both together would give us a good mix of young players and older more experienced players.
He also had Roy Keane to lead the troops into battle. Plus he only had half a team of youngsters (I'm guessing, my memory isn't that good) mixed in with experienced pros.
Schmeichel I guess was youngish for a keeper, but Irwin, Parker, Bruce, Pallister, May, Keane, McClair, Ince, Sharpe, Kanchelskis, Hughes, Cantona were all there early-mid 90s, plus Gary Walsh to work with Schmeichel.
Other than Koren for Stewart and possibly McKenna for Cairney, I think that will be our starting XI against Blackpool.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Dawson start too, but not necessarily because of age/experience, just purely because i see it as a position that's genuinely up for grabs at the moment. Other than that i'd say your spot on. I might add that one of McKenna or Koren (or Barmby if necessary) will start most games this season as i still can't see us playing a midfield of three 20 year olds and a 19 year old very often.
