http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19522021# Interesting article on the up's and down's of being a youngster trying to brealk through. Hailed as the new Rooney at Everton Jose Baxter is now struggling to break through at Oldham! Shows it's not all big money and fast cars.
Well that was 5 minutes wasted. I did not shed a tear or feel one moments sympathy. Get a real job and play soccer at weekends like most young people who love the game do or try the little club just 20 miles along the coast to the east from here. They'll take anyone at the moment. Let us hope the little scouse whinger has been watching the Paralympics to see real sportsmen and women in action.
Good luck to Baxter as he hasn't taken the easy route of sitting on a contract without playing. Hope that turns out to be the right decision. Our academy turns out a lot of talented players...it would be interesting to see how many end up making a career of football. On another thread, people were talking about Doble as an example. Many lads just seem to hit a wall...better than others in their age group, but they don't progress as they would hope. The important thing is to have another career to turn to...why no one should ignore their education.
That's what we do though - all the scholars complete Junior Coaching Badges, have A-Levels and/or BTECs in Education so they always have something to fall back on, and that's a great idea!
Bit harsh, Godders. He could have sat on a fat contract but wants to play. Think he shows good attitude.
I believe it's a requirement of these new academy ratings that the kids get a good education as well as football coaching. Quite right too.
They also get life lessons...teamwork, need for hard work, and how to handle success and failure. All these will make them above average if they learn from it.
They do the boot cleaning now! I remember Joe Curtis saying he had Jonno Fortes, and Sam Gallagher has Lallana/Rodriguez this year
Feel sorry for the lad. So much potential and time is passing. It's amazing how the dreams you have as a youngster can pass you in the night and you wake up one day and realise that, despite banging your head against a wall and doing what everyone has been telling you to do, the opportunity has just passed you by. It's no good just having all the skills to becoming a success in life. You have to have the timing as well. I wish him improved timing..!
Cleaning boots? Big deal, I bet they don't even let dogs **** on the Saints training ground! Every Sunday I try to memorize where all the piles of **** are and avoid making a slide tackle through it.
If he wants a scouse role model, look no further than our Rickie. At the age of 30 people have suddenly discovered him.
Crikey, I feel sorry enough for Rickie that his recognition only started to begin a few years back. And these bogus bloody PL pundits are only now beginning to think he may have real potential in the PL, such is their blinkered, cautious view, that plenty of people on the sidelines who have been screaming that RL is worth his place in any side, are hoarse with the effort. If I see another comparison between Lambert and Holt I will spit at the typeface or screen. Time and again, Saints, and other supporters have rightly asked that Rickie should not to be compared to Holt, because he is much more the cultured footballer, but time and again, it happens. And it is the PL pundits who, because they are so incredibly uninformed, continue to make it so. If that poor bugger has to wait until he's 30, then give up now.
Surely the point about Rickie is he is an example of never saying never. I totally agree with the comment about the pundits. The ball he played for Morgan to score would have had 'em swooning had it come from Scholes. Rickie is a complete player, and will continue for years yet. How long did Sheringham go on for? Similar player with a great football brain. The Holt comparison is crass.
Yep, of course it is. Rickie didn't know that he'd only be discovered in the latter years of his career. If one could be presented with the news that, as a 20 year old, one would have to wait 10 years to be discovered, and finally play at the level your potential always allowed you to, I think one might be a little taken aback that the road to recognition would have to be so long.
I thought it was a good read, good luck to him, taking the right steps to try and get himself into first team football. Unlike for example Anthony pulis, just sat around for years.
