I must admit i don't know too much about how our home grown youngsters are doing, but does anyone think any of them are close to getting any first team action? The few that i do hear about are Lawrence (tipped to be a future town captain??) Whight, Ainlsley and Burke. It would be nice to slowly give them some real game time, but are they ready to step up? Do we have any prolific goalscorers waiting in the midst? Are there any more Wickhams lying in wait?
A Wickham would be good to make some money but I would prefer a Rhodes to add to the team. Hewitt is the one for me, I want to see him make the RB berth his next season, or go out on loan.
From what I have heard, Jack Marriott is one to watch and is banging in plenty. Hopefully, if we can get ourselves safe early enough we can give the young guys some first team action.
Marriott is probably the most heard of from our current crop because of his goals. Whight was hotly a year or two ago tipped but for whatever hasn't progressed. Lawrence is similar (but as with most young talent- overhyped before theyre ready) so hopefully he's developing nicely I'm hoping that our current manager can see that some may be slow burners and worth keeping unlike Keane who seemed far too eager to send them packing once they 'came of age'
David October and Tom Winter very good prospects for the future People who have followed these 2 reckon that Winter is a better natural finisher than Jordan Rhodes was at the same age! Yes I know that all this could change but its good to know that we have some very good youngsters coming through. Bryan Klug and Russell Osman
Considering how he has worked with JET and Hewitt I think Mick seems very good at only introducing younger players when they seem ready and only at the end of matches for a short spell. We've got 3 out on loan, Murray at Plymouth (League 2), Ainsley and White both at Chelmsford (Conference South). So from the level they are currently playing at I can't see any of them being ready for the first team any time soon. The bright side is that our current 1st team are generally quite young, so hopefully we can build around them for years to come. With Klug back in charge and the improvements we have made to get Cat 2 academy hopefully things will look better in a few years time!
I hope you're right JWM, I just get the feeling that a player like Rhodes comes along once in a blue moon!! Although I geuss we did produce Bent a few years before. Wright I would say it's far to early to judge Mick on those young players as they've literally barely been in the team!! He's stated he won't use youngsters when we're in a relegation battle!! He has however done wonders for Smith but it won't be this season that we judge him on bringing through young players!!
Depends what you class as young. What I mean is that so far he seems to have judged players based on their individual performances and has recognised those that need to be introduced slowly like JET and Hewitt and those that can just go straight into the team like Smith and Cresswell (although that might be down to necessity and lack of players rather than anything else!). But yes you are right, he said won't be using youngsters in a relegation battle so we can't really judge just yet. But based on what he did at Wolves when he first got there, he is more than capable of working with youth players.
Perhaps I'm being naive or I just don't know but I can't think of any youth players he brought through from the Wolves academy?
Copy/paste from wiki "On 21 July 2006, McCarthy was appointed manager at Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers,[8] replacing Glenn Hoddle who had departed a fortnight before. The Midlands club faced an uncertain future after having to sell the majority of their first-team players, though despite this situation, McCarthy promised Premier League football at Molineux within three seasons. From this awkward position, McCarthy managed to collect together a team from the club's youth ranks, and some lower league signings, and free transfers. Despite the lack of expectations, the team managed to make the promotion play-offs in McCarthy's first season, but it was third time unlucky for McCarthy in them as the team lost out to local rivals West Bromwich Albion over two legs, losing 3–2 at Molineux and 1–0 at The Hawthorns."
Fair enough I still can't really think of a Wolves academy player that McCarthy brought through, maybe their GKs?
I've never really followed wolves so I couldn't name any I'm afraid. All I was getting at was he clearly has experience working with young/inexperienced players so hopefully is a good judge of what they need. in midfield though! poor guy
