For the record Dave, I agree with you. Youngsters are playing with fear and we need to eliminate this fear so they can feel comfortable trying new things. But as they grow older, they need more opportunities. Using Sakho and Kelly, both are 23 - one is an international, experience of playing and captaining one of the biggest teams in his respective league and the other is in our reserves. I know Kelly has had injuries but would be at the same level as Sakho? I don't think so. Kelly needs to be playing competitive football regularly, as do a lot of our youngsters, instead of u21 level. There are a number of things that need to be done to improve the quality of our youngsters, starting at grassroots throughout their entire development.
I hear what you're saying but I believe playing on good surfaces encourages you to play more on the deck. Playings on awful pitches just brings a default attitude of lumping it forward.
What a shower of ****e that was last night. Against a kraut 2nd eleven as well. Thank **** I only watched the lowlights.
In addition, this country has a habit of bigging up the wrong people as role models. David Moyes is seen as a top class manager but what he achieved? Not much really. He's labelled as a winner as well. Someone like Rafa (pre Chelsea) was ridiculed for his decisions etc. Henry Winter once wrote an article on how 'cold' Rafa was for continuing to manage LFC for a game when his father passed away. However, Tony Pulis did the same thing but Winter labelled him as strong and a real team player.
