So is this the first sign of our new academy status being put to use? I can't remember us having many foreign triallists in a long while. Nice to see we're not standing still outside of the transfer windows, even if these 2 are highly unlikely to be pushing for the first team any time soon. Anyone going to the U21's game?
Lybohy looked very sharp. Mentioned this to my grandsons at the game and was overheard by a NCFC bloke who said they were impressed by him too.
Is it just me, or is there a bit more of a buzz about who's coming through the academy at the moment? I frequently hear good things about the Murphy twins, Jamar Loza and others. It's also nice to see we've got foreign triallists coming in, and if they're impressing that's excellent. But are these a cut above the likes of the Jarvis', Adeyemi, Korey Smith and co, or are we still producing players whose limit seems to be league 1?
Lets not knock the old academy, the likes Korey Smith and co have done a job for the club and have repaid the time and money spent on them. But we need to remember the old set up had very little money spent on it and was restricted to 90 mins travelling time for the boys that could get signed. Meaning 60% of norwich's catchment area was in the North Sea.
I wasn't so much criticising those who have come through, it's more just the case that players of their calibre are of less use to us, as a Premier League club. If we could produce a solid stream of League 1 players to sell cheap, a few championship, and maybe 1 PL player every 5 years, then I'd be reasonably happy. At the moment though the league 1 players are the cream of the crop. Undoubtedly those who've made the first team have played their part, but we haven't produced someone capable of playing in the Premier League in a long while. Fingers crossed this changes.
As a point of reference, Lybohy has been at Clairefontaine which is the French national academy that produced Anelka, Henry, Gallas, Saha, Ben Arfa, and our very own Bassong. I'm not saying the kid is as good a those guys, but to even get in to Clairefontaine you have to be reasonably talented.
From the few times I have seen him play Steer will certainly have a future at the highest level. Not so sure about Rudd but he is a quality keeper as well
I think Rudd will probably end up a Championship goalkeeper, but I genuinely think Steer will be future England stopper. Not number 1 but will be a Prem keeper at the very least. We'll have to wait and see how the academy pans out, I think it'll work out well myself. Huckerby has taken up a role in the academy hasn't he?
