Saints Academy Thread

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Someone on the radio asked a couple of days ago [sorry, I really can't remember when or if it was BBC, talkSport, or another station, I wasn't in charge of the radio] why, if Southampton's Academy is so good, how come their under-age sides aren't at the top of every league.? As far as I know, nobody had an answer. Of course, nobody was really that interested in looking into it either. Most of these pundits and presenters pay lip service to what might be called 'research' and 'knowledge', preferring 'hearsay' as their main incoming newsfeed. Anyway, I have one reason, that is fairly well known amongst Saints followers. The Saints Academy process is to promote the best players from a younger age group, upto the next age group, when they show definite signs that they are capable of it. What it means is that the under-age group they leave behind becomes weaker for their promotion, and hence they often don't lead their respective leagues. But the individually promoted players become fast-tracked and learn much quicker, according to their potential. And that's where it really matters. Not that the under-age team wins the league, but that the players progress. Josh Sims is a perfect recent example.

Hopefully a pundit read that. ;)
 
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TheSecondStain said:
Someone on the radio asked a couple of days ago [sorry, I really can't remember when or if it was BBC, talkSport, or another station, I wasn't in charge of the radio] why, if Southampton's Academy is so good, how come their under-age sides aren't at the top of every league.? As far as I know, nobody had an answer. Of course, nobody was really that interested in looking into it either. Most of these pundits and presenters pay lip service to what might be called 'research' and 'knowledge', preferring 'hearsay' as their main incoming newsfeed. Anyway, I have one reason, that is fairly well known amongst Saints followers. The Saints Academy process is to promote the best players from a younger age group, upto the next age group, when they show definite signs that they are capable of it. What it means is that the under-age group they leave behind becomes weaker for their promotion, and hence they often don't lead their respective leagues. But the individually promoted players become fast-tracked and learn much quicker, according to their potential. And that's where it really matters. Not that the under-age team wins the league, but that the players progress. Josh Sims is a perfect recent example.

Hopefully a pundit read that. ;)
Click to expand...

Yep I believe you've got it spot on. As for the pundits, I doubt whether they'll read nor understand anyway, as they'll all rather knobbish
 
Gone are the days of the "Stiffs"! The reserve team was very much used to keep game time up for supporting players and those returning from injury, there seems to be a reluctance to do that these days. The U23's side is certainly used more to assess players coming up through the ranks. On many occasions this season young players have been playing "above" their designated level and although it doesn't get match results it does give youngsters plenty of opportunity to show what they are made of. What has happened to Two Bob, is his career on the rocks?
 
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