https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58820061 This appears to be a new development, sign a very experienced player , who will never be in the first team but play them with the kids to pass on their experience and game craft. It sounds like a good idea, especially for a player looking to develop as a coach. So if we did it who would you bring in, the article suggests that most clubs look to their old players. Grant might have been good in this role.
I thought Grant Leadbitter , if interested, would have been an ideal candidate, for just that type of situation.
Think the club are going about it in a different way, getting the U23's to train with the first team etc. so they see first hand what is expected. Apparently we are even playing a few U23's in the first team now that's pretty radical. Well at least in recent years
I know, but the idea is to have an experienced player playing every game in the U23 team and passing on real time experience in every game they play. I think it would add to what we are doing.
I appreciate that, just passing an observation that the club is going in a different direction. Is the proposal that different from when there used to be reserve teams / leagues featuring a mix of young, old and squad players along with players returning from injury? I can see where you are coming from, perhaps an opportunity for a player coming to the end of his playing career and starting a coaching career
This goes back to a discussion from a couple of weeks ago, I think. Age group football is very different from the first team and, with the lack of a proper reserve league, this is probably the most sensible solution to get the u23s playing regularly with players who know what its like to play first team football. It doesn't make much difference to the kind of players they come up against though.
I agree it’s more to do with an old head on the pitch being able to take what they have seen onto the training ground and integrate that into the individual development plans better than would be the case only watching from the touch line.
I can see value in it, although it does mean one less u23 getting game time. I was interested to listen to Wearne's interview after Tuesday when he talked about Pritchard and Neil talking him through things and telling him which positions to take up. That to me is a great way for younger players to learn. It would be the same with this concept I suspect. I am involved with an amateur club at the minute working with younger players. We do lots of things together though with first team, train at the same time etc. Some of the younger lads will train with the first team. One or two go to away games and be part of it without being in the squad. I see them come back jaw hanging open because mens football is so different. They arent half learning though.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footbal...EC-B822-0F113A982C1E&at_custom2=facebook_page What a fantastic idea this is and something id love to see us try and do. Imagine resigning Henderson in a few years.
