I was thinking back about some of the young talent we've had come through in the past few years and thinking our academy hasn't been what it used to be but then when I thought about it, there are actually some decent players we've had come through and I thought of this team (I know some didn't come through our academy)!! ---------------Loach--------------- -------Bennett, Eastman, Smith ------- Hewitt-------------------------Creswell ---------Trotter, Hyam, Garvan--------- -----------Rhodes, Wickham------------ If that was our team now, what a young exciting team that would be and a very well balanced one!!! I admit Loach isn't the most exciting but he's capable!! Then there's 3 CB's who are starting to prove themselves at various levels. 2 great attacking fullbacks (albiet didn't come through our academy)!! Particularly like the balance of this midfielder. You've got Trotter who adds a bit of strength and power to the midfield, also chipping in with a few goals, then you've got the tenacity of Hyam to break the play up and then the creativity of the playmaker Garvan. Then upfront you've got big man little man combo. You've got Rhodes who will score the goals and play on the shoulder of the last defender, then you've got Wickham who is a bit more of a physical presence!! Actually now I've done this, it depresses me more than anything!! Just imagine if we were able to put that team out, it may not win us the league but it would be one we could be proud of!!
Your defence worries me to be honest but it is an interesting point. Lets also remember that to get to our current levels of uselessness we also fell out with Walters! decided to get rid of our most solid RB in years and not actually replace him (Wright) had the opportunity to resign Ambrose after a loan and decided against it! and letting go off hundreds of players for nothing amongst countless other failures. We really have been shooting ourselves in the foot since the ME takeover.
Completely agree Tractorbhoy, some very stupid decisions where we've completely shot ourselves in the foot!! I just tried to put a young youthful team out there rather than Walters and Wright!! For me particularly the Wright decision was a stupid one, I always thought of him as the Gary Neville of the Championship, very underrated and very solid, solid defensively and decent enough going forward. Certainly the most complete RB we've had IMO since I've been supporting ITFC!! He left also after having a very good season and we still haven't had an actual RB to hold down the place since!! I remember at the time people were pleased Walters went as he was in poor form and we got a decent price for him but I couldn't help think we may well regret it in the future, as like Leadbitter there was a good player in there, under better management I'm sure we could've kept him and he would have shown better form. Not forgetting the Stead debacle aswell, never the best striker but decent enough and probably our first striker since Bent and our last striker to show decent scoring form (excluding Chopra)!! Then letting Klug go and then having to get him back!! Not to forget the whole contract debacle with McAuley, Norris and Leadbitter!!!
I know you were trying to keep to the youth but I was just adding how much more depressing things got! If we could of kept them youth players happy and kept the likes of Walters, Wright, McAuley, Alexander, Stead (Lee I also thought was kicked out too early) our squad would have been almost complete and would have cost about £2m FFS or the equivilent of 1 David Norris. GODIHATETHEMARCUSEVANSERA SMILIE (should that be a frownie?)
How depressing tractorbhoy, we've actually had some very good players at the club in the ME era. Shame we couldn't have held onto Alexander, I think we would've been in the playoffs that season if he hadn't of left, to me he was the most complete GK we've had for 15-20 years!! I actually thought at the time getting rid of Lee was a good decision. I thought we were playing better football and needed someone with a bit more quality. I actually think Jim made him a better player, his touch and control got alot better under Jim but because he wasn't in a side that relied on him and played that tippy tappy football and didn't need to fight upfront on his own, I think he lost what made him a good player, that determination strength and hussling upfront. We never did replace him though with another target man!!
