Youth team / EDS thread

[twosips]

Thought it'd be good to have a thread that we keep constantly updated cos I hate the fact that I have to usually meander over to bluemoan for anything vaguely academy related.

I see this morning that our u11s have been named national champions which is a wonderful achievement. I'm really expecting that we'll see many, many youngsters pushing through and hopefully maybe one or two get opportunities next season.

I've personally got two hopes for the young fullbacks, Angelino and Maffeo... Kean Bryan and Fofana look great, as does Brandon Barker. Whatever happened to Pozo? Was convinced he was going to make it and even be in and around the first team's fringes by now. He looked different class. We all know about Lopes, who personally i think could develop into something approaching a Pedro/Sanchez for us given the chance. I think there's a possibility that he could stagnate a little playing in the EDS and is the kind of player that'd thrive amongst better pros.

Thierry Ambrose too is another, and Hiwula bangs them in for fun. I reckon Denayer will make it in some form as well.

This isn't even mentioning the kids around 15/16 who are meant to be fantastic. The likes of Faour and Diaz look wonderfully talented.

So yeah.. just a thread for all this stuff. Personally find the academy stuff very exciting. I'd love to see some of the kids go on loan to NYCFC too.

Anyone know anymore than me? Admittedly my knowledge is limited to the odd game highlight here or there, or the occasional stream. Not seen them in the flesh.

[Bluedj]

Great post TS, I enjoyed that read :-)

[gillie]

Can this thread be made a sticky please lads.

[Slim]

Along with Faour and Diaz, there is a right winger who plays like SWP in the u15's. Can't remember his name though.

[DoomMerchant]

The new NYCFC coach said in the video someone posted last week that he has 1 or 2 he'd like from the EDS but it's a real risk using a foreign player slot, of which he has 8 I believe, on an unproven talent who's basically never played professionally in his life. Remember that he had -- until fat frank and villa -- zero players just a week ago.

I bet he takes 2 tho. MLS is a lot like the Championship in that you need a really professional experienced set of players to graft like fuck. The quality isn't Championship-level quite yet across the board but it's a similarly hard league in many ways.

[twosips]

Along with Faour and Diaz, there is a right winger who plays like SWP in the u15's. Can't remember his name though.

Was that the lad who during that televised comp kept over-running it? He looked typically.....English. He reminded me far too much of Walcott etc in terms of having no control of his feet.

[Ted Hughes]

Along with Faour and Diaz, there is a right winger who plays like SWP in the u15's. Can't remember his name though.

Was that the lad who during that televised comp kept over-running it? He looked typically.....English. He reminded me far too much of Walcott etc in terms of having no control of his feet.

There was a lad, Buckley, in the recent tournament who started off missing open nets & generally falling over his own feet, but ended doing ok. A bit casual in finishing at times. Will Patching, Diaz, Garcia, all excellent footballers. Tanor & Ernest Agyiri were great in midfield but are from the 'Right To Dream' academy in Africa. Greg Dyke is trying to fuck us over on that one on the pretence of 'helping England'. Myles Beerman was great on the left, there were too many to mention though (mostly in attack, the defence was very poor & at least one is an England international).

A couple of years ago City played an U15s tournament in Singapore & one or two were exceptional (including Patching who played in the recent games), but some seem to have played very little recorded football recently. One in particular, Aaron Nemane, looked an absolutely fantastic prospect in about 3 positions. He then seems to have just made cameo appearences (& score/set up goals) for the U18s etc. Whether that's down to careful development or lack of improvement, I don't know, but he has raw talent, pace, the lot. He does play mainly the same position as Barker though, & Barker is a real potential gem, so it may be Nemane moves in when Barker moves up. I'll be disappointed if he misses the cut.

There is a lad, Diallou, who is about 15 & looks the dog's bollocks, a genuine allround quality midfielder. I'm backing him to do it.

There are just too many to evaluate though. We have never had anything like this level of talent, not even 10% of it, at the club at one time, nor the coaching talent & football direction to go with it. The current EDS is just the very small tip of the iceberg.

In fact, Imo, we probably have more genuine talent at the club right now, than in all the 40 odd years I've watched City youth/reserve football put together. I'm serious about that. Usually we would have 1 or 2 per year of the standard of any of the whole of the current squads. Ireland for instance wouldn't get a kick compared to most of these, he was nowhere near that level.

It will be mainly down to how these players grow into their bodies though, how they mature physically for the Premier League etc, which will decide who makes it imo. Some will develop late, possibly for someone else, some will get poached etc.

Paul Moulden for example could play in the current City teams & would score 50 goals, but was too slow for top level football. One of the best finishers I have ever seen, but just not upto it. That's how it goes.

Pozo by the way, got a bad injury, came back below par/fitness, then got injured again. Hope it hasn't fucked him up, as he is imo, the outstanding footbal brain of the current EDS.

Also btw, our U11s have apparently just won their tournament beating Arsenal, Barca, Ajax & Chelsea.

[Slim]

That's the lad. I liked his directness.

[PrezIke]

Im looking forward to seeing some at nycfc next mls season. Any predictions as to who might be loaned out?

[Ted Hughes]

Im looking forward to seeing some at nycfc next mls season. Any predictions as to who might be loaned out?

Haven't a clue but it would make it very interesting.

Academy piece on the OS;

http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Academy-news ... iew-part-I

The Head of City’s Academy, Mark Allen, reflects on a magnificent season but is determined to make next year even better...

In the past 12 months, City’s youth sides have gathered numerous cups and national titles in what has been perhaps the most successful year yet for the Academy.

With the bar raised yet again, Allen is now looking to top those achievements by ensuring the various age groups come back stronger and more determined to top their collective successes.

“It has been an outstanding season right across the Academy,” said Allen.

“It all started with the under-12s who won their National Championship and were then selected by the Premier League to go and represent the UK in the Belgium Truce Tournament just before Christmas. They gave a fantastic account of themselves both on and off the pitch and really put us on the map for the season.

“That was quickly followed by the under-13s who got to the national final and unfortunately lost theirs on penalties.

“The u-14s won their title convincingly and the under-15s went to Bulgaria and won a tournament and the under-11s beat Ajax, Cardiff, Arsenal, Fulham and then Chelsea to claim another trophy - it’s been an absolutely fantastic year.”

The achievements of City’s stylish under-18s have been well-documented, as a young side displaying attacking vibrancy and tactical nous stormed to the Northern Division Premier League title.

A second half comeback in the play-off semi-final against West Ham earned the chance to become National Champions, and although Jason Wilcox’s men lost by the narrowest of margins at Goodison Park, Allen was delighted with the team’s overall progress.

“The Under-18s winning the league was a great reward and a bit of justice for how well I think the team has played this year, “he said.

“But I think the most significant highlight was listening to one of our under-11s stand up and speak in in front of a packed audience in Belgium when we were paying tribute to people who lost their lives in WWII. It was a fantastic moment to see how developed and advanced our under-11s are.”

Allen is passionate about developing strong characters throughout the Academy, believing that attitude and personality is an essential part of the make-up of a professional footballer.

While the under-18s did enjoy an outstanding season, he is quick to point to particular moments when the boy Blues showed the mental capabilities to respond to difficult challenges.

During the regular league season, Wilcox’s charges were 2-1 down to Liverpool in the 90th minute when two extra time goals from Angelino and Jorge Intima earned a crucial three points from what appeared a losing situation.

More recently, mere days after suffering the disappointment of a play-off final loss to Everton, a selection of the under-18s travelled across the world to finish the season as Hong Kong Sevens Champions – winning the tournament as the youngest team in the competition.


“The players were desperately disappointed to lose to Everton but were determined to end the season on a winning note,” said Allen. “I think it speaks volumes in terms of the characters we are building and the mental resilience which is going to be required at the next level.”

City’s ground-breaking partnership with St Bede’s is also beginning to bear fruit, as youngsters are given the chance to benefit from daily football training alongside full-time education.

The St Bede’s group continues to
develop and the programme is as
strong as ever. It gives us extra
contact time but what it really provides
for them is a really balanced
programme of education and football,
which we think is important."
...Mark Allen...

It sets the trend of being an academy that thinks holistically about everything in terms of education as well as football.”

Excellence at Club level has been matched by a record-breaking achievement at international level, when City became the first club to ever see seven boys capped at England under-16 level in a single season.

Cameron McCulloch, Joshua Murray, Elan Assiana, Sadou Diallo, Will Patching, Cameron Humphries and Lukas Nmecha created history by all featuring for England this term.

Humphries, who also represented England at under-17 level in the Nordic Tournament, was afforded the ultimate honour when he was selected to captain his country in a Victory Shield clash against Scotland.

“We were immensely proud that we were the club that broke that record and it is clear recognition that we are producing talent and we are producing British talent,” Allen declared.

“I don’t think we should underestimate
the pride in playing for your country
and we are very supportive of all our
boys whatever nationality they are."
...Mark Allen...

“But I think it resonates a little bit more when they are representing the home countries because they are our boys that we have put through the system from a very young age.

“Sometimes we can get a lot of press about where we bring players in from, but when you look closely a significant number of our players have been here since 8 or 9 years old.

“That says something about the programme and it says something about the person in terms of their commitment and their affinity to Manchester City.”

But while Allen is justifiably proud of the many milestones the youth system has reached in the 2013-14 campaign, he is keen to emphasise that the whole Academy remains united in seeking increasingly higher standards and there is a ravenous hunger to ensure continuous progress.

He said: “So much has happened in this one year, but now we draw the line and aim to be even better next year. That’s the spirit of the academy and what drives us, we don’t rest on our laurels and we know we can be even better and I think that’s the aspirations of every single person here.

“This year was fantastic, let’s make next year even better.”

Allen looks ahead to next year’s challenges in the second part of this interview to be published on Wednesday.

[Hutch's Shoulder]

This paragraph ought to be emailed to Greg Dyke and all the other first team-fixated short-termists:

Excellence at Club level has been matched by a record-breaking achievement at international level, when City became the first club to ever see seven boys capped at England under-16 level in a single season.

[The Maine Man]

This is why other clubs, and the governing bodies need to sit up and notice. Our owners have invested in the long term. We aren't just here, we're here to stay.