Academy and Youth

[mike_corkcity12]

So according to Southfield White people will be happy with our new u18 manager. Kevin Keen was appointed last summer as 'Head of Coaching and Under-18s Manager'. The Head of Coaching title is interesting, presume he was in charge of overseeing the development of the youth coaches? I wonder if the new appointment will fulfill a similar role?

Does anyone think Peter Grant will stay on as u21 manager? He gave an interview a few weeks back that seemed to indicate he wasn't but as of yet no news. Shocked that they released Baba and Sambou. Two solid u21 players and we spent 200k on Baba apparently.

1 last thing is I wonder if the Academy have much of a budget to work with? All "our" youth players were bought from other clubs apart from Roberts and Betnelli. Woodrow (Luton), Lasse (FC Midtjylland), Burn (Darlingtong) and so on. So I wonder if we sell Roberts and/or Dembele will Jennings be given much of a budget to buy in some youth or will the funds not be there?

[FPT]

I believe the Head of Coaching essentially leads the meetings and discusses the weekly/monthly plans for each age group in conjunction with Huw Jennings as well as being a general guiding head, so you could consider that he develops youth coaches also.

I don't care for Peter Grant, but he came across ok in his videos at the end of the year, if he were to leave, I presume it'd have been done already. Sol Sambou surprised me, Noe Baba did nothing of note really.

I do believe that academy spending is exempt from Financial Fair Play, so spending only would have been cut for general coping with the loss in finances following relegation. There's always funds - we brought in Aron Davies and tried to get Regan Poole from Newport and linked with Ryan Sweeney of AFC Wimbledon recently, but from what I've seen, it seems we're looking towards more 'home grown' players like DJ Buffonge, Jerome Opoku and Cassian Thomas (who could be part of the next U18 group) as well as the more senior lads like Ryheem Sheckleford, Tayo Edun and Josh Smile.

No need to worry, I believe Aron Davies set us back £250k and we're also scouring with Anthony Dolan and Harrison Paton coming in, Jake Souttar too, Marek Rodak, Jordan Evans, Sean Kavanagh and Liam Donnelly previously. Our guys are good, and our recent reputation (at academy level) will have helped us a tonne.

But to actually answer your last question, yes I do think we'll recycle money made from selling academy products back into the academy, it's the right thing to do and the best way to keep that conveyor belt moving.

[YoungsBitter]

We also spent money on Casasuola from Argentina. Be interesting to see if he breaks into first team squad this season.

[mike_corkcity12]

I believe the Head of Coaching essentially leads the meetings and discusses the weekly/monthly plans for each age group in conjunction with Huw Jennings as well as being a general guiding head, so you could consider that he develops youth coaches also.

I don't care for Peter Grant, but he came across ok in his videos at the end of the year, if he were to leave, I presume it'd have been done already. Sol Sambou surprised me, Noe Baba did nothing of note really.

I do believe that academy spending is exempt from Financial Fair Play, so spending only would have been cut for general coping with the loss in finances following relegation. There's always funds - we brought in Aron Davies and tried to get Regan Poole from Newport and linked with Ryan Sweeney of AFC Wimbledon recently, but from what I've seen, it seems we're looking towards more 'home grown' players like DJ Buffonge, Jerome Opoku and Cassian Thomas (who could be part of the next U18 group) as well as the more senior lads like Ryheem Sheckleford, Tayo Edun and Josh Smile.

No need to worry, I believe Aron Davies set us back £250k and we're also scouring with Anthony Dolan and Harrison Paton coming in, Jake Souttar too, Marek Rodak, Jordan Evans, Sean Kavanagh and Liam Donnelly previously. Our guys are good, and our recent reputation (at academy level) will have helped us a tonne.

But to actually answer your last question, yes I do think we'll recycle money made from selling academy products back into the academy, it's the right thing to do and the best way to keep that conveyor belt moving.

So the head of coaching is similar to Brentford's new head of philosophy, do you think?

I think we were too quick to discard Baba especially for the amount we seemingly paid for him. I suppose youth football is cut throat and if a player stagnates it is hard to keep him on.

Good point on Aaron Davies, forgot we had bought him. As Youngsbitter says above, hopefully Casasola can get into the squad next season seeing as he is highly rated. He seems to have spent more time away with Argentina last season than at Fulham though!

You seem optimistic regarding the Academy?

[FPT]

I always try to be positive! With the academy, it's so much easier than the first team!

I think the next crop of Under 18 talent from the Under 16s is really, really exciting. Some names to remember (and I don't know whether SouthfieldWhite - a good guy with the academy - will agree with me): Cameron Thompson, Jerome Opoku, Marlon Fossey, DJ Buffonge, the two Sessegnon brothers (but Ryan in particular).

Then Luca De La Torre is 17 years of age, as is Tayo Edun. I'm really intrigued as to how the next few years play out, because the quality isn't showing a sign of stopping on the Fulham academy conveyor belt.

[mike_corkcity12]

I always try to be positive! With the academy, it's so much easier than the first team!

I think the next crop of Under 18 talent from the Under 16s is really, really exciting. Some names to remember (and I don't know whether SouthfieldWhite - a good guy with the academy - will agree with me): Cameron Thompson, Jerome Opoku, Marlon Fossey, DJ Buffonge, the two Sessegnon brothers (but Ryan in particular).

Then Luca De La Torre is 17 years of age, as is Tayo Edun. I'm really intrigued as to how the next few years play out, because the quality isn't showing a sign of stopping on the Fulham academy conveyor belt.

Very true!

I have seen very brief highlights of De La Torre on the club website and he seems to have good technique. Tayo Edun did very well for the u21's against Liverpool (unless I am thinking of the wrong player).

I was very interested in reading the reports of the Champions Youth match against Porto. Numerous accounts suggested that Porto players were technically superior than ours. I wonder why that is still happening? Obviously the English league is about the physical attributes as much as the technical ones but I also wonder is it down to the coaching standards in England? It's much easier to coach physical attributes than technical attributes I'd say. In football manager (I know I know) I always sign coaches from foreign teams, I wonder if the club could entice some of Porto's youth coaches over for instance?

[mike_corkcity12]

Great appointment in Wigley. Hopefully get a decent under 21 manager in now. Didn't see Plumain or Evans in those training photos whichs is disappointing. Got to keep ppromoting youth through, at least one new face per season

[SouthfieldWhite]

I always try to be positive! With the academy, it's so much easier than the first team!

I think the next crop of Under 18 talent from the Under 16s is really, really exciting. Some names to remember (and I don't know whether SouthfieldWhite - a good guy with the academy - will agree with me): Cameron Thompson, Jerome Opoku, Marlon Fossey, DJ Buffonge, the two Sessegnon brothers (but Ryan in particular).

Then Luca De La Torre is 17 years of age, as is Tayo Edun. I'm really intrigued as to how the next few years play out, because the quality isn't showing a sign of stopping on the Fulham academy conveyor belt.

It's quite funny as a cuple of years ago some of the players FPT has mentioned and in particular that he group didn't seem it was going to be that strong

Lot of these boys have been with us a while now
They have a great attitude which helps lot

I use to see Marlon fossey down the Kingsmeadow running track in the evenings putting in extra work off his own back

Jerome is good mates with my boy as they use to go school together before Jerome moved to the Coombe school with the rest of the Fulham boy

I got told that as soon as we signed Luca de la torre that he'd be one of the best players we'd ever had at the academy and first time I saw him, he didn't dissappoint .

The club have high hopes for him

[mike_corkcity12]

I always try to be positive! With the academy, it's so much easier than the first team!

I think the next crop of Under 18 talent from the Under 16s is really, really exciting. Some names to remember (and I don't know whether SouthfieldWhite - a good guy with the academy - will agree with me): Cameron Thompson, Jerome Opoku, Marlon Fossey, DJ Buffonge, the two Sessegnon brothers (but Ryan in particular).

Then Luca De La Torre is 17 years of age, as is Tayo Edun. I'm really intrigued as to how the next few years play out, because the quality isn't showing a sign of stopping on the Fulham academy conveyor belt.

It's quite funny as a cuple of years ago some of the players FPT has mentioned and in particular that he group didn't seem it was going to be that strong

Lot of these boys have been with us a while now
They have a great attitude which helps lot

I use to see Marlon fossey down the Kingsmeadow running track in the evenings putting in extra work off his own back

Jerome is good mates with my boy as they use to go school together before Jerome moved to the Coombe school with the rest of the Fulham boy

I got told that as soon as we signed Luca de la torre that he'd be one of the best players we'd ever had at the academy and first time I saw him, he didn't dissappoint .

The club have high hopes for him

Are you happy with Grant to stay on as u21 manager?

[mike_corkcity12]

Josh paisley still listed as u21 player despite sol sambou and baba being removed...

[mike_corkcity12]

http://www.fulhamfc.com/under-21s/player-profiles

U21 squad looks very threadbare. Need a few signings

[MJG]

http://www.fulhamfc.com/under-21s/player-profiles

U21 squad looks very threadbare. Need a few signings

Im 99% sure that its still not been updated correctly. 3 of those are gone as far as I know and last i heard was that Passley was training with Dagenham

[mike_corkcity12]

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/july/01/retained-list

Surprised Halloran got a new deal, suppose the u21's do need players. Hopefully Donnelly and Evans sign. Club must be confident that they will. Hopefully the player Southfield White namedropped, Da Le Torre, signs his contract too. If he is that highly rated it wouldn't be a surprise to see him go.

Apparently we sold a talented 14 year old to Man City. Didn't even know you could sell 14 year olds!

[mike_corkcity12]

Seems like Noe Baba, Sol Sambou and Passley still haven't been picked up by anyone which is surprising.

[MJG]

Seems like Noe Baba, Sol Sambou and Passley still haven't been picked up by anyone which is surprising.

Or shows why they were released?  

I know Passley was at Dagenham having a trial,  not sure if he's been picked up.

[mike_corkcity12]

Seems like Noe Baba, Sol Sambou and Passley still haven't been picked up by anyone which is surprising.

Or shows why they were released? 

I know Passley was at Dagenham having a trial,  not sure if he's been picked up.

Very true. Baba will probably turn up in Ireland somewhere.

Some randomer on TFI, or it could have been 'Spigs', said that Sambou rejected a new deal with us as his agent had some other club lined up. Surprised if that is the case that it hasn't gone through.

[MJG]

Seems like Noe Baba, Sol Sambou and Passley still haven't been picked up by anyone which is surprising.

Or shows why they were released? 

I know Passley was at Dagenham having a trial,  not sure if he's been picked up.

Very true. Baba will probably turn up in Ireland somewhere.

Some randomer on TFI, or it could have been 'Spigs', said that Sambou rejected a new deal with us as his agent had some other club lined up. Surprised if that is the case that it hasn't gone through.

Agent was telling everyone he could at the Sunderland u21 game last season that Sambou had turned down a contract and he was going to sort him out with a club.
At his age and experience will be lucky to get a L2/ conference side. Not good enough anyway.

[MJG]

So Baba played for Birmingham U21's last night.

[MJG]

Confirmed that Passley has signed for Dagenham on a years contract.

[snarks]

Confirmed that Passley has signed for Dagenham on a years contract.

Good luck to him. Hope he is successful and doesn't mess around like he did at Portsmouth.