Interesting Interview With Academy Player Oliver Monguel

[White Noise]

Through The Ranks


Wednesday 26th October 2011


OLIVER MONGUEL


Defender

Age: 17
Time at Club: 9 Years
Height: 176CM
Weight: 70KG



Now in his ninth season with Fulham, Academy hopeful Olly Monguel is well placed to discuss how far the Club has come in a relatively short space of time.

The talented youngster has been with the Whites since Under-9 level and, having now adjusted to the demands and rigours of Under-18 football, Monguel has become an important member of Kit Symons' squad.

A versatile player, with a good delivery and high work ethic, he is also extremely comfortable on the ball – facets of the game that stand him in good stead for his future progress.

In his own words:


It's my second year as a scholar this season, so obviously I have a bit more experience now.

It took me a little while to get used to things, but now I feel that I have got to grips with the scholarship programme. It has been tough, and at times quite demanding, but I like to think that I have become a better player as a result. I'm more clued up as to what is expected of a scholar now.

There's no denying that this is a big year for us second year scholars, because it's the time when the Club make decisions about professional contracts. I try not to think about that too much though, because in some ways it can serve as a negative. If you're constantly thinking about it then there is a danger that you can take those thoughts out onto the pitch. You can't let it affect the way you play - we already have lots to concentrate on in a game.

This season I have been playing, more often than not, at centre-back, which is not an entirely new position for me. Over the past couple of years I have been a right-back, but Kit Symons has moved me to the centre this term. It's a bit of a change, but I've enjoyed it. I played there as an Under-13 so I already had brief exposure to it, and I certainly feel confident there. There is a lot of competition in the squad, so hopefully my versatility can stand me out.

I think my ability to play in a few positions is a strength, because I can also take up a position in midfield. I'm comfortable on the ball as well, which is always a good thing for a defender. I like to think that I read the game well too, and when I play at right-back, I like to get forward and deliver crosses into the box.

The Under-18s are enjoying a good season so far. Obviously we want to do well, having made real progress as a group in recent years. We've only lost two games so far, scoring 27 goals in eight games. As a team we are very close, and I think that shows when we are out on the pitch. We've been playing some really good football and have certainly shown what we can do in front of goal. There is more of an emphasis on attack these days and that's good to see – it makes games a bit more exciting.

A new First Team Manager always means a slight shift in the way the younger teams play. The Academy is quite reflective of the First Team because it's all about getting the younger players used to the philosophy and systems. Depending on how far some of us can go, it makes the transition upwards that bit easier.

Under Roy Hodgson we did a lot of shape and defensive work, whilst when Mark Hughes was in charge there was an emphasis on getting players forward more. Now with Martin Jol I would say it is more technical, as he likes his players to be good on the ball. The attacking emphasis is still there though, there's a mix of both, which perhaps comes from his Dutch influence.

Expectations are extremely high within the Academy now. We won our section of the Under-18 league last season, which was a first for the Club, and that in itself is a sign of how far we have progressed. The Academy is definitely moving in the right direction and it's an exciting place to be. The standard of players has also increased and there is a lot of quality in the team as a result. I said before that competition for places is high and that's another clear sign of the progress that we have made.

I've been at the Club for nine years now and it's amazing how quickly that time has gone. But in that period a lot has changed. It goes without saying that things have moved forward for the First Team, but the same applies to the Academy. It has come a long way and the facilities and resources that are available to us young players now really are incredible. There is a bigger focus on the Academy now, and that can only be a good thing.



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/October/AcademyScholar.aspx#ixzz1bvAm8kTh

[White Noise]

A nice summation of the differences in approach of our recent managers -

Under Roy Hodgson we did a lot of shape and defensive work, whilst when Mark Hughes was in charge there was an emphasis on getting players forward more. Now with Martin Jol I would say it is more technical, as he likes his players to be good on the ball. The attacking emphasis is still there though, there's a mix of both, which perhaps comes from his Dutch influence.

And confirmation, if it were needed, of the change in focus in the last few years (probably since the arrival of Hodgson) to place greater emphasis and resources into the youth set-up.

the same applies to the Academy. It has come a long way and the facilities and resources that are available to us young players now really are incredible. There is a bigger focus on the Academy now, and that can only be a good thing.

Whatever your thoughts on youth players coming through in the past it is clear that we now have more horses in the race and a greater number of throughbreds so the likelihood has got to be that we will get more young players breaking into the first team over the next few years.

[richie17]

god, that is spooky: I was just playing FM2012 and scouting the Porto Right Back. Huw Jennings came back and told me that he was twice the player of Oliver Monguel, our best young right back.  Now here he is.  Spooky.  Good luck to him though.

[fulhamben]

and to think (might be wrong though) wasnt it only about 5 years ago we was going to drop the academy. something to do with having the indoor dome thing. all the best teams city and chelsea aside have built squads from their youth, hopefully we will see more of these players in the next few years meaning mo can save his poor old cheque book. would much rather see one of our own come through and do well over a cheap foriegn import any day of the week.

[Mr Fulham]

Since the capture of Chris Smalling, there has certainly been a change in the youth setup. Dan Burn, Omri Altman, Cauley Woodrow, just to name a few. Kit Symons, Mark Pembridge, Billy McKinlay, Huw Jennings, Malcolm Elias, all scouts and last but not least Ray Lewington are doing some pretty good work there.

[SouthfieldWhite]

I can only confirm how far our academy has come, we now have more quality scouts at all levels, the likes of Hew Jennings and Malcolm Elias and John O brien has helped this as they have had great success at other clubs, I'm not sure Roy was overly keen on bringing youngsters in, but Mark Hughes and Martin Jol  was/are. Doing well in the Europa is also a massive help, we are now not taking in the Chelsea casts offs, but competing with them for the best players

[Burt]

This reflects the great work being done by Kit et al.

It would be great to be able to develop the first team nucleus around a bunch of youngsters who have come up together through the ranks.

As we are a selling club I am not sure how realistic this aspiration is though.

[SouthfieldWhite]

This reflects the great work being done by Kit et al.

It would be great to be able to develop the first team nucleus around a bunch of youngsters who have come up together through the ranks.

As we are a selling club I am not sure how realistic this aspiration is though.

I wouldn't say were a selling club, yes if course if a good deal comes in for a player, Ie smalling, then yes, but I think anyone of us would of accepted that, but  name me one player we've sold recently because of money, Saha don't count as we wanted to keep him but he wanted to go and you can't blame players for wanting to go to a club like Man Utd, we have turned down money for youngsters before and are always looking to buy the best youngsters