FULHAM U19's WIN THE DALLAS CUP!!!

[cmg]

I watched the game last night and whilst there is a lot of talent in that squad and team, I wouldn't have any one of them anywhere near the first team yet.

A lot of them (hopefully) will have long and prosperous careers and they were excellent last night, but in no way ready for the big league.

Yes. We need a bit of perspective here before we get too carried away. This has been a fabulous achievement and we have shown ourselves to have, not only one of the best youth set-ups in the country, but one of the best in football. Each player we have seen this week would seem to have something to offer and we are right to have an optimistic outlook. This, however, has been a team effort, one owing as much to organisation and mature attitude as to individual brilliance. It would be impossible to say that any particular individual has been responsible for our success. And that is probably a very good thing. What it does mean, however, is that no one individual is crying out for immediate inclusion in the senior team, although, doubtless, several will form part of the senior squad next season.

As has been said before, the development of young talent is an unpredictable business. The only thing we can be reasonably certain of is that not all these lads will make it. Already the pecking order is showing signs of changing; some of the bright hopes of last year are already fading wheras, for instance, Sambou, who was not much mentioned previously, has now become a front runner. If we can find three PL regulars from this group we will have done very well. Any more would be a bonus.

The ages of yesterday's starting line up were: Rodak(16), Passley(18), Arthurworrey(18), Grimmer(19), Kavanagh(19), Christensen(18), Sambou(17), Williams(19), Woodrow(18), Tankovic(18), Hyndman(16) so most of them could, theoretically play again next year. Only the seriously precocious establish themselves in the PL at that sort of age and it is even more difficult for young defenders. Chris Smalling has now established himself as an international class defender. He is now 23, even two years ago there was still plenty of debate as to how far he might go.

We should not be afraid of giving youth a chance, if circumstances require but to rush them would only harm the players and the team.

[Barrie]

Very good post cmg.  Spot on.

[grandad]

Very good post cmg.  Spot on.

:plus one:
I would like to see Grimmer & Arthurworry kept together as I can see them both making the big step up.
Tankovic looks as if he could make it. Woodrow might but I don´t think he has any great pace. Clinical finisher though. Ryan Williams gets better every time I see him. Kavanagh looks a good fullback. The others I have not seen enough of to make a judgement.
I hope we can keep this group together for another season & perhaps blood a few in selected games.

[DukeTyrion]

Awesome news, and great for the future!

[elgreenio]

Very good post cmg.  Spot on.

:plus one:
I would like to see Grimmer & Arthurworry kept together as I can see them both making the big step up.
Tankovic looks as if he could make it. Woodrow might but I don´t think he has any great pace. Clinical finisher though. Ryan Williams gets better every time I see him. Kavanagh looks a good fullback. The others I have not seen enough of to make a judgement.
I hope we can keep this group together for another season & perhaps blood a few in selected games.

Grimmer massively needs a loan move, hopefully Aberdeen will have him for a season. Arthurworrey is still pretty much a season behind everyone after his knee troubles so he's got a long way to come still, at the moment he's got one too many mistakes in him.

Williams turns up for the big games without fail, outside of that it's few and far between for the youth wingers. Kavanagh is solid and needs a loan again.

Woodrow has never ever been speedy, but if you look at him last season compared to this, he's bulked up massively and is pretty much a Zamora type bully nowadays (not to pigeonhole him into that role as he's got enough about him technically to thrive).

There's enough about this team for some to make it professionally (not fussed if it's with Fulham as long as they get there) but it doesn't take much to change, just look at Minkwitz who was top dog for years and now walks in Lasses` shadow. Or Sambou, who was pretty roundly booed by a lot of idiots in the fa youth cup last year vs Burnley and was one of the players of the tournament

[..Kya.ffc..]

Didn't manage to see many minutes of it but really happy for them.

The minutes I did see though, I was really impressed.

Hoping to see a few of them on the bench in near future.