30 Nov 2023 23:18:03
I would really like to give a shout out to the work being done at the academy since the past decade or so. Earlier, most of the players that came through (like Flanagan, and Spearing), while no disrespect to them, they didn't really look like people who could be PL regulars. However, now we seem to producing much better talent. We have Trent and Curtis who are obviously first teamers.
Then there's Kelleher, who could be a starting keeper for a PL club. And now, we have Bradley, Chambers, and Quansah who all seem to pass the eye test in the very least and look like guys who could potentially have long careers with us. There's also Morton, and I hope I am not forgetting anyone else. And this is not including the guys we got from other academies before applying the finishing touches like Elliott, Bajcetic, and Doak. It's always great to see academy players getting a chance, and I hope long this may continue.
01 Dec 2023 18:30:06
Hear, hear. Finally a voice from the majority (judging by the number of likes) . Was getting sick and tired of reading how pathetic our academy is and how we scrounge around for players from other academies.
01 Dec 2023 20:51:41
Good timing on this post with the announcement that N. Irish international Conor Bradley has just signed a new long-term deal with the Reds. He looked confident and assured the other night in his second half cameo against LASK. High hopes for the lad!
01 Dec 2023 22:29:41
Also think of the revenue they have generated.
02 Dec 2023 09:58:17
KingCarlos - what revenue have they generated?
What do we consider our academy prospects? Quansah and Chambers have been here since early teens. Bradley and Baj arrived as late teens. Do they all count as what we’d consider as our academy developed players?
02 Dec 2023 17:47:37
Quansah will be a top top centre back, we are so lucky to have him coming thru, I wonder who he is thought to replace, Matip, or VVD, my thinking is Matip first, then VVD, in a couple of seasons, he is that good .