Scholars 2016/17 - any news?

[Lallana's Left Peg]

I know we have a few on here who have relations in the Academy and / or links to it - any word on who has and has not got a scholarship for next season from the U16's and if any of the existing scholars who haven't already done so will get Pro deals?

 

I have been told the U16's are decent with a few really good prospects.

 

In the last few years we've had to supplement our intake with players released from elsewhere and it's shown in U18 performances. There was talk from Les Reed earlier this season about perhaps buying some players for the Academy to make up for that delta in talent level so we'll have to see what happens there.

 

For reference the takeover occurred nearly 7 years ago so around next year (or maybe the start of next season) we'll start to see the fruits in the U18 team of any recruitment done under the current regime assuming we target 8 - 10 year olds (if not younger) as most other clubs do.

[Daft Kerplunk]

So basically, we will start seeing the rewards from Les' direction and leadership soon.

[Saint86]

I would give it a couple of years. I doubt there was much improvement for the two years in league 1.

 

And i doubt we'll reach anything like the bale, lallana, theo age bracket until you add 7 years from our return to the prem.

[hypochondriac]

We don't buy talent we breed it (unless the players we breed are pants and then we buy it but keep quiet about it.)

[david in sweden]

I know we have a few on here who have relations in the Academy and / or links to it - any word on who has and has not got a scholarship for next season from the U16's and if any of the existing scholars who haven't already done so will get Pro deals?

 

I have been told the U16's are decent with a few really good prospects.

 

In the last few years we've had to supplement our intake with players released from elsewhere and it's shown in U18 performances. There was talk from Les Reed earlier this season about perhaps buying some players for the Academy to make up for that delta in talent level so we'll have to see what happens there.

 

For reference the takeover occurred nearly 7 years ago so around next year (or maybe the start of next season) we'll start to see the fruits in the U18 team of any recruitment done under the current regime assuming we target 8 - 10 year olds (if not younger) as most other clubs do.

 

 

Not sure about the U16's... (and I'm certainly not I.T.N from this distance), but I have followed the mis-fortunes of U18/U21 games on You Tube.

 

The find of the season must be 15 year old Jake Vokins, who got an outing for the U18's in December and then, due to a huge injury list, found himself getting half a dozen games for the U21 side where HDAJFU and really got noticed.

 

Looking at the end results, you might think we had a bad season,when in fact both Youth sides have suffered catastrophic losses through injury with a few of the most promising players losing most of the season, whilst some of the regulars were out of loan. The U18's have used almost 30 players plus a few un-named trailists, and the same story goes for the senior lads where a dozen of the U18's have taken a step up and had game time. Both of the regular U21 CB's started the season at U18.

 

It takes time to develop players and so the Walcott, Bale and Oxlade-Chamberlain phenomenas should be regards as exceptions.. rather than the rule, especially as all three came through when we were still at Championship level, and I don't expect to see another teenager break into the Prem.squad in the near future.

Calum Chambers and Luke Shaw being the only exceptions at the higher level, and to be fair, Chambers was an enforced choice due to Clyne's long injury, and choosing the vastly improving Shaw ahead of Fox was surely a no-brainer at the time.

 

Most recently, only Matt Targett and JWP had made any significant impact on the first team, and then still get very mixed reviews.... and not forgetting we still have internationals on the bench every week. Some U16 lads have been tried in the struggling U18 side and have made their mark, but it remains to be seen who will make it to the next Academy intake.

Having the Academy facilities we have is, of course, excellent but we shouldn't consider it to be a production line of " would be Prem. geniuses " ready to step up at a seasons notice.

 

The Marcus Rashford's of the footballing world take their chances when they come, and I wonder if he will be in MU's first team by this time next year?

When Harry Kane appeared in the Spurs line-up last year, I noted he had been out of loan to half a dozen lower league clubs since he was 17, and had played more than 60 games.

and I think the teenage Jermain Defoe broke all the scoring records at L1 Bournemouth when Harry Redknapp was managing there.

Edited 22 April, 2016 by david in sweden

[Matthew Le God]

Harry Hamblin has been playing recently for the u18s and has been given a scholarship...

 

harry mark hamblin ‏@harrymarkhambo Apr 17

Can't wait to start my scholarship now