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Southampton set to sign starlet Kieran Freeman

SuperSAINT

By SuperSAINT,
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a1ex2001

a1ex2001

Posted
Posted
I wonder if these links to promising yoof players are part of the 'new direction'?

 

Spend a little more ££ lower down the playing ranks to generate additional ££ in a few years?

 

it's hardly new it's something we have been doing for years and years Blackstock and the like being prime examples.

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SuperSAINT

SuperSAINT

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I wonder if these links to promising yoof players are part of the 'new direction'?

 

Spend a little more ££ lower down the playing ranks to generate additional ££ in a few years?

 

Wasn't it Jeremy Wilson or Sam Wallace that did a piece a little while ago talking about us wanting to target young players to bolster the academy ranks?

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Chez

Chez

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So when Koeman said the players coming through the youth system currently were not good enough, the powers that be agreed with him, thereby perhaps putting to bed the theory that he and the club fell out about that aspect of the club. Great that the club is again spending some money in that area to go with the training facilities. Hope he comes good like Lallana etc. did.

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Window Cleaner

Window Cleaner

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So when Koeman said the players coming through the youth system currently were not good enough, the powers that be agreed with him, thereby perhaps putting to bed the theory that he and the club fell out about that aspect of the club. Great that the club is again spending some money in that area to go with the training facilities. Hope he comes good like Lallana etc. did.

 

But that's just it, most (or all?) of the excellent players that we've developped in the recent past either came to the club at very young ages or were already good 18-21 year olds. Those that we sign at 15-18 just don't seem to make the grade at all

and end up in the lower leagues. Who was the last player that signed as a 15-18 prospect who made the grade with the club in the PL? Not Lallana,JWP,Shaw or Chambers. They were already here aged 10 and 11, even younger for Shaw and Chambers.

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Window Cleaner

Window Cleaner

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Posted (edited)
Theo Walcott?

 

 

He was in the academy at about 10 or 11 I think. No question that we produce good players but most of them come from the

young intake to the academy. Walcott was playing for the firsts at little less than the age of the lad under discussion here, albeit in the Championship

Edited by Window Cleaner
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stu0x

stu0x

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But that's just it, most (or all?) of the excellent players that we've developped in the recent past either came to the club at very young ages or were already good 18-21 year olds. Those that we sign at 15-18 just don't seem to make the grade at all

and end up in the lower leagues. Who was the last player that signed as a 15-18 prospect who made the grade with the club in the PL? Not Lallana,JWP,Shaw or Chambers. They were already here aged 10 and 11, even younger for Shaw and Chambers.

 

Bridge probably?

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st alex

st alex

Posted
Posted
But that's just it, most (or all?) of the excellent players that we've developped in the recent past either came to the club at very young ages or were already good 18-21 year olds. Those that we sign at 15-18 just don't seem to make the grade at all

and end up in the lower leagues. Who was the last player that signed as a 15-18 prospect who made the grade with the club in the PL? Not Lallana,JWP,Shaw or Chambers. They were already here aged 10 and 11, even younger for Shaw and Chambers.

 

Not sure we've signed that many players in that age band in the past few seasons to really judge.

 

The only ones I can really think of are Mcgoldrick, Sparv, Blackstock, & Stephens and although they weren't star players for the club I wouldn't call them failures. Statistically, since we sign tonnes more players at a much younger age (and at much older ages) there's a much larger margin for error.

 

It's certainly worth the relatively small gamble of buying players for small fees when they're 15-18.

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david in sweden

david in sweden

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Gallagher and Stephens signed and would now both fetch a bit of money even if they didn't break through here.

Clearly worth doing, boosts the academy's reputation even if players end up spending a few years in the championship.

 

It's always going to be harder to break through if you're a good side. If we were broke and lower mid-table I'm sure Reed, Gallagher and Stephens would have been involved a lot more.

 

 

Going through Saints Academy looks good on a youngsters CV. I agree that, in time, both Sam G. and Jack could hold down a regular place at Championship / L1 level.

 

Noted that Joe Lea, (former U18 player) has moved onto Yeovil and they are very enthusiastic signing him. Only time will tell if he can make a career in the game.

 

Not every lad who comes through the Academy ends up with a Luke Shaw type deal, but last season I counted more than a dozen former Academy graduates making a living with lower league clubs, so it's not all bad news - even if they don't all get to debut in the Prem..

Edited by david in sweden
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  • 9 months later...
Saint86

Saint86

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Like Alan Shearer?

 

Morgan, stephens, gallagher... all being written off based on their ages when we signed them.... (and shearer :mcinnes:) WC us is up there with those on the cedric thread for egg on face comments atm.

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Giordano

Giordano

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Read Money ball. very relevant aspect concerning the likelihood of college players picked in the draft making it versus high school stars. Basically its incredibly hit and miss for high school players but you get a much more reliable chance of a great player if they are good at 16/17/18. It sounds obvious i know but recruiting more talented 16/17/18 years olds and less 10 years olds is the way forward to focus on to get value players it suggests.

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  • 1 year later...
S-Clarke

S-Clarke

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Southampton and Scotland prospect Kieran Freeman talks rehab, resilience and Robertson as he steps up comeback:

 

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/southampton-and-scotland-prospect-kieran-freeman-talks-rehab-resilience-and-robertson-as-he-steps-up-comeback-bid/?rid=13925

 

So that's why it all went quiet on him, I did think he was supposed to be a highly rated youngster.

 

I must admit, the chances of him making it at the high level after 3 serious knee injuries in such a short space of time is quite unlikley.

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SuperSAINT

SuperSAINT

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So that's why it all went quiet on him, I did think he was supposed to be a highly rated youngster.

 

I must admit, the chances of him making it at the high level after 3 serious knee injuries in such a short space of time is quite unlikley.

 

Unbelievably bad luck for the lad. Fingers-crossed he can get back fit, but like you say it's going to be tough.

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