Is our academy one of the best in country?

[007]

Re: Is our academy on of the best in country?

Isn't it the case, or very nearly so, that we've made more money from the last two transfer windows than the rest of L2 put together? I wonder what Coventry's contribution to that L2 pot was.

I havnt done any research ant .. but i did hear 5 live mention that , in context as opposed to notts being full of vets the coventry team were full of their own ex academy players. To what extent thats acurate i've no idea.. perhaps we've someone who knows.

 

[Moomin Grecian]

Re: Is our academy on of the best in country?

One shouldnt lose sight of the fact that Tisdale himself hasnt followed the academy "line of thinking", for over 50% of his managerial tenure, prefering instead to sign joke journeymen like Parkin and Clinton Morrison. Fancy playing Morrison ahead of Nicholls in that Anfield replay, when Nicholls was on fire? No wonder the boy wanted away. It seems to me that Tisdale is taking far too much credit for the academy, which he never utilised in a big way.

Yes he’s made some bad signings but that would always happen in a 12 year spell. Agree with the Liverpool selection but otherwise he’s largely given youth a real chance during his time. Disagree that he never utilises it in a big way. Using Nichols as an example, I think many managers would have released him after his first couple of years but Tisdale stuck with him and after a few seasons he blossomed into a decent striker.

 

[Snoop Fog]

Re: Is our academy on of the best in country?

One shouldnt lose sight of the fact that Tisdale himself hasnt followed the academy "line of thinking", for over 50% of his managerial tenure, prefering instead to sign joke journeymen like Parkin and Clinton Morrison. Fancy playing Morrison ahead of Nicholls in that Anfield replay, when Nicholls was on fire? No wonder the boy wanted away. It seems to me that Tisdale is taking far too much credit for the academy, which he never utilised in a big way.

I don't think you can accuse Tis of not promoting the academy. he always gives players a chance if they are ready. All managers make bad signings, Ferguson had his fair share whilst at United. Tiabi, Djemba Djemba, David Bellion, Kleberson, are ones that spring to mind....I'm sure there's loads more.

 

[Bittners a Legend]

Pete's right that Tisdale has not always promoted the academy - see our relegation season from L1 and then the side that he picked during our first season back in L2. However, it might be that Tisdale felt the players coming through at that time weren't good enough. I think Tisdale gets too much credit for the academy but perhaps not enough for the way he coaches players once they're in the side. I don't think it is true that other teams don't give young players a chance but we have certainly been better than most at successfully selling those players on.

 

[John William]

I don't think it is true that other teams don't give young players a chance but we have certainly been better than most at successfully selling those players on.

This. Two issues are being conflated here:

1. Playing kids who have come up through the Academy in the first team. Here I would guess our record is not exceptional, and perhaps more patchy than it might be. Only 2 of our current first choice first team (Pym, JMT) are recent Academy players, though Storey seems to be about to break through too and Jay is also a regular matchday squad feature. Of course, the manager of any League team has to balance results with development, caution with adventure, quick results with patience. And none can get it right all the time.

2. Developing and selling on the best Academy graduates. Here I think the recent evidence is that we ARE near the top.

 

[IndoMike]

This. Two issues are being conflated here:

1. Playing kids who have come up through the Academy in the first team. Here I would guess our record is not exceptional, and perhaps more patchy than it might be. Only 2 of our current first choice first team (Pym, JMT) are recent Academy players, though Storey seems to be about to break through too and Jay is also a regular matchday squad feature. Of course, the manager of any League team has to balance results with development, caution with adventure, quick results with patience. And none can get it right all the time.

2. Developing and selling on the best Academy graduates. Here I think the recent evidence is that we ARE near the top.

Also I think we should never underestimate the sacrifices of the parents who probably contribute a lot of time and money to support their kids to attend the academy.

 

[Martin Lawrence]

This. Two issues are being conflated here:

1. Playing kids who have come up through the Academy in the first team. Here I would guess our record is not exceptional, and perhaps more patchy than it might be. Only 2 of our current first choice first team (Pym, JMT) are recent Academy players, though Storey seems to be about to break through too and Jay is also a regular matchday squad feature. Of course, the manager of any League team has to balance results with development, caution with adventure, quick results with patience. And none can get it right all the time.

2. Developing and selling on the best Academy graduates. Here I think the recent evidence is that we ARE near the top.

I think what is more important is the number of academy players we have on professional deals. I would suggest (without actually doing the research to back it up) that we are very close to the top.

 

[STURTZ]

Look forward to a time when we don't have to sell to survive, if we'd kept all those players I'd imagine we'd be knocking on the Championship door by now.

 

[Grecian2K]

Look forward to a time when we don't have to sell to survive, if we'd kept all those players I'd imagine we'd be knocking on the Championship door by now.

Lord keep those scouts off of me
We don't need them any more
We're getting great, too great to see
We'll soon be knocking on Championship door

Or, possibly not

 

[Matt Russell]

Look forward to a time when we don't have to sell to survive, if we'd kept all those players I'd imagine we'd be knocking on the Championship door by now.

Moving up the leagues attracts more money, but also higher wage demands. Bigger attendances = more income as we're likely to see next season, even if it's only larger away support when the new stand and away terracing is completed. Then there's also a sugar-daddy or what we have now. I fear that selling promising young players (we'll hopefully continue to produce them) isn't going to stop anytime soon