Matt Taylor - 2 Years As ECFC Manager...

[Rosencrantz]

tonykellowfan said:

"I think the main thing that we have learnt as a club is that you should not be making decisions on players at the age of 18."

therefore I think the comment should be taken literally.

You cannot give every young player more and more time, decisions need to be made along the way, you cannot have every young player at the club until they are 21. It simply isn't realistic both financially and in terms of numbers.

If you are unsure on a player give them more time however it will be clear and obvious with some players that they aren't going to be good enough.

That's why I said taken literally. Then just expanded the general point outwards where we clearly agree .

 

[Boyo]

We've got a great academy and we're actually using them now, whereas Tisdale gets lauded for playing 1/2 youth at a time...

We do have a great academy and some great individuals, but I think MTs ulitisation of them was more luck than judgement. IF Law and Caprice had been fit at Salford, they would both have likely started instead of Randall and Key. With the compressed season, they would have got their chance anyway, but like some before I do wonder whether in 'normal' circumstances MT would have signed players and played them in front of the kids.

My conclusion is that MT has learnt a really useful lesson in terms of placing confidence in the kids and I think that will be to the Club's benefit in the future.

 

[andrew p long]

It shocks me that people don't think Ward is too good for the division. When he's been fit he's the best keeper we've had since Hamer. Mad.

Only Sweeney and Taylor remain from the PT era. We've got a great academy and we're actually using them now, whereas Tisdale gets lauded for playing 1/2 youth at a time...

Oh Max...I agree MT has done a great job in getting academy graduates into, and established successfully in, the first team. He deserves great credit for that (and I don't think it is just luck)

But if it is suggested Tisdale only ever played 1/2 youth at a time that would be a rewriting of history.

Take for example the away win at Dagenham in October 2014. The starting line up included Pym,JMT, Bennett, Sercombe, Grimes and Tom Nichols. Six academy graduates. And a seventh (MJ) came off the bench. That was a fourth successive league win - and the number of youth products who started those four league wins was 5,4,5,6.

 

[Grecian Max]

Oh Max...I agree MT has done a great job in getting academy graduates into, and established successfully in, the first team. He deserves great credit for that (and I don't think it is just luck)

But if it is suggested Tisdale only ever played 1/2 youth at a time that would be a rewriting of history.

Take for example the away win at Dagenham in October 2014. The starting line up included Pym,JMT, Bennett, Sercombe, Grimes and Tom Nichols. Six academy graduates. And a seventh (MJ) came off the bench. That was a fourth successive league win - and the number of youth products who started those four league wins was 5,4,5,6.

That would be the year he was forced to because of the PFA loan right? Also seems a bit of a cherry pick...we lost to Wimbldeon in december that year and this team looks much closer to the one I remember playing that year...

Hamon
Ribeiro
Butterfield
Woodman
Bennett*
Harley
Sercombe*
Wheeler
Cummins
Nicholls (old one)

*both 24 so whilst academy graduates, not youth but established players? They don't continue to be youth forever

Keohane
Davies
Moore-Taylor
Nichols
Tillson
Pym
Morrison

 

[dommers]

That would be the year he was forced to because of the PFA loan right? Also seems a bit of a cherry pick...we lost to Wimbldeon in december that year and this team looks much closer to the one I remember playing that year...

Hamon
Ribeiro
Butterfield
Woodman
Bennett*
Harley
Sercombe*
Wheeler
Cummins
Nicholls (old one)

*both 24 so whilst academy graduates, not youth but established players? They don't continue to be youth forever

So we should discount Jay as a youth player this year.

 

[Grecian Max]

So we should discount Jay as a youth player this year.

Yes

 

[scottus86]

So we should discount Jay as a youth player this year.

Perhaps even Archie Collins could be considered an established player too, considering the amount of games he has played.

 

[older-codger]

The point is surely that they are academy graduates rather than their youth?

 

[Grecian Max]

The point is surely that they are academy graduates rather than their youth?

My initial point was playing youth, so no

 

[Rosencrantz]

You only have to go back a year and our side picked against Argyle to see that Matt picked only one homegrown youngster in Archie. Both Matt and Tis have brought through young homegrown players in differing amounts at different times down to circumstances. The "eye off the ball" fiasco and this season's Covid led circumstances have both led to more homegrown, and let's face it cheaper, players being given opportunities.

The difference that is happening over time though is the higher quality and quantity of young players coming through the academy is driving the percentage of the homegrown professionals in the squad upwards.

Matt is continuing the club policy that can be traced back to the Trust taking over and really committing to a vision of producing homegrown players in which he, like Tis, Inglethorpe and Eamo before him are the final step.