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Spurs Youth Thread 20/21

sly1

Well-Known Member
Sep 25, 2004
451
1,270
It seems to be becoming more and more accepted that England isn't the best place for young players with potential if they want to develop.

Do people on this thread understand why this is the case?

Is there something in the culture of our youth systems that makes coaches/clubs adverse to giving young players opportunities? This would seem surprising given that so many of the key personnel at English clubs come from countries that do seem to have success with youth.

Or is there something about the structure of our leagues and financial incentives that makes clubs more risk adverse when it comes to young players?
 

thekneaf

Well-Known Member
Jan 18, 2011
1,933
3,878
It seems to be becoming more and more accepted that England isn't the best place for young players with potential if they want to develop.

Do people on this thread understand why this is the case?

Is there something in the culture of our youth systems that makes coaches/clubs adverse to giving young players opportunities? This would seem surprising given that so many of the key personnel at English clubs come from countries that do seem to have success with youth.

Or is there something about the structure of our leagues and financial incentives that makes clubs more risk adverse when it comes to young players?
I'm absolutely not an expert, so this is a lay opinion.

Firstly, with the money in the English game teams are risk averse.

Fortunately our national coaching structure is starting to produce lots of technically developed players. These are appealing to European teams in a way they weren't before. And also, the young players now feel they can compete on a technical basis.

We also really needed Sancho to go and prove that it's possible.

So for me it's a few things, but personally I'm delighted players are willing to take the risks that other European players have and go and find those minutes for teams that trust you.
 

TheHodFather

Well-Known Member
Aug 22, 2013
536
1,545
It seems to be becoming more and more accepted that England isn't the best place for young players with potential if they want to develop.

Do people on this thread understand why this is the case?

Is there something in the culture of our youth systems that makes coaches/clubs adverse to giving young players opportunities? This would seem surprising given that so many of the key personnel at English clubs come from countries that do seem to have success with youth.

Or is there something about the structure of our leagues and financial incentives that makes clubs more risk adverse when it comes to young players?

I think part of the problem is that the premier league is actually pretty equitable in terms of how it distributes the TV money, with the bottom clubs here getting a bigger slice of the pie than they do in many other leagues. Combine that with the high overall level of money in the premier league and the result is that even the bottom clubs are putting out teams packed full of internationals. It's a cliche, but there really aren't many easy games in the premier league.

You've also got the problem of there being at least 6 "big clubs" vying for 4 CL places, so competition is fierce. A team like Dortmund, on the other hand, can probably stick a few youngsters in the side and still feel pretty confident of qualifying for the CL. Teams like Ajax and PSV definitely can.
 

mill

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2007
10,385
37,100

Yid-ol

Just-outside Edinburgh
Jan 16, 2006
31,097
19,276
Can’t say I remember the name any else remember him?

Seems to have been around the squad about 2013
 

Spurzinho

Well-Known Member
Jan 24, 2016
2,513
8,342
Can’t say I remember the name any else remember him?

I've never heard of him. Judging by the info in the article he would have been born in 1994(ish) and would have been 16 when he broke his leg and had to retire. He would have been in the same year group as Kenny McEvoy, another Irish lad who things didn't pan out for.
 

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
39,885
62,564
I've never heard of him. Judging by the info in the article he would have been born in 1994(ish) and would have been 16 when he broke his leg and had to retire. He would have been in the same year group as Kenny McEvoy, another Irish lad who things didn't pan out for.
McEvoy drew rather unfortunate Bale comparisons because he was a lefty and had big ears. Could never live up to that.
 

IGSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2013
7,939
13,758
What are people’s thoughts on Yago de Santiago? I don’t think I’ve heard of him before.

Not seen much of him other than a few games in the CM position. He was OK, nothing special from what I saw, felt like a bit of a filler and a punt but need to obviously see him a lot more to make a judgement which doesn't look like it will be possible





Has anyone seen much of Jamie Donley? Seems to score for fun


Seen a few of his age group games. I've mentioned him a few times before, I like the look of him, a traditional no.9 though with a good shot on him from distance if I remember right. Glad to see he's started this year well
 

Spurzinho

Well-Known Member
Jan 24, 2016
2,513
8,342
Its strange, I was following that group of U16s (the McEvoy/Igoe) group quite closely. I remember a good 20 or so of the lads that started that season as part of the U16 group as well as the trialists we had. I never saw or heard mention of Igoe. Not once.
 

Westmorlandspur

Well-Known Member
Feb 1, 2013
2,685
4,500
Its strange, I was following that group of U16s (the McEvoy/Igoe) group quite closely. I remember a good 20 or so of the lads that started that season as part of the U16 group as well as the trialists we had. I never saw or heard mention of Igoe. Not once.
I remember McEvoy ending up at York in non league a few years ago. No idea where he is now.
 

IGSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2013
7,939
13,758
Its strange, I was following that group of U16s (the McEvoy/Igoe) group quite closely. I remember a good 20 or so of the lads that started that season as part of the U16 group as well as the trialists we had. I never saw or heard mention of Igoe. Not once.

Name doesn't sound familiar to me either. Remember McEvoy, Coulthirst, Bentaleb, Gomelt, RMP, VZC the latter two I thought were decent, moreseo than McEvoy but do not remember Igoe
 

Spurzinho

Well-Known Member
Jan 24, 2016
2,513
8,342
His last Wikipedia entry was signing for South Normanton Athletic in 2017. That's level 9 or 10 of the pyramid I think. Don't think he's there any more, the club doesn't list him as a player.

He returned to Ireland, turned out for some club or other but ended up retiring in order to pursue a career outside football.

McEvoy had a lot of hype which was never really deserved. He was quick but there wasn't much else that made him stand out. He wasn't a stand-out technically or in terms of creativity or goalscoring. He also had the problem of being absolutely tiny. It made me laugh when he got compared to Bale because Bale was already a burly 6'1 grown man when he was 19, where as McEvoy was lucky if he was 5'6 and had he had no strength or power at all. I know he was quite bitter by the end with us but I think he just massively overestimated his own ability and talents and perhaps believed the hype.
 

DogsOfWar

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2005
2,293
3,603
He returned to Ireland, turned out for some club or other but ended up retiring in order to pursue a career outside football.

McEvoy had a lot of hype which was never really deserved. He was quick but there wasn't much else that made him stand out. He wasn't a stand-out technically or in terms of creativity or goalscoring. He also had the problem of being absolutely tiny. It made me laugh when he got compared to Bale because Bale was already a burly 6'1 grown man when he was 19, where as McEvoy was lucky if he was 5'6 and had he had no strength or power at all. I know he was quite bitter by the end with us but I think he just massively overestimated his own ability and talents and perhaps believed the hype.

I saw him turn out on the right for Peterborough.
He wasn't quick enough, strong enough, or tricky enough to beat a man.
Had a decent delivery on him when in space but second half opposition just got tight to him and he was out of the game.
Got hooked then was never seen again.
 

IGSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2013
7,939
13,758
He returned to Ireland, turned out for some club or other but ended up retiring in order to pursue a career outside football.

McEvoy had a lot of hype which was never really deserved. He was quick but there wasn't much else that made him stand out. He wasn't a stand-out technically or in terms of creativity or goalscoring. He also had the problem of being absolutely tiny. It made me laugh when he got compared to Bale because Bale was already a burly 6'1 grown man when he was 19, where as McEvoy was lucky if he was 5'6 and had he had no strength or power at all. I know he was quite bitter by the end with us but I think he just massively overestimated his own ability and talents and perhaps believed the hype.

I could embarrass myself if people find old quotes to prove me wrong, but I don't think anyone who actually watched him particularly rated him. I don't think he was overhyped for his performances it was strictly the Bale thing i.e. people who had never watched him, startec to pay attention to him as he looked like Bale. His name was in the press etc. so it gave him some sort of following and belief.

He was like a very limited Lennon. Decent for our u21s but never had a future here, which is ironic as he then released a post about being able to leave the club and prove himself. Unfortunately he didn't, but I do think that hype really got to him sadly.
 

Anuth

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2008
745
2,346
another Estonian CB on trial with us

https://sport.err.ee/1138706/nomme-unitedi-keskkaitsja-viibib-tottenham-hotspuris-testimisel


Nõmme United football club announced on social media that the team's 17-year-old central defender Erko Jonne Tõugjas will be on testing with the U-18 team of the English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur this week
.
17-year-old Tõugjas has represented the Nõmme United representative team in the premier league in 21 matches this year, scoring two goals. In the ranks of the Estonian U-17 team, the central defender has participated in 11 games.

At the beginning of the week, Maksim Paskotch, a pioneer of the Breed, shook hands with the Tottenham Academy. The former Flora defender also underwent a weekly test in August and signed a three-year contract with the London team.
 
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