The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Royals and Racers]

U 21’s back in PL 2 league action this Friday 24th October away to West Brom KO 7pm. The match is at Damson Park the home of Solihull Moors FC.
WBA are 27th we are 25th.

The U 18’s are also in league action at home on Saturday 25th at Bearwood playing Chelsea KO 11am.
We are 10th Chelsea 3rd.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/oct/19/englands-under-21-leagues-are-filled-with-players-whose-clubs-see-no-future-for-them?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

This is an interesting read...

I think the reality is if you're twenty-one and haven't broken into the first team yet, there's very little chance of you doing so - unless you're a goalkeeper (for example). We probably should go back to the U21s being reserve teams; would reduce the costs for clubs too.

To put that into context, of the players who gained professional contacts at 18, over the next eight years 5% stayed at the same level, 5% moved up and 58% moved down the English professional football pyramid. A further 25% left the professional game and 7% moved abroad.

I'm surprised it's as little as 25% leaving professional football, tbh.

I hadn't really thought about it as a need to fill squad places va. Actually having a shot at making it....

I wonder how overt it is on the inside - i.e. is there a tacit understanding that some players are on the elite track and others aren't ?

I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that the system has led to this over supply...