U18 & U23 news and info...

[giantwolf]

Luke Matheson is back training at the club.

Have you seen anything official? I’ve seen a fair bit of unofficial stuff but hadn’t posted on the loan thread yet

Seems likely either way. Confidence was shot and it’s not been a great loan. 2nd bad loan on the trot

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

stoke report saying we had 59% possession
16 shots
8 on target
4 goals

 

[JadeWolf]

Mondays U23 game against Newcastle is off.

 

[JOSWolf]

Have you seen anything official? I’ve seen a fair bit of unofficial stuff but hadn’t posted on the loan thread yet

Seems likely either way. Confidence was shot and it’s not been a great loan. 2nd bad loan on the trot

Saw him on a training pic on the official site today.

 

[giantwolf]

Saw him on a training pic on the official site today.

Well spotted… thanks

 

[SuperGran]

Saw him on a training pic on the official site today.

Must be an injury as can’t recall loan until 1 jan I dont think

 

[giantwolf]

Must be an injury as can’t recall loan until 1 jan I dont think

Wouldn’t be able to play for us but if both teams agree he’s able to come back… just like Sanderson et al in one of the recent international breaks

 

[JOSWolf]

Is Chem Campbell injured. No sign of him in recent weeks.

 

[Surrey Wolf]

Is Chem Campbell injured. No sign of him in recent weeks.

been with the snr squad whilst serving 3 match ban for u23s

 

[Boss Hogg]

Presumably the youngsters who are with the first team have to stay with them now as the u23s are kept in a separate bubble??

 

[SuperGran]

interesting…

 

[JOSWolf]

View attachment 25752
interesting…

Strange. He has been training with the first team recently due to our lack of numbers.

 

[lets all have a disco]

View attachment 25752
interesting…

Might be going familcao on loan....

 

[giantwolf]

View attachment 25752
interesting…

He spends his off time in Portugal. Can’t see his mother in Singapore as he’s tried to renounce his Singapore passport in an attempt to miss national service

Edit… first attempt wasn’t quite right

 

[SuperGran]

He spends his off time in Portugal. Can’t see his mother in Singapore as he’s tried to renounce his Singapore passport in an attempt to miss national service

Edit… first attempt wasn’t quite right

Ok thanks. I’d read he hasn’t seen his mum for years

 

[Supadavewolf]

Presumably the youngsters who are with the first team have to stay with them now as the u23s are kept in a separate bubble??

Things have changed for this month.

Now it's Christmas, they're in a separate bauble.

 

[giantwolf]

Ok thanks. I’d read he hasn’t seen his mum for years

Some more info here…..

Wolves defender Harry Birtwistle's application to renounce his S'pore citizenship rejected

His applications were rejected as renunciation should not be used as a means to evade NS duties, said Mindef. Read more at straitstimes.com.

www.straitstimes.com

 

[cannockwolves]

I am sure I saw that young Harry's dad now lives in Portugal, maybe he is going for Christmas?

 

[JOSWolf]

I wonder how many of our u23 lads have been kept from going on Xmas hols to supplement the first team squad? I know that this was a possibility for a few of them. Cundle is virtually a full time first team squad member now of course but could see a few others with the group full time over the next couple of weeks.

 

[Brockmoorwolf]

I wonder how many of our u23 lads have been kept from going on Xmas hols to supplement the first team squad? I know that this was a possibility for a few of them. Cundle is virtually a full time first team squad member now of course but could see a few others with the group full time over the next couple of weeks.

Kept from going on hols,
To do the best job in the world.
Christ I'd snap all their legs to be in their position.

 

[JOSWolf]

Kept from going on hols,
To do the best job in the world.
Christ I'd snap all their legs to be in their position.

In Birtwistles case I am glad he has been given time to see his parents. He hasnt seen his mum for 2 years due to the pandemic.

 

[Brockmoorwolf]

In Birtwistles case I am glad he has been given time to see his parents. He hasnt seen his mum for 2 years due to the pandemic.

I totally agree matey.

 

[JadeWolf]

I wonder how many of our u23 lads have been kept from going on Xmas hols to supplement the first team squad? I know that this was a possibility for a few of them. Cundle is virtually a full time first team squad member now of course but could see a few others with the group full time over the next couple of weeks.

Depends if they’ve been vaccinated I guess.

 

[giantwolf]

I wonder how many of our u23 lads have been kept from going on Xmas hols to supplement the first team squad? I know that this was a possibility for a few of them. Cundle is virtually a full time first team squad member now of course but could see a few others with the group full time over the next couple of weeks.

I think Bueno has stayed. Cundle as you say. James Collins was saying some of the foreign lads have gone home for a week but the home based lads will be around to supplement the first team and then everyone is back 30th December

 

[JOSWolf]

Depends if they’ve been vaccinated I guess.

I think they have.

 

[bilstonwolf]

Anyone seen ticket details for the youth cup match at palace?

 

[giantwolf]

The u18s are out of the PL Cup after losing 1-0 vs Blues. We had 3 schoolboys playing due to injuries and players moving up the age groups to cover the older squads.

The good news however is Kam Kandola and Ty Barnett both had run outs as they make a come back from lengthy periods on the sideline

 

[giantwolf]

Not suggesting we still shouldn't be doing better (we should), however before slating the club for lack of first teamers who have come through the academy, its worth a read of this:

Headline figures suggest:
* 97% of former Cat1 academy players never make a premier league appearance
* 70 per cent were not even handed a professional contract at a Premier League or English Football League club.
* Only 1 in 10 have gone on to make more than 20 league appearances in the top four tiers of English football

97% of Premier League academy players never play a minute in top flight, new analysis reveals

The analysis shows that 70% are not even handed a professional contract at a Premier League or English Football League club

inews.co.uk

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

the question then has to be asked is it worth bothering with an academy?

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

the question then has to be asked is it worth bothering with an academy?

I think it is, all top class players have to come from somewhere and we did unearth Lescott, Keane, Murray, Hennessey, Naylor, even solid champ players like Batth, Scott Malone etc

We do seem to have a lot of former youth players knocking about in professional football even if it isn't quite at the highest level and you only need that one big hit to make a fortune, imagine if we had someone like Keane or Lescott coming through now?

I reckon Kilman (who although not directly through academy but he was developed here) is worth over 20 mill in todays money easy, and if MGW could stay injury free and get a really good season behind him he could be worth a fortune too

 

[giantwolf]

the question then has to be asked is it worth bothering with an academy?

I believe Wolves' academy is now self sustaining, so I would argue Wolves would think it is and whilst the 30% that do go on to to get a pro contract are bringing in enough transfer funds/future funds from sell on clauses to keep it going, I imagine they would. Find a few gems in that and the model is even better.

We don't do a Chelsea currently and hoover up the best young talent around the world, so whilst returns are lower, so are the initial expenditures

 

[Contrarian]

the question then has to be asked is it worth bothering with an academy?

Isn't this why Brentford have decided not to have one?

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

Isn't this why Brentford have decided not to have one?

Yes but they have a B team where they put the players they've taken a punt on and if they come good they get promoted to the first team, you need an extensive scouting network and to take a chance on loads of players from all over for this to work which it seems to do for them

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

Isn't this why Brentford have decided not to have one?

think Newcastle scrapped theirs for a while but soon brought it back

 

[giantwolf]

Isn't this why Brentford have decided not to have one?

Brentford also stopped because they're in the shadows of Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, West Ham - back then (and arguably most probably still would), most of the better prospects would choose those academies over Brentfords.

More recently you've seen young players (the well managed ones at least) really starting to think strategically about where they go. Kai Corbett who we had on trial very recently turned down a contract at West Ham for a better pathway to first team football and ultimately ended up at Peterborough and has played in the Championship - short term pain for possibly longer term gain, Jude Bellingham chose Dortmund over Man U where he would get 1st team action sooner etc. If Brentford stay up and the mindset amongst the younger players continues, they may well think about bringing it back.

 

[JadeWolf]

Anyone seen ticket details for the youth cup match at palace?

It’s next Saturday at 2pm, Selhurst Park. Bit annoying we’re at home to Southampton the same afternoon as I’d have gone to support the lads.

 

[JOSWolf]

Saw something on twitter earlier that Samuels is back at Wolves. Anyone know if this is correct?

 

[AndyWolves]

Saw something on twitter earlier that Samuels is back at Wolves. Anyone know if this is correct?

Yep, I saw it too

 

[giantwolf]

Saw something on twitter earlier that Samuels is back at Wolves. Anyone know if this is correct?

On the loan thread

 

[giantwolf]

It’s next Saturday at 2pm, Selhurst Park. Bit annoying we’re at home to Southampton the same afternoon as I’d have gone to support the lads.

If we win we’ll be at home vs Spurs or Albion