AVFC Youth Thread

[smetro]

Just wondered if anyone has any thoughts on any hot prospects coming through our ranks:-

I seen Jay Donacien a couple of seasons back - hes a full back\centre back - pretty fast and strong - looked to have lot going for him - I think he went out loan last season - not sure how he got on

Clive Toner - another CB - pretty highly rated, But I beleive he is out of contract this summer


any other news folks ?

[villabromsgrove]

Donacien is as quick as any CB I've seen. I thought he would make it a couple of years back, but he seems to have stalled a bit. Sounds like the usual Villa development programme doesn't it.

[kimbo]

I'm not sure he's stalled to be honest bud, I mean in all fairness he spent the entire season on loan at Tranmere, which is surely better than playing for our reserves or trying to cover an out-of-position Bacuna.

I went on one of their message boards and the two things I got from them was:
"He's far too good for this level", and "He's definitely better at right-back".

As for any other prospects, Andre Green seems to have a bit of buzz about him, not sure about anyone else. I miss the days of going to watch the reserves, I don't see much of the kids at all these days.

Oh also, Henry Cowans moves an awful lot like his dad, and he also knocks a lovely ball. That's a good start   We'd be amazingly lucky if he turned out anywhere near as good as Cowans senior though.

The one thing with Sherwood should he be here a while is he has proper experience of running an academy, so hopefully things like that should be managed better now. For all the "OUR YOUNG PLAYERS ARE SHIT!" stance that some of our fans take, I do feel like MON and Lambert both contributed to stalling certain young players.

[villabromsgrove]

I'm not sure he's stalled to be honest bud, I mean in all fairness he spent the entire season on loan at Tranmere, which is surely better than playing for our reserves or trying to cover an out-of-position Bacuna.

I went on one of their message boards and the two things I got from them was:
"He's far too good for this level", and "He's definitely better at right-back".

As for any other prospects, Andre Green seems to have a bit of buzz about him, not sure about anyone else. I miss the days of going to watch the reserves, I don't see much of the kids at all these days.

Oh also, Henry Cowans moves an awful lot like his dad, and he also knocks a lovely ball. That's a good start   We'd be amazingly lucky if he turned out anywhere near as good as Cowans senior though.

The one thing with Sherwood should he be here a while is he has proper experience of running an academy, so hopefully things like that should be managed better now. For all the "OUR YOUNG PLAYERS ARE SHIT!" stance that some of our fans take, I do feel like MON and Lambert both contributed to stalling certain young players.

Stalled was probably the wrong word Kimbo, It's a bit like trying to be the first sperm to swim to an egg .... Limited opportunity!

I also miss being able to wander down to VP and Walsall to watch the Villa lads. It was a real pleasure.

[kimbo]

It's a shame he wasn't at a better side, I'm sure some of our more negative fans will probably blame him for Tranmere getting relegated... 

[smetro]

Kevin Toner is to offered a new deal - good news - hes highly rated

[smetro]

Big Season coming up for Calumn Robinson now Andy Weiman has joined Derby

[Guest]

Good point Smetro

[South London Villan]

I think the progress our Nextgen champions of Europe made is shameful and that is a sad indictment on the senior managers we have had.

We had a fantastic record in the youth leagues and cup and under Lambert that record and progress deteriorated like everything else he was responsible for. We have allowed talent and prospects to regress.

[Jamie Gray]

For all the hype about our academy it's produced very little. A few players of half decent standing, some like CC & JG with potential but not yet in the 'great' category & a whole lot of just not good enoughs. Been a fair while since a really great player has come through. Southampton set the standard these days, Everton have had a few gems too, be nice if we found a few too. Actually I'd say it was vital with modern football economics.

[Guest]

Think that's unfair. Gary Gardner, Craig Gardner, Chris Herd, Andreas Weimann, Whittingham, Hitzlsberger, Hendrie, Barry, Gabby, Cahill, Vassel, Davis, Ridgewell, Clarke, Baker, Albrighton, and now you get Robinson, Grealish, Donacien, Toner, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy etc. coming through. They are the only team to ever win the nextgen series, and have won leagues and cups the last 10-15 years.

Some of those have played in national sides, some have played in the champions league, a lot have played in the English top series, and some of them didn't/won't make it, but in general our academy is bloody great if you ask me.

The main problem isn't developing good players. The main problem is being able to KEEP the good players you develop. Main example would be Dan Crowley. We spend lots of time and money developing him and he fucks off to Arsenal before going professional as they offer tons of money. We get zero compensation and Sky will wank all over him as another brilliant Arsenal youth, while he in fact was a Villa academy graduate.

[Trotters]

Kevin Toner is to offered a new deal - good news - hes highly rated

Great news. It's always a pain in the arse when you run out of Toner.

[Fpuppys]

I remember going to watch this game with my brother-in-law who's an Arsenal fan.

[villabromsgrove]

I listened to that match live, it was some game. Chris Herd leaps like a salmon!

[Jamie Gray]

Think that's unfair. Gary Gardner, Craig Gardner, Chris Herd, Andreas Weimann, Whittingham,  Hitzlsberger, Hendrie, Barry, Gabby, Cahill, Vassel, Davis, Ridgewell, Clarke, Baker, Albrighton, and now you get Robinson, Grealish, Donacien, Toner, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy etc. coming through. They are the only team to ever win the nextgen series, and have won leagues and cups the last 10-15 years.  

Some of those have played in national sides, some have played in the champions league, a lot have played in the English top series, and some of them didn't/won't make it, but in general our academy is bloody great if you ask me.

The main problem isn't developing good players. The main problem is being able to KEEP the good players you develop. Main example would be Dan Crowley. We spend lots of time and money developing him and he fucks off to Arsenal before going professional as they offer tons of money. We get zero compensation and Sky will wank all over him as another brilliant Arsenal youth, while he in fact was a Villa academy graduate.

I stand by my comments mate, how many of the ex players did we sell for big money? Some of those players are decent, some very decent, only Barry & Cahill superb & Barry wasn't our player, we got him from Brighton & Cahill we sold too damn soon. Grealish & the other youngsters are nothing more than potential at this point in time. Even Clark isn't the finished product yet. My point isn't that we haven't produced enough players of proven high quality, which we haven't, you can't argue with that.

[Guest]

Stand by what you want. You said "our academy it's produced very little" and I honestly think that's hogwash.

[Villa_Dan]

Our academy has produced loads of solid premiership (Davis, Baker, Clark, Gabby, Albrighton, Craig Gardner, Myhill etc) and good Championship (Weimann, Lichaj, Whittingham etc)

But considering how highly regarded it is it has only produced 2 elite players in recent times (Barry, Cahill) and finished 7th in the U21s division 2!

[Jamie Gray]

Stand by what you want. You said "our academy it's produced very little" and I honestly think that's hogwash.

It depends what perspective you have. Your taking the comments very literally. If I add 'of high quality' to the end then I think I'm right.

[ViewFromT2]

Stand by what you want. You said "our academy it's produced very little" and I honestly think that's hogwash.

It depends what perspective you have. Your taking the comments very literally. If I add 'of high quality' to the end then I think I'm right.

I make you 100% right Jamie, our Academy is trading on some long lost reputation from many years ago. Our record in the FA Youth Cup since reaching the Semi Final in 2011 is pathetic for a club with our heritage in that competition, I think we have won just one game (if memory serves) in that time in the Youth Cup!

The list of players we have churned out may look good in terms of numbers....but in terms of quality? sadly, sadly lacking.
It's true we are no worse than a lot of other clubs in terms of producing elite players, but not many other clubs bang on about having a fantastic academy!
If awards were handed out for having the best facilities, then yeah...we would be amongst the top 4 or 5!

[Dgrizzle7]

Comes down to what you’re looking for.

The only player to have left and hit higher heights after leaving the villa is Cahill. The rest either wasn’t good enough to get into the team our wasn’t good enough at all. I’m sure some of it comes down to the hype of we’ve won the reserve league again as well as the next gen, but truth be told the reserves league isn’t as competitive as it once was imo. Players need to be loaned out in order to develop or stand still in the reserve league.

[Villa_Dan]

Barry hit some decent heights

[Fpuppys]

Has Kevin MacDonald left or is Our site just lazy.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/WhosWho/0,,10265,00.html

[Dgrizzle7]

Barry hit some decent heights

Of course but he came from brighton.

[villabromsgrove]

The problem isn't with the Academy over the last decade, it's with managers never being interested in giving our prospects a real chance. Each manager in turn has bought in average players who have then blocked any chance for our invisible Academy players.

[Villa_Dan]

Barry hit some decent heights

Of course but he came from brighton.

Cahill was the same age when we got him then

[Sponsored content]