Spurs Youth 2018/19

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That's a realy good read.

Biggest takeaway reading that, from a Spurs perspective, is just how important having stability/longevity of the First Team manager is. Referencing us with four different managers during his time as a learning curve, classic corp speak for didn't like it. But this part stood out "Sometimes you feel like you’re an integral part of the club. Other times, you might feel like you’re a bit more out on a limb". I'm guessing this was AVB, based only on bits I've read about him not integrating at all with the academy.

Also, I love the words about the "standards" that are set by McDermott and can only presume that Poch and he gel on here (assuming they agree on the specific standards required).

On wider aspects of the English game, it's encouraging that there is such a thoughtful and intelligent fella that accepts that he needed to relearn a style of football if he was going to be responsible for coaching it "I was starting to learn just through mistakes". I couldn't help but cast my mind over the Pulis, Allardyce, Warnock style of English Managers. This country is absolutely miles behind most European countries regarding it's management and more importantly, the style of the game being educated/played. I think the elite level is in a good place and that is evidenced no more than the young English talent beginning to emerge but from League One and bellow is still in a right royal mess, with grassroots on its fucking knees.
 
Biggest takeaway reading that, from a Spurs perspective, is just how important having stability/longevity of the First Team manager is.

Although saying that, one could argue that despite Poch's longevity, opportunities for young players are harder to come by than ever.
 
Although saying that, one could argue that despite Poch's longevity, opportunities for young players are harder to come by than ever.
So far he's been spot-on with every player he's binned off I think. Name me one player from our academy that's left that has played to a level that would make him a missed opportunity at Spurs?

I'm not having a personal pop Chris, I thought at the time we were crazy to let Bentaleb go (*I choose to ignore the attitude stuff because at the time these were mere rumours). I was so disappointed when Veljkovic left as I thought he could go to the very top. I've been a massive fan of Onomah, Edwards and CCV, because of his loans I never actually got see Pritchard play, but here was another player that so many were talking about and hyping up. Even Bentaleb isn't making the headlines as a rising star of the game. None of these lads has prooved Poch wrong yet.

I get and understand the argument (and I made that my position too) that had we kept Onomah and not brought Sissoko we'd have saved £30m and given development/game time to Onomah the same as Winks has enjoyed. But then there is KWP, who hasn't been able to oust a Championship level RB in Tripps. But the fact he is still here, still working with a smile on his face we can presume for now at least that this is because he's handed himself over to trusting in what Poch wants him to do, to kick up a fuss would have him out the club as has happened to those in his very class.

One would also assume that the decision isn't solely that of Poch, everything I've read today (there isn't a lot) has McDermott heavily involved, he too was promoted when Poch was. I sense, and this is all I have to go on, that the pair are close and one would assume that they are on the same page with players (no doubt there will be some differences).

TDLR: Until one of our lads we've let go does a Pogba or Sancho (I still think he has a bit to prove yet) then I feel there is little to get upset about.
 
So far he's been spot-on with every player he's binned off I think. Name me one player from our academy that's left that has played to a level that would make him a missed opportunity at Spurs?

I'm not having a personal pop Chris, I thought at the time we were crazy to let Bentaleb go (*I choose to ignore the attitude stuff because at the time these were mere rumours). I was so disappointed when Veljkovic left as I thought he could go to the very top. I've been a massive fan of Onomah, Edwards and CCV, because of his loans I never actually got see Pritchard play, but here was another player that so many were talking about and hyping up. Even Bentaleb isn't making the headlines as a rising star of the game. None of these lads has prooved Poch wrong yet.

I get and understand the argument (and I made that my position too) that had we kept Onomah and not brought Sissoko we'd have saved £30m and given development/game time to Onomah the same as Winks has enjoyed. But then there is KWP, who hasn't been able to oust a Championship level RB in Tripps. But the fact he is still here, still working with a smile on his face we can presume for now at least that this is because he's handed himself over to trusting in what Poch wants him to do, to kick up a fuss would have him out the club as has happened to those in his very class.

One would also assume that the decision isn't solely that of Poch, everything I've read today (there isn't a lot) has McDermott heavily involved, he too was promoted when Poch was. I sense, and this is all I have to go on, that the pair are close and one would assume that they are on the same page with players (no doubt there will be some differences).

TDLR: Until one of our lads we've let go does a Pogba or Sancho (I still think he has a bit to prove yet) then I feel there is little to get upset about.

I think that oversimplifies it personally - things tend not to be linear with development. I.e. if he'd given opportunities, perhaps those players would have got to a better level, etc etc. I reckon if Veljkovic had stayed he'd have been really good (he is really good).

Also think KWP is at least as good as Aurier at most elements of the game and just needs a sustained run to show it. But he's had three years of not playing regular football so who knows what he'll become.

I don't think you can sell a player at 21 having given him next to no minutes and say 'well, we tried, he clearly wasn't good enough'. Young players need to be playing football.
 
I think that oversimplifies it personally - things tend not to be linear with development. I.e. if he'd given opportunities, perhaps those players would have got to a better level, etc etc. I reckon if Veljkovic had stayed he'd have been really good (he is really good).

Also think KWP is at least as good as Aurier at most elements of the game and just needs a sustained run to show it. But he's had three years of not playing regular football so who knows what he'll become.

I don't think you can sell a player at 21 having given him next to no minutes and say 'well, we tried, he clearly wasn't good enough'. Young players need to be playing football.
I actually agree with you Chris but the fact still remains none that have left Spurs have proved to Spurs/Poch that he was wrong to let them go. In fact only last week in Bentaleb's great interview with Pitt-Brook he made the claim that Poch was right with how we was being held back.

You have to bare in mind too that the players, specifically Veljkovic and Bentaleb left to make it elsewhere, left with enough motivation to prove Poch wrong.
 
Not going to say Poch is wasting a golden generation as I think that overstates it but he has undoubtedly let talent go to waste IMO. And we’re going to lose more in the summer who could easily be PL players.

But it’s all going a bit off-topic so I’ll leave it there.

FWIW Poch is the best manager we’ve had in my lifetime and in context this isn’t the biggest deal in the world, just a bit of a pity.
 
So far he's been spot-on with every player he's binned off I think. Name me one player from our academy that's left that has played to a level that would make him a missed opportunity at Spurs?

I'm not having a personal pop Chris, I thought at the time we were crazy to let Bentaleb go (*I choose to ignore the attitude stuff because at the time these were mere rumours). I was so disappointed when Veljkovic left as I thought he could go to the very top. I've been a massive fan of Onomah, Edwards and CCV, because of his loans I never actually got see Pritchard play, but here was another player that so many were talking about and hyping up. Even Bentaleb isn't making the headlines as a rising star of the game. None of these lads has prooved Poch wrong yet.

I get and understand the argument (and I made that my position too) that had we kept Onomah and not brought Sissoko we'd have saved £30m and given development/game time to Onomah the same as Winks has enjoyed. But then there is KWP, who hasn't been able to oust a Championship level RB in Tripps. But the fact he is still here, still working with a smile on his face we can presume for now at least that this is because he's handed himself over to trusting in what Poch wants him to do, to kick up a fuss would have him out the club as has happened to those in his very class.

One would also assume that the decision isn't solely that of Poch, everything I've read today (there isn't a lot) has McDermott heavily involved, he too was promoted when Poch was. I sense, and this is all I have to go on, that the pair are close and one would assume that they are on the same page with players (no doubt there will be some differences).

TDLR: Until one of our lads we've let go does a Pogba or Sancho (I still think he has a bit to prove yet) then I feel there is little to get upset about.

Is Sissoko “Pogba”? Is Moura “Sancho”?

This really is a disingenuous argument that continually gets trotted out. Like it has to be black or white. Superstar or pointless?

Most purchases we make don’t end up being world class superstars.

The argument isn’t “has Veljkovoc become Vincent Kompany” it’s could he have become Davinson Sanchez or even Juan Foyth”. Could Pritchard have been more use to our squad than Njie and Nkoudou. Not is KWP the next "Phillip Lahm" but could he have been Serge Aurier at least. I'm pretty sure that if Onomah had been 3000 minutes over 2 seasons to fuck about like Sissoko was, he'd be at least as viable a squad player now. And I know both Mason and Bentaleb were much better midfielders than Sissoko is.

I'm not sure about wasting a golden generation, as WindyCOYS WindyCOYS says, but I don think we could be a better team/squad now, because I think we/he has wasted a fuck load of money (and non HG places) on players who's remit's within our team/squad could easily have been filled with academy players for free, paying peanut wages.
 
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That's a great piece, I was always a big admirer of Inglethorpe and was gutted he left, I loved the way he got his youth teams playing.

There'll be people who latch onto the references to having various first team managers, but it wouldn't surprise me if having Sherwood installed over him, despite having no coaching qualifications and clearly being a shit coach, trying to claim credit by proxy for Inglethorpe's coaching achievements (putting his name to Inglethorpe's NextGen teams as "coach" etc), didn't rub him up a bit too.
 
Is Sissoko “Pogba”? Is Moura “Sancho”?

This really is a disingenuous argument that continually gets trotted out. Like it has to be black or white. Superstar or pointless?

Most purchases we make don’t end up being world class superstars.

The argument isn’t “has Veljkovoc become Vincent Kompany” it’s could he have become Davinson Sanchez or even Juan Foyth”. Could Pritchard have been more use to our squad than Njie and Nkoudou. Not is KWP the next "Phillip Lahm" but could he have been Serge Aurier at least. I'm pretty sure that if Onomah had been 3000 minutes over 2 seasons to fuck about like Sissoko was, he'd be at least as viable a squad player now. And I know both Mason and Bentaleb were much better midfielders than Sissoko is.

I'm not sure about wasting a golden generation, as WindyCOYS WindyCOYS says, but I don think we could be a better team/squad now, because I think we/he has wasted a fuck load of money (and non HG places) on players who's remit's within our team/squad could easily have been filled with academy players for free, paying peanut wages.
No, the player doesn't have to be a superstar, I'm not saying he has to be, I made those examples as they were the only players that readily came to mind where a club let an academy player go that turned out to be good. (For the record Pogba IMO isn't a superstar player anyway, he marketing is though). He has to be good enough to paly for a Top Four PL club though, he has to be good enough to play in CL, this and only this is the point.

Pritchard - Is he any good? The answer is not really, he sure as hell isn't a top 4 player. Looks like he's at the right level of Club, getting games but actually still not a guaranteed starter in a club that will get relegated this year, the Championship would appear to be his level.

Onomah - Hard pressed to find a bigger Onomah fan than me, but he absolutely hasn't made a case for himself to be of the quality that Spurs require right now. I would have much rather we stuck with him than sign Sissoko. But Sissoko given all of his faults is right now playing out of his skin for this team. Onomah isn't starting ahead of him based on their like for like performances. Maybe there is still a chance for him at Spurs but as the time ticks on I think it would be dictated more by a commercial decision that a footballing ability one. That's to say, Sissoko's value has shot up this season, we might see that as an opportunity to cash in on that at the age of 29yrs and invest his fee to into a new signing, whilst also freeing up £90kpw in wages, whilst also bringing back Josh into the side - that might be a sound commercial decision??? Impossible to 2nd guess but I'd hope we buy a new CM/DM, Josh will not be the answer to the problem we have there, I'd guess the problem will cost us £60m to fix, unless there's a hidden gem out there we've never heard of. So, he's not the footballer we require to fix the issues we have, why have him in the squad then other than he's free and will have a low salary and there's a slim possibility he can develop to the standard or player to get games?

KWP - I'm a fan of his and if lined up against the wall of a playground for a quick game of footy I'm picking him ahead of Tripps every single time but if Poch doesn't think he's ready to oust the Championship munchkin then you already have the answer that you pose. For the hard of hearing the answer to that is at this moment in time, the answer is a resounding NO he's not deemed of the calibre! We know this because he's not being selected ahead of Aurier or the munchkin.

Anyway, this isn't about the individual academy players who we, you or I think should play or not. The point is it's about Poch's judgement of a player and whether he thinks he's good enough. And quite clearly regarding our academy players he hasn't been proved that his judgement is wrong regarding those that have been allowed to leave or go out on loan. Whether GKN, Njie have kept out these academy players are also moot, given the fact they were also never picked to play, meaning the route wasn't blocked, you can't be blocked by a player that doesn't play, if anything that's a wide open door for any academy product. On that precise point had we not signed them (Njie, GKN etc) who in the last 2yrs from our academy would have played instead?
 
So Parker is not just caretaker then?

I reckon the guys on the football ramble probably got it spot on, could be like the West Brom case for Darren Moore. Give him a crack now, if it works well and they stay up, excellent. If he does well and they go down, give him the chance to rebuild and prove himself in the Championship. If he fails, then let him go in the summer and find someone to take over in the Championship.
 
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