Derek Young

[northernsoul]

Eh? Falkirk: Played 8, won 3. Failed to win promotion last year and just about everybody wanted rid of the manager. They've had to cut back enormously on their "youth academy" at Stirling Uni, and are on the brink of very serious trouble if they again fail to win promotion.

 

Yep and they're still above us in the league. What they done last year is irrelevant.

 

They've cut back a lot and are playing a decent contingent of their youths they have produced from investing in their youth set up.

 

Before the start of the season Falkirk looked weak and, in a division like this prone to being bullied and pushed below mid table. They have proved a lot of people wrong, so far and also managed to beat Rangers 3v2.

[hebridean jag]

A youth system takes time.

 

Jackie said that the guys who came into the 1st team at the end of last season weren't ready and will benefit from another year of being properly coached away from the pressure of 1st team football.

 

Anyone who doubts the benefit of a good youth policy should have alook at the cash Hamilton Accies have recieved in transfer fees in the last few seasons.

Not arguing but no-one has ever explained how Hamilton managed to get their young players to sign lengthy contracts before they were transferred. How did they manage to talk players into disregarding standard agent advice about the financial benefits of being a free agent. The reason they got the megabucks is that contracts had to be bought out (transferred) and the club cashed in. If compensation had been involved that would have been (comparative) buttons.

[Jaggernaut]

Yep and they're still above us in the league. What they done last year is irrelevant.

 

They've cut back a lot and are playing a decent contingent of their youths they have produced from investing in their youth set up.

 

Before the start of the season Falkirk looked weak and, in a division like this prone to being bullied and pushed below mid table. They have proved a lot of people wrong, so far and also managed to beat Rangers 3v2.

You could say exactly the same about us, except that we've fielded players that aren't from our youth system.

 

Also except that we haven't (yet) beat the h uns, though we did beat the tims in yon friendly.

[ian_mac]

You could say exactly the same about us, except that we've fielded players that aren't from our youth system.

 

Also except that we haven't (yet) beat the h uns, though we did beat the tims in yon friendly.

So, basically, you CAN NOT say the same about us!

[northernsoul]

You could say exactly the same about us, except that we've fielded players that aren't from our youth system.

 

Falkirk have invested and spent a lot of time on their youth set up which has already served them well. Both in the league and in the cup competitions their new crop of youths have impressed and represent that the money Falkirk invest into their youth set up is paying off.

 

Scrapping the youth system would be a disaster.

Edited October 12, 2011 by northernsoul

[Stephen1876]

Continuing to play Devil's advocate, I'd say that Hamilton are the exception, and there's no sign of that being repeated. What other teams in Scotland with "youth systems" have seen substantial profits? On the other hand, several clubs have sold on players that they invested nothing in, including us (Harkins, Twaddle).

 

As much as I don't love them, Livi have also produced good youth players, they have just been so badly managed (at board level) that they haven't taken advantage of it. In the last five years, they have produced Dorrans, Snodgrass, McPake, Rat Boy, Dave MacKay and Andy Halliday...and they have a couple of promising players at the moment.

[Jaggernaut]

As much as I don't love them, Livi have also produced good youth players, they have just been so badly managed (at board level) that they haven't taken advantage of it. In the last five years, they have produced Dorrans, Snodgrass, McPake, Rat Boy, Dave MacKay and Andy Halliday...and they have a couple of promising players at the moment.

Would that be Leigh Griffiths?

 

I'd been wondering where he came from.

[GrantB]

As much as I don't love them, Livi have also produced good youth players, they have just been so badly managed (at board level) that they haven't taken advantage of it. In the last five years, they have produced Dorrans, Snodgrass, McPake, Rat Boy, Dave MacKay and Andy Halliday...and they have a couple of promising players at the moment.

 

You could add Murray Davidson to that list.

 

All of the above they got fees for, fees that would have been a lot bigger had, as you rightly say, they had been managed better.

[lennythistle]

These recent posts lead me again to question whether the money that goes into youth development is really the best use of resources. Any of the youngsters who it was thought might break into the team (Bannigan, Campbell, Fraser, Burns) seem pretty much out of the picture, eclipsed by other (young) guys brought in for very little cash (if any) from elsewhere.

 

We struggle to keep a full-time first team squad on the go. I don't give much of a monkeys when I see the U-17s or the U-19s winning a match when the first team have just lost another game. Prioritize the 1st team!!!

 

J. Lambie

 

Personally don't think any of the young guys you mention are out the picture. Couple out on loan getting valuable regular football just now. The other two are in the first team squad. Their time will come.

 

The success we had with Lambie as manager was fantastic but he was able to bring in a player any time he chose. He didn't have transfer windows to operate within. He also never had a youth set up. He preferred the guys who had been around the block and in a lot of cases been dumped on the scrap heap. Perhaps if we had a decent youth structure in place, we would not have brought in many of the dross that has played at Firhill since Lambie retired.

 

We're in the process of not only running and trying to improve the youth set up at the club, we are also bringing in new players who themselves are young. It's still early days but the signs are promising.

 

I loved watching the jags when Lambie was manager. I'll never forget it and over the years I'll tell my son about it (daughter too much in love with Liverpool these days). It is , however, in the past. It's time to move on.

[taffthejag]

According to the "super soaraway Snu, Derek Young is signing for Morton. That's their promotion blown then

[kni]

Personally don't think any of the young guys you mention are out the picture. Couple out on loan getting valuable regular football just now. The other two are in the first team squad. Their time will come.

 

The success we had with Lambie as manager was fantastic but he was able to bring in a player any time he chose. He didn't have transfer windows to operate within. He also never had a youth set up. He preferred the guys who had been around the block and in a lot of cases been dumped on the scrap heap. Perhaps if we had a decent youth structure in place, we would not have brought in many of the dross that has played at Firhill since Lambie retired.

 

We're in the process of not only running and trying to improve the youth set up at the club, we are also bringing in new players who themselves are young. It's still early days but the signs are promising.

 

I loved watching the jags when Lambie was manager. I'll never forget it and over the years I'll tell my son about it (daughter too much in love with Liverpool these days). It is , however, in the past. It's time to move on.

 

 

Dick Campbell signed most of the dross after Lambie's retirement. He had huge squads by today's standards - over 30 at times. I agree with Jaggernaut - McNamara seems to prefer young players from other clubs to those who played under McCall.

 

[broomhill jag]

Dick Campbell signed most of the dross after Lambie's retirement. He had huge squads by today's standards - over 30 at times. I agree with Jaggernaut - McNamara seems to prefer young players from other clubs to those who played under McCall.

 

Maybe best to save such a conclusion until the end of the season?

 

Maybe he's playing Hutton and O'Donnell over our own because they're better? Better suited to the formation?

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Maybe best to save such a conclusion until the end of the season?

 

Maybe he's playing Hutton and O'Donnell over our own because they're better? Better suited to the formation?

Exactly.

McNamara prefers O'Donnell, Hutton, Sinclair & Elliot over who we've produced at the present time. Each player has done exceptionally well. The three we've signed also have considerable pace.

To say McNamara prefers players from other clubs to players who've come thru our ranks is either presumptive or disingenuous. I thought he made himself quite clear at the meeting in the Aitken Suite.

[read'n'yell]

Exactly.

McNamara prefers O'Donnell, Hutton, Sinclair & Elliot over who we've produced at the present time. Each player has done exceptionally well. The three we've signed also have considerable pace.

To say McNamara prefers players from other clubs to players who've come thru our ranks is either presumptive or disingenuous. I thought he made himself quite clear at the meeting in the Aitken Suite.

 

Totally agree. It is simple - play the best team. Just because they come through our ranks makes no difference to their value as players to other clubs or their contribution to ours.