Andynptfc Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Got to be honest I've not taken a huge amount of interest in the U20 matches this season. Noticed tonight though that Archie is starting against StJ. Has that been a regular thing this season? Or are we struggling for players? Piccolo started the last game at CB and hasn't featured for the first team recently yet isn't even in their squad tonight. Seems a bit odd that Archie would play himself rather than get gabby some game time and experience considering he started to look a decent player in his first team run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Unless Gabby is being kept for Motherwell?/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClydebankJag Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 It's possible Gabby was a late call off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Edmonds Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 It's not just Piccolo that probably would have been more suited to the game time though but Muirhead too, so a bit of a strange one. I wish I'd known sooner otherwise I'd have went to the game to see the great man back in action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Archie beat for pace for St Johnstone to opening the scoring. (He must go now after that surely ) Goals by Lee Gallacher and Moncur give Thistle a 2-1 lead at HT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 2-2 Full Time. Thistle had 4 U17's in the squad with 2 starting which is great for the Academy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Looks like Archie came in for Lindsay. I'm guessing tho' he'd play on the right side with Keenan as left centre back. St J looked very good against us at McD Pk and gave us a bit of a tanking. They had Chris Kane playing then and he's out on loan now but we're minus a few of our players as well. So looks a decent enough result tonight. Young McMullen continuing to gain experience playing with the older lads. Billko will probably know better but from what I've seen of the lad he looks very promising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andynptfc Posted February 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Great to see the young boys doing well this season and very promising that a few of the U17's are already making the step up! Out of interest how did Archie do? And does moncur look like he could play for the first team? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 I don't see alot of the U17's games as the fixtures coincide with the U14's matches but they do have some very good players in the squad. For any of them to get the step up to the 20's shows how well they are progressing and thought of. Some will develop and be ready before others but hopefully more can come through the youth set up in the near future. This result will see them leapfrog Aberdeen to go 8th in a 16 team league which is good going for the young Jags. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Edmonds Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Weren't quite a few u20 players loaned out in January? That would probably have opened up a gap in the team for some of the u17s to step in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Weren't quite a few u20 players loaned out in January? That would probably have opened up a gap in the team for some of the u17s to step in. 2 centre backs have went out on loan (Liam Lindsay and Darren Brownlie) which will get them good experience for the next step up which hopefully is first team football for these boys. This has obviously left the squad a little short hence Archie playing last night. The 20's is a decent idea in principle but the return of reserve football would be better and will give more boys a chance to develop further before any decision is made on if the are ready for the top team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindau Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Did Colina get a run out...he appears to have disappeared from view. Anybody know how he is progressing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bunny Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Report now up on OS: http://ptfc.co.uk/news/2013-2014/february_2014/unfamiliar_role_for_dale_as_archibald_rolls_back_the_years Near the end it mentions Colina as one of a couple of young players recovering from injury. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 2 centre backs have went out on loan (Liam Lindsay and Darren Brownlie) which will get them good experience for the next step up which hopefully is first team football for these boys. This has obviously left the squad a little short hence Archie playing last night. And upfront with McAleer and Martin out on loan as well. Duggan out injured too. Did Colina get a run out...he appears to have disappeared from view. Anybody know how he is progressing? He's been injured. Said before it's maybe a waiting game till he bulks up. At his age and with his natural ability it's something you wouldn't want to rush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 The 20's is a decent idea in principle but the return of reserve football would be better and will give more boys a chance to develop further before any decision is made on if the are ready for the top team. I must admit to liking the mechanics of the status quo and the way things have gone for us so far. We kick off the season with fullish compliment of U20s and I assume U17s as well. We then send some of our more promising/developed lads out on loan and promote the most promising/developed U17s up an age group. That seems to me to be very positive. The down side, which I think billko is getting at, is that with no reserves decisions have to made as to who to keep on before players can be completely evaluated. I'm presuming that next season there will again be an U20 league. It may have been a better idea to go with an U21 league next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) I must admit to liking the mechanics of the status quo and the way things have gone for us so far. We kick off the season with fullish compliment of U20s and I assume U17s as well. We then send some of our more promising/developed lads out on loan and promote the most promising/developed U17s up an age group. That seems to me to be very positive. The down side, which I think billko is getting at, is that with no reserves decisions have to made as to who to keep on before players can be completely evaluated. I'm presuming that next season there will again be an U20 league. It may have been a better idea to go with an U21 league next season. You are correct in saying that the downside of not having a reserve league in that some players are still not ready but might be getting too old for the 20's age group. These boys need to find competitive football at a decent level to continue development and at the moment going out on loan is the only way for them to get this. Clubs have to make decisions on boys to release them or not and as they are all developing at different stages it's a difficult decision for the clubs. A 21's would be better or maybe even a 23's but something competitive for these boys is needed and it's a problem the 20's coach has admitted to having. As for the promoting of the 17's to the 20's this will be very important for the develoment of these boys and you will see boys promoted throughout the age groups in the Academy to gain experience at a higher level. Some of the boys from the 14's have already had experience at the 15's age group. The coaches will see boys throughout the system who are ready to be moved up for getting that extra experience and other boys who maybe have the technical ability but maybe not physically ready yet for the step up. After U15's it does get alot tougher for the boys as the next age group is U17's so some are still maybe 14yrs old when playing at this higher level. Other boys playing at this age group maybe are second year 17's making them 16yrs old so the younger boys are up against it a bit at this age group both in physical and mental development. It then jumps from 17's to 20's which is another huge jump for the boys and it's then the club have to try and make the correct decisions on how best to develop each individual player. Edited February 12, 2014 by billko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingerjag Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 if you're good enough your old enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 if you're good enough your old enough Apparently so. 15 y/o Neil McGlaughlin was playing up front for us last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 if you're good enough your old enough This is true but you still need players to be getting games at a decent level and reserve football would be better (imo) Apparently so. 15 y/o Neil McGlaughlin was playing up front for us last night. Brilliant for the lad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sunnylaw Jag Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Bad News Billko and Lady Isobel that whiner Derek Adams agrees with you on the reserves front. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26163989 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veejag Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 If Maxi gets his boots on, I'd be worried. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Bad News Billko and Lady Isobel that whiner Derek Adams agrees with you on the reserves front. http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/26163989 Gotta wriggle out of that then. Think there definitely should be an age increase to U21s for next season to avoid so many youngsters losing out. Don't want to see a return to reserves so that clubs like Ross Co can sign more non Scots and then later assess them in reserve league games. Development of our own youngsters is paramount and the only sustainable route for clubs like ourselves who can't draw on the likes of Roy McGregor's millions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kni Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Gotta wriggle out of that then. Think there definitely should be an age increase to U21s for next season to avoid so many youngsters losing out. Don't want to see a return to reserves so that clubs like Ross Co can sign more non Scots and then later assess them in reserve league games. Development of our own youngsters is paramount and the only sustainable route for clubs like ourselves who can't draw on the likes of Roy McGregor's millions. That practice is more widespread. Terry Butcher recruited several English players from the lower leagues during the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) The managers association are apparently against the 20's league (which includes Thistle) and will get a change to the format. I believe this will see the return of the reserve league. Clubs really can't sustain keeping a full U20 team and will already have the prospects in mind which will be 5 or 6 individuals from a group which will then see a team formed with the rest being experienced players. It still needs to be competitive so the younger players get this competitive edge to their games. A reserve league or maybe teams being allowed to have sides competing in lower leagues is maybe the way forward. In principle the 20's sounds a good idea but it's difficult for a club to have and keep full squads of these young players and keeping them all happy. Not many will make the grade even if they are developing at different speeds and it's the club's job to select the few who might. Each club should be producing 2 or 3 players each season towards the first team and if they don't then why have an Academy. 17's 19,s, then reserves, to first team is the way i think it will go. On a different subject Thistle's 17's lost quite heavily to Rangers in the Glasgow Cup last week and it was a result that suprised me a bit but was later told this Rangers squad are probably mainly second year 17's and mostly all full time players. The young Jags side will learn alot from this experience as will those who made the jump to the 20's the other night. Edited February 13, 2014 by billko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 The managers association are apparently against the 20's league (which includes Thistle) and will get a change to the format. I believe this will see the return of the reserve league. Clubs really can't sustain keeping a full U20 team and will already have the prospects in mind which will be 5 or 6 individuals from a group which will then see a team formed with the rest being experienced players. It still needs to be competitive so the younger players get this competitive edge to their games. I sincerely hope the managers association don't hold much sway in the decision making. In my experience it's been the case for too long that so many good prospects in their late teens lose their way and disappear almost out the game. Returning to the reserves would just make it easier for SPFL clubs to stock their squads with journeymen pros and take more punts on non Scottish players. Club managers would imo naturally favour a reserve league before an U20 league for selfish reasons. Don't want to speak ill of a couple of players that have just left but if we had a reserve league this season John Baird and Mark Kerr could've been kept on at the expense of a couple of our present U20 squad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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