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The Quandary of Youth

So, yesterday saw us all watch a dark and dismal performance that came about, in part, to the fact that Monk picked a team that was too young, and it cost us. Young players shouldn't cot you in the cups, however. Some of the young players we played have had multiple seasons of championship experience, training with the first team of championship squads. What, therefore, is the issue?

I tell you this. They don't know their game against the lower teams.

Kalvin Phillips has been on the fringes of the Leeds first team squad for two years now. For one of those years he should have been out on loan at a team like Bolton or Sheff United, learning his game in League 1 and getting match experience under his belt and playing with more experienced professionals. The same goes for Coyle, the same will go for Denton, McKay, Whitehouse, Wilks, Downing, Vann etc

Charlie Taylor spent time impressing out on loan in League 2, and when he came back he replaced Warnock, who I rated, and did a very good job for such a young player, because he had match games and experience under his belt. This is something we cannot say about our current youth.

So what is the problem? Why do Leeds do this? Well, with a history of players that includes Woodgate, Milner, Lennon, Delph, Byram, Cook and Robinson all coming from our academy and being thrown into the first team, it is now the case that Leeds are expected to give the chance to inexperienced and unproven young players. This needs to stop.

Sure, your Vieiras and your Byrams and your Cooks may be ready to step into the first team, but some youth players need a bit more experience before we give them that chance. I call for Leeds to loan more of our young players out, so they can develop with first team football, and not be thrown into match situations like yesterday when they are just not ready.

posted on 30/1/17

These players aren't kids they are 21 and should be established in the side if they are any good or as mentioned above sent out on loan to aid there development, people are playing for England at 21 nowadays, Grimes gets pelters but he's younger than Coyle, Denton and Phillips who were all worse than him yesterday imo, I don't think Coyle or Denton will make it but send them out on loan next year and see what happens it might make or break them.

posted on 30/1/17

Not necessarily Don, some players don't "pop" until mid or even late 20s. Also only wonderlids are established in the side, average to good gave to wait.

posted on 30/1/17

Some of them may not be good enough to make it in the first team, but I dont think they're that bad.
I saw a bunch of players that froze in circumstances they're not used to.
Seems a bit harsh to judge that team on one performance.
Dont forget the team that were dreadful against Histon.

posted on 30/1/17

Hope it was a case of freezing on the day Tony otherwise the youth options are looking worrying.

Good point about loans, look what it did for Taylor's development- Fleetwood player of the year and a Wembley final appearance - priceless for him and the club if we keep hold of him.

posted on 30/1/17

Great post, Lubo

posted on 30/1/17

surely we have better than whitehouse, mckay etc coming through the ranks....

posted on 30/1/17

Absolutely spot on article and something I've mentioned on here before. We seem resistant to sending players out on loan. The only ones that do go out seem to be poorer ones and they go into the conference and can't get games. McDaid, Whitehouse and others have gone to the conferences which says a lot about their current ability.

I think part of the problem at present is we simply do not have enough players to make a competitive u23 team and therefore struggle to loan out players. Phillips, Coyle, Denton, are absolutely the ones that should have already been out on loan for a season.

posted on 30/1/17

I thought Denton was at least giving it a go and always looking for the ball. I didn't see anything in Whitehouse or McKay and Grimes was anonymous, Phillips is just poor anyway.
But even when we brought on the 'big guns' Sacko and Roofe they just ran constantly into brick walls.
The whole team was devoid of any tactics.

It could've been 3-0 really.

posted on 30/1/17

The thing we are forgetting here is yes, they are kids, but they are well paid kids who have a chance to step up a division with this club (good luck willing).
Any one of those kids could pay the whole Sutton squad and still have enough pocket money to have the habitual 3 hair cuts per week. That for me is the crux of youth problem throughout the country.
Up until the premier league exploded into being kids were shown how to graft for a life in football giving them an ethic that is long since gone for the majority of young players.
There was next to no experience on the field playing against a team of toughened lower league part timers who appreciate what they get as a reward for winning, the kids go back to the youth set up and feel very little impact from the loss.

posted on 30/1/17

Am I right in thinking that Monk played a weaker side than against Cambridge? If so, he's got it Rs about t!t - the further on in a competition you get, the stronger the team you put out. Prioritising the promotion push is fair enough but dispatching the non-league side could have given us nigh on half a million quid towards that badly needed striker.

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