Next seasons squad

[BigChiv9]

so our LB is Souza (19), Udogie (23) , Robertson (32) and Davies (33) ?

why not someone 25-30 instead of Robertson and Davies. Everton's Mykolenko should be affordable and they need to sell. Another is Leipzig's LB Raum who is in his final year of contract. Leipzig players should fit De Zerbi ball well.

Still not sure why we offered Davies another contract but my understanding is that one of the reasons for signing someone like Robertson is to build the level of experience and professionalism in the squad. Plus isn't the argument against signing a left back in his peak years that it blocks the path for the development of Udogie and Souza? That's exactly the reason some people are saying that we shouldn't sign Van Hecke and play Vuskovic instead.

 

[Muttley]

Still not sure why we offered Davies another contract but my understanding is that one of the reasons for signing someone like Robertson is to build the level of experience and professionalism in the squad. Plus isn't the argument against signing a left back in his peak years that it blocks the path for the development of Udogie and Souza? That's exactly the reason some people are saying that we shouldn't sign Van Hecke and play Vuskovic instead.

I still think people forget the tough experiences that this group have gone through in these last couple of years. We won't struggle for leadership after they have come out the other side. RDZ will make sure that happens, just like Poch did.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

so our LB is Souza (19), Udogie (23) , Robertson (32) and Davies (33) ?

why not someone 25-30 instead of Robertson and Davies. Everton's Mykolenko should be affordable and they need to sell. Another is Leipzig's LB Raum who is in his final year of contract. Leipzig players should fit De Zerbi ball well.

Are you suggesting we sign a 5th left back?

 

[NaijaSpurs]

Watching Madueke play for England yesterday makes me feel we need to do more to make our club an environment whereby our youngsters truly believe there is a road map to our first team. Because it does not seem to be there at the moment.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Watching Madueke play for England yesterday makes me feel we need to do more to make our club an environment whereby our youngsters truly believe there is a road map to our first team. Because it does not seem to be there at the moment.

I think the start is to give Lankshear, Devine and Vuskovic places in our 25 man squad next season.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

I think the start is to give Lankshear, Devine and Vuskovic places in our 25 man squad next season

Assuming we sell Dragusin and Romero, and that is just an assumption, I do not see the point of keeping him this season when we have Van De Ven, Senesi, Van Hecke and Danso and we are not in Europe.

How many playerd do you think we would have to sell to enable Devine get meaninful minutes.

I definitely agree in relation to Lankshear.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

Our current squad makeup is evidence of shoddy squad construction.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Assuming we sell Dragusin and Romero, and that is just an assumption, I do not see the point of keeping him this season when we have Van De Ven, Senesi, Van Hecke and Danso and we are not in Europe.

How many playerd do you think we would have to sell to enable Devine get meaninful minutes.

I definitely agree in relation to Lankshear.

I'd sell Danso too to create a path for Vuskovic

I think Devine would be perfect to understudy Maddison as our #10, especially while he's getting fitness back and with Simons out till 2027. Then next summer we can maybe see if it's time to move Maddison on (31YO, last year of contract).

 

[metalgear]

I'd sell Danso too to create a path for Vuskovic

I think Devine would be perfect to understudy Maddison as our #10, especially while he's getting fitness back and with Simons out till 2027. Then next summer we can maybe see if it's time to move Maddison on (31YO, last year of contract).

the goal has to be Europe placings next season. the extra cash will come in handy

 

[Raziel]

I'd sell Danso too to create a path for Vuskovic

I think Devine would be perfect to understudy Maddison as our #10, especially while he's getting fitness back and with Simons out till 2027. Then next summer we can maybe see if it's time to move Maddison on (31YO, last year of contract).

Vuskovic shouldn't "have a path", he should have to earn that spot and that's the issue. Is he better than Danso, Senesi, JVH, VDV, right now? no, does he potentially have a higher ceiling? yes. Danso is happy to be part of squad, a good reliable senior head who is happy to play a part is more valuable that his sale value.

We as a club cannot afford another season outside of Europe, I'd say outside of at least EL.

Loans need to be part of their development until at least a certain stage, Vuskovic had a good loan last season, so did Moore. He should realize that, take the pay raise/extension on offer and work with club in getting best possible loan for his development,

 

[metalgear]

Watching Madueke play for England yesterday makes me feel we need to do more to make our club an environment whereby our youngsters truly believe there is a road map to our first team. Because it does not seem to be there at the moment.

odobert and tel were given lots of chances. kinski too.

but the environment i agree does not exist. doesn't help when you have a raving lunatic goalkeeper yelling at the nearest player whatever the situation.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Vuskovic shouldn't "have a path", he should have to earn that spot and that's the issue. Is he better than Danso, Senesi, JVH, VDV, right now? no, does he potentially have a higher ceiling? yes. Danso is happy to be part of squad, a good reliable senior head who is happy to play a part is more valuable that his sale value.

We as a club cannot afford another season outside of Europe, I'd say outside of at least EL.

Loans need to be part of their development until at least a certain stage, Vuskovic had a good loan last season, so did Moore. He should realize that, take the pay raise/extension on offer and work with club in getting best possible loan for his development,

Ask that same question in summer 2014. Is Kane better than Adebayor, Soldado and Wellbeck (the equivalent of Hecke)? What would have happened if we'd signed Wellbeck and sold Kane to Leicester?

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

Watching Madueke play for England yesterday makes me feel we need to do more to make our club an environment whereby our youngsters truly believe there is a road map to our first team. Because it does not seem to be there at the moment.

He wanted to leave London, but I agree in whole, we don't seem to have a road map for youth

 

[NaijaSpurs]

Vuskovic shouldn't "have a path", he should have to earn that spot and that's the issue. Is he better than Danso, Senesi, JVH, VDV, right now? no, does he potentially have a higher ceiling? yes. Danso is happy to be part of squad, a good reliable senior head who is happy to play a part is more valuable that his sale value.

We as a club cannot afford another season outside of Europe, I'd say outside of at least EL.

Loans need to be part of their development until at least a certain stage, Vuskovic had a good loan last season, so did Moore. He should realize that, take the pay raise/extension on offer and work with club in getting best possible loan for his development,

The problem is our young players believe that whatever happens, however good their loans are they will not get a chance in our first team.

It is not as if we have a high success rate with managers rather wanting to go for experienced players. Hey ho.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

odobert and tel were given lots of chances. kinski too.

but the environment i agree does not exist. doesn't help when you have a raving lunatic goalkeeper yelling at the nearest player whatever the situation.

You're moving the goalposts. The players you've mentioned were signed for the first team. I'm talking about players who developed through our academy system or were recruited as teenagers, hopefully for progression into the senior squad.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

He wanted to leave London, but I agree in whole, we don't seem to have a road map for youth

Nah, not so. He was born and raised in London, but at Spurs did not see a route intonthe first team. He went abroad, and then came ro Chelsea and then for Arsenal, definitely not what you do if you were desperate to leave London.

 

[Raziel]

The problem is our young players believe that whatever happens, however good their loans are they will not get a chance in our first team.

I get it, but is that a fair assumption? Udogie, VDV, Gray, Bergvall, Odobert, Tel have all got significant minutes in that 18-23 age group.

Vuskovic is a 19 year old CB (how many of those play at any top club), who has played at a lower/mid tier German club at his highest level. I'm not sure I see upside in throwing him in the deep end. If we had conference or Europa, would have been different.

 

[Lost Mango]

I get it, but is that a fair assumption? Udogie, VDV, Gray, Bergvall, Odobert, Tel have all got significant minutes in that 18-23 age group.

Vuskovic is a 19 year old CB (how many of those play at any top club), who has played at a lower/mid tier German club at his highest level. I'm not sure I see upside in throwing him in the deep end. If we had conference or Europa, would have been different.

On the other hand, we don't have Europe and following two 17th place finishes any top half finish will be a 'success,' this isn't a bad season to keep a number of young players in the squad and give them 20 to 30 minutes and building their experience.

If we were in Europe we would either play too inexperienced and novel a team so there would be little cohesion and the team would get pelters for the performance and the youngsters would gain nothing, or we would play a team to win it and the youngsters wouldn't get a meaningful look in. We've seen it time and again.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

I get it, but is that a fair assumption? Udogie, VDV, Gray, Bergvall, Odobert, Tel have all got significant minutes in that 18-23 age group.

Vuskovic is a 19 year old CB (how many of those play at any top club), who has played at a lower/mid tier German club at his highest level. I'm not sure I see upside in throwing him in the deep end. If we had conference or Europa, would have been different.

The players you named were signed specifically for the first team squad. The issue is that we seem unable to progress players not signed for the first team squad into the first team.

Unlike you I am not focusing on Vuskovic alone, rather the total number of young players not signed for the first team that have progressed to play regularly senior football. How many can you name over the past decade?

 

[Muttley]

The players you named were signed specifically for the first team squad. The issue is that we seem unable to progress players not signed for the first team squad into the first team.

Unlike you I am not focusing on Vuskovic alone, rather the total number of young players not signed for the first team that have progressed to play regularly senior football. How many can you name over the past decade?

Exactly this.

Who was really given the chance to fail fast or succeed from our younger group?

I've lost count of the amount of times I've seen imbalanced 20 man squads because our managers pick the 25-30 year olds to make up the numbers rather than the actual position that balances the squad. We've even picked 3 keepers at times rather than get a kid onto the bench.

Part of me would love the FA to implement policies about composition of match day squads. That would be the cat amongst the pigeons if every squad had to have 2 or 3 club trained players in it.