Exactly. It’s a trade off. There’s definitely a middle ground between the current youth player waste ground and the 08-12 years when basically every young player was thrown into the trenches and made to play. Let’s not get too nostalgic for the latter because while it boosted the academy graduate numbers most of them were utter turd and their careers since have proved it.
Watford are the victim of their own success. Very few kids coming through Watford's academy will ever be Premier League quality. Most of these kids get picked up by top EPL clubs anyway. Most are only ever going to be lower league players, maybe the odd Championship player. When we get a good one like Sancho, he's gone before you can blink. Until the rules change, and you get fair prices for players you develop, I wouldn't even bother with having an academy at all. It's a loss leader. It's only good for lower league clubs or elite EPL clubs.
What status was our youth set-up pre-Pozzo? That system churned out good young players who did well for us but for whatever reason never did it elsewhere (could someone like Hoban become Premier League quality? Maybe, before he became so dreadfully unlucky with injuries)
Why bother if the big clubs can then just take away the cream for next to nothing ? Why bother incurring the cost ?
Don't know. I guess that's my question. I get why the top half prem teams do it but if we get thrown a £500k or so every time we find a superstar and a big club just farms our top prospects there seems little point. How many of our young prospects will ever become first teamers or earn us a sizeable transfer fee ? When did we last get a regular first teamer or transfer fee for UK developed talent ? I guess you need your youth players to look reasonably carp whilst at "nickable" age then suddenly become fantastic just after they sign a contract with us ?
More changes at academy level with the Head of Recruitment position now being advertised. https://www.watfordfc.com/news/club/careers-academy-head-of-recruitment
Our pesky kids play Crawley Town at 12:30pm today. AND. IT'S. LIVE! https://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/2020/august/watford/
Just had a penalty and ******* missed it, maybe someone should tell them to stop copying their senior counterparts By the way if that was a penalty, why is their keeper still on the pitch as our striker who he brought down was clean through on goal?
Assuming the keeper attempted to win the ball (I haven't seen it) then as far as I'm aware both a penalty and a red card can't be awarded anymore.
It was a terrible first touch from Hungbo (I think) to draw the pen in the first place, really he should have controlled the ball and slotted it away first time but it got away from him and their goalie made a meal of it. Then Hungbo took a crap pen. Crawley leading 1-0 now, good finish.
Get in.....now 1-1.....and the stadium erupts. Another penalty but this time Wise? (number 9) takes it and sends the keeper the wrong way, right on half time.
Hungbo wins another pen, looking by far our most dangerous player. Thought the defender might have got the ball though. Forster slots it away this time, 1-1.
Hb1 has backtracked and edited his post twice now to try and make it appear as if his original post wasn't a mistake, yet he's still wrong. What a snake-y sod.
As far as I can make out, in the 1st-half... keeper = Baptiste centre backs = Perkins & Agyakwa #4 = Phillips #11 = JJ McKiernan #7 = Hungbo #9 = Forster
It would help everyone if the cameraman didn't fall asleep and managed to keep the ball in frame. Oh well. A different formation from last year and a lot more playing out from the penalty area. Harry Forster as centre forward is interesting. He's a nimble winger really so it'll be interesting to see if they're looking at him playing through the middle or if he's just filling in for Dalby. The pictures from the Gillingham game also had Forster as the #9.
It doesn't upset me, I just find it pathetic to watch you squirm because you're unable to accept your mistakes.
Hit the post. I know it's only Crawley, but this yoot could teach the 1st 11 about moving it quickly into attack.
I posted, then proof read it. It's something I always do. I didn't even read your post. If I did what you have accused then I would have changed Wise's name too.....obviously. I just think you're a bit lonely and looking to start something.....that's down to you....I'm watching the match.....but I do find this type of thing amusing.
Hungbo is 20 now and looks sharp and ready for senior football. Not sure if he'd get in to our Champ squad, but I think he should try a loan spell in League One or Two.
You couldn't edit the name because it would have been too obvious as I'd already quoted your original post. You did add a question mark on your second edit though, after both I and Recluse had posted, to try and make it appear as if you hadn't been so mistaken to begin with. You really do act like a female toddler with their hand caught in the cookie jar. You're embarrassing.
