Lost Youth

[Fan-tastic]

Please don't tell me ETFC have lost more talented youth players. Are we going to see more in the the reports " ex ETFC player? " . Word has it Jason Holmes and a.n other have left the club. What the %$^& is going on? Get a grip ETFC. We need to progress but won't unless we retain at least 20% of the youth. We won't go up this season, so dream on, as much as I would like to think we will, we won't. A good left footed midfielder we can do with!!!! Seems like he is lost to the club as well............ A good u18 central defender we have as well, how long will it be before he is lost to a rival side????

[white knight]

Agreed, even though we have done better than last year, I also think youth retention is a must. "Youth System".....what youth system? ETFC needs a youth structure to feed players through to senior level. Promotion...would like to hope so but realistically can't see it. Don't think another season in this division would be a bad thing though.

[Steve Newing]

Agreed, even though we have done better than last year, I also think youth retention is a must. "Youth System".....what youth system? ETFC needs a youth structure to feed players through to senior level. Promotion...would like to hope so but realistically can't see it. Don't think another season in this division would be a bad thing though.

 

Steve and Del I know are keen to give young players a chance if they are good enough. In their first pre season 6 to 8 of the better yth team players were invited , although they only came along every now and then , many also went away when pre season freindlies were being played so they were not able to be watched and assessed . At the start of the season Steve watched a few of them in the capital league fixtures that we did manage to get played and in his opinion they although talented were not ready for first team action.

I know from speaking to Steve that they will be again invited to do the fitness work and be looked at in pre season fixtures this time round, their individual desire and commitment will be down to them.

[Steve Newing]

Please don't tell me ETFC have lost more talented youth players. Are we going to see more in the the reports " ex ETFC player? " . Word has it Jason Holmes and a.n other have left the club. What the %$^& is going on? Get a grip ETFC. We need to progress but won't unless we retain at least 20% of the youth. We won't go up this season, so dream on, as much as I would like to think we will, we won't. A good left footed midfielder we can do with!!!! Seems like he is lost to the club as well............ A good u18 central defender we have as well, how long will it be before he is lost to a rival side????

 

Jason i understand has decided that he needs to be playing regular first team football ( totally understandble ) , I also understand that he full accepts why Rob and Bomber now fit have been preferred rather than him. I agree that we need a good youth system . Regarding good left midfield players I think that Sam Byfield, Michael Bardle and Fabio Valenti would all like to be put in that bracket.

 

Knowing Steve and Del , im sure they will give yth a chance , but given how we have progressed this season and the promotion shake up we have been in from early on it hasnt really been the time to blood youngsters , if we were mid table then it would be a different situation.

[Enfield United]

I understand too the concerns of Fan-tastic and the opportunities of our youth.

 

I'm gonna be frank though by saying that the youth need to be playing adult football i.e Capital league or otherwise another lower step league as our reserves to get some real development. Reason being is that if they were any better they'd have been at an pro clubs academy, examples of which are Ben Hammond, Chris Wilde (now Billiricay), Darryl Ellams plus a few more no doubt, which sets the bench mark of the level the youth need to be at. They need the Capital league type games to help them along.

 

As for the adults around these youngsters- The last thing the adults should be doing to the likes of Jason Holmes and his youth team mates is telling them that they should be first team players and are 'better' than whats out there in the first team. Instead youngsters should be continuosly coached and trained so they continue to improve nothing more nothing less. Being told they should be first team coaches them disappointment and failure as they are still young.

 

If I was 17/18 again )only if) I would (as I did at EFC) come along and watch first team games at every home game and for a short time trained with the reserves and played in a couple of senior practice matches. I could see myself I was'nt good enough and went away to find my level. But I was committed by watching and appreciating first team players and doing so understanding the levels that need to be bridged. I'm pretty passionate about youth development and it does annoy me when in my opinion cases for the youth are flippantly put forward.

 

As for our Play Off first team- I think they are excellent and have every chance in promotion so long as luck is on our side as we have the heart, desire and hunger to succeed.

[leftmidfield]

I understand too the concerns of Fan-tastic and the opportunities of our youth.

 

I'm gonna be frank though by saying that the youth need to be playing adult football i.e Capital league or otherwise another lower step league as our reserves to get some real development. Reason being is that if they were any better they'd have been at an pro clubs academy, examples of which are Ben Hammond, Chris Wilde (now Billiricay), Darryl Ellams plus a few more no doubt, which sets the bench mark of the level the youth need to be at. They need the Capital league type games to help them along.

 

As for the adults around these youngsters- The last thing the adults should be doing to the likes of Jason Holmes and his youth team mates is telling them that they should be first team players and are 'better' than whats out there in the first team. Instead youngsters should be continuosly coached and trained so they continue to improve nothing more nothing less. Being told they should be first team coaches them disappointment and failure as they are still young.

 

If I was 17/18 again )only if) I would (as I did at EFC) come along and watch first team games at every home game and for a short time trained with the reserves and played in a couple of senior practice matches. I could see myself I was'nt good enough and went away to find my level. But I was committed by watching and appreciating first team players and doing so understanding the levels that need to be bridged. I'm pretty passionate about youth development and it does annoy me when in my opinion cases for the youth are flippantly put forward.

 

As for our Play Off first team- I think they are excellent and have every chance in promotion so long as luck is on our side as we have the heart, desire and hunger to succeed.

 

I would like to praise steve and the rest of the Enfied squad for reaching the play off final.... it was a good game to watch and hopefully enfield can win against concord.

 

I would like to say that a left footed midfielder / striker for enfield U'18's who is on loan to RUSHDEN AND DIAMONDS but still plays for Enfield and helped them win the Middlesex cup!! was played at RIGHT BACK In one of the 1st team friendlies at the startof the season..... no wonder the lad had no chance of showing them his talent! Seems that rushden and diamonds saw a talent and extended a month loan to the end of the season, where i may add plays CENTRE MID! and starts every game for Rushden.

 

We are letting 6 very good under 18's just simply walk away from footabll.... probably to play over at Enfield Playing fields for a sunday pub team! It's disgracefull after all the years they have given Enfield town. These players are easily capable of playing at first team level and one day we may see these players come up against Enfield.

 

anyway lets hope we can duplicate lasts nights effort and beat Concord at the weekend.

[Enfield United]

I understand too the concerns of Fan-tastic and the opportunities of our youth.

 

I'm gonna be frank though by saying that the youth need to be playing adult football i.e Capital league or otherwise another lower step league as our reserves to get some real development. Reason being is that if they were any better they'd have been at an pro clubs academy, examples of which are Ben Hammond, Chris Wilde (now Billiricay), Darryl Ellams plus a few more no doubt, which sets the bench mark of the level the youth need to be at. They need the Capital league type games to help them along.

 

As for the adults around these youngsters- The last thing the adults should be doing to the likes of Jason Holmes and his youth team mates is telling them that they should be first team players and are 'better' than whats out there in the first team. Instead youngsters should be continuosly coached and trained so they continue to improve nothing more nothing less. Being told they should be first team coaches them disappointment and failure as they are still young.

 

If I was 17/18 again )only if) I would (as I did at EFC) come along and watch first team games at every home game and for a short time trained with the reserves and played in a couple of senior practice matches. I could see myself I was'nt good enough and went away to find my level. But I was committed by watching and appreciating first team players and doing so understanding the levels that need to be bridged. I'm pretty passionate about youth development and it does annoy me when in my opinion cases for the youth are flippantly put forward.

 

As for our Play Off first team- I think they are excellent and have every chance in promotion so long as luck is on our side as we have the heart, desire and hunger to succeed.

 

I would like to praise steve and the rest of the Enfied squad for reaching the play off final.... it was a good game to watch and hopefully enfield can win against concord.

 

I would like to say that a left footed midfielder / striker for enfield U'18's who is on loan to RUSHDEN AND DIAMONDS but still plays for Enfield and helped them win the Middlesex cup!! was played at RIGHT BACK In one of the 1st team friendlies at the startof the season..... no wonder the lad had no chance of showing them his talent! Seems that rushden and diamonds saw a talent and extended a month loan to the end of the season, where i may add plays CENTRE MID! and starts every game for Rushden.

 

We are letting 6 very good under 18's just simply walk away from footabll.... probably to play over at Enfield Playing fields for a sunday pub team! It's disgracefull after all the years they have given Enfield town. These players are easily capable of playing at first team level and one day we may see these players come up against Enfield.

 

anyway lets hope we can duplicate lasts nights effort and beat Concord at the weekend.

 

 

Well done that lad for gaining the attention of R+D and obviously impressing them. If he wants to remain at ETFC, then, I think it's fair he and his team mates should be smashing down the managers door for full pre-season training, to be assessed and given a chance in more friendlies. The squad have done well this season and I can see why their has been little opportunities for youngsters to break through as the business end of the season is very tense and pressurised. Add to that the Gaffer had to leave Blower and Valenti out the squad yesterday, two players who have done everything to be included in it. But match day squads are of 16 players only. So youngsters have to be patient.

 

First and foremost though, the most important thing right now is Saturday's game with every man, woman, child, dog, cat and goldfish needed to get behind Steve, Del, Jason and the team as one, just like Blower and Valenti did last night. It would also be a good coaching and observation exercise for the U18's to come along and watch at close attention a high velocity first team match with so much at stake.

 

Don't get me wrong though, I salute your passion for the successful U18's

[Steph]

You hit the nail on the head. "So youngsters have to be patient."

 

In our "I want it now society" patience is not a virtue that is very often present. I have seen youngsters given chances but because they are not picked in every game or are subbed believe that they should go elsewhere. Well cheerio then. If you are not prepared to graft and wait for your chance you will not be given the chance.

 

There is an earlier post that good youngsters are picked up by the league sides and then discarded. It happened to a friend's son who I suggested should train at town but he felt he should walk into the first team and so walked away. Now he is a little older and wiser and feels that he wants to take up football again. Well now he has to make the running I am not going to do it for him.

[lovely stuff]

Quite telling that those criticising the first team management for not picking more youngsters are the ones with hardly any previous posts on this forum and as such have the least interest in the senior team.Obviously if my boy was in the youth team and he and his fellow players impressed at that age group,i would also think they were good enough for the first team.Wether that view would be unbiased or necessarily correct is a different matter.

Edited April 29, 2010 by lovely stuff

[Stone Cold]

I would go out on a wim and say these posts are from a couple of youth team players who are frustrated at opportunities of getting into the 1st team. I dont know the full ins and outs but personally i would suggest you do your talking on the pitch & in training rather than on this forum.

 

The club has its biggest game of its history on Saturday and as EU has stated previously it needs the WHOLE club to pull together for one final match and together we can get promotion. Surely a youth team player would rather get behind the 1st team and win promotion and can then say he plays for a Ryman Prem club instead of a Ryman Div 1 North side!!!

 

Whatever the outcome on Sat I think its been a fantastic acheivement by Steve, Del, the players and everyone conected at the club. Just think, promotion this season, promotion next season and start our 1st season at the QE in the Conference South (anything is possible)

 

Come on the Town