U18/U21 Development Thread (8 Viewers)

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Terry Gibson's perm

Terry Gibson's perm

Well-Known Member
SlowerThanPlatt said:
Interesting. Thanks for the useful information as usual, let's see where this goes. It could be one of about 5-6 players, there's some really good talent in that team. I'm still convinced they'll all stay though despite interest, it's very rare we lose any players at schoolboy level (in comparison to other Cat 2 clubs) and that's testament to Richard Stevens and all the other academy staff who are very good at their jobs.

I know Man City are very aggressive in recruitment at schoolboy level and try to hover up all the best talent. They recently took Liverpool's highly rated U16 goalkeeper without Premier League approval and according to a recent Guardian article them, Everton and United have considered to refuse to play City at youth level because of them swamping the game with scouts trying to take their players.


Rest of the article here for anyone interested, including how Man City how use £11,000 a year private schooling to persuade players and their families to make the move: https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/p...rganic&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer
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Crikey a 25k fine they will have to up production in the oil fields to pay that, not a lot has really changed over time just the numbers have got bigger used to be free boots now a free education
 
Winny the Bish

Winny the Bish

Well-Known Member
SlowerThanPlatt said:
Interesting. Thanks for the useful information as usual, let's see where this goes. It could be one of about 5-6 players, there's some really good talent in that team. I'm still convinced they'll all stay though despite interest, it's very rare we lose any players at schoolboy level (in comparison to other Cat 2 clubs) and that's testament to Richard Stevens and all the other academy staff who are very good at their jobs.

I know Man City are very aggressive in recruitment at schoolboy level and try to hoover up all the best talent. They recently took Liverpool's highly rated U16 goalkeeper without Premier League approval and according to a recent Guardian article them, Everton and United have considered to refuse to play City at youth level because of them swamping the game with scouts trying to take their players.


Rest of the article here for anyone interested, including how Man City how use £11,000 a year private schooling to persuade players and their families to make the move: https://www.sportsjoe.ie/football/p...rganic&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer
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Interestingly, the scout that has been looking at this player - who is from the agency that wants to sign up said player as a client - watched the U16s game yesterday rather than the U18s, which could mean that it isn't Ngandu. (unless he didn't expect JN to play for the U18s)
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
U23s against Ipswich (1pm):

Addai (GK), Whitmore, Finch, Harries, Camwell, Lawton, Bayliss, G.Thomas, Kelly-Evans (C), Sayoud, McBean.

Can't make the game today so hopefully our Twitter page will be able to provide updates
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
The league campaign might be over until the new year for the U18s but they have a friendly tomorrow against Vertex Soccer. 12pm kick off at the Alan Higgs Centre. According to their website, they assist youth team scholars and first year pro's from the UK to the USA by 'invitation only'. Previous U18s who got released Jake Richards and Kyle Barnett (part of the Maddison/Stevenson group) are part of their scheme.

CztY3ZPXAAAw4tl.jpg
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
SlowerThanPlatt said:
The league campaign might be over until the new year for the U18s but they have a friendly tomorrow against Vertex Soccer. 12pm kick off at the Alan Higgs Centre. According to their website, they assist youth team scholars and first year pro's from the UK to the USA by 'invitation only'. Previous U18s who got released Jake Richards and Kyle Barnett (part of the Maddison/Stevenson group) are part of their scheme.

View attachment 6085
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Won 2-0. Sion Green and Billy Stedman with the goals
 
shmmeee

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
How long until Pontichelli is ready do we reckon? That's a hell of a goals haul, over a third of the sides total goals and one roughly every two hours on the pitch.
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
Keep your voices down or they'll sell him in January

Sent from my Hudl 2 using Tapatalk
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
shmmeee said:
How long until Pontichelli is ready do we reckon? That's a hell of a goals haul, over a third of the sides total goals and one roughly every two hours on the pitch.
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Too soon for him at the moment, he needs more time to develop and work his way into the U23s team (I think he's started 3 games for them though and scored 2 goals, so quite impressive when he's been given the chance to step up). He has his professional contract already so he'll be part of the first team set up next season.

I think it might have been George Thomas who said it wasn't until he got first team minutes that he realised how much of a step-up, especially physically, men's football was from youth football. Some players can adjust to it quickly and adapt their games to get the best out of their ability (Maddison/Stevenson/Wilson) but some players may look good in the age group games and struggle to have the same/similar impact in senior games.

There are some fantastic prospects in the U18s/U23s at the moment alongside Ponticelli; Bayliss, Finn and Stedman who also need more time. I think Bayliss is the closest to the first team though at present, seems to be part of the U23s now and recently got his pro contract.
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Last game of 2016 for the U23s on Monday night away at Cardiff at the Cardiff City Stadium (7pm). I believe a certain Mr Bellamy will be in the dugout after recently being appointed their Development manager
 
shmmeee

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
SlowerThanPlatt said:
Too soon for him at the moment, he needs more time to develop and work his way into the U23s team (I think he's started 3 games for them though and scored 2 goals, so quite impressive when he's been given the chance to step up). He has his professional contract already so he'll be part of the first team set up next season.

I think it might have been George Thomas who said it wasn't until he got first team minutes that he realised how much of a step-up, especially physically, men's football was from youth football. Some players can adjust to it quickly and adapt their games to get the best out of their ability (Maddison/Stevenson/Wilson) but some players may look good in the age group games and struggle to have the same/similar impact in senior games.

There are some fantastic prospects in the U18s/U23s at the moment alongside Ponticelli; Bayliss, Finn and Stedman who also need more time. I think Bayliss is the closest to the first team though at present, seems to be part of the U23s now and recently got his pro contract.
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Cheers, wasn't doing down the others, just that we really need goals at the moment. Good to hear he's starting to step up to U23. I like to think that goalscoring is one of those talents that stays with you, even if like Wilson it might take a bit of adjustment, but maybe I'm just desperate for hope at the moment.
 
Nick

Nick

Administrator
SlowerThanPlatt said:
Last game of 2016 for the U23s on Monday night away at Cardiff at the Cardiff City Stadium (7pm). I believe a certain Mr Bellamy will be in the dugout after recently being appointed their Development manager
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I wish we could have games like that in the evening :(
 
Nick

Nick

Administrator
shmmeee said:
Cheers, wasn't doing down the others, just that we really need goals at the moment. Good to hear he's starting to step up to U23. I like to think that goalscoring is one of those talents that stays with you, even if like Wilson it might take a bit of adjustment, but maybe I'm just desperate for hope at the moment.
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That's the thing, if you can finish a one on one it is an instinct.
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Seems to be a lot of agents and agencies taking in our academy games lately which is testament to the coaching staff and the players ability. Stephen Hunt the latest:

 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
This is how the U23 table looks going into tonights game against Cardiff, with only goal difference seperating the two sides:

image.jpeg

Ben Stevenson is part of the squad which has travelled down as he looks to get match sharpness after his long suspension
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
U23s against Cardiff (7pm):

Addai, Whitmore, Finch, Harries, Dev. Kelly-Evans (C), Stevenson, Maycock, Sayoud, Jones, McBean, G.Thomas.

Bench: Skuza, Thompson, Ponticelli, Bayliss, Shipley

Kyle Spence has been injured recently, back in training next week.
 
lifeskyblue

lifeskyblue

Well-Known Member
Good news then re Stevenson. Mind you he may only have a few games left for him in Sky blue


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Darragh Leahy will return to the club after Nuneaton's game today. Had a productive loan spell with them. The Nuneaton manager said 'he wants to go back and show the new Coventry manager what he can do'.
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Really good two part interview here with breakthrough star Ben Stevenson about his journey so far by Steve Carpenter from the Coventry Observer. Well worth the read:

TEENAGER Ben Stevenson is taking his debut season in the Sky Blues first team by storm and has been one of few positives to come out of a disappointing 2016/17 campaign for Mark Venus' side.
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The 19-year-old is the latest player to graduate through the club’s hugely successful academy and is now stamping his mark in the first team having already amassed 21 appearances.

Observer sports editor Steve Carpenter sat down with City’s young starlet to find out more about the young midfielder and his path into the professional ranks.

LIKE most footballers Ben Stevenson took up the sport from an early age and was thrown into the academy system at the tender age of eight after impressing Coventry City scouts while playing in a football tournament in Nuneaton.

The following day he was on Coventry’s books along with fellow first team star George Thomas and from then on the pair exchanged lifts from Leicester to the Alan Higgs centre as their journey towards turning professional got underway.

“The trial for Coventry was at night – I think it was a Monday – I just did a session and then one of the scouts called me over with George Thomas, who was also playing at the same time, and the club said they wanted to sign us both.

“I got told on the night that Coventry wanted to sign me and I’ve been here ever since.

“When I first came I remember ‘Madderz’ (James Maddison) being here and the Kelly-Evans twins too. Cian Harries came when we were playing in the under-14s and we’re all still here now.”

Stevenson and his new team mates worked under the stewardship of Academy manager Rich Stevens and eventually under-18s coach Jason Farndon.

As they progressed up the ranks they were seeing the likes of Cyrus Christie, Conor Thomas, and Callum Wilson all coming through the youth ranks together and making their mark in the first team.

It was motivation for Stevenson and his friends who are now all picking up regular appearances in the first team.

“We played together all the way up to the under-18s and I think we’ve made each other player better in the age groups because we know where we’re all going to be.

“You get the on the same wavelength and you understand how each other plays – you know where they’re going to be on the pitch.

“We all broke into the first team around the same time and I think being together with them helped because we’d played with each other for so long.”

One player Stevenson became close friends with from day one was James Maddison. The Coventry kid burst onto the scene a year before Stevenson and his performances last season earned him a big money move to then Premier League side Norwich City.

The pair not only look similar but they also play in an almost identical style, with Stevenson opting for a more defensive role, and they played alongside each other at every level up to the under-21s.

“We’re close mates and I speak to him most days. We’ve always been close since we started at the club really when we were eight-years-old.

“When James got his breakthrough in the first team I used that as motivation to get myself into that position.

“He’s always helped me as we’ve gone along because we’ve played with each other for so long. Whenever we played together we always knew where each other would be on the pitch. We’d always help each other off the field too.

“It would have been good if we had played alongside each other in the first team but there are still lots of players here who I’ve played with for over ten years so it’s good to be around all of them.

“I can see the similarities between the two of us because we’re both the same type of player. We’re both more technical players I think, we like to get the ball down and play and control the game.

“We’ve always had the same physicality too so we’ve had to work hard on our technique to improve that element of our game.”

Stevenson has modelled his game on Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick and he looks up to another former Sky Blues Academy player as his role model.

“The players I’ve always looked up to most is Michael Carrick. When he was at the top of his game he never gave the ball away.

“I looked up to him and I’d like to think I’m a similar type of player.

“Bigi (Gael Bigirimana) was another player I looked up to when I was younger before he left. Even now that he’s back he’s still a good role model to me because he’s been there in the first team and he went up to Newcastle too.

“I think he’s a real leader. He’s always giving me advice and help on the pitch – I do like playing with him.”

Former Sky Blues boss Steven Pressley can be commended for helping to bridge the gap between the youth team and the first team.

The likeable Scot gave several academy players their first opportunity in League One and he was the manager who invited Stevenson to take part in his first ever training session with the first team.

“I think I was playing for the under-16s when I trained with the first team for the first time.

“Most of the first team players were training and Steven Pressley was there too. I’d never been to Ryton before so I didn’t really know what to think.

“I just went straight out to training but it was such a massive step up from playing for the under-16s. It helped me a lot in terms of my experience.

“When you see the levels of a first team training session that’s when you realised you’ve still got a such a long way to go and you’ve just got to keep improving and keep getting better to get to those performance levels.

“Cian (Harries) and James (Maddison) were there too so it was nice seeing my mates there. They were knew to it too so we helped each other out.”

A series of impressive performances for the club’s under-21s last season caught the eye of former manager Tony Mowbray who offered Stevenson his first professional contract in March last year.

A two-year deal was just reward for the teenager’s efforts but he was quick to thank his family for their help and support.

“Signing my first professional contract was rewarding but not just for me. For all of those years I used to get taken to training three times a week, you sort of lose out on your childhood really because you have to sacrifice quite a lot.

“My mum has sacrificed a lot too because she’s the one who had to take me training and it’s not really round the corner from where I live. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday she had to take me to training to I think it’s rewarding for my family too.”

“I support Manchester United but to be fair once I joined Coventry City they became my club. I used to sit in block 32 so to sign my first professional was a great feeling".
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SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
SlowerThanPlatt said:
Really good two part interview here with breakthrough star Ben Stevenson about his journey so far by Steve Carpenter from the Coventry Observer. Well worth the read:
Click to expand...

Second part:

TEENAGER Ben Stevenson has been one of very few positives in an otherwise forgettable season so far for the Sky Blues.

The 19-year-old is the latest player to graduate through the club’s academy and is now stamping his mark in the first team. In the second of a two-part interview with Observer sports editor Steve Carpenter, the City youngster reveals the impact that Tony Mowbray had on his career, the emotions of making his first team debut and what lies ahead in the future.

HAVING watched close friends and academy team-mates James Maddison, George Thomas, Cian Harries and Dion Kelly-Evans make their first team bow last season, you could forgive Ben Stevenson for expecting to be the next one in line.

Having produced consistently at under-18 and under-21 level, Stevenson was hoping to be given his first team bow last season. He certainly felt he was ready but it was not to be and the young midfielder was made to wait by former manager Tony Mowbray.

“Last season probably didn’t got the way I wanted it to,” said Stevenson. “I thought I could have made an impact last season, that’s what every young player wants to do.

“I had a meeting with Tony Mowbray at the end of last season and he told me that he was quite impressed with my performances for the Under-21s.

“He said to come back in the best shape possible and hit the ground running. I got a pre-season under my belt and with Romain Vincelot leaving too I knew I just had to take my chance.”

That chance came in the second match of the season when the Sky Blues hosted Portsmouth in the EFL Cup.

It was a moment Stevenson admits he will never forget and he was thankful that his Academy team mates were sharing the same pitch to help him overcome any nerves.

“The Portsmouth game was probably a good time for me because the first game of the season against Swindon was the Saturday before so there wasn’t that much recovery time for the players. That gave the manager a chance to give others players a chance and thankfully I got my chance that game.

“Mowbray told me before the game to just play my game, just forget about everything else and get my first couple of passes in and try and adapt to the pace as quickly as I can.

“I think that was one of the big things, the pace of the game compared to the level I was used to in the under-18s and under-21s.

“That was the main thing, just try and do things quickly, get things flowing and start start playing my normal game.

“Cian (Harries) was playing in that game as well as George (Thomas) and ‘Haynesy’ (Ryan Haynes) too so you look across and you know that we’ve all got each other’s backs.

“You know how they’re going to play and what they want from me and I know what I expect from them. It helps when you know the players around you because it makes you feel more confident.

“I felt so proud making my home debut too especially because a lot of my family were there. I was looking over towards them before the start of the game. I wanted to put in a good performance for them and that kept me going.

“Once you play a few passes your confidence goes up and that’s when I started playing my normal game. Then I tried more complicated stuff and tried to affect the game more.

“Confidence is quite a big thing for me. When I’m playing with confidence I feel as though I can play much better so I try my best to keep that up all the time.”

Stevenson enjoyed playing for Mowbray – a manager with a reputation of improving young footballers – so he was as disappointed as anyone to see him go after failing to find a league win in the opening ten matches.

“We were all disappointed when Mowbray left. We all felt quite emotional when he told us that he was leaving because we felt as though we let him down.

“It was a reality check for us because we know our performance levels need to be a lot higher and we needed to start winning games.

“I’d say Mowbray was my first real manager because I wasn’t really involved much under Steven Pressley because I was still young back then.

“Mowbray would always talk to you and give you advice because he’s played at a good level. He just seemed to know so much about football and his knowledge helped us out.

“He had a big impact on my career because he’s the one who gave me my debut so I’ve got a lot to thank him for.

“Richard Stevens the Academy Manager was really helpful when he came. There were a few low times as I was coming through the age groups but he always picked me up and helped me move forward.”

Not many would have quite anticipated the impact that Stevenson would have in such a short space of time.

The City graduate has scored two wonder goals in 21 appearances already this season and even Stevenson admits he is a little taken back at how well things have gone on a personal level.

“At this stage in the season I am surprised at how many games I have played.

“Mowbray told me that I could play 20 games this season and we’re not even half-way through and I’ve already hit 21 so I’ve just got to try and keep it going.

“The Oxford game is probably the best game I’ve played so far. Scoring the goal and getting man-of-the-match, that was the perfect game for me really at home and we won so I couldn’t have asked for much more.

“The manager had said that we hadn’t been scoring enough goals and everyone needs to chip in.

“I didn’t really have much time to think about it. I just got the ball out of my feet and I just hit it. I don’t know why really because it all happened so quickly.

“I don’t think I’ve ever hit a ball sweeter than that – it’s probably one of the best goals I’ve ever scored. To score that as my first goal was very special.

“When you score your first goal you always think about what celebration you’re going to do and you always plan it.

“When it actually happened I didn’t really know what to do. My first reaction was to go over to my family in the crowd which was quite emotional really – it was the best feeling in the world.”

Just like his close friend Maddison last season, there will no doubt already be scouts keeping a watchful eye on Stevenson’s performances, but for now all he is interested in is continuing his excellent development at the club that gave him his first big break.

He added with a cool shrug: “Every player wants to play at the highest level they can and challenge themselves but right now all I’m bothered about is playing games and trying to help this club move forward – I don’t really look too far ahead.

“I think you have to take everything as it comes and not think too far ahead. I like to keep my feet on the ground.”
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Interesting point about Pressley there. Whilst I don't think he did a great job with the first team, I think you have to give him credit for progressing our young players and for pushing them to the next level (Wilson, Christie, Maddison and even to a lesser extent Willis). I don't think he's ever going to cut it as a league manager but by all accounts he's an excellent coach.
 
SlowerThanPlatt

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
ccfchoi87 said:
Under 23's drew 1-1 with Birmingham behind closed doors today. The scorer - Jordan Ponticelli. Does he ever stop scoring goals
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According to my calculations he's now scored 18 goals in 26 games since joining so the answer is yes, but not very often. 15 in 18 at U18 level.

Birmingham played quite a strong side too - Paul Caddis, Diego Fabbrini and Adam Legzdins in their 11.
 
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