Development/Youth Squads 2025/2026 Thread - U18/U21

[Ryy]

Braybrooke and Wilson-Brown also played 

[norwichfox]

On 07/07/2025 at 16:49, UniFox21 said:

?

When do the club ever really announce they're discussing contracts with players?

When they're extending Jannik Vestergaard contract 3 effing years...

[brookfox]

11 hours ago, Ryy said:

Braybrooke and Wilson-Brown also played 

Absolute disgrace, should’ve rotted in prison for what he did to Kathy.

 

[Noahfence]

Monga, Page & Motsi all share a birthday? That’s amazing haha 

[Foxes96]

5 minutes ago, Noahfence said:

Monga, Page & Motsi all share a birthday? That’s amazing haha 

Share a birthday with a certain Mr. Flair as well no @Ric Flair? Although pretty sure Ric isn’t turning 16 again 😂 
 

 

 

[dmayne7]

19 hours ago, norwichfox said:

When they're extending Jannik Vestergaard contract 3 effing years...

Crazy how many people were actually ok with that on here.

[splinterdream]

Reading reports that Louis Page is waiting to talk to Marti before signing as he wants guaranteed minutes this season, what's the thoughts on this? 

[Lesta2014]

Just now, splinterdream said:

Reading reports that Louis Page is waiting to talk to Marti before signing as he wants guaranteed minutes this season, what's the thoughts on this? 

Where you seen this? 

[Staff]

Just now, splinterdream said:

Reading reports that Louis Page is waiting to talk to Marti before signing as he wants guaranteed minutes this season, what's the thoughts on this? 

Probably the best midfielder at the club so fair shout tbqh

[UniFox21]

Just now, splinterdream said:

Reading reports that Louis Page is waiting to talk to Marti before signing as he wants guaranteed minutes this season, what's the thoughts on this? 

No reason we can't give him minutes. Championship is a long ass campaign. Rotating Monga, Evans and Page for 20/30 mins will certainly help keep Mav, Fatawu fresh 

[splinterdream]

4 minutes ago, Lesta2014 said:

Where you seen this? 

just reports that come by my phone

[jayfox26]

43 minutes ago, splinterdream said:

Reading reports that Louis Page is waiting to talk to Marti before signing as he wants guaranteed minutes this season, what's the thoughts on this? 

If true, I'm not sure I like this attitude. Page has to prove himself to Marti, he can't just walk in on his first day and say put me in the team or I'm going. He's never played a minute of first team football yet, rightly or wrongly, so I don't like the idea of him demanding first team football at 17. Whilst it's important for us to do everything we can to keep our best academy players, we also shouldn't be held to ransom. 

[splinterdream]

1 minute ago, jayfox26 said:

If true, I'm not sure I like this attitude. Page has to prove himself to Marti, he can't just walk in on his first day and say put me in the team or I'm going. He's never played a minute of first team football yet, rightly or wrongly, so I don't like the idea of him demanding first team football at 17. Whilst it's important for us to do everything we can to keep our best academy players, we also shouldn't be held to ransom. 

kind of feel the same. verbal assurances, fine, contractual obligation, not for me. I can understand his caution though, we have a lot of players and we haven't been the best at giving oppotunities to academy players

[Chelmofox]

3 minutes ago, jayfox26 said:

If true, I'm not sure I like this attitude. Page has to prove himself to Marti, he can't just walk in on his first day and say put me in the team or I'm going. He's never played a minute of first team football yet, rightly or wrongly, so I don't like the idea of him demanding first team football at 17. Whilst it's important for us to do everything we can to keep our best academy players, we also shouldn't be held to ransom. 

Completely agree, which is why im taking any rumours about Page with a massive pinch of salt. Agent pressure has always been there, but we have no actual proof Page is demanding anything at all other than a pathway. That pathway is earned, not given, and we can't create contracts for players with guaranteed playing time. I wish contract talks with kids was held completely behind closed doors. Its not healthy to have these sorts of rumours for 15/16/17 year olds.

[honeybradger]

6 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

Completely agree, which is why im taking any rumours about Page with a massive pinch of salt. Agent pressure has always been there, but we have no actual proof Page is demanding anything at all other than a pathway. That pathway is earned, not given, and we can't create contracts for players with guaranteed playing time. I wish contract talks with kids was held completely behind closed doors. Its not healthy to have these sorts of rumours for 15/16/17 year olds.

Im sorry but this opinion would be acceptable if we still had Maddison and Tielemans starting for us but not now.

 

Skipp had 10 PL starts for us last season and was more and more terrible in each successive one yet he will still get plenty of minutes next season. Page has every right to look around and say 'that guy is getting consistent first team minutes and im better than that, why should I stay if im not valued properly?'.

 

Academy players should not be held to higher standards than senior pros! If Skipp was 18 he would have been thrown back in the reserves and forgotten about until his contract ran down. Why is it that Page has to 'earn his place' when Skipp and Winks can put in the performances they did last season and still be lined up as the first choice midfield pair going into this one?

[Chelmofox]

Just now, honeybradger said:

Im sorry but this opinion would be acceptable if we still had Maddison and Tielemans starting for us but not now.

 

Skipp had 10 PL starts for us last season and was more and more terrible in each successive one yet he will still get plenty of minutes next season. Page has every right to look around and say 'that guy is getting consistent first team minutes and im better than that, why should I stay if im not valued properly?'.

 

Academy players should not be held to higher standards than senior pros! If Skipp was 18 he would have been thrown back in the reserves and forgotten about until his contract ran down. Why is it that Page has to 'earn his place' when Skipp and Winks can put in the performances they did last season and still be lined up as the first choice midfield pair going into this one?

No one said Skipp should get an automatic place and he was actually sidelined for most the season. My point in there is no evidence page is saying anything other rumours that have likely come from agents. If he gets his chance and is better than others, he will play. 

[notnow john]

Heard from a Liverpool relative that the tribunal deciding on the amount LFC have to pay us for Trey Nyoni

has reached a valuation but it will not be made public !

Seems a bit odd, who would benefit from such secrecy?

They had to pay Fulham £4.75 million for Harvey Elliot and that was  over 5years ago.

So how much have they coughed up?

[honeybradger]

9 hours ago, Chelmofox said:

No one said Skipp should get an automatic place and he was actually sidelined for most the season. My point in there is no evidence page is saying anything other rumours that have likely come from agents. If he gets his chance and is better than others, he will play. 

Skipp got 1100 minutes, Cordova Reid got 700 minutes, Coady has 1700 minutes for us last season and 700 in the championship season. Meanwhile Nelson has 200 minutes for us total at 21, Alves has 50 minutes, Monga has 70 minutes, Evans has 20 minutes.

 

Our academy players arent given minutes on merit, there is no way that Coady is that much better than Nelson that he deserved 3x as many minutes in our championship season. All it took was one loss against QPR and Nelson barely got another look in that season and wasn't even considered going into last one.

 

Similarly I dont think Cordova Reid is better than Alves so why bring him in in his place and give him first team minutes whilst leaving Alves to rot?

 

Skipp undeniably has an automatic place in the first team based on us paying a transfer fee and high wages for him. He has been so unbelievably awful yet he's still in the mix for us. If I were Page i would be looking at him disappointing in training then still getting on the teamsheet and thinking 'I cant compete with that, this is not fair' and starting to consider my options. He would be stupid not to.

Edited 11 July 2025 by honeybradger

[coolhandfox]

14 minutes ago, notnow john said:

Heard from a Liverpool relative that the tribunal deciding on the amount LFC have to pay us for Trey Nyoni

has reached a valuation but it will not be made public !

Seems a bit odd, who would benefit from such secrecy?

They had to pay Fulham £4.75 million for Harvey Elliot and that was  over 5years ago.

So how much have they coughed up?

Fulham may have had a stronger case as  Elliot had already had first team minutes in the cup at 15 and a PL debut at 16.

 

 

 

 

[Merchant_Banker]

9 hours ago, honeybradger said:

Skipp got 1100 minutes, Cordova Reid got 700 minutes, Coady has 1700 minutes for us last season and 700 in the championship season. Meanwhile Nelson has 200 minutes for us total at 21, Alves has 50 minutes, Monga has 70 minutes, Evans has 20 minutes.

 

Our academy players arent given minutes on merit, there is no way that Coady is that much better than Nelson that he deserved 3x as many minutes in our championship season. All it took was one loss against QPR and Nelson barely got another look in that season and wasn't even considered going into last one.

 

Similarly I dont think Cordova Reid is better than Alves so why bring him in in his place and give him first team minutes whilst leaving Alves to rot?

 

Skipp undeniably has an automatic place in the first team based on us paying a transfer fee and high wages for him. He has been so unbelievably awful yet he's still in the mix for us. If I were Page i would be looking at him disappointing in training then still getting on the teamsheet and thinking 'I cant compete with that, this is not fair' and starting to consider my options. He would be stupid not to.

I don't think including Nelson and Alves in this argument works as they were out on loan. I would assume that the club thought a full season playing was better than fewer minutes with us. The problem for Monga this season is that he is compeeting with some of our better players, Mavididi and Fatawu on the wings and BEK at 10. I think all of the players you mention should get significant minutes this season and, if what is said about Cifuentes promoting youth is true, we should see plenty of all of them.

[honeybradger]

2 minutes ago, Merchant_Banker said:

I don't think including Nelson and Alves in this argument works as they were out on loan. I would assume that the club thought a full season playing was better than fewer minutes with us. The problem for Monga this season is that he is compeeting with some of our better players, Mavididi and Fatawu on the wings and BEK at 10. I think all of the players you mention should get significant minutes this season and, if what is said about Cifuentes promoting youth is true, we should see plenty of all of them.

Nelson was not on loan in our championship season and was barely utilised, if minutes were given out on merit he would have had more than Coady at least. He should have been considered as an option in our last season as well but we went out and signed Okoli instead and re signed Vestergaard. Alves could have had Cordova Reid's minutes last season and would have likely performed better. Mavididi and Fatawu were injured yet Monga and Evans still barely got minutes.

 

I'm just pointing out that the barrier for entry for our talents has always been too high, the club almost never look at the academy first for players ready to make the step up. When we signed Soumare we had Dewsbury Hall ready to make the step up, Dewsbury Hall only got a chance once Soumare underperformed. Barnes had multiple wingers signed in front of him that needed to flop before he got a chance (Ghezzal, Diabate), Chilwell had to threaten to leave before he got minutes but that is more understandable as he had a club all timer in Fuchs ahead of him. Again why on Earth have we spaffed time and wages on Bobby Reid when we had Alves available?

 

You only need to look at the fact that Trey Nyoni has more minutes for Fing Liverpool than any of of our current academy players has for us to realise that our club doesnt give our academy players enough opportunities.

[Stadt]

49 minutes ago, honeybradger said:

Nelson was not on loan in our championship season and was barely utilised, if minutes were given out on merit he would have had more than Coady at least. He should have been considered as an option in our last season as well but we went out and signed Okoli instead and re signed Vestergaard. Alves could have had Cordova Reid's minutes last season and would have likely performed better. Mavididi and Fatawu were injured yet Monga and Evans still barely got minutes.

 

I'm just pointing out that the barrier for entry for our talents has always been too high, the club almost never look at the academy first for players ready to make the step up. When we signed Soumare we had Dewsbury Hall ready to make the step up, Dewsbury Hall only got a chance once Soumare underperformed. Barnes had multiple wingers signed in front of him that needed to flop before he got a chance (Ghezzal, Diabate), Chilwell had to threaten to leave before he got minutes but that is more understandable as he had a club all timer in Fuchs ahead of him. Again why on Earth have we spaffed time and wages on Bobby Reid when we had Alves available?

 

You only need to look at the fact that Trey Nyoni has more minutes for Fing Liverpool than any of of our current academy players has for us to realise that our club doesnt give our academy players enough opportunities.

I've said this a lot but you'd think Rudkin as academy director and DoF would be too academy focussed with managerial appointments, squad building, contract handling etc but he isn't. He's an active hindrance to his own life's work. Guy Branston's attitudes were really quite revealing, we had a loans manager espousing the institutional view that young players are just always so far behind.

Edited 11 July 2025 by Stadt

[honeybradger]

8 minutes ago, Stadt said:

I've said this a lot but you think Rudkin as academy director and DoF would be too academy focussed with managerial appointments, squad building, contract handling etc but he doesn't. He's an active hindrance to his own life's work. Guy Branston's attitudes were really quite revealing, we had a loans manager espousing the institutional view that young players are just always so far behind.

Hearing what Guy Branston had to say about Nelson was a bit gutting, just looking for a reason to knock a young player down a peg. 'Doesnt train hard enough' nonsense, how many times has Vestergaard been frozen out by managers yet he gets endless opportunities and is probably still in the pecking order ahead of Nelson. Same goes for Winks and Faes, poor mentality but still preferred due to experience. They dont care about attitude in training, theyre just gutless idiots who are too scared of young players being an unknown so they dont even give them a chance.

[Stadt]

1 hour ago, honeybradger said:

Hearing what Guy Branston had to say about Nelson was a bit gutting, just looking for a reason to knock a young player down a peg. 'Doesnt train hard enough' nonsense, how many times has Vestergaard been frozen out by managers yet he gets endless opportunities and is probably still in the pecking order ahead of Nelson. Same goes for Winks and Faes, poor mentality but still preferred due to experience. They dont care about attitude in training, theyre just gutless idiots who are too scared of young players being an unknown so they dont even give them a chance.

It’s not even like we’ve ever thrown them in the deep end and they are actually miles off.

 

We had a player as good as KDH make his debut at 20, he only got a first team chance after TWO excellent loans.

 

It makes me wonder how many near misses with first team quality players we’d had. Somebody like Maswanhise certainly could have had a better career trajectory had he been loaned out at 18.

[davieG]

59 minutes ago, Stadt said:

It’s not even like we’ve ever thrown them in the deep end and they are actually miles off.

 

We had a player as good as KDH make his debut at 20, he only got a first team chance after TWO excellent loans.

 

It makes me wonder how many near misses with first team quality players we’d had. Somebody like Maswanhise certainly could have had a better career trajectory had he been loaned out at 18.

Rudkin probably sees them as 9 years olds