Academy March On

[Thracian]

The idea of Kelly taking lessons off Beaglehole is one of the most ludicrous things I've read on this forum for about six seconds.

Well when it comes to ludicrousy you're about five seconds ahead.

I don't think lcfc_jme mentioned "taking lessons" but if Kelly thinks he's too important to listen and learn anymore and you agree with that, there's not much hope for us as things stand.

I'd like to say there's no evidence RK thinks like that but I'm not sure about that. He very quickly goes back to his preferred defensive line-up whenever he's under pressure and there's no point only having attacking ambitions when we play the likes of Macclesfield.

[Master Fox]

That Watford game was never quite the doddle portrayed. Watford's forwards were always a threat and even more so when they brought on an England lad as substitute in the second half.

True Leicester had chances to clinch the game with their unyielding commitment to attack but Watford remained dangerous with fast breaks and scored a couple of excellent goals.

Watford were, I think, victors over Leicester at Belvoir Drive the previous season so their ability was well known and City not only improved their result this time but really did carve out an amazing number of chances which has been a feature of their play this season.

On paper it's quite true, the future is bright which is part of the reason for investor interest. But only if we make the best of it and only if we incorporate the Academy style throughout the club - irrespective of who owns the place.

Academy results so far:

AUGUST

19 Blackburn 12.00 noon 2-3

26 Stoke 12.00 noon 3-0

SEPTEMBER

2 Ipswich Town 12.00 noon 4-2

9 Fulham 12.00 noon 6-3

16 Crystal Palace 12.00 noon 3-1

23 Cardiff City 12.00 noon 8-0

30 Birmingham City 11.00am 2-1

OCTOBER

7 Aston Villa 11.00am 4-1

14 Watford 11.00am 3-3

21 Coventry City 11.00am 5-4

NOVEMBER

4 MK Dons 11.00am 4-0

Position in table: top.

We're not exactly playing the best academy teams in the country are we? I think people extremely over estimate these kids’ abilities.

[Manwell Pablo]

We're not exactly playing the best academy teams in the country are we? I think people extremely over estimate these kids’ abilities.

Villa have one of the best youth set ups in the country, probabley only behind Man u and Arsenal. Watford have produced alot of talent from their academy as well.

[Milky]

ipswich aren't bad either

[Master Fox]

Villa have one of the best youth set ups in the country, probabley only behind Man u and Arsenal. Watford have produced alot of talent from their academy as well.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool etc would give our academy one hell of a beating.

[Thracian]

We're not exactly playing the best academy teams in the country are we? I think people extremely over estimate these kids’ abilities.

Have you ever watched our youth side or are you just another who slags them off or belittles their achievements cos it suits your mood?.

Judging by the number of youth internationals we have - including frontline England youth internationals - I'd say they were pretty highly rated by more than just me and all the many people who go to watch them now.

[Master Fox]

Have you ever watched our youth side or are you just another who slags them off or belittles their achievements cos it suits your mood?.

Judging by the number of youth internationals we have - including frontline England youth internations - I'd say they were pretty highly rated by more than just me and all the many people who go to watch them now.

They haven't actually really achieved anything as players until they make it to the big time. I've never been to watch the youth team play and never intend too either.

[Milky]

i reckon we have quite a few players with the skills to pay the bills

[Master Fox]

i reckon we have quite a few players with the skills to pay the bills

Maybe so.

[Milky]

it's just such a shame we've just lost a future leicester star

[Master Fox]

it's just such a shame we've just lost a future leicester star

WHO??

[lcfc_jme]

Well when it comes to ludicrousy you're about five seconds ahead.

I don't think lcfc_jme mentioned "taking lessons" but if Kelly thinks he's too important to listen and learn anymore and you agree with that, there's not much hope for us as things stand.

there's no point only having attacking ambitions when we play the likes of Macclesfield.

I didn't mention taking lessons, I just mentioned RK having a talk with Beaglehole about match tactics. I didn't even say he has to use them, I just stated that there'd be no harm in talking to him to get an alternative viewpoint from somebody who gets results and positive performances. I would however like to see certain aspects of what Beaglehole does implemented into the first team, not all the time or throughout the whole game, just in periods where it's essential (like when we're well on top and in need of another goal to kill a game off).

I think my exact words were "it wouldn't hurt RK to hear what Beaglehole says to his players and some of the tactics he employs". No real lessons there, just correspondence between two gaffers

As for your point about the Macclesfield thing, I agree, we need to play attacking football against teams in our league as well. Not all the time, that would just be ridiculous, 'cos there are periods in a game when Arsenal, Man Yoo and Chelski have to defend in a game, but our away day policy is not a very good one and neither is the defense minded balance of our team in some home games

[Jonbluefox9]

The under 18s can play fast paced, attacking football because they have quick, energetic players. Magunda who plays right back is deceptively quick for his size and can afford to roam forwards because he can get back in position so quickly. Mattock isn't blistering but he keeps plugging away when playing left back. These two players are just a couple of examples of how the under 18s manage to play the way they do, Mattock more so than Magunda in attack, but neither of them are ready for first team football in my book. Eventually I think both will play for the first team at a league club, maybe Leicester, but not yet. I think Mattock has the ability to become first choice left back here but that's in the future.

Beaglehole is lucky to have the group of players he's got at the moment. We've not always had Academy teams with this amount of ability at one time and there will be times when we have under 18s teams with less ability in the future. Remember, Beaglehole has been at the club for around six years now and in that time our youth teams haven't always looked this good but I'm sure Beaglehole's way of thinking has remained the same or similar throughout.

I really believe that a lot of it is down to the players at that level. They go out, express themselves and try to play their football. Even Rudkin has said in the past that the performances are more important than results in the Academy system. First team football is a results industry. If you win and play ugly, you've still won. Beaglehole wouldn't lose his job if the under 18s were towards the bottom of their table as long as technically the players seemed to be improving and performances were encouraging.

[Thracian]

The under 18s can play fast paced, attacking football because they have quick, energetic players. Magunda who plays right back is deceptively quick for his size and can afford to roam forwards because he can get back in position so quickly. Mattock isn't blistering but he keeps plugging away when playing left back. These two players are just a couple of examples of how the under 18s manage to play the way they do, Mattock more so than Magunda in attack, but neither of them are ready for first team football in my book. Eventually I think both will play for the first team at a league club, maybe Leicester, but not yet. I think Mattock has the ability to become first choice left back here but that's in the future.

Beaglehole is lucky to have the group of players he's got at the moment. We've not always had Academy teams with this amount of ability at one time and there will be times when we have under 18s teams with less ability in the future. Remember, Beaglehole has been at the club for around six years now and in that time our youth teams haven't always looked this good but I'm sure Beaglehole's way of thinking has remained the same or similar throughout.

I really believe that a lot of it is down to the players at that level. They go out, express themselves and try to play their football. Even Rudkin has said in the past that the performances are more important than results in the Academy system. First team football is a results industry. If you win and play ugly, you've still won. Beaglehole wouldn't lose his job if the under 18s were towards the bottom of their table as long as technically the players seemed to be improving and performances were encouraging.

I understand what you are saying but where has fear-football got us JBF? It has got us nowhere for too many years now. We don't ever try the alternative. Take last summer. Where are the attackers we brought in to help us assemble a side that could and would make its own impact on any game.

All we signed was more defenders and one sub-standard winger. I thought that was because RK intended to use some of the youngsters he'd used in our friendlies. But no. Sheehan, Dodds, Gradel and now Porter have all vanished from the scene.

Instead we've got Sylla (no League goals in 16 months) Low (no goals in four months), and Tiatto (two goals in 16 months) and now Welsh (one goal for us all told). Was there ever a greater example of the handicap we've given ourselves. Three goals from four supposedly attacking players!

We must have the worst proportion of selectable attackers to defenders in the Football League. And why? Because we are preoccupied with staying solid even though Kelly said he would turn his attention to attack.

Our young players are also played in too much isolation alongside people whose style of play is alien because they so rarely pass and move. This was one of the big things Williams helped combat when he was there. But he's no bloody use injured all the time.

[Ric Flair]

it's just such a shame we've just lost a future leicester star

Are you talking about your brother or have we just had a youngster poached off us?

[marcus bent]

That Watford game was never quite the doddle portrayed. Watford's forwards were always a threat and even more so when they brought on an England lad as substitute in the second half.

True Leicester had chances to clinch the game with their unyielding commitment to attack but Watford remained dangerous with fast breaks and scored a couple of excellent goals.

Watford were, I think, victors over Leicester at Belvoir Drive the previous season so their ability was well known and City not only improved their result this time but really did carve out an amazing number of chances which has been a feature of their play this season.

On paper it's quite true, the future is bright which is part of the reason for investor interest. But only if we make the best of it and only if we incorporate the Academy style throughout the club - irrespective of who owns the place.

Academy results so far:

AUGUST

19 Blackburn 12.00 noon 2-3

26 Stoke 12.00 noon 3-0

SEPTEMBER

2 Ipswich Town 12.00 noon 4-2

9 Fulham 12.00 noon 6-3

16 Crystal Palace 12.00 noon 3-1

23 Cardiff City 12.00 noon 8-0

30 Birmingham City 11.00am 2-1

OCTOBER

7 Aston Villa 11.00am 4-1

14 Watford 11.00am 3-3

21 Coventry City 11.00am 5-4

NOVEMBER

4 MK Dons 11.00am 4-0

Position in table: top.

how do you know that's a reason?

[Jonbluefox9]

We won't be seeing Max Gradel playing for the under 18s for 3 weeks at least as he was the man sent off on Saturday. Apparently he hit an opponent with his hands. Another reason why Gradel hasn't got the right attitude for the first team?! That's why the OS didn't want to report it.

[Milky]

Are you talking about your brother or have we just had a youngster poached off us?

bro. same thing really.

[Thracian]

We won't be seeing Max Gradel playing for the under 18s for 3 weeks at least as he was the man sent off on Saturday. Apparently he hit an opponent with his hands. Another reason why Gradel hasn't got the right attitude for the first team?! That's why the OS didn't want to report it.

Bloody hell, how many times did Walshie whack someone?. And he's probably top of our list of cult heroes.

And what about Alan Shearer kicking seven bells out of Lennon.

He'll learn (presumably). It shouldn't be some sort of terminal offence.

Has McCarthy never raised his hands or lost his rag?.

Come on JBF - I know it's not what we want but keep things in proportion. Zinedine Zidane looked a good enough first teamer in his time!!!

[Jonbluefox9]

Bloody hell, how many times did Walshie whack someone?. And he's probably top of our list of cult heroes.

And what about Alan Shearer kicking seven bells out of Lennon.

He'll learn (presumably). It shouldn't be some sort of terminal offence.

Has McCarthy never raised his hands or lost his rag?.

Come on JBF - I know it's not what we want but keep things in proportion. Zinedine Zidane looked a good enough first teamer in his time!!!

I asked a question, it wasn't a statement. Is this just another example of why Gradel hasn't been given a go in the first team yet? People can praise him all day long for ability but you can't ignore the fact that he does have an attitude problem as well. This is just the latest black mark against his name. You say he'll learn but it's been evident for around a year to me that he has a problem and he still doesn't seem to have improved his attitude. Are the Academy coaches not having a word with him about this I wonder?

[Thracian]

I asked a question, it wasn't a statement. Is this just another example of why Gradel hasn't been given a go in the first team yet? People can praise him all day long for ability but you can't ignore the fact that he does have an attitude problem as well. This is just the latest black mark against his name. You say he'll learn but it's been evident for around a year to me that he has a problem and he still doesn't seem to have improved his attitude. Are the Academy coaches not having a word with him about this I wonder?

Sorry JBF I didn't notice the question mark. I have alluded to his reactionary tendencies myself - particularly last season with his verbals to the referee over some decisions that upset him - and realise I tend to be a bit overforgiving of teenage tantrums.

Right or wrong Frenchmen have the reputation of being temperamental so teenagers are likely to be more so (one in a gang had a knife to my own throat when I was younger so I've witnessed it first hand) but surely someone needs to take time to get through to him...cos it'd be a crying shame to waste his talent.

What about the club chaplain? He seemed like a top guy to me and someone really on the ball and in touch with football?. Either that or enrol him in my sons boxing or aikido clubs and let them teach him some self-discipline and self-control.

I've often thought boxing/martial arts should form a part of all footballers training a) because of the aforementioned and b) because the exercises are so good for agility, speed and stamina and would make a change from the general routines.

Such clubs really have helped a lot of youngsters I've come across but then I've always been a bit of an eccentric where training was concerned. Certainly it's too early to start giving up on the kid.