Jeff Schlupp

[Kingylcfc]

Schlupp is on fire at the minute for our academy, should he be in our first team, we are not scoring many goals....

[Webbo]

Who knows? He sounds a good prospect but none of us have seen him play at senior level. If Sven thinks he's good enough then I'm sure he'll get a chance.

[StanSP]

Scored the goal against Doncaster to win the Championship for me on FIFA.

But I don't think he'll get in front of Vassell, Bednar, Howard, Gallagher, Fryatt, Waghorn at this moment in time.

How old is he? 17? 18? Plenty of time to force his way through.

[B52]

At the moment we have nothing to lose.

[Webbo]

At the moment we have nothing to lose.

3 points?

[B52]

3 points?

I think a young player with the right attitude have nothing to loose and he's 18. Absolutely the right age to be brought into first team.

[dannythefox]

Couldnt do any harm giving the lad 25mins, i've not seen him but people have alot of good things to say about him. Its not like our strikers are scoring for fun.

[MikeyT]

Couldnt do any harm giving the lad 25mins, i've not seen him but people have alot of good things to say about him. Its not like our strikers are scoring for fun.

I agree with this. 20/25 minutes to see how he does can't hurt too much. Again, not seen him play but he's worth a shot i guess.

[Father Ted]

As I've said before and I will say again, he should definitely be in and around the squad at the minute. Stick him on the bench for Saturday and give him a bit of a run-out last 15 minutes. He'll be full of confidence and the opposition won't have prepared for him. You will never know how good a young player will turn out until you play them so play Schlupp!

[MPH]

if we had a reserve team entered into the reserves league we would be able to assess his ability on a higher level. If he was successful in the reserves i would have more confidence in putting him into the first team.

One of the stranger decisions, in my opinion, not having a team in the reserves league...

[Salieri]

He needs to be loaned out, see how he gets on.

[Haydos]

The way I see it, we have 7 subs. The manager will often not be considering all of these for an appearance. Drop a 'cover' player (we can always shift around a bit if there is an injury in a key position) and have an academy player on the bench (in this case schlupp is the stand out).

[FoxesFan123]

I would absolutely love to see some young talent coming through into the first team. But I'm not gonna get myself excited after the recent few years. Billy Kee scored an astonishing numbers of goals at that level, I was sure we would be the next big thing at city, but he didn't make it here.

Remember Bill McKay? Another who used to score goals for fun.

Louis Dodds?

Lawrie Dudfield?

[Thracian]

I would absolutely love to see some young talent coming through into the first team. But I'm not gonna get myself excited after the recent few years. Billy Kee scored an astonishing numbers of goals at that level, I was sure we would be the next big thing at city, but he didn't make it here.

Remember Bill McKay? Another who used to score goals for fun.

Louis Dodds?

Lawrie Dudfield?

Do you want me to name all the expensive or speculative wkrs who have been signed or loaned from outside who haven't made it here either?

And while you're bemoaning all the flops why not mention those who have done well or at least respectably well.

Kee didn't get a chance here because of injuries in the main. Chambers was the same.

Dodds didn't get a chance here either because we preferred spent forces like Horsfield and Cadamarteri. Dodds may not be Ronaldo but he's scored plenty of goals from midfield at Port Vale and a hell of a lot more than those who kept him out at City have done.

Why not mention Gradel who seems to have scored a lot more regularly than any of the wingers we've used and for a team who have climbed far higher up the league than we have and on a lot less money. Or Kingy.

Even now look at the return from Waghorn at £2m plus and Vassell so far. I honestly reckon Chris O'Grady would have scored more for us than Waghorn but one cost nothing and got next to no chance and much of that out of position, while the other costs stacks, has had lots of chances and struggles.

[themotivator]

has anyone actually seen him play? not sure that just because someone scored regularly at under 18 level then they are 1st team material. Its not like every youth ever played ends up nil-nil unless the next bloody lionel messi is on the pitch. hartlepool under 18's are hardly real madrid or even preston for that matter.

having said that, it would be silly not to give the young ones a chance. I trust that sven will let him step up if he is good enough.

plus he looks cool.

[ajthefox]

it's worth a punt, our strikers' record so far is abysmal

[J.Lisemore]

Suprised O'Grady isn't playing at a higher level, he is a very good player on his day.

[Finnegan]

Do you want me to name all the expensive or speculative wkrs who have been signed or loaned from outside who haven't made it here either?

And while you're bemoaning all the flops why not mention those who have done well or at least respectably well.

Kee didn't get a chance here because of injuries in the main. Chambers was the same.

Dodds didn't get a chance here either because we preferred spent forces like Horsfield and Cadamarteri. Dodds may not be Ronaldo but he's scored plenty of goals from midfield at Port Vale and a hell of a lot more than those who kept him out at City have done.

Why not mention Gradel who seems to have scored a lot more regularly than any of the wingers we've used and for a team who have climbed far higher up the league than we have and on a lot less money. Or Kingy.

Even now look at the return from Waghorn at £2m plus and Vassell so far. I honestly reckon Chris O'Grady would have scored more for us than Waghorn but one cost nothing and got next to no chance and much of that out of position, while the other costs stacks, has had lots of chances and struggles.

TRANSLATION:

Chambers didn't make it, Kee didn't make it, Dodds didn't make it, O'Grady didn't make it, despite scoring for fun in the Academy.

CONCLUSION:

Academy football is not a good measure of a professional's ability.

SECONDARY CONCLUSION:

Professional, experienced football managers know more than Thracian.

[North-LondonFox]

He certainly looks an exciting prospect and Paulo included him in the pre-season squad despite only being 17 at the time. I would really like to see him loaned out to a top half league 2 side next season to see how he gets on - if our season becomes a mid table bore-fest towards the end it'd be good if he could have a few 20 minute cameos.

[The Doctor]

no.

We have no idea whether he'll be any good at this level. Get more reserve friendlies sorted out (like we've been doing for those trialists we've had recently) and find whether he can hack it at that level and slowly introduce him into the first team if we continue to struggle in front of goal after he's played some matches at a higher level and shown whether he is good enough.

[B52]

Sven has already seen him play in two reserve matches and score in one. If Schlupp is worth anything he can play at this level now. And now is the time. Next year the expectations is raised and it will be more difficult to play young and inexperienced players.

I am certain we will reach the playoffs regardless wich players we'll play so the edge will only be there for the playoffs. Before we can handle a few experiments.

[bettso]

I just want to be able to sing the, 'One Jeff Schlupp' chant.

[Nick]

TRANSLATION:

Chambers didn't make it, Kee didn't make it, Dodds didn't make it, O'Grady didn't make it, despite scoring for fun in the Academy.

CONCLUSION:

Academy football is not a good measure of a professional's ability.

SECONDARY CONCLUSION:

Professional, experienced football managers know more than Thracian.

[crazylegs1984]

can u guys seriously get over it!!!! honestly WTF im sure he will be a great player but im sure he will go first team when ready , if he ever is ready just because he is scoring for fun at under 18's dont mean anything !!!

I was sitting at home the other day sitting by my phone waiting for Capello to ring me because i scored 5 goals at Bradgate park and i thought surely that means i automatically get a england call up , even though i have no professional football experience

MY point its a totally different class that we are comparing the championship is a much harder league than the the under 18s !!

[Ric Flair]

can u guys seriously get over it!!!! honestly WTF im sure he will be a great player but im sure he will go first team when ready , if he ever is ready just because he is scoring for fun at under 18's dont mean anything !!!

I was sitting at home the other day sitting by my phone waiting for Capello to ring me because i scored 5 goals at Bradgate park and i thought surely that means i automatically get a england call up , even though i have no professional football experience

MY point its a totally different class that we are comparing the championship is a much harder league than the the under 18s !!

Alright Grobelaar legs, pipe down. People have every right to question whether Schlupp should be given a chance due to a severe lack of goals coming from our strikers this season and a very impressive return of goals from Schlupp in pre-season, in the academy and in the reserve friendly matches. It's a valid topic.

We haven't had a striker make it at Leicester through the academy since Heskey 15 years ago. Only Tommy Wright and Chris O'Grady have actually scored a league goal for us since then from our youth strikers, a very poor statistic. That's not to say Schlupp can't break the mould, but it'll be very difficult for him.

Sven has a good track record of giving youngsters a chance, he did so with England and Man City. I expect him to give our lads every chance if they are good enough.