Youngsters

[Bessie Red]

Will Flint looked really good tonight against a seasoned pro & difficult opponent in Andy Cook.
Sam Straughn Brown was not in the game at all, made no tackles & hus passing was very poor.
 Hodgett was a surprise & looked lively  & got involved in some good moves but yet another short midfielder.

[Lesonthewest]

Will Flint doesn't look out of place at all, improving all the time.

[GazLaz]

Flint can play. He will have a decent career I’m sure of that.

[Spud]

Flint was decent, Sam disappointing tonight, he's been much better when he's played before.

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Tough for SSB tonight. We got overran completely in middle of the park. Hopefully one he can watch back and learn from it.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Flint was decent, Sam disappointing tonight, he's been much better when he's played before.

Yep I thought the same. Young lad at the end (born 2009, for context that's when we signed Billy Sharp) looked lively and quick paced with the ball too, impressed me.

[TheFunk]

I remember Flint and Faulkner starting in this competition against Mansfield a couple of years ago. I'm pretty sure it was a back three and Flint looked twice the player of Faulkner.

[5minstogo]

We should be set in CB positions for years to come with Flint, Faulkner, McGrath and Grehan all similar ages. Add in one with experience every couple of years and we're good.

[Usher wide.]

We should be set in CB positions for years to come with Flint, Faulkner, McGrath and Grehan all similar ages. Add in one with experience every couple of years and we're good.

You can add 18 year old Kasper Williams into that group too.

Currently a regular starter at Bridlington Town where he’s highly thought of.

[GazLaz]

Flint was decent, Sam disappointing tonight, he's been much better when he's played before.

Yep I thought the same. Young lad at the end (born 2009, for context that's when we signed Billy Sharp) looked lively and quick paced with the ball too, impressed me.

He played well against Everton U21s. Certainly got a bit about him. He's tiny though which certainly wont help him.

[nightporter]

I thought we'd brought a mascot on. He is 16 so could shoot up,  Messi is only 5 foot 7.

[Usher wide.]

Flint was decent, Sam disappointing tonight, he's been much better when he's played before.

Yep I thought the same. Young lad at the end (born 2009, for context that's when we signed Billy Sharp) looked lively and quick paced with the ball too, impressed me.

Might not ‘help’ him but it didn’t stop Luca Modric, Juninho, Paul Scholes as midfielders making good careers for themselves.

He played well against Everton U21s. Certainly got a bit about him. He's tiny though which certainly wont help him.

[GazLaz]

Flint was decent, Sam disappointing tonight, he's been much better when he's played before.

Yep I thought the same. Young lad at the end (born 2009, for context that's when we signed Billy Sharp) looked lively and quick paced with the ball too, impressed me.

Might not ‘help’ him but it didn’t stop Luca Modric, Juninho, Paul Scholes as midfielders making good careers for themselves.

He played well against Everton U21s. Certainly got a bit about him. He's tiny though which certainly wont help him.

Might not ‘help’ him but it didn’t stop Luca Modric, Juninho, Paul Scholes as midfielders making good careers for themselves.

No it didnt. Luca Modric he is not.

[Reg of the Rovers]

More generally, I'd like to see more of a commitment to our own young players. Loans are useful, but there are very few examples of where bringing raw youth in to the team has really worked (Craig - who was 20, and Ramsey probably being the main exceptions). There's lots of examples of where young players come in and don't have an impact - Ajayi, Yeboah etc.

I'd prefer a policy of quality over quantity in loans - Haks, Street, TLT etc, and commit to developing our own young players. Faulkner, Flint and Hurst could all compete in this squad, and Brown, Hodgett, Williams, Glaves, Murray, Musgrave-Dore etc would benefit from being around the squad and getting opportunities in the Vertu trophy. And these are all assets for the future - either as players for us, or a few quid in the bank. We've given Ajayi a season of experience and we'll get nothing back from that, short or long term.

[nightporter]

Just watched full replay on Rovers site,  when Hodgett came on he was taller than Gotts. 

[Alan Southstand]

That is one thing we have to look at - size/physicality - we are easily bullied at times.

[GazLaz]

More generally, I'd like to see more of a commitment to our own young players. Loans are useful, but there are very few examples of where bringing raw youth in to the team has really worked (Craig - who was 20, and Ramsey probably being the main exceptions). There's lots of examples of where young players come in and don't have an impact - Ajayi, Yeboah etc.

I'd prefer a policy of quality over quantity in loans - Haks, Street, TLT etc, and commit to developing our own young players. Faulkner, Flint and Hurst could all compete in this squad, and Brown, Hodgett, Williams, Glaves, Murray, Musgrave-Dore etc would benefit from being around the squad and getting opportunities in the Vertu trophy. And these are all assets for the future - either as players for us, or a few quid in the bank. We've given Ajayi a season of experience and we'll get nothing back from that, short or long term.

The strike rate with young first time loans is poor, that probably goes for most clubs.

In regard to home grown platers getting more of a chance, for this to happen it would have to become written into the clubs policies and mandated. Managers will always rather sign tried and tested, than play young players and have a bit of potential short term sacrifice, for longer term gain.

[selby]

  I am going to jump to Sam Brown's defence a bit here in last nights game.
  He was no worse than anyone else in that first half in midfield, Close was invisible and has always lacked when not on the ball.
  Sam was the only one who covered ground and tried to put himself about but was completely over run, but at least put himself in front of the back line  when others never showed any energy at all.
 

[GazLaz]

  I am going to jump to Sam Brown's defence a bit here in last nights game.
  He was no worse than anyone else in that first half in midfield, Close was invisible and has always lacked when not on the ball.
  Sam was the only one who covered ground and tried to put himself about but was completely over run, but at least put himself in front of the back line  when others never showed any energy at all.
 

He was tactically all over the place, no lack of effort but he was never in the right position in possession. Miles off it. I'd be pretty surprised if he has a career.

[Ho]

I thought we'd brought a mascot on. He is 16 so could shoot up,  Messi is only 5 foot 7.

It's fairly straightforward to work out where he is on his growth spurt and predict what his final height will be (within a 5% tolerance).  I've done it for both my kids and my daughter is very close to her prediction from a few years ago.  A mate of mine is a Professor specialising in growth and maturation of athletes, so it's become an area of interest to me.

It'd be interesting to know if our academy use any of that science as it can also help things like injury prevention.

[NickDRFC]

I thought we'd brought a mascot on. He is 16 so could shoot up,  Messi is only 5 foot 7.

It's fairly straightforward to work out where he is on his growth spurt and predict what his final height will be (within a 5% tolerance).  I've done it for both my kids and my daughter is very close to her prediction from a few years ago.  A mate of mine is a Professor specialising in growth and maturation of athletes, so it's become an area of interest to me.

It'd be interesting to know if our academy use any of that science as it can also help things like injury prevention.

If you were predicting 180cm/5"11 then your 5% tolerance runs from 171cm - 189cm which is 7 inches so quite a broad range!

[Ho]

I thought we'd brought a mascot on. He is 16 so could shoot up,  Messi is only 5 foot 7.

It's fairly straightforward to work out where he is on his growth spurt and predict what his final height will be (within a 5% tolerance).  I've done it for both my kids and my daughter is very close to her prediction from a few years ago.  A mate of mine is a Professor specialising in growth and maturation of athletes, so it's become an area of interest to me.

It'd be interesting to know if our academy use any of that science as it can also help things like injury prevention.

If you were predicting 180cm/5"11 then your 5% tolerance runs from 171cm - 189cm which is 7 inches so quite a broad range!

I might have that tolerance point wrong - he may have meant 95% of cases are correct, rather that the measurement has a tolerance - will check it with him.  What he did say is factors can influence the prediction, one major one is nutrition.

[GazLaz]

I thought we'd brought a mascot on. He is 16 so could shoot up,  Messi is only 5 foot 7.

It's fairly straightforward to work out where he is on his growth spurt and predict what his final height will be (within a 5% tolerance).  I've done it for both my kids and my daughter is very close to her prediction from a few years ago.  A mate of mine is a Professor specialising in growth and maturation of athletes, so it's become an area of interest to me.

It'd be interesting to know if our academy use any of that science as it can also help things like injury prevention.

I didn't realise he was as young as that. Athleticism is a huge part of being a high level footballer these days. The majority of people couldn't get to the fitness level of an average, modern day Prem footballer, however much they trained. The bar is that high. Certainly possible to predict at 16yo whether a lad will be able to reach the level of athleticism needed to play at that level.

[Usher wide.]

Flint was decent, Sam disappointing tonight, he's been much better when he's played before.

Yep I thought the same. Young lad at the end (born 2009, for context that's when we signed Billy Sharp) looked lively and quick paced with the ball too, impressed me.

Might not ‘help’ him but it didn’t stop Luca Modric, Juninho, Paul Scholes as midfielders making good careers for themselves.

He played well against Everton U21s. Certainly got a bit about him. He's tiny though which certainly wont help him.

Might not ‘help’ him but it didn’t stop Luca Modric, Juninho, Paul Scholes as midfielders making good careers for themselves.

No it didnt. Luca Modric he is not.

Did you see Modric play when he was 16 years old?

[selby]

  I didn't say Sam had a good game Gaz, I have watched him for four years and have pointed out to him he chases the ball and gets out of position years ago, as has john Buckley on the same subject.
 In both Sam and Will Flint's cases they were not playing in their best position good game as Will had last night.
  Sam is better suited to the No10 position where his ball skills have more effect and he has more freedom and his athleticism is not wasted, and Will is even better as a central defensive midfielder and prefers that position where he can dictate the play, and where he played all last season for Darlington and won a player of the season award.

[jmt23]

Flints quality with the ball was very obvious last night, he passes the ball with out thought and with purpose - something our other centre backs can’t do.
I didn’t know he was a midfield player, but that would explain his ease with the ball.

[Barmby Rover]

 "Hodgett was a surprise & looked lively  & got involved in some good moves but yet another short midfielder." It never seemed to be a handicap for Copps, he just learned to out jump taller players.

[drfchound]

"Hodgett was a surprise & looked lively  & got involved in some good moves but yet another short midfielder." It never seemed to be a handicap for Copps, he just learned to out jump taller players.

Ethan is very well thought of by the club and is probably destined for a good career in the game.
His grandad is an old friend of mine who I played with a long time back and I have had updates on his progress over the years.