apprentice

I agree David Williams is doing a great job with the youngsters, but from what I hear from people in "the know" Steve Foley is a real good coach and his own man an asset to have around the ground.  David Williams I am told would be a bit of a "yes" man if he replaced Foley thereby agreeing with NW and not bringing his own input.  I couldn''t see him taking a new position at the moment as he is enjoying his time with the Wales U21''s and I don''t see him be able to continue with that should he move to first team duties. Well done to David and all his staff, it is nice the see the youth team getting great results week in week out (something to cheer the NCFC fans).

Dario Grady would be stupid to leave Crewe he almost has a job for life there he is a legend everybody worships him. Why give that up for grief like Worthy gets.  

What does Worthy do next Tuesday? in my opion at the moment we cant afford to progress in the cup when we languish near the bottom of the league.  Surely this would be a good opportunity to play some youngsters (especially as there is no reserve match) ie Spillane, Cave-Brown, Gusterson, Rossi Jarvis, Martin etc. alongisde some pros and see how they get on.  Hopefully they would have enough about them to progress to the next round one thing is for sure they would do no worse than some of the pros at the moment.  It would also be the best way of finding out if the youth are the way forward as it would be a good insight into how they would cope against league opposition.    

Agree with a lot of what you are saying but must say that I think we will find it more difficult to attract decent players as they would be less willing to join a team "out in the wilderness" as some people seem to think Norfolk is and a team that finishes mid table (hopefully). Watford have not attracted big names but seem to gel and some of the players Adie Boothroyd has brought in have proved well worth it.  Marlon King for example seems to be flourishing under him.  Malky has a new lease of life.  Whilst they may never be table toppers they look as though they will be top 8 which for a team in relegation form last year is great.  Maybe it is a new manager we need to "spice" things up and get rid of some favourites and stamp his own authority on the club.

Sorry Mate think you are sadly mistaken, the academy i believe is funded largely by the FA that is why there are only so many clubs that were granted Academy status when it began. FONCY do a fantastic job fundraising for the academy funding trips, hotels etc. If only one player ie Shacks were to come through the system it would be well worth it anyway.  I do agree Worthy seems reluctant to use academy boys, but I do believe that the jump to first team is vast and unfortunately some boys are not fully developed by the time their scholarship ends (which is 18 now by the way) but i dont think anything would be achieved by scrapping the academy .... WORTHY on the other hand is a toatally different kettle of fish.

[quote]I think it''s quite clearly a case of the youngsters not being good enough. Of the young players we have let go, only Zamora has done anything. Crow will be no exception, he may have scored goals but...[/quote] I believe this is the case, and as has been mentioned on this site several times before the acadamy team which plays on a Saturday appears to be almost the same as the reserve team which plays Monday (at home) Tue or Wed surely this is too much too soon!

[quote]I think it''s quite clearly a case of the youngsters not being good enough. Of the young players we have let go, only Zamora has done anything. Crow will be no exception, he may have scored goals but...[/quote] I believe this is the case, and as has been mentioned on this site several times before the acadamy team which plays on a Saturday appears to be almost the same as the reserve team which plays Monday (at home) Tue or Wed surely this is too much too soon!

Thought the academy lads done themselves and the team proud at last nights reserve match. Thought Adam Gusterson at right back was superb, along with Robert Eagle on the wing.  Michael Spillane looked solid at centre half along with Alvyn Quale.  Chris Martin looked lively up front when he came on. The two lads that have been involved pre season with the first team Rossi Jarvis and Andy Fisk looked very ordinary, and on that performance would not have been the two you would have expected progress. I don''t think it is all doom and gloom at the academy.      

Michael Spillane is imo a great prospect (tall, quick, agile), but to talk about putting him in the first team is daft.  I watch a lot of academy and reserve football and believe me the difference at first team level is vast.  I''m all for playing youngsters, but i''m not sure bout a 16 year old defender - Look how Shacks established himself in the reserves before breaking into the first team. I think it would be a mistake to play Rossi Jarvis also as he looks a little weak at the moment, he is also very slow - although if I was going to start a youngster anywhere it would probably be in midfield. Unfortunatley it doesn''t look as though the academy has any of the older boys breaking through so imo I dont see this as an answer to our problems, although I agree things need to be refreshed and quickly.    

He has obviously lost the plot. Sounds like a manager who hasn''t got a clue what to do. Safri is the only real creative central midfielder we have got, think Hughes can do a job (bit of a Holty) but Jarrett so far as i have seen wouldn''t even get a start in the reserves if selection was based on ability.

Firstly I don''t think it was a heart attack Steve Foley had I believe it was an absess on the lung (ouch)!!! so whilst he has obvioulsy been missed pre season I dont think it is something that will hamper him in the future. Secondly Dave Williams is obviously a good coach, but quite how good whilst he was involved with Manchester United before joining Norwich he had been out of the game for some time.  Maybe the youth team and Wales U-21s is the perfect opportunity for him to kick start his career ready to move on to first team duties at a later date.  

My prediction ............. Better than August (can''t be worse)#  

You are right that the Reserve Team should be remaned the Academy Team but I notice they appear to be one of the same the youngsters at Norwich appear to play an awful lot of football.  

Hucks Off, was it red or two yellows If 3 match ban, please sign someone tomorrow.  

I dont think any of the youngsters that went on tour with the first team pre season are on professional contracts. I believe you have to have a professional contract not just a scholarship to go out on load.  Rumour has it that was the reason Danny Crowe was given a pro contract so he could go on loan and hopefully get a contract elsewhere.  Maybe Norwich had no intention of keeping him but were trying to help him!!! PS The Youth Team seem to have started there season well 2 wins out of 2 in the league (scoring 4 goals and conceding 0) plus a very good pre-season, maybe things are looking up on that side anyway.  

Dont forget Bents and Worthy did have their little "spat" last year and who knows maybe Worthy does bear a grudge.  He certainly seems a very proud man who wouldn''t go back on his word and does not like anybody who may "rock the boat" It will be interesting surely if the money is right, he knows the Norwich team etc. we should go for it, must stand as good a chance of getting him as Palace. 2 days left!!!!! time is running out. please please sign a cretive midfielder soon.

Its no use saying "WHO IS AVAILABLE" should Worthy go, Watford took a gamble on an unknown (Norwich certainly know all about) ADIE BOOTHROOYD!!!!! now that is good management he even has Malky playing 50 yard inch perfect balls!!!!!! Sometimes you have to look a little further than the obvious candidates.  

We cant afford to give him too much longer, Who would have thought at the start of the season that our problem would be scoring goals!!!! Simply not good enough, having seen a few teams live now, we will be very lucky to finish in the play-off positions.  I know people say other teams have been in the same position and gone up, but the fizzy league looks to be the toughest it has been for a few years. Get it sorted Worthy, deadline day rapidly approaching.

It does appear that the academy has lost its way over the last couple of years - since Adie Boothroyd left, as he was not replaced for virtually a season and that is a long time from a youngsters development.  His replacement who joined at the start of last season is David Williams who I believe is a good coach (involved with the Wales Youth Team) although It takes time to settle.  Nevertheless looking at what Adie Boothroyd is doing now at Watford it makes you wonder if Norwich realised what a fine coach they had at the time? and if it is any wonder that the academy appears to have lost its way a little.    

Did anybody else go to the game against Southampton? I must say I was disappointed in Jason Jarrett who I thought look very very ordinary considering alot of the Southampton team appeared to be youngsters. I also thought young Rossi Jarvis was very lucky to stay on the pitch after his horrendous tackle in the first half. On a positive note the youngster Michael Spillane looked good at back as i believe he is only sixteen.  Also nice to see the three youngsters involved in the car accident earlier this year on the pitch together having all made good recoveries.

ROSSI JARVIS has played in defence (central and right back) but appears to be moving to midfield now.  Got potential but lacks pace only 17 and really not ready for championship yet. imo ANDREW FISK central midfield not good enough for first team yet - missed a lot of last year so will be interesting to see how he has come on. imo MATTHEW HALLIDAY central defender very tall and rangy but again very slow also needs to fill out a bit. Did very well and had some shockers for reserves last year - inconsistant. imo ANDREW CAVE BROWN probably the pick of the bunch saw him play many games at right back last year for reserves pacy, and looks an inteligent player. imo  

Regarding last nights "match" I too went to the game with some relatives from the Colchester Area.  I agree with the comments about young Andrew Fisk seemed a little lost. Rossi Jarvis was very comfortable on the ball, and was quite assured, but I think he looked slow (more so than his borther) and I dont think he would be ready for the championship for a while. I was dissappointed that Andrew Cave Brown did not play as he is a youngster who has impressed me on the few occasions I have seen him play always consistant.