Adam Idah - Manchester United monitor the 'New Zlatan Ibrahimovic'

[GJP 79]

Yeah but you can often tell when someone has got "it" and when they haven''t.

For example, in my opinion, Ryan Jarvis always just looked like someone who was good for his age group but there was never anything about him that really caught the eye. Then when Chris Martin came along you could see something different - this lad can play.

[king canary 7,580]

I kind of agree. I remember not getting the hype some people were giving Loza when he had his brief spell in the first team- he looked like he lacked any real quality. I''ve also had similar concerns with Morris who looked very good in the youth teams but that was partly down to the physical attributes he had that didn''t last to the first team.

However there are also players I believe had something but weren''t helped by coaching. With Jarvis you could see he really didn''t look comfortable out wide and it was a bit of a blind spot for Worthy- he didn''t seem to see wingers as specialist players and kept shunting strikers out there with varying degrees of success. I do wonder how much better Henderson or Jarvis could have been if they''d been left in their natural positions.

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

The real high flyers thus far, Madisson and Louis Thompson, imo, have been from clubs further down the chain.

How''s Ebou Adams doing?

Let''s hope Jamal Lewis and Remi Matthews* lead a ''charge'' from our own academy.

Has anybody kept note of our list of prospects currently loaned out?

It is getting difficult to keep track for a simpleton (and keen cricketer) like myself.

* I am not totally in favour of Gunn coming back simply because he must be very expensive. City don''t dish out favours.

Perhaps one more season if Remi is not quite ready.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

I don''t think players who have come through our academy to have a career in professional football get enough credit. Especially the local lads. You won''t find many Norfolk boys in the game today who have done better than Hendo. He''s a success not a failure.

[GJP 79]

Absolutely.

[king canary 7,580]

@Nutty

Agree, his career has been a success. He never quite made the breakthrough here but he went away and carved out a very solid career in the lower leagues. There is a solid group of players who''ve come through our academy and have shown themselves capable at Championship/League One level (Korey Smith, Adeyemi, Shackell, McGeehan, Chris Martin), it is just a shame that circumstances meant they didn''t achieve it all here.

[norfolkngood 1,086]

i think all we have to worry about is that he signs his first professional contract here

then we can find out how good he is

i would hate it if he signed for man utd we got 1 million compensation and he turned out to be as Very good player and 1st team player there in the future

[AJ 1,218]

[quote user="king canary"]@Nutty

Agree, his career has been a success. He never quite made the breakthrough here but he went away and carved out a very solid career in the lower leagues. There is a solid group of players who''ve come through our academy and have shown themselves capable at Championship/League One level (Korey Smith, Adeyemi, Shackell, McGeehan, Chris Martin), it is just a shame that circumstances meant they didn''t achieve it all here.[/quote]

From the modern lot you can add Jamal Lewis, (Gunn?) and Rudd to that list, with Matthews looking pretty decent on loan at the moment too. Jed Steer at Villa of course. Jacob Murphy as well in the Prem at Newcastle. Ebou Adams in talks to sign for Leyton Orient. Quite a lot of talent coming through now with Cantwell impressing out on loan too.

A bit further back, you have Green, Darel Russell, Joe Lewis, Cureton, Hayes etc. which were probably more sparingly found than the academy we have now.

We seem to be good at pumping out decent ''keepers anyway!

[king canary 7,580]

@AJ

Yes, the production line between the sticks has been quite something in recent years.

[Woodman 92]

@Broadstairs

Unless I''ve missed any, the list of players out on loan is:

Naismith - Hearts

Martin - Rangers

Franke - Dynamo Dresden

Jones - Exeter

Matthews - Plymouth

Wildschut - Cardiff

Godfrey - Shrewsbury

Philips - Cambridge

Cantwell - Fortuna Sittard

Morris - Shrewsbury

Hallett - Mildenhall

Efete - Torquay

Ramsay - Woking

Adams - Orient

Jaiyesimi - Grimsby

That lot are keeping Neil Adams busy!

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

Thanks for that Mr. W. Enormously useful.

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

"That lot are keeping Neil Adams busy!"

Yes, some scoffed at this role as ''jobs for the boys'' so to speak.

It is a necessary job and Adams is the best man for it.