Indy 3,286 Posted July 3, 2019 Have to say how impressed I am with the entire club top to bottom. Refreshing change in recruitment focussing on quality youth products being coached into our first team. Some very good youngsters there and added to this window. This Under 23 team would thump 4 or 5 past that binners 11, so hope we get them in the caraboa cup! Would be a great laugh to see our stars of tomorrow stuff the binners. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BobLoz3 492 Posted July 3, 2019 I agree! But I am also hoping some of these signings find their way into the first team in the latter part of this season. Fitzpatrick seems to have played really well, albeit in Scotland, so would be keen to see what he could add. I don't know much about the Belgian dudes, but I'm hoping that they will be stars of the future! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grant Holts Moustache 105 Posted July 3, 2019 Gone Belgium youth International crazy this week. Will have to change our song at this rate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted July 3, 2019 wasn't Fonkeu Belgian ? some you win I suppose however that doesn't diminish from the success of others and for the relative peanuts these signings cost and it is certainly the right move by the club... if not the players as well this direction should see players stepping up to the first team on a regular basis rather than us having to fork out £8m or so for ready made PL players and as Indy has said, lets have our fingers crossed that we draw the binners in the Checkatrade trophy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JB 115 Posted July 3, 2019 9 minutes ago, Bill said: wasn't Fonkeu Belgian ? I've heard he still is. 1 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Christoph Stiepermann 1,131 Posted July 3, 2019 All it takes is one of these gambles to come off it it''l pay for itself several times over with the added plus of a higher standard throughout the under 23's to help push every player along in training. Good sensible management. The hope is most will breakthrough into the first team but in reality most will go the way of Fonkeu/McGrandles etc But like I said odds are one will come good and that's all we really need to justify this approach. One thing you can guarantee though now is they will at least be given a chance, any talented young player would likely favour us over other clubs because they're more likely to break through here. Under the old regime I doubt we'd be seeing so many young players from around Europe happily upping sticks to come to Norwich but with our current setup we're obviously seen as a very attractive bet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,783 Posted July 3, 2019 Let's not forget that even if these kids don't make it here, we could well turn a profit on them. We're bringing them in for a few hundred grand, and all it takes is to sell one for a couple of million and we've covered the cost of several. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Renskay 36 Posted July 3, 2019 is Adhame still a prospect? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AJ 1,218 Posted July 3, 2019 It’s good to see us bringing in some youth talents, we need strength in these areas to push the first team members whilst blooding the next generation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Feedthewolf 4,844 Posted July 3, 2019 (edited) Taking Buendia, Aarons, Godfrey, Cantwell and Lewis out of the equation, this is a potential U23 team for next season: Mair Nizet Odusina Bushiri Barkarsson Payne Gilmour Fitzpatrick Adshead Power Idah With Mourgos and Jaiyesimi out through injury, and also the likes of Hondermarck, Spyrou, Ahadme, Mehmeti, Thorvaldsson and Milovanovic, we should have a much stronger setup and be a lot more competitive at PL Academy level next season. Coley, Jones, Richards, Morris and Bloomfield are out on loan already, and presumably a few others will be relocated by Neil Adams before the season starts- it's good that we'll be able to pick and choose which players will benefit most from PL Academy football (like Aarons/Lewis), and which will benefit best from loan time at other clubs (Cantwell/Godfrey). Edited July 3, 2019 by Feedthewolf Mind your own business. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kick it off 1,948 Posted July 3, 2019 52 minutes ago, Feedthewolf said: Taking Buendia, Aarons, Godfrey, Cantwell and Lewis out of the equation, this is a potential U23 team for next season: Mair Nizet Odusina Bushiri Barkarsson Payne Gilmour Fitzpatrick Adshead Power Idah Idah is being given the chance with the first team squad over pre-season so he may not be available for U23s if he takes it. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Year of the tiger 54 Posted July 3, 2019 From the last few years when we struggled to field an u23 side, so far this season I count at least 25 players not counting any under 18s or players loaned out. Assume one or two more will be going out on loan or several players will be kicking their heels Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Indy 3,286 Posted July 3, 2019 20 minutes ago, Year of the tiger said: From the last few years when we struggled to field an u23 side, so far this season I count at least 25 players not counting any under 18s or players loaned out. Assume one or two more will be going out on loan or several players will be kicking their heels I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple more make the senior squad before this seasons through. Idah has to be given the chance as so many clubs sniffing around this lad, there’s something a little special here! Looking forward to the new season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,783 Posted July 3, 2019 1 hour ago, kick it off said: Idah is being given the chance with the first team squad over pre-season so he may not be available for U23s if he takes it. As much as we'd all love to see Idah make it in the first team squad as the 'third striker', he would still need to play Under-23 football to keep his match fitness up as he wouldn't get a huge amount of minutes in the first team. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kick it off 1,948 Posted July 3, 2019 6 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said: As much as we'd all love to see Idah make it in the first team squad as the 'third striker', he would still need to play Under-23 football to keep his match fitness up as he wouldn't get a huge amount of minutes in the first team. Pretty sure Srbeny played very little, if any u23s.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,783 Posted July 3, 2019 3 minutes ago, kick it off said: Pretty sure Srbeny played very little, if any u23s.... Srbeny wasn't an 18-year-old. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ward 3 371 Posted July 3, 2019 Think they're trying to mould some more players like Aarons, lewis and godfrey. Exciting time to be a yella Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,738 Posted July 3, 2019 Our names on the checkatrade/efl trophy this season !!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kick it off 1,948 Posted July 3, 2019 5 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said: Srbeny wasn't an 18-year-old. So if you're over 18 you don't need to play games to keep match fit? And what about when Todd wasn't in the team - was he playing U23 games? If Idah isn't in the first team squad, he'll be out on loan presumably. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,783 Posted July 3, 2019 17 minutes ago, kick it off said: So if you're over 18 you don't need to play games to keep match fit? And what about when Todd wasn't in the team - was he playing U23 games? If Idah isn't in the first team squad, he'll be out on loan presumably. Point taken. But at Idah's age, I think it would be a bit of a waste to have him twiddling his thumbs and not playing any football. Even if it's just the odd game, he'd need some match practice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Feedthewolf 4,844 Posted July 3, 2019 1 minute ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said: Point taken. But at Idah's age, I think it would be a bit of a waste to have him twiddling his thumbs and not playing any football. Even if it's just the odd game, he'd need some match practice. Said this in another thread, but the way we've invested in our academy gives us the opportunity to choose the most appropriate path for each player. Cantwell and Godfrey benefitted hugely from loan spells at other clubs, whereas Lewis and Aarons developed through our youth teams. Idah could go either way, I'm sure the club have already identified the most appropriate pathway to harness his huge talent. It's a bloody exciting time to be a City fan, isn't it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rich T The Biscuit 562 Posted July 3, 2019 7 hours ago, Renskay said: is Adhame still a prospect? From what I saw on YouTube clips this lad looks a talent so would be interested to see him play live, not a lot gets said about him though?! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,513 Posted July 3, 2019 Unless I missed it Idah's contract situation still needs sorting. This is the final year and he can start talking to potential suitors in January. I keep watching for news... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Feedthewolf 4,844 Posted July 3, 2019 18 minutes ago, nutty nigel said: Unless I missed it Idah's contract situation still needs sorting. This is the final year and he can start talking to potential suitors in January. I keep watching for news... If bigger clubs were sniffing around him now, and we wanted to cash in this summer, how would it work? Could we negotiate whatever fee we like while he's under contract, or is he still on a youth contract? And if he leaves at the end of his contract, would we still get a tribunal fee even though we've only had him for two years and he was previously outside the UK? My fear is that his head may have been turned by a big club (think Man U were rumoured to be interested?) and we're resigned to losing him. If that were the case, United would probably just wait until January to sign him up and let the tribunal do its work I guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Renskay 36 Posted July 5, 2019 On 03/07/2019 at 22:07, Rich T The Biscuit said: From what I saw on YouTube clips this lad looks a talent so would be interested to see him play live, not a lot gets said about him though?! He really did look great from some of the youtube highlights. Great hold up man striker with good technical skill. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Feedthewolf 4,844 Posted July 6, 2019 On 03/07/2019 at 23:02, Feedthewolf said: If bigger clubs were sniffing around him now, and we wanted to cash in this summer, how would it work? Could we negotiate whatever fee we like while he's under contract, or is he still on a youth contract? And if he leaves at the end of his contract, would we still get a tribunal fee even though we've only had him for two years and he was previously outside the UK? My fear is that his head may have been turned by a big club (think Man U were rumoured to be interested?) and we're resigned to losing him. If that were the case, United would probably just wait until January to sign him up and let the tribunal do its work I guess. Glad nobody bothered replying to this... now in the first-team squad and signed until 2023! If he gets game time in the Prem and bangs in a few goals, he could be worth £20m+ in no time at all. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites