Ryan Ledson

[bluestevon]

Ledson was on the bench for Everton's first team vs Southampton and Man City this season just gone, aged 16.



Well, Garbutt played for the Everton first team this season just gone, after being recalled from a successful loan spell, and Barkley has been great for us and is going to the World Cup with England.

Not really bothered about other team's youth players - ours seem to be doing very well indeed - the same age group of players are winning the national league title at their age group AND succeeding on the international stage.

The optimism is entirely justified.

If two make it through the the senior team even as squad players from every crop (a tall order but one we currently can hope we are on track for), then in 5-6 years time we will have a team full of home grown talent, brought up under the renewed school of science beliefs, compliment that with shrewd purchases of the right players to supplement and add to that and we can genuinely do great things here again

 

[FTY]

Not sure if this sort of thread are good for the lad's career thinking about it.

 

[bluestevon]

Not sure if this sort of thread are good for the lad's career thinking about it.

If he reads it mate the overriding line should be that he take on board is one of, hard work, listening to the coaches and the experienced players and learn learn learn every single day, do that and the sky is the limit, cut corners and theirs a hundred players for everyone who makes it who thought they had were talented enough to not have to put 100% effort every day into the profession

 

[Ozdec]

My understanding was that if Ledson had come on in that game then he would have been younger than Rooney on debut.

Remember that Rooney was a freak - he was physically a full adult pretty much at that time and was already better than most of the players on the pitch.

These lads in the 16-20 bracket are still very young and in many cases have to be able to deal physically with the game.

Let them be managed well by the guys in the academy and I think we can have more faith now that Martinez will see those he likes and involve them gradually .

Lundstram, Browning, Garbutt, Kenny, Ledson, Hope, McAleny and Long may all go on to have a premier league career (hopefully with Everton) - some will be solid, some may be brilliant - some may end up in the Championship or lower.

But things look pretty good - I would rather be hearing goods things about the kids in the academy (along with them winning youth trophies and having international reps) than not hearing a thing about them

 

[bluemangroup]

If he reads it mate the overriding line should be that he take on board is one of, hard work, listening to the coaches and the experienced players and learn learn learn every single day, do that and the sky is the limit, cut corners and theirs a hundred players for everyone who makes it who thought they had were talented enough to not have to put 100% effort every day into the profession

I think he should ignore this and find out how wonderful cocaine and prostitutes can be.

 

[FTY]

If he reads it mate the overriding line should be that he take on board is one of, hard work, listening to the coaches and the experienced players and learn learn learn every single day, do that and the sky is the limit, cut corners and theirs a hundred players for everyone who makes it who thought they had were talented enough to not have to put 100% effort every day into the profession

It's not what he reads, it's what everyone reads. Yes he is a very talented lad and I've been a big endorser of his, but things like this will lead o a hype train, and that could massively hinder him. How many players who are 19/20 over the years have struggled despite having loads of hype around them at that age? This lad's just a boy, he's younger than me ffs, and if too many Blues hear about him and hype him up, that will add loads of pressure to the lad, trust me he won't be able to deal with all that pressure.

 

[bluestevon]

I think he should ignore this and find out how wonderful cocaine and prostitutes can be.

The Michael Branch way to the top

 

[bluemangroup]

The Michael Branch way to the top

The Royston Drenthe School for the Footballing Delinquent

 

[bluestevon]

It's not what he reads, it's what everyone reads. Yes he is a very talented lad and I've been a big endorser of his, but things like this will lead o a hype train, and that could massively hinder him. How many players who are 19/20 over the years have struggled despite having loads of hype around them at that age? This lad's just a boy, he's younger than me ffs, and if too many Blues hear about him and hype him up, that will add loads of pressure to the lad, trust me he won't be able to deal with all that pressure.

Problem is mate, hype is hype and we could as a forum not even mention the lad and it will still grow, Martinez has experience working with young lads and to my knowledge has never had one going seriously off the rails whilst he was manager, have to put the faith that he will be able to help him handle it, and yup quell it down when it gets out of hand, as we see with Stones and Barkley, but right now Martinez actually has bigged him up recently, so really as were just all arm chair pundits and amateur psychologists etc on the forum (sometimes), we just have to trust he knows exactly what he's doing and the personality of the lad

In principle your bang on the money though, was easier before the days of the net for any young lad coming up by miles

 

[chicoazul]

Nothing like seeing one of your own in royal blue out there doing ace things for the cause. Better feeling that signing someone expensive and boss (although I'd like to know that feeling a lot more) when it's scouse lids crunching into tackles for the cause and doing aceness.

Sadly few of them make it all the way, but they've been excited in Finch Farm for a couple of years about the age group Ledson and Kenny are from. Here's hoping, would be ace timing with having the right manager and all sorts of boss EFC togger on the pitch.

We can but hope.

 

[Zatara]

Garbutt Stones kenny barkley ledson

Could have half a team of english young players.

 

[Superhans1878]

Imagine winning a European Championship and Prem double but not being old enough to go to town yet

 

[ToffeeTownMilto]

So what role do we think this lad will play next season?

On the bench? Or even pushing for a place in the starting XI?

 

[Raino85]

So what role do we think this lad will play next season?

On the bench? Or even pushing for a place in the starting XI?

He's 16! Let him develop in the u21s he's even still eligible for the u18s next year ffs. Stick with McCarthy, Barry, gibbo, Barkley, ossie, lundstrum, even grant first, then if we are short or can rest players give him a few minutes here and there. He still needs to grow and bulk up abit, especially for centre mid. You look at all the players that have come through apart from wingers maybe, shaw, Rooney, Micah Richards, Barkley, they were all big lads able to deal with the physicality of the prem

 

[Darth Toffeeman]

Ledson was on the bench for Everton's first team vs Southampton and Man City this season just gone, aged 16.



Well, Garbutt played for the Everton first team this season just gone, after being recalled from a successful loan spell, and Barkley has been great for us and is going to the World Cup with England.

Not really bothered about other team's youth players - ours seem to be doing very well indeed - the same age group of players are winning the national league title at their age group AND succeeding on the international stage.

The optimism is entirely justified.

I was going to say something similar. Not interested in how the others developed. If anything it stands us as a club, in good stead if our U17's go on to gain full international honours (Barkley and hopefully Garbutt), whilst the other lads at different clubs end up in the lower leagues.

Ledson and Kenny have looked superb for the U21 team this season. I think both have a more than realistic chance of becoming 1st team players here. Adding Stones from Barnsley only 18 months ago and then seeing him on the verge of a WC squad is meteoric. This will hopefully encourage other young prodigous talent to choose us over our competitors.