My fear going forward - what about the youth?

[Ashtonian]

They are always massively over rated by fans same as the first team players are.

They are always brilliant, one for the future, going to make it big etc then next thing they are in league two and attention has moved onto the next young player coming through.

The issue here is that most of the academy is a selected pool of local lads and even more selective as to ones not moved to kopiteland or elsewhere. The chances of getting a first team player are quite slim at the best of times.

More so the fact that the youngster at 19/20 has to be at the same level as a experienced player in the team as to not cause and issue to the performances and potentially cause more harm than good. Never going to turn out gems every year, literally have to be signing them like chelsea/city in order to find one a year anywhere near good enough for the top level never mind their own team.

Ledson was the next big thing, so was lundstrum, so was baxter, so was green, so was hughes and so on. Now it is Dowell, Davies turn, what if, premier league level just isn't their level without them playing regularly and learning the game?

 

[Kiwi]

I think theres some merit to say that there could be an argument that some of the youth may be ignored.
I'd personally like to see Davies get given more of a go, and perhaps Holgate too in place of Jagielka who's definitely lost a little spring and pace.

That being said, Koeman has those above mentioned players and others such as Calvert-Lewin training with the first team.
So they aren't being ignored. They are being given the opportunity in training to take their chance and prove their merits to Koeman.
Koeman has played Holgate and Davies, with Calvert Lewin also making the bench. You can't say he has completely ignored the youth.

In addition you have to look at the positions these players fill.
Holgate and Kenny both play right back, and I can't say many would give either a go over Coleman who at this stage is the better player than both.
There's an argument for Holgate to play at centre back, but at the same time when he played there in the cup as part of a back two he had a mixed performance.

Dowell is in a position where others haven't impressed, yet at the same time he too hasn't been setting the U23 league alight either.

I think he has given youth players some chances, so it's an unfair criticism at this point. Others may disagree.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[BurnhamBlue]

Davies, Holgate, Walsh and Calvert-Lewin are our best out of the U23's. Whether they get a chance, we'll have to wait and see.

 

[TippEverton]

If they can't get minutes whilst this current crop of first team players are serving up utter dross on a regular basis, sadly they never will.

 

[mightymoyes]

the fact he'd never heard of that 19 yr old playing for southampton tells you all you need to know about koemans thoughts on playing youth.

 

[degsy]

not whole sale; 1 or 2 / some...and 1 or 2 on the bench...The crowd and the occasion will/could carry them for one game...big gamble for Koeman is he up for it?? and if it happens and it works will he keep on.
and more to the point, if it fails results-wise, but shows promise - what then

as ever with Everton - more questions than answers

 

[degsy]

the fact he'd never heard of that 19 yr old playing for southampton tells you all you need to know about koemans thoughts on playing youth.

yeah I mean he's been gone Sooooooo long...probably wasn't there when he was

 

[mightymoyes]

yeah I mean he's been gone Sooooooo long...probably wasn't there when he was

hes been there most of his life!

 

[mightymoyes]

Josh didn't impress me one bit, if he was 15 then yes I suppose so. Proved he doesn't know how to head the ball(something you can't learn),
didn't show any shooting ability of any significance, and made wrong decisions when attacking. But, he carries his 'mums shopping bags'.
Soton put him on show in the hope of selling another 'One of their own'. Looks like a baby Dan Gosling to me, sorry that is going a bit far!
How about 'Bulling up' a couple of our youngsters, instead of 1/2 a page for other teams?

is this a joke post. he was better than any of our 14 by a mile.
as for your comment about heading the ball, one word, barkley.

 

[McMagic]

is this a joke post. he was better than any of our 14 by a mile.
as for your comment about heading the ball, one word, barkley.

I am sorry, what I should have said was 'He's not the next Messi, but could be the next Gosling'.
I did not think he was better than every Everton player, but that is a matter of opinion.
Don't blame Ross cos Josh can't head the ball.

 

[mightymoyes]

I am sorry, what I should have said was 'He's not the next Messi, but could be the next Gosling'.
I did not think he was better than every Everton player, but that is a matter of opinion.
Don't blame Ross cos Josh can't head the ball.

which everton player played better than him?

 

[RL_Fan_EFC_Blue]

Giving Youth a chance is always a risk and managers are always under pressure to gain 3 points, but sometimes, they have to take the risk.

Marcus Rashford, this time last year, was playing in Manchester United's u18s and was a bit part player for their u21s - mainly from the bench.

Due to injuries, he got his chance in the Europa Game back in February and the rest is history. When a youth player gets the chance to step up and playing with experienced players, you never know what they can achieve.

U23's does not prepare youth players for the First Team. They need First Team exposure to develop and the loan system can help develop them, but ultimately the manager has to take a risk or gamble.

Southampton did that with Josh Sims, he had a great game and no one knows how he is going to development, but the experience will improve him as a player and a good manager will turn him into a quality first team player.

Young players need opportunity and time.

 

[ultra]

Wicks, Sims and now Woodburn. Loads of teams successfully giving the youngsters a taste of top-level football, except EFC (top of the U23 league with several promising young players). Maddening

 

[MercuryBlue88]

I could understand the lack of youth players game time if we were flying high with key players performing. But, were not. We need fresh energy and enthusiasm from everyone one involved and the best way may be through using the kids. Everyone loves to see a home grown lad make his goodison debut, could raise the fans, and push other players.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

If they can't get minutes whilst this current crop of first team players are serving up utter dross on a regular basis, sadly they never will.

I'm not sure how you've come to that conclusion

The reason they aren't playing is because the manager doesn't want to play them

You're only assuming that this means they aren't good enough

He could just not like the idea of playing kids, and their level of talent doesn't come into it