End for Unsworth?

[degsy]

the difference is the style of play. Their setup mimics the first team, so they no their roles and positions as soon as called upon. I’d imagine it runs right through to the youth setup

winning crap in the u23 is pointless if you can’t step up, it’s why eyes have been cast at fat boy by Brands. He’s winning stuff without preparing the kids for the 1st team

It might help if we had an actual style for them to mimic

nb; playing shight is not a style worth mimicing

 

[Nobby Nobbs]

Top teams use their academy as a testing ground for how kids will need to play in the first team.

Though this is undoubtedly true make no mistake all academies want to win trophies regardless of age, I had the opportunity to attend City's academy for the last 4 yrs and I can tell you they pick the team to win first in every tournament they enter. Don't be fooled into thinking that all they think about is developing all their players for 1st team football.

 

[monty]

Though this is undoubtedly true make no mistake all academies want to win trophies regardless of age, I had the opportunity to attend City's academy for the last 4 yrs and I can tell you they pick the team to win first in every tournament they enter. Don't be fooled into thinking that all they think about is developing all their players for 1st team football.

Let us not forget that they paid a mysterious £1,000,000 to Citeh as compensation for alleged computer hacking of Citehs computers used to store junior players' details. A confidentiality clause in the payment documentation helps keep the exact details hushed up but how many of that team yesterday went to Liverpool via such nefarious methods, who said cheats never prosper.

 

[bol-uk]

Here's the thing, winning league titles at that level means nothing. Absolutely nothing. We know this because, how many of our kids have progressed into the 1st team over the last 10 years? Or even gone on to become decent Premier League 1st teamers elsewhere?

Liverpool, City (and other clubs, I might add) have made the decision to go with a strategy of consistency from top to bottom. They want their kids playing the same style as their 1st team, no matter the consequences.

It's not 'just' Klopp or 'just' Pep. That's far too simple an answer. One man alone does not have that level of impact. It's a strategic club decision from top to bottom and it takes bravery to play attractive Football with inferior players, to play out from the back, to keep it on the deck, to resist the urge to hoof it, because you know that you'll get caught out a lot - sometimes you'll look silly. But it's all with the end goal in mind, the bigger picture - to get these lads ready for the 1st team.

When these lads step up to the 1st team for Liverpool and City, it's like a duck to water for the most part. Look at the kids Liverpool played vs Villa in the cup. They got slaughtered 5-0, mostly because of silly mistakes that you'd associate with inexperience and youth, but they had a huge amount of possession, they pressed high. Even when the game was gone, they continued to play the ball out from the back and stick to their principles.

Liverpool and City are trying to ingrain a certain way of playing in their club, and getting it to run throughout the club's various academies. It's the same with Barcelona, Barca B and La Masia, they're training these kids to fit their system. No manager is going to Barcelona now and changing that system. It will be the same with City and Liverpool. When Klopp leaves, when Pep leaves, I bet you a pound to a penny that the clubs will seek to hire similar replacements in terms of style - or perhaps even from within the club. Arteta was obviously being groomed for that role at City before leaving for Arsenal and apparently Liverpool's assistant manager is similarly highly thought of.

Whether Unsworth goes or not, it's important the club recognise the need for consistency throughout the youth teams as well, instead of finding good players and farming them out on loan, where they ultimately get lost in the system.

I think you are missing what I am saying though. Those kids blew away our first team yesterday implying that they come from a fantastic set up yet their U23 team is not better than ours. So what does Klopp say or do that makes them play out of their skin for 90 minutes then revert back to just Ok players when in the U23 league.

 

[bol-uk]

One word: PEDS

I am starting to think so

 

[Deleted member 38674]

I think you are missing what I am saying though. Those kids blew away our first team yesterday implying that they come from a fantastic set up yet their U23 team is not better than ours. So what does Klopp say or do that makes them play out of their skin for 90 minutes then revert back to just Ok players when in the U23 league.

Klopp doesn't say or do anything. He doesn't need to. They are ready. That's my point. They are prepared for the style of Football they are about to play. To suggest that this is down to the words or actions of just one man is foolish.

These players don't revert to being 'just OK' players when in the u23 league. I don't know if you've seen any of it but the quality of the u23 league is not always great.

The goals often come from direct play, long balls and individual errors. Logic dictates, that the teams that do well in that league mostly play a direct style of Football, rather than tiki-taka or counter-pressing styles.

What I'm saying is that the academies at Liverpool and City insist on playing a style of Football that isn't conducive to successful Football in the u23 league, but is very successful at producing players ready for the first team .

Their u23 team is much better than ours at producing Footballers ready for the 1st team. Which is ultimately what that team is about.

 

[ADT]

Where are our youngsters that have won the title 2 out of 3 times? They're not good enough if they get to a certain age and are still in that team when they should be on loan or in the first team.

 

[bol-uk]

Klopp doesn't say or do anything. He doesn't need to. They are ready. That's my point. They are prepared for the style of Football they are about to play. To suggest that this is down to the words or actions of just one man is foolish.

These players don't revert to being 'just OK' players when in the u23 league. I don't know if you've seen any of it but the quality of the u23 league is not always great.

The goals often come from direct play, long balls and individual errors. Logic dictates, that the teams that do well in that league mostly play a direct style of Football, rather than tiki-taka or counter-pressing styles.

What I'm saying is that the academies at Liverpool and City insist on playing a style of Football that isn't conducive to successful Football in the u23 league, but is very successful at producing players ready for the first team .

Their u23 team is much better than ours at producing Footballers ready for the 1st team. Which is ultimately what that team is about.

Yes, you keep saying that but the fact is, when they go back to their normal team they are average otherwise they would blow the league away. It's quite simple really. You cannot play that well everyweek and be mid table. Klopp has played loads from that team now and ALL have been excellent but not when they get backl to their day job.

 

[Lowtonlad]

I think you'll find he wasn't overlooked -- he turned the offer down. The Wigan job beckons.

He's not going to be a popular choice with Wigan fans.

 

[Deleted member 38674]

Yes, you keep saying that but the fact is, when they go back to their normal team they are average otherwise they would blow the league away. It's quite simple really. You cannot play that well everyweek and be mid table. Klopp has played loads from that team now and ALL have been excellent but not when they get backl to their day job.

You're not grasping that they play a 'different game' in the u23's. Okay, not a great analogy but here goes.....

It's like training all year for the annual Mosconi Cup by participating in your local Snooker league. Everyone else is playing Snooker, but you're not trying to play snooker, you're not even trying to win really, you're focusing on your short game and working on your snookering. It doesn't matter if you get battered. It doesn't even mean you're a particularly bad snooker player. It just means you're focusing on the end-game, the Mosconi Cup. As such, when you finally do get on a pool table at the big event, you're often better having played a similar game regularly and now, on a smaller table, you're able to play your own game much better.

In the u23 league, everyone else is playing snooker while Liverpool, City and a couple of others are playing pool, not particularly bothered if they don't win the league - as long as their kids are being mentored in the right way and the right, respective principles are being instilled in them early on, so that when they do finally get their chance, they are ready to slot straight in.

 

[UltraVires]

Though this is undoubtedly true make no mistake all academies want to win trophies regardless of age, I had the opportunity to attend City's academy for the last 4 yrs and I can tell you they pick the team to win first in every tournament they enter. Don't be fooled into thinking that all they think about is developing all their players for 1st team football.

I am not saying that the top teams ever put an academy side out hoping to lose.

But what they do that we don’t is they create a playing style that will allow those kids to easily adapt into the first team when the time comes, we do not.

We are creating great U23 players who will be telling tall tales in the pub 15 years from now.

I don’t know if it’s Unsworth prioritising his own record above the club or what but either way, I’d rather we never won anything again at u23 level if it meant that we had a clear pathway to the first team.

 

[Penno]

Our main problem is the wastes of space in the first team. Sort them out first and then filter down.

 

[Nobby Nobbs]

But what they do that we don’t is they create a playing style that will allow those kids to easily adapt into the first team when the time comes, we do not.

This is 100% true I've very limited knowledge of the Everton academy so can't pass comment on it, but at city you could put in a 8,9,10 etc yr old into the 1st team and they'll know exactly how to play.

 

[14towestham]

Some harsh words about Unsworth.

Surely his job is to develop the youth players as best he can. You need a minor miracle for any of them to be good enough t start for a top 6 Prem club.

We will probably get 10 mill for Davies and some scrpnel for Dowell. They are by all who know the `best 2' to have come through in recent times.

The fact that Unsworth/Ebrell have got that team to win the under 23's shows they have managerial ability.

 

[summerisle]

Marcel Brands changes to David Unsworth's role at Everton explained

Marcel Brands was appointed director of football at Everton in 2018 and works closely with under-23 manager David Unsworth

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk