Everton Youth Teams Thread

[Toffeebraeden]

2 things can be true. Graham obviously has an immense amount of talent and ability to read the game. He is also an undersized 18 year old who is really going to struggle with the physicality of the premier league, and no amount of time in the gym over the summer is going to fix that.

A loan to play open age football next year makes the most sense. I know we gripe about our current striker selection but the team is doing “fine” overall in the grand scheme of things, and we can afford to be deliberate and somewhat patient with our academy prospects and not rush them through.

 

[preposterousvelios]

Way off, like MILES off it currently.

He scores some good goals, but his all-round play is way off even his team-mates. Its not like he is smashing any records, or leading scorer, or doing anything to wow anyone.

Harrison Armstrong is only about 8 months older than him.

He currently looks like a good prospect, and is only new to our level of academy football.

Nar, will have to agree to disagree there. Every time I've watched him this season his general play on the ball has been levels above everyone else on the pitch. He scores the crucial goal yesterday but also created the other 2 that were scored by our players

Youth football for me is about the eye test more than pure numbers. Pretty sure Simms had a record breaking season in our youth set up but when you watched him you could tell it was a lot to do with his physical attributes making it like a man playing against boys.

Graham to me is more exciting because he doesn't yet have that physicality to lean on, and still is massively standing out due to his instincts, work rate and finishing.

 

[Nymzee]

but his all-round play is way off even his team-mates.

Respectfully: this is a load of horseshit.

 

[Pabbers]

Looks better than Beto & Barry imo.....

We don't know….he plays kids football.

 

[Pabbers]

Respectfully: this is a load of horseshit.

Its not imo, off the ball is a bit headless chicken…like a kid. Cos he plays kids football.

He just needs to be left to develop and lets see him in mens footy, and get him good mins smashed around by men.

 

[Pabbers]

Nar, will have to agree to disagree there. Every time I've watched him this season his general play on the ball has been levels above everyone else on the pitch. He scores the crucial goal yesterday but also created the other 2 that were scored by our players

Youth football for me is about the eye test more than pure numbers. Pretty sure Simms had a record breaking season in our youth set up but when you watched him you could tell it was a lot to do with his physical attributes making it like a man playing against boys.

Graham to me is more exciting because he doesn't yet have that physicality to lean on, and still is massively standing out due to his instincts, work rate and finishing.

He may well be exciting, an exciting prospect is great to see, but thats all it is currently.

If he doesn’t develop physically he wont even be a pro footballer.

Its still no guarantee he will actually become an adult pro player.

 

[davids]

Graham is nowhere near ready for the prem, not even close. He looks like a child.

I knew we would see posts wanting him to get mins today, so predictable.

He is about 18 months off even playing in a league cup game.

He has played against men at Linfield when he was 15 so that isn't an issue,it's more about if he'd freeze in front of a 50,000 crowd. That's why a 10 minute cameo would be beneficial. I can remember a young Ryan Giggs getting his debut 10 minutes v us at Old Trafford when we were 2-0 up.

 

[blue to the bone]

Would big Thierno have scored against Ipswich u18s i wonder.
If we are judging players for the first team off that !

 

[preposterousvelios]

He may well be exciting, an exciting prospect is great to see, but thats all it is currently.

If he doesn’t develop physically he wont even be a pro footballer.

Its still no guarantee he will actually become an adult pro player.

Thing is he obviously still has some growing to do, you can take one look at him and see that. I said in my original post that I dont think he is ready for senior football yet. But people are making more of his physicality than I think is necessary tbh. He's very fit, only player with anything left in the tank towards the end of academy games usually. Obviously short but tenacious, and very willing to get stuck in.

People have the idea in their head that he will only ever be able to play in the prem if he has a massive growth spurt and I think that's a load of rubbish personally.

Look at Kroupi this season. Not saying Graham is on that level at all, but Kroupi is about the same height, same build, not particularly rapid or strong. Just an elite finisher with great instincts. It's not incomprehensible that a short player can be successful in this league if they're good enough.

To say there's no guarantee he even becomes a senior pro is just ridiculous imo.

 

[oglop44]

Manchester City away in the quarter final

Edit: full draw here: https://www.thefa.com/news/2026/feb/13/fa-youth-cup-quarter-final-draw-20261302

 

[stretford blue]

Manchester City away in the quarter final

Edit: full draw here: https://www.thefa.com/news/2026/feb/13/fa-youth-cup-quarter-final-draw-20261302

The toughest test along with United

 

[Pabbers]

Thing is he obviously still has some growing to do, you can take one look at him and see that. I said in my original post that I dont think he is ready for senior football yet. But people are making more of his physicality than I think is necessary tbh. He's very fit, only player with anything left in the tank towards the end of academy games usually. Obviously short but tenacious, and very willing to get stuck in.

People have the idea in their head that he will only ever be able to play in the prem if he has a massive growth spurt and I think that's a load of rubbish personally.

Look at Kroupi this season. Not saying Graham is on that level at all, but Kroupi is about the same height, same build, not particularly rapid or strong. Just an elite finisher with great instincts. It's not incomprehensible that a short player can be successful in this league if they're good enough.

To say there's no guarantee he even becomes a senior pro is just ridiculous imo.

That's the reality though, we have released players recently that have no club and/or struggled for mins at a semi pro club.

United released a player that played in their first team, now plays in the NW Counties and is 21.

 

[James Patrick]

Wish you'd change your avatar, that monstrosity always makes me wince

Much better than the current "shape" they stick on the 3rd kit IMO - and a much closer representation of what is actually on Everton Brow.

 

[preposterousvelios]

That's the reality though, we have released players recently that have no club and/or struggled for mins at a semi pro club.

United released a player that played in their first team, now plays in the NW Counties and is 21.

Yeah there are a lot of academy players who never translate to senior football. I would bet my life that will not be the case with Graham. Barring a career ending injury, I just don't see any scenario this kid doesn't end up making it at some level of pro football.

He's got a finishers instinct you can't really teach, excellent technique, works hard and seems to have the driven mentality that you want to see from a young player.

Out of curiosity, who is the utd player you're talking about?

 

[Pabbers]

Yeah there are a lot of academy players who never translate to senior football. I would bet my life that will not be the case with Graham. Barring a career ending injury, I just don't see any scenario this kid doesn't end up making it at some level of pro football.

He's got a finishers instinct you can't really teach, excellent technique, works hard and seems to have the driven mentality that you want to see from a young player.

Out of curiosity, who is the utd player you're talking about?

James Nolan - Now plays for Charnock Richard, after playing for united in the cup in 2023.

Owen Barker the one from us, released and could not get a game after loads of trials....ended up at Bury FC who are low semi-pro, played a few mins then left...and now in the USA playing college football.

It happens, just as it happens the other way and they become top players.