Everton Youth Teams Thread

At 19 DCL had already played in the Sheff Utd first team, a loan at staylybridge & on the brink of his Everton debut.
Moise Kean had played a year on loan in serie A & being used in the Juve first team squad by Simms' age.
Richarlison had played a full season in Serie B in brazil & a full season in Serie A in Brazil.
Harry Kane had already played for Leyton Orient & Milwall and on the brink of another loan to Norwich at Simms age.

My point being, irelevant of success of these appearences, they were cutting there teeth in mens football!
Been said tonnes of time on here, but how many players end up being a success by playing u23s for a regular amount of time?
Simms is unique in his progress at Everton. At 16 hit a ball at Rooney and he’d control it easily off any part of his body, hit a ball at the 16 year old Simms when he joined us and it was likely to bounce off his knee and hit his chin. He had height, strength , pace and a hard shot little else. I suspect all the players you mentioned had far more natural talent at 16 than Simms.
In his first season he progressed but didn’t really get regular games at u18 until near the season’s end, second season he took off goals wise, and at the end of that season appeared in a few U23s games but with no big impact . This season he’s progressing again. I don’t see the same football intelligence that Rooney and say Rashford had at the same age but he’s a great example of how good coaching, hard work and patience can raise the level of a player and make steady progress. I doubt if he would get a better coaching set up at any other lower level club next season and as he’s still got lots to learn , so it’s a balance between keeping him in our U23s and loaning him out to play football at men’s football/ a higher level. I’m prepared to be patient and hoping that in 18 months time we‘ll have an exciting 20 year old kid appearing in our pre season games and we’ll have a clearer idea of just how far he can go ...or maybe sooner.
 
Oh i agree. There is not a 'set' way for any young player or centre forward to develop.
If you look at all those mentioned apart from richie. They all had 'meh' goal records qt one point or another in there loans.
Hazard a guess if we loaned Simms to Burton and he got 4 goals in 20 appearences, would people call him a dudd?
Not a dud, but a 1 in 5 record at League 1 level at the age of 19 would suggest that he was some way from making an impact at PL level. It wouldn't mean he'd never get there, but it would be hardly be the sort of record that made you think he was on the verge of a big breakthrough, particularly as his game is based very heavily around his ability to score goals. To keep with the same comparison, Kane had a better record than that in League 1 at 17, and still took a couple more years before he was able to perform at the top level.
 
Simms is unique in his progress at Everton. At 16 hit a ball at Rooney and he’d control it easily off any part of his body, hit a ball at the 16 year old Simms when he joined us and it was likely to bounce off his knee and hit his chin. He had height, strength , pace and a hard shot little else. I suspect all the players you mentioned had far more natural talent at 16 than Simms.
In his first season he progressed but didn’t really get regular games at u18 until near the season’s end, second season he took off goals wise, and at the end of that season appeared in a few U23s games but with no big impact . This season he’s progressing again. I don’t see the same football intelligence that Rooney and say Rashford had at the same age but he’s a great example of how good coaching, hard work and patience can raise the level of a player and make steady progress. I doubt if he would get a better coaching set up at any other lower level club next season and as he’s still got lots to learn , so it’s a balance between keeping him in our U23s and loaning him out to play football at men’s football/ a higher level. I’m prepared to be patient and hoping that in 18 months time we‘ll have an exciting 20 year old kid appearing in our pre season games and we’ll have a clearer idea of just how far he can go ...or maybe sooner.
I think getting him games against adults where he can't always be stronger and faster than everyone is necessary. But watching him you can see why Unsworth is saying he's a fair bit away yet. That said being a natural goal scorer is far from the worst quality to have to build around. Just needs to work on the other stuff and he will have a real chance to make it. Certainly it's exciting that the step up from u18 to u23 hasn't stopped the goals going in.
 
What’s happening with the lad from Carlisle?
Carlo wanted to have a look at Branthwaite so he was played in Sunday’s closed doors game for Gomes , as was Kyle John. Both continue to train with the first team today , Tuesday.
Alex Denny played too, John was playing right midfield as opposed to RB (Sidibe and Coleman). Ellis Simms was in the pre match training too, don’t think he played in the game though.
 
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With Simms I would expect hes either sent out on loan this coming season, or kept for 1 more solely to work on the mental aspects and his touch, with the plan to send him out on loan the next one. Players like Mount and Abraham for Chelsea basically went from U-18, to U-23 for one season, went out on loan for 2 seasons after, showed continued success and so were brought into first team after that. I think Simms trajectory plan is just about identical to that, and the only thing that might hold it back one season will be whether his raw ability has been developed enough to catch up to his physical talent.

Hes a player you can be patient with an extra season or so, because you expect that because his #1 ability is his pure athelticism, the skill might take longer to develop. His combination of size and speed is unteachable, and if you can get the player to develop around that you have a player who can reach a ceiling most cant.
 

Simms is unique in his progress at Everton. At 16 hit a ball at Rooney and he’d control it easily off any part of his body, hit a ball at the 16 year old Simms when he joined us and it was likely to bounce off his knee and hit his chin. He had height, strength , pace and a hard shot little else. I suspect all the players you mentioned had far more natural talent at 16 than Simms.
In his first season he progressed but didn’t really get regular games at u18 until near the season’s end, second season he took off goals wise, and at the end of that season appeared in a few U23s games but with no big impact . This season he’s progressing again. I don’t see the same football intelligence that Rooney and say Rashford had at the same age but he’s a great example of how good coaching, hard work and patience can raise the level of a player and make steady progress. I doubt if he would get a better coaching set up at any other lower level club next season and as he’s still got lots to learn , so it’s a balance between keeping him in our U23s and loaning him out to play football at men’s football/ a higher level. I’m prepared to be patient and hoping that in 18 months time we‘ll have an exciting 20 year old kid appearing in our pre season games and we’ll have a clearer idea of just how far he can go ...or maybe sooner.

Often enough young ones who are loaned out still do a training day at the club anyway. Occassionally they'll still play for the U23's too.
 
Not seen him is he a Michael Owen type striker?

No mate, he hasn't got that lightning quick pace that Owen had. What he is similar with though is his one on one finishing. He missed one a few minutes before he scored and I was genuinely shocked he missed it, I think thats the first I've seen him miss in ages. He goes clean through he just simply looks like scoring every time.

The one last night was just a great through ball, great first touch, always in control and the finish was fantastic.

His all round game looked right at it last night, great to see.
 
No mate, he hasn't got that lightning quick pace that Owen had. What he is similar with though is his one on one finishing. He missed one a few minutes before he scored and I was genuinely shocked he missed it, I think thats the first I've seen him miss in ages. He goes clean through he just simply looks like scoring every time.

The one last night was just a great through ball, great first touch, always in control and the finish was fantastic.

His all round game looked right at it last night, great to see.
Sounds like a great prospect - I have heard Unsy rates him highly, and he is scoring well thanks for the update ;)
 

I think the lad has shown that he can make the step up to the U23s from U18s. In fact, if he was playing in a team that created more chances (like in the U18s team last season) then he would have a much better return. May be a loan to the championship next season is the next step. Haven't given up hope that this kid can still make it here, but I can't help but think he should have been playing regular U23 football in the second half of last season. He needed testing and that wasn't happening at U18 level..
 

Unless he plays at the weekend out of nowhere Gordon still hasn't played 90 minutes since December 9. This is not good for him.
I wonder if he’s injured as he doesnt appear in the clip of the Gomes game or in the shots of the players training pre game. Two things are certain 1) we’re unlikely to get much info out of the club if he is injured . 2) If he doesn’t appear soon some GOT ITK will be along to say he’s got an attitude problem and been banished from training.
 
I wonder if he’s injured as he doesnt appear in the clip of the Gomes game or in the shots of the players training pre game. Two things are certain 1) we’re unlikely to get much info out of the club if he is injured . 2) If he doesn’t appear soon some GOT ITK will be along to say he’s got an attitude problem and been banished from training.
I thought I saw him in it but I didn't study it closely
 
...I can’t see how long Simms has left on his contract. It has to be a factor with folk wanting to send him on loan, as it might run his current deal down and he might be tempted elsewhere. Similarly, we give him an extended deal and have a Garbutt situation.
 

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