Under 18 League Table

[buster. 5,199]

22 minutes ago, JohnMc said:

It's still all about getting some of these lads to make the giant leap from youths to first team. It's great to see us sitting on top of the league and to read about success at this level, but ultimately the purpose has to be producing finished first team players or else it's all just an expensive vanity project. 

Saw the lad Leon King on the highlights from Germany, he's a big lad for 15! Is that why he's playing so far above his age group do you think Elfideldo? I recall seeing Billy Gilmour at a similar age and he looked like a wee boy compared to the other kids he was playing with, but his ability really made his stand out. 

 

Anyway, can I echo Stewarty, many thanks Elfideldo. 

Thank´s elfideldo !!

 

With Leon King looking likely to follow the Billy Gilmour route, the problem seems to be the ability level that stands out, does so to other more resourced clubs in more attractive leagues...and therefore we don´t get the cream of our own crop to tread a pathway into the first team.

[DMAA 3,658]

9 minutes ago, buster. said:

Thank´s elfideldo !!

 

With Leon King looking likely to follow the Billy Gilmour route, the problem seems to be the ability level that stands out, does so to other more resourced clubs in more attractive leagues...and therefore we don´t get the cream of our own crop to tread a pathway into the first team.

There are strong rumours he has decided to stay. We'll find out soon.

[JohnMc 2,754]

3 hours ago, buster. said:

Thank´s elfideldo !!

 

With Leon King looking likely to follow the Billy Gilmour route, the problem seems to be the ability level that stands out, does so to other more resourced clubs in more attractive leagues...and therefore we don´t get the cream of our own crop to tread a pathway into the first team.

 We signed a boy from Motherwell very recently, much to Motherwell's annoyance I understand, so these things even themselves out. The best way to keep the Gilmours and Kings of this world is for us to have players progress to the 1st team, showing clear examples of what can be achieved by staying at Rangers. Unfortunately we've not been able to do that for a few years now. 

[buster. 5,199]

18 minutes ago, JohnMc said:

 We signed a boy from Motherwell very recently, much to Motherwell's annoyance I understand, so these things even themselves out. The best way to keep the Gilmours and Kings of this world is for us to have players progress to the 1st team, showing clear examples of what can be achieved by staying at Rangers. Unfortunately we've not been able to do that for a few years now. 

A pathway will appear if the youngsters are good enough and the management team of the day are prepared to go down that route....BUT if we consistently lose our best youngsters, the chance of such a route becoming a regular feature is remote.

 

We are putting a lot of effort and investment into our youth development but we need to see a return. If not, we may as well spend the money on poaching other teams youngsters.

[Gaffer 1,665]

It would be great if we could have talent make it from our youth programme into the first team, but that doesn't need to happen to make our youth setup profitable.  Many successful teams use their youth setup as a means of making money, rather than bringing youths into the first team.  Occasionally we will find one that's good enough and wants to stay, but if we take the best of other clubs' talent, we just have to accept it will happen to us.  There's always a bigger fish.

[craig 5,199]

5 hours ago, buster. said:

Thank´s elfideldo !!

 

With Leon King looking likely to follow the Billy Gilmour route, the problem seems to be the ability level that stands out, does so to other more resourced clubs in more attractive leagues...and therefore we don´t get the cream of our own crop to tread a pathway into the first team.

Where do you get the  "looking likely to follow Billy Gilmour" ???

 

I was speaking to Leon last week and there was no real inclination either way, he was very guarded.  The only thing I really got was that he wasn't overly excited about going to Germany - he is very much a "home kid" - I believe he has travelled in the past and got homesick.

[craig 5,199]

1 hour ago, JohnMc said:

 We signed a boy from Motherwell very recently, much to Motherwell's annoyance I understand, so these things even themselves out. The best way to keep the Gilmours and Kings of this world is for us to have players progress to the 1st team, showing clear examples of what can be achieved by staying at Rangers. Unfortunately we've not been able to do that for a few years now. 

Exactly this.  In speaking to someone within the club that is their main frustration - very few of our youngsters see the progression into the 1st team - they pointed out the likes of Forrest, McGregor, Tierney across the city, which is a fair enough example.... however, as I also pointed out to him... those players broke through when Celtic had absolutely zero competition and it was much easier to do so - when winning the league by 30 points they could have playd their whole youth team for a half dozen games with no impact. 

 

What will be more interesting to see is whether Celtic maintain that now that they have a genuine challenge.  I personally doubt they do.

[craig 5,199]

45 minutes ago, buster. said:

A pathway will appear if the youngsters are good enough and the management team of the day are prepared to go down that route....BUT if we consistently lose our best youngsters, the chance of such a route becoming a regular feature is remote.

 

We are putting a lot of effort and investment into our youth development but we need to see a return. If not, we may as well spend the money on poaching other teams youngsters.

The investment into youth development isn't as much as you would believe.  A couple of years ago when DK and the 3 Bears took over there was an overhaul in the youth department which, believe it or not, had the club using the latest technologies (such as the GPS vests at all age groups for U12, I think) and having better, more qualified coaches, more of them as well as better players.... but by spending less than they had been spending prior to DK taking the reins.

[craig 5,199]

31 minutes ago, Gaffer said:

It would be great if we could have talent make it from our youth programme into the first team, but that doesn't need to happen to make our youth setup profitable.  Many successful teams use their youth setup as a means of making money, rather than bringing youths into the first team.  Occasionally we will find one that's good enough and wants to stay, but if we take the best of other clubs' talent, we just have to accept it will happen to us.  There's always a bigger fish.

I would normally agree - however, the issue with this is quite simply.... Scotland, plus UEFA.  No team in Scotland will pay us significant money to take our players.  And if any of our better youngsters sign cross country agreements then the standard training fee is a pittance.  The only reason we got 600k for Gilmour is because Chelsea wanted to ensure they got him, otherwise the fee would have been, I believe, less than half of that.

[Waltersgotstyle 307]

41 minutes ago, craig said:

Exactly this.  In speaking to someone within the club that is their main frustration - very few of our youngsters see the progression into the 1st team - they pointed out the likes of Forrest, McGregor, Tierney across the city, which is a fair enough example.... however, as I also pointed out to him... those players broke through when Celtic had absolutely zero competition and it was much easier to do so - when winning the league by 30 points they could have playd their whole youth team for a half dozen games with no impact. 

 

What will be more interesting to see is whether Celtic maintain that now that they have a genuine challenge.  I personally doubt they do.

Forrest is now 28 (29 this year) and McGregor is now 26 (27 this year). 

 

Not exactly recent breakthroughs.