U18s: Wolves 1-2 United | Premier League North Champions!

FT.
Excellent achievement by the lads
 
Nice! Been following them relatively closely this season. Great achievement!
 
Great effort. :)

Saw out the second half comfortably and a great and fully deserved achievement for a brilliant league campaign.

Still got a couple of huge matches to come with the PL Cup Final and the play off against the southern champions.
 
Great achievement. They've been very impressive this season. Hopefully they continue to develop further and few of them become first team players in the future. :drool:
 
All in all a comfortable afternoon. A solid performance from the whole team, but I’d say Biancheri, Scanlon, Kingdon & McAllister stood out a bit.
 
Very impressive league run. Definitely the most depth of quality we've seen in my time watching u18s football.

Hopefully a lot of talent for the first team, and many others can achieve a career in the game
 
That's the chant for Eurpa Conference League games sorted then.

"Pemier League North U18 Champions, you'll never sing that"
 
Bertie Wooster said:
Great effort. :)

Saw out the second half comfortably and a great and fully deserved achievement for a brilliant league campaign.

Still got a couple of huge matches to come with the PL Cup Final and the play off against the southern champions.
Click to expand...

Wonder if they'll play either of those at OT?

Be good for them to be rewarded for their efforts with a decent crowd.
 
saik said:
Great achievement. They've been very impressive this season. Hopefully they continue to develop further and few of them become first team players in the future. :drool:
Click to expand...
Hopefully a decent run in the UEFA Youth League next season now they have a bit more experience.
 
Congratulations to all the kids. Hope we can get a couple that make a mark on the first team in a few years.
 
let's fecking go, so proud of the lads. is it the first time since the revamp of the youth league in 2012 that we have won the North Division and the first time we will feature in the national final?
 
Fantastic stuff by the players and coaches. Will be interesting to see how many of those talented young players go on to be established Premier League footballers. If one was to pick out five players to make it who would you choose?
 
Anyone got updates on Elyh Harrison's injury? Looked pretty bad.
 
Red Star One said:
let's fecking go, so proud of the lads. is it the first time since the revamp of the youth league in 2012 that we have won the North Division and the first time we will feature in the national final?
Click to expand...

We did it in 2017/18 when we lost the final to Chelsea.
 
After watching the congratulations of the U18 - they really need to get a new hair-dresser - som truly awful hairdos in the team :)
 
I’m very happy to see the boys and management team rewarded for a very very impressive season. They’ve played the full squad, not relying on star players and yet rarely dropped their levels and produced some excellent football.

I’m also glad to see Cox comments in relation to developing players but also winning. While I’m all for players development at this age I think/hope that it will help create an hunger and add to their mindset. I’ve heard G Neville and Scholes talk about this and how it can help set a culture. Something I think h teams have lacked.

I wonder if Adam Lawrence might get a chance with the under 21s. We need some reinvigoration there for sure.
 
Borninthe80ts said:
I’m very happy to see the boys and management team rewarded for a very very impressive season. They’ve played the full squad, not relying on star players and yet rarely dropped their levels and produced some excellent football.

I’m also glad to see Cox comments in relation to developing players but also winning. While I’m all for players development at this age I think/hope that it will help create an hunger and add to their mindset. I’ve heard G Neville and Scholes talk about this and how it can help set a culture. Something I think h teams have lacked.

I wonder if Adam Lawrence might get a chance with the under 21s. We need some reinvigoration there for sure.
Click to expand...

Hope not. The U18s post is much more important in my opinion. The U21s don't have enough games, the PL2 as a league is a failure and most of your best players at that level are either in the first team or out on loan.
 
top1whoisman said:
Hope not. The U18s post is much more important in my opinion. The U21s don't have enough games, the PL2 as a league is a failure and most of your best players at that level are either in the first team or out on loan.
Click to expand...
I agree on the importance of the age group as it’s probably where the players traits are developed and set the most. However I think a lot of these players will be up with the under 21s and I’m hoping they can keep developing and maybe a bit concerned with how similar talents have been lost at that level.

Maybe the changes in hierarchy will address this but yeah, we’ve been lacking direction their for me.
 
Borninthe80ts said:
I agree on the importance of the age group as it’s probably where the players traits are developed and set the most. However I think a lot of these players will be up with the under 21s and I’m hoping they can keep developing and maybe a bit concerned with how similar talents have been lost at that level.

Maybe the changes in hierarchy will address this but yeah, we’ve been lacking direction their for me.
Click to expand...

Think that goes for a lot of "top clubs". Think it's mostly down to the FA to think the competition through and make some changes.

I don't think the ones who go up next year are in danger of their development being halted. I don't think Binnion is a poor coach.
 
top1whoisman said:
Hope not. The U18s post is much more important in my opinion. The U21s don't have enough games, the PL2 as a league is a failure and most of your best players at that level are either in the first team or out on loan.
Click to expand...
The difference in number of games is negligible. u18s has 24 league matches to u21s 20. But the u21s playoffs is longer and easier to make. U21s also has EFL Trophy, PL International Cup, and PL Cup which is more matches than FAYC and PL Cup at u18s level.

Most of the best players at u18s level in the country are playing at u21s level too. I never understand this argument. The best players at every level are playing up a level. Top second years aren’t wasting their time in u18s.

PL2 as a league has huge deficiencies and the new changes have made it even worse. But despite this and our complete mismanagement at that level, u21s football is still easily a higher level than u18s.
 
limerickcitykid said:
The difference in number of games is negligible. u18s has 24 league matches to u21s 20. But the u21s playoffs is longer and easier to make. U21s also has EFL Trophy, PL International Cup, and PL Cup which is more matches than FAYC and PL Cup at u18s level.

Most of the best players at u18s level in the country are playing at u21s level too. I never understand this argument. The best players at every level are playing up a level. Top second years aren’t wasting their time in u18s.

PL2 as a league has huge deficiencies and the new changes have made it even worse. But despite this and our complete mismanagement at that level, u21s football is still easily a higher level than u18s.
Click to expand...

Correct me if I’m wrong, but our U21s have played 20 games all season. U18s played their 20th before christmas.

Not saying the U18s is a higher level than U21s, never did. Just think the head coach of our U18s has more responsibility and influences the players’ trajectory more.
 
top1whoisman said:
Think that goes for a lot of "top clubs". Think it's mostly down to the FA to think the competition through and make some changes.
I don't think the ones who go up next year are in danger of their development being halted. I don't think Binnion is a poor coach.
Click to expand...
It’s true that the league doesn’t seems as competitive or well organised as the under 18s but I still think we can be improve in relation to loans to aid development or even arranging friendlies or a tournament.

I hope your right in that aspect as I think for a few years we have had players that seem to plateau especially in relation to previous development arch. Maybe my expectations are high with some and Binnion is gettin the wrap.
 
Borninthe80ts said:
It’s true that the league doesn’t seems as competitive or well organised as the under 18s but I still think we can be improve in relation to loans to aid development or even arranging friendlies or a tournament.

I hope your right in that aspect as I think for a few years we have had players that seem to plateau especially in relation to previous development arch. Maybe my expectations are high with some and Binnion is gettin the wrap.
Click to expand...

We definitely can and must do better with loans.
 
Borninthe80ts said:
It can definitely be a positive tool, even short terms to give a taster.
Click to expand...
I wonder if, instead of sending players to League One and League Two, this summer we'll see a few players head to Ineos teams Nice and Lausanne-Sport for senior experience. More likely the latter as Nice will have European football and demand a higher level.
 
inflikted said:
I wonder if, instead of sending players to League One and League Two, this summer we'll see a few players head to Ineos teams Nice and Lausanne-Sport for senior experience. More likely the latter as Nice will have European football and demand a higher level.
Click to expand...
I think something like this could be beneficial too. Going abroad is an experience in itself. Especially for players in a situation that Gomes did and Forson now. Not quite ready for regular football at United requirements but need opportunities to see if they can step up.
 
Nick Cox:
It [winning the PL North title] is a brilliant achievement. This club has winning in its veins so it's important that our kids have an experience of winning and that they know how important winning is. So congratulations to Adam, his team of staff and the players. It's been a wonderful season.

For me, winning is important but I can never take my eye off the fact that our primary aim here is to nurture and develop individuals. We'll always be defined by our ability to help individuals reach their full potential, to go and play in the senior game or in particular to play in our first team. So the season for me is more about having enjoyed watching the individual progress that the players have made.

A part of being a good individual is being part of a team, knowing how to win, so at the end of the [academy] journey, at 17, 18, 19... we're focused on can you deliver some of the things you've learned as part of the team, under pressure. And the season has given the boys a great opportunity to practice in a number of different environments - some tough derby games, games where they were losing 2-0 and had to come back, games where they were down to ten men, games where they were expected to win, games in difficult conditions... all of those experiences can only go help them prepare to be the best players they can be.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.