BWFC Reserves 2021/2022 - Central League

[GhostoftheBok]

Even if Hird stayed we'd need more coaches in at both youth and B levels. Muamba is through the door, which is fantastic. We need an experienced coach and some technical bods in for the Bs. Hopefully there's a degree of cross-contamination between the 18s and Bs and the Bs and First team over time, as various lads get chances to impress.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Even if Hird stayed we'd need more coaches in at both youth and B levels. Muamba is through the door, which is fantastic. We need an experienced coach and some technical bods in for the Bs. Hopefully there's a degree of cross-contamination between the 18s and Bs and the Bs and First team over time, as various lads get chances to impress.

Didn't realise this - good to hear, best wishes to him. You would hope kids listen…

[nicholaldo]

Is there any information on Muamba's coaching credentials?

I know he's been working at Rochdale recently and they tend to do quite well with younger players. Wikipedia suggests he briefly spent some time at Liverpool as well, albeit I think in an unofficial capacity.

[BWFC_Insane]

Is there any information on Muamba's coaching credentials?

I know he's been working at Rochdale recently and they tend to do quite well with younger players. Wikipedia suggests he briefly spent some time at Liverpool as well, albeit I think in an unofficial capacity.

Done his badges I think.

I’d like to know what Tuttes are. And when he got his badges, that one to me is odd. Doesn’t smell right.

[GhostoftheBok]

Neither Tutte nor Fab have their full badges, from what I'm told. Fab will be finishing his off with us, I believe. Tutte is looking to start his as he has a split playing role. I think the idea with Tutte is that we want someone to impart a certain mentality to younger lads who, like Tutte, have dropped out of a top-level academy and need to understand how to forge a career away from the elite game.

[BWFC_Insane]

Neither Tutte nor Fab have their full badges, from what I'm told. Fab will be finishing his off with us, I believe. Tutte is looking to start his as he has a split playing role. I think the idea with Tutte is that we want someone to impart a certain mentality to younger lads who, like Tutte, have dropped out of a top-level academy and need to understand how to forge a career away from the elite game.

Not opposed to that idea. It just feels a bit convenient. Having said that if we know he’s a good one then I guess that goes some way in judgement.

[GhostoftheBok]

You have to have some people who know how to do more than put cones out, but I'm also not against the idea of having a lad like Tutte who knows where the kids we're bringing into the B Team have been and is still young enough to somewhat relate to them.

I like the idea of the Bs being run as a fully competitive team, with the 18s focused on development over results and B Team focused on teaching lads how to win - given them a taste of real football. To do that you need competitive seniors players. It's a shame Baps said no, but I think Tutte is a good one to keep around.

I'd be interested to see if Lee fancied it after he stops playing too. What a pro he is.

[nicholaldo]

Academy manager Mark Litherland has left the club.

[GhostoftheBok]

Academy manager Mark Litherland has left the club.

Time to get Mark Allen in.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Interesting, this. "Pursue other opportunities" could mean he has another job lined up, but could also mean he's jumped or been pushed.

Link in case the above doesn't work (it doesn't for me, thanks though Nicko)
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... itherland/

[GhostoftheBok]

"Pursue other opportunities" is standard language following a sacking in recruitment/development staffing.

I don't expect we'd have got rid if we didn't have something lined-up.

Hopefully he gets his old Gigg back at Bury....

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

"Pursue other opportunities" is standard language following a sacking in recruitment/development staffing.

And elsewhere, because it would be rude to put either "faces an uncertain future" or "will sit on his arse watching Homes Under the Hammer"

[BWFC_Insane]

I’m not sure it’s a bad thing for either party….

[nicholaldo]

He'd have been a Phoenix hire, wouldn't he?

[GhostoftheBok]

Litherland was the cheapest, localest guy and I've no issue with him having got the job. If they've binned him off because they want to start to rebuild the I also fully support that, as he doesn't have the contacts or the experience to lead that project.

We need someone in with specialist skills, experience and contacts. Failing that we need someone who is a bit younger, but worked at a top academy and has his own ideas to develop. It has to be someone who understands elite development and the culture necessary to create a proper academy.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

More details in Ilesy's piece this morning.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... -shake-up/

It's paywalled so I won't quote it extensively, but he says Wanderers want a new academy manager, a head of coaching (to oversee all junior age ranges), and a B team manager - not Tutte, who would be player-coach for the Bs.

[The_Gun]

Was there a falling out with Jimmy Phillips, or did he leave purely because the academy was downgraded? I don't suppose we'll be looking to bring him back, but it can't be argued that he didn't do a sterling job whilst he was here.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Was there a falling out with Jimmy Phillips, or did he leave purely because the academy was downgraded? I don't suppose we'll be looking to bring him back, but it can't be argued that he didn't do a sterling job whilst he was here.

The results were good – the sort we need to get back to if we seek sustainability - but there are those (closer than I to youth football) who don't paint as rosy a picture of the tone behind the scenes.

I suspect there was something of a power struggle between Jiminho and Phoenix, or possibly Jiminho and Evatt. Whatever the wherefores, this is a good chance to start again with the sort of progressive feel that seems to be happening elsewhere at the club.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Spitballing, but as I read the Burnley post-mortems it occurs to me that we might be interested in hiring Jon Pepper, who in five years as Academy Manager oversaw a rise from Category Three to Category One – a journey we may wish to replicate – before leaving them last summer, apparently at the new owners' behest.

Credit to Burnley's academy improvement must go to Sean Dyche, who insisted funds should go towards improving infrastructure, but it was Pepper who oversaw it. Last seen as a technical director in Nigeria, but his Twitter lists his home as Chesterfield – and let's not forget our CEO came from Burnley...

As I say, I'm spitballing – for all I know he could be useless, or hated by Hart/Evatt. Interesting idea, though.

By the way, Burnley's sparkly new owners are said to be considering downgrading to Category Two. I may have said before that fans seeking takeover saviours need to wish carefully.

[Worthy4England]

^^ We're wishing for the ones that put unlimited funds in forever..... Not shit ones.