Youth Team Update

[Lofthouse Lower]

JOHN Henry says Wanderers fans will have to wait to see the next generation of youngsters coming through – but it will be worth it.

The reserve team boss, who completed his first year in charge this month, is only too aware of the dearth of young talent knocking on Owen Coyle’s door lately.

The club have invested heavily in youth in recent years, including the new £3million Academy base at Lostock, but the production line has been faltering.

Supporters have to go back as far as former captain Kevin Nolan, now at Newcastle, before they last saw a player come through the ranks to become a first-team regular.

Not helped by previous regimes’ neglect of the youth system, Henry admits it has been a difficult first 12 months but, working closely with Academy boss Jimmy Phillips and Under-18s coaches David Lee and Tony Kelly, headway is finally being made.

And the Scot believes there could be a golden generation just around the corner.

“The likes of Liam Irwin and Josh Vela are talented boys,” said Henry, who followed Coyle to the club last January.

“We’ve also got the likes of Ben Dennis, Alex McQuade, James Caton and Jay Lynch. They have real potential and should be starting to come through and really be knocking on the door.

“Ability-wise they could handle it but physically they’re not quite developed enough to play regularly in the reserves yet. They’re getting a taste now and we’re keeping them involved.

“Hopefully we can get more quality coming through. Bolton fans are entitled to be asking when was the last time we’ve had anyone coming through?

“But I’m hopeful that in the next couple of years there will be a couple of kids there so they can see we’re starting to get things right.

“They are proper home-grown players who have come right the way through the system. They’re not players the club have spent £30,000 or £40,000 on.”

He added: “The bottom line is we’ve got to lift the bar for the younger players and for them to be prepared as best they can to get in the first team.

“That’s what we’re striving to do. Results haven’t been great in the reserves, and we’d like them to be better, but surpassing all that is to get one or two banging on the manager’s door.

“We haven’t been able to do that, but, a year into the job, I know there’s a batch coming through with real promise.

“Jimmy Phillips has had to sort out a lot of things and David Lee and Tony Kelly have been doing a fantastic job. Next year, or the one after, we’ll have a really strong reserve team that the manager can call upon.”

While excited about the promising group of first and second-year scholars (under-18s) waiting in the wings, Henry is not dismissing the hopes of the current crop of reserves.

But the facts do not lie. The second string have finished bottom of the league three years in a row and have won only once in the league this season.

Tellingly, when Coyle was hit by injury and suspension problems over the Christmas period, he chose to name just four substitutes rather than turn to his younger players.

It was a damning indictment of the fringe talent available to the manager at present and, while Coyle insisted the youngsters were not called upon because they had been given the festive period off, the truth is they – Danny Ward aside who has been out injured – are not ready to make the step up. “Nobody has been good enough to make the gaffer sit up and take notice,” said Henry.

“That’s not to say none of them can do so in the future. Adam Blakeman, Michael O’Halloran, Joe Riley and Rhys Bennett have all shown bits, but until they get that consistency then they will struggle to catch the manager’s eye.

“They just need to take an extra step and they won’t be far away from the first team.

“We’re getting bodies back now and there’s a bit of competition. We haven’t had that and, if you’ve not got it, you’ve got a big problem.

“They need to have the threat that they won’t be playing every week if they’re not playing well and it helps bring the best out of them. We’ve not had that so it’s been difficult.

“But I’m happy how we’ve started well after Christmas. They’re charged up and have a bit more confidence, and if they do that, then they will catch the manager’s eye.”

[David Lee's Hair]

Not that it's you saying it LL, but...

Supporters have to go back as far as former captain Kevin Nolan, now at Newcastle, before they last saw a player come through the ranks to become a first-team regular.

Nicky Hunt? Or does being first choice for 3 seasons or so not count?

[Lofthouse Lower]

Nolan started at Liverpool as well - doesn't count as a 'product' in my book, so yeah I'd agree.

Hasney Aljofree, wherefore art thou?

[BwfcDan]

Not helped by previous regimes’ neglect of the youth system, Henry admits it has been a difficult first 12 months but, working closely with Academy boss Jimmy Phillips and Under-18s coaches David Lee and Tony Kelly, headway is finally being made.

I like

[Puskas]

Didn't Coyle utter some vaguley threatening remarks about Jimmy Phillips and the lack of any product from the youth system when he started?

I'll leave someone else to dig it out.

[Lofthouse Lower]

ACADEMY boss Jimmy Phillips accepts the pressure on him to deliver is greater now than ever before.

Home grown talent has become a watch word in Premier League circles after the introduction of new rules this season intended to increase the number of opportunities for younger players.

Although managers will be restricted to using just 25 named senior players until the next transfer window, there will be no limit set on the number of under-21s used on matchday.

And that means extra emphasis has been placed on youth systems up and down the country to accelerate the speed at which ready-made talent comes off the conveyor belt.

Owen Coyle and Phil Gartside have both recently voiced their opinion on the state of the Wanderers Academy, agreeing that a better return is expected for the £2million it costs the club each year to run.

No player has ever passed right through from the roots of the system in its current guise to play for the Whites, although the likes of Kevin Nolan, Nicky Hunt, Danny Ward and Chris Basham all joined as teenagers before moving on to the senior set up. Joey O’Brien and Ricardo Vaz Te have also been recruited from abroad.

And while Phillips accepts he will be judged by the players who do make the grade – he insists the groundwork has been laid since he took on the job in July 2008 that will eventually improve standards across the board.

[Worthy4England]

Didn't Coyle utter some vaguley threatening remarks about Jimmy Phillips and the lack of any product from the youth system when he started?

I'll leave someone else to dig it out.

I think you're right - fairly sure he did. Not sure it wasn't at one of the BWSA meetings that got reported and can't be arsed digging it out. But I recall it too.

[Gary the Enfield]

Nolan started at Liverpool as well - doesn't count as a 'product' in my book, so yeah I'd agree.

Hasney Aljofree, wherefore art thou?

Didn't.

[t_o_molloy]

No mention of Mark Connolly at all which is strange, he's been excelling recently in a defensive midfield role.
He has been called up to Republic of Ireland Under 21 squad as well.
http://www.ireland.com/news/mccarthy-na ... uad/590350" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Worthy4England]

No mention of Mark Connolly at all which is strange, he's been excelling recently in a defensive midfield role.
He has been called up to Republic of Ireland Under 21 squad as well.
http://www.ireland.com/news/mccarthy-na ... uad/590350" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Isn't the "no mention of Connolly" bit down to him being in the Reserves rather than the Academy?

[Verbal]

Beat the rags u18s 1-0

http://www.bwfc.co.uk/page/Academy/0,,1 ... 16,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jack Sampson! Wasn't he the lad who most of the top clubs in the country were after?

[t_o_molloy]

No mention of Mark Connolly at all which is strange, he's been excelling recently in a defensive midfield role.
He has been called up to Republic of Ireland Under 21 squad as well.
http://www.ireland.com/news/mccarthy-na ... uad/590350" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Isn't the "no mention of Connolly" bit down to him being in the Reserves rather than the Academy?

So's O'Halloran though, and he's mentioned.

Beat the rags u18s 1-0

http://www.bwfc.co.uk/page/Academy/0,,1 ... 16,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jack Sampson! Wasn't he the lad who most of the top clubs in the country were after?

Sure is, gone off the boil a bit though.

[finlayson]

How I miss the days of Costas Xiouroppa, Luke Staton and Chris Downey!!

[boltonboris]

Don't forget Olafur Snorasson

[Bruce Rioja]

Don't forget Olafur Snorasson

Bless you. Go on, don't forget who?

[Harry Genshaw]

Don't forget Olafur Snorasson

Bless you. Go on, don't forget who?

This was the guy who all the top clubs & Liverpool were chasing but he opted for us because of our Icelandic contingent. I assume he went the same way as Jan Nowacki, Andy Clements, Andy Roscoe & Darren Oliver amongst others.

[Lord Kangana]

That striker, Lee Potter. Supposedly the next big thing. He used to have a sports car and all the trimmings. Rumour had it that he was on a big wedge (like anywhere from 2-5 grand a week). No idea if that was true. Ended up at Halifax.

[TKIZ!]

Olafur Snorrasson was supposed to be the 'next' Gudjohnsen, never worked out though

[Lofthouse Lower]

Have a mate in the coaching ranks of the youth side - reckons Sampson has everything to make it as a good pro, but that he thinks he already has, and that this attitude is pushing a lot of noses out of joint within the ranks

[calcalstar]

Worth sending him out on loan then, if he falters it will bring him back down to earth, if it works then he's got some valuable experience. I am suprised Eaves has not gone on loan anywhere if we arent prepared to put him on the bench with only 14 outfield players.