The wigan youth system : Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:20 pm  

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=571484&tsmp=1404591552

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=571484&tsmp=1404591552

Re: You couldn't make this up!!!!!!! : Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:43 pm  

so what can't we make up?

Re: You couldn't make this up!!!!!!! : Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:04 pm  

Well, obviously, Goons complaining that there superb, must be envied, best in the world youth system is holding them back. I wonder if Rogues has read it?

Re: The wigan youth system : Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:07 pm  

Have renamed the thread due to misreads by Mods of all people.

Re: The wigan youth system : Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:19 am  

Top Saint wrote:

Have renamed the thread due to misreads by Mods of all people.

it was one goon who seems to have been pretty much shot down by others. They and us know a strong Youth system is the key to success, but it needs to be suplimented with quality imports

Re: The wigan youth system : Sun Jul 06, 2014 1:10 pm  

Actually it got me thinking. Could a youth system be too good.

If a club consistently produced a very good standard of player from its own academy system, eventually the first team squad would be saturated and any new players would have no route into the first team squad. This club would then, essentially, be producing players for other clubs.

Re: The wigan youth system : Sun Jul 06, 2014 1:22 pm  

Top Saint wrote:

Actually it got me thinking. Could a youth system be too good.

If a club consistently produced a very good standard of player from its own academy system, eventually the first team squad would be saturated and any new players would have no route into the first team squad. This club would then, essentially, be producing players for other clubs.

The team in that situation will always release the worse player though - so whilst they may be producing very good players for others, they're still keeping the excellent players for themselves

Re: The wigan youth system : Sun Jul 06, 2014 1:43 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

The team in that situation will always release the worse player though - so whilst they may be producing very good players for others, they're still keeping the excellent players for themselves

Would they though. If they have a top drawer 22 year old scrum half and an excellent 19 year old backup, would they keep an excellent 18 year old as a further backup. there may not be any noticeable difference between the 18 and 19 year old's, but in a salary capped sport, one would have to go. If he then went on to sign for their greatest rivals and become their first choice scrum half it would feel like they were producing players for other clubs rather than themselves.

This is a very unlikely scenario at the moment with any club, but if an academy setup became good enough it could happen.

Re: The wigan youth system : Sun Jul 06, 2014 3:37 pm  

Top Saint wrote:

Would they though. If they have a top drawer 22 year old scrum half and an excellent 19 year old backup, would they keep an excellent 18 year old as a further backup. there may not be any noticeable difference between the 18 and 19 year old's, but in a salary capped sport, one would have to go. If he then went on to sign for their greatest rivals and become their first choice scrum half it would feel like they were producing players for other clubs rather than themselves.

This is a very unlikely scenario at the moment with any club, but if an academy setup became good enough it could happen.

There's another thing to consider too. Although no one is suggesting a good youth system is a bad thing per se, you can and do get a situation where, rather than signing an available and proven player, a club can end up waiting to see if promising players fulfil their potential which, of course, they don't always do. Wheeler would be a good example from your own club. If that is extended over several positions it can most definitely have a detrimental effect. I think the OP in the thread was making the point that we are waiting to see if young players make the grade across many different positions and, given that not all will fulfil their potential (past experience shows us that) it could indeed cause imbalance. My own view is that, in the modern era, there is no substitute for a strong youth set up. However blind adherence to 'kids at all cost' can be a mistake too. Balance, as always, is the key.

Re: The wigan youth system : Sun Jul 06, 2014 5:03 pm  

The point is we put a lot if faith in our young players. Sometimes too much at the cost of not recruiting when proven too players are on the market.

We seem to be putting a massive amount if faith in Powell and Williams for example both if whome I feel need a lot of work. Now you consider there is a player signed by Hull proven at SL level as a top performer in Snyed, it is a massive gamble by Wigan.