: Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:22 pm  

I thought Koppy showed up really well yesterday

: Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:34 pm  

Kopczak is a case in point, which should be considered by those who keep bleating about sticking youngsters in, if they're good enough they're old enough etc etc blah blah.

There is a right way and a wrong way to blood each player. The Sam Burgesses of this world are a rare breed (and how lucky we are to have produced him) but due 100% to the way McNamara and Co have brought young Kopczak on, and despite the chunterings that he was a makeweight, never-be-any-good, etc., he was now even being compared by some to a young Fielden.

That may be hype, but you can't argue with the result. he's become a highly promising forward who can now mix it with the best of them. This is what I call youth development, and this shows how you need patience and faith to produce a top class player. It can rarely be done overnight, and bad handling could have ruined him as a prospect.

Also, he couldn't have made the level he's now at without plenty of game time, despite being once very green and half the man he is now. If many on here had had their way we'd have got rid of him as a no-mark halfway through his first season!

: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:09 pm  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

Kopczak is a case in point, which should be considered by those who keep bleating about sticking youngsters in, if they're good enough they're old enough etc etc blah blah.

There is a right way and a wrong way to blood each player. The Sam Burgesses of this world are a rare breed (and how lucky we are to have produced him) but due 100% to the way McNamara and Co have brought young Kopczak on, and despite the chunterings that he was a makeweight, never-be-any-good, etc., he was now even being compared by some to a young Fielden.

That may be hype, but you can't argue with the result. he's become a highly promising forward who can now mix it with the best of them. This is what I call youth development, and this shows how you need patience and faith to produce a top class player. It can rarely be done overnight, and bad handling could have ruined him as a prospect.

Also, he couldn't have made the level he's now at without plenty of game time, despite being once very green and half the man he is now. If many on here had had their way we'd have got rid of him as a no-mark halfway through his first season!

Quite.
And it was me who made the Fielden comparison, to which I stand by.

As you point out, the fruits of youth development work is starting to show, with Halley and Koppy being in the top 3 performers yesterday for me

[Bullseye]

: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:54 pm  

Kopczak is coming along nicely, has done all season. He occasionally gets abuse on the terraces from the know-nowts who want him to be Shane Webcke straightaway but there's no denying his progress.

When you look at how Leeds brought through the likes of Burrow, Scruton, Diskin, McGuire, Sinfield, Hall, Jones Buchanan etc there were plenty of people on Substandard unwilling to show any patience when they were just coming through. Those players have all come along gradually and they're reaping the benefit.

: Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:24 pm  

The important phrase already used is "Young player Development"
This takes time and skill in planning for each individual. Bulls seem well equiped in this area.

: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:16 am  

Bullseye wrote:

Kopczak is coming along nicely, has done all season. He occasionally gets abuse on the terraces from the know-nowts who want him to be Shane Webcke straightaway but there's no denying his progress.

When you look at how Leeds brought through the likes of Burrow, Scruton, Diskin, McGuire, Sinfield, Hall, Jones Buchanan etc there were plenty of people on Substandard unwilling to show any patience when they were just coming through. Those players have all come along gradually and they're reaping the benefit.

But according to G1, across on substandard the whole team is still being roundly bagged, especially after the narrow win v Shudds.

: Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:43 am  

Good to see Nero getting some deserved credit. Equal votes with his hero Beaver ain't too shabby

Still no-one has apologised after giving him stick last season. Where is the punisher and hail stevie griffins?