Opinion: Player development

[aspursfan]

I would like to see a better integration of our younger players. I fear for what the next generation of football players are going to be like considering how rare it is to find players in the current generation who aren't agent pampered mercenary cry babies. I know in the past we've perhaps overdone it with potential in the wrong places.

We have lots of potential, but we ship them all out on loan. If we end up playing Europa football, maybe even if we don't, I think we need to take developing our own players a bit more seriously. In fact wherever we finish I think we need to look at this. I don't want to see us using half-fit or exhausted players all the time! I think this season should have shown us that it isn't the best policy. Look how well we did in the Carling and FA Cups.

I understand we can only name so many players in the PL squad, but look at United. Look how often their younger players get the odd game and the chance to build that chemistry with the team. I think about the criticism with the national team and think we share a common problem. We need to find a way to better acclimatize our up and coming players into the first squad. Shipping them out on loan is not always going to be in our best interests. I know that with United, well, they're United. It's easier to keep a younger player happy because of the name, but I would like to see some kind of plan here.

I'm well aware of the progress we've made and I'm not knocking that. I just think that this is an area we seriously need to look at. I'm sure that was put way down on the list of priorities with relegation knocking on the door not very long ago.

[taimedowne]

Actually a team can field as many under 21 players in the squad as they like as long as they pass certain criteria which I cant remember off hand. I agree we should be giving youngsters a chance, look how Ars*nal do it in the Carling Cup seems to work for them. If we make the bloody Europa League I dare say we will adopt that policy for those games. The first team can then be rested and we can have a serious tilt at getting back in the CL.

[Holtspur]

Totally agree with fielding our youngsters in the Europa and Carling Cups etc. We have fabulous younsters by the way, and reading the reports of how well they are doing out on loan is heart warming. We have a few in the England squads and if we can have that "acadamy" concept like at United and Woolwich, we have a better chance of keeping them, rather than nurturing them for the opposition. Next season we need to have fully fit, "up-for-it" first teamers playing in the EPL to get us back into Europe properly, and hopefully with a cushion - lets talk about having a go at the title and maybe finishing third, rather than battling for fourth. The old saying "aim for the top of the tree and you may get off the ground - aim for the stars and you clear the tops of the trees" applies here. Just a couple of additions will do it (just a couple of strikers doing what they are paid to do would help lol) 

[aspursfan]

It seems like Jonathan Obika, at the age of 20, is either ready to be slowly introduced into our team or sold. Danny Rose is also 20 years old. I'm not going to act like I'm an expert on any of this. These are just my opinions and I'm sure there are some glaring facts that I'm completely oblivious of. It just seems like O'Hara, Keane and Bentley need to be on their way. I have nothing against any of the players, but these aren't players that we're getting anything out of with their loan deals other than not paying all of their wages.

I say if Redknapp is only going to use Kranjcar once in every 5 games as a sub then we should sell him as well. I really rate Kranjcar and don't want him to be sold, but he's far too good to sit on our bench. We might as well have Danny Rose sitting on our bench and use him once in every 5 games as a sub. If we can't start doing that when they're on their 20s then I think we have problems.

I'm certainly not saying we should replace all the players who don't start on a regular basis. I know that all top teams have squads with quality on the bench, but we need to find a way to start pushing our up and coming players in. It just seems like that will be very difficult with Redknapp's static team selection.

[RiffHard]

The problem has been that Spurs have let many youth players get "stale"... I mean, there have been loads of players who have reportedly been the next big thing, yet 5 years later they get shifted out to  Plymouth or Leyton Orient. Whether the problem is with players or the people responsible for the development, I don't know.

[ugs]

Its all well and good that we say play the kids in the Carling Cup or even Europa League but these are competitions that we have been trying to win in the last few years. At the moment things haven't changed that much yes we are in the Champions League..... this season but what happens if we don't qualify again do we just forget the Carling Cup and Europa League!!
 
The way things are done at the moment is about the best we can do and if the youngsters can't force their way in to the first team then they get sold on and the club makes money. If you want to see an example of playing kids in the so called fringe competitions look at the Woolwich Wanderers and what have they won......... that's right absolutely nothing.
 
No one ever remembers who came second or third playing with a talented bunch of kids but they remember who won the League Cup or Europa league even if it was with a bunch of geriatrics.
 

[YidJoe24]

I completely agree with bringing young players through. Apparently a couple of our young players are rated really highly by Harry and we should start to see more of them next season. I think Caulker, Walker and Townsend will be the main ones as they all seem to be doing really well.