weallloveleeds.co.uk
  • Latest
  • Fixtures/Results/Table
  • Have Your Say
  • Meet the team
  • Contact Us
  • Links

The Academy: From The Outside Looking In.

10/11/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Steve Barras

A score-draw against Nottingham Forest today was the latest result this season for Leeds u21 team, a Kalvin Phillips brace and a Brian Montenegro goal earned the youngsters a credible 3-3 draw. Dario Del Fabro was sent off for flailing a leg at a Forest player midway through the match whilst Leeds were 2-0 up and Forest clawed their way back into the game and levelled before Montenegro gave Leeds a 3-2 lead. Forest got a last minute equaliser however and despite playing well with only ten men throughout the second half, we had to settle for a point.

The game saw Phillips score his third and fourth goals of the season for the u21’s, his first and second coming against Cardiff and Barnsley and he has also netted for the u18 squad during a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United. The game also saw Montenegro score his fifth goal in seven outings and both are no doubt pushing for a place in the first team squad this season (Montenegro has already made two cameo appearances).

This will be the only time that I will mention ‘off-the-field’ antics during this column. Massimo Cellino has hinted at the closure of our state-of-the-art (twelve years ago) academy complex at Thorp Arch and to be honest when there were minor rumours during the summer I was worried. Thorp Arch for me is the very essence of Leeds United’s future, the loss of it would be catastrophic and crippling to the lifeblood of the club. Since then I have had a slight change of heart.

For those who aren't familiar with the history of our ‘Youth Academy and Training Facility’ here is a quick lesson.

When Howard Wilkinson (Manager 1988-1996) took over Leeds we were training behind the West Stand on Fullerton Park and Wilko wanted a purpose built training facility. Leeds subsequently moved into Thorp Arch in 1994. At the time Thorp Arch consisted of a number of full size pitches and a facility known as ‘The Grange’ but at the turn of the millennium Leeds moved out of ‘The Grange’ and started work on Thorp Arch as we know it today, ‘The Barn’ opened in 2002 and has largely remained the same since. Whilst Wilko recognised that Leeds needed a state-of-the-art base his successors and owners used but didn’t upgrade and we have been overtaken by a number of clubs in this country. We have the best academy in Yorkshire but not in England anymore.

Cellino’s main argument for closing down Thorp Arch is that it is thirty miles from Elland Road and young potential players from the poorer communities find it difficult to get to and from it. One story doing the rounds is that Fabian Delph had to catch three buses before he even glimpsed the complex.

Thorp Arch is actually twenty-two and a half miles from Elland Road but the fact still remains that the poorer families will struggle to justify the cost of sending their son on three buses for the slim hope of him having enough ability to break through.

Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not a Cellino-ite, I don’t look at his antics through rose-tinted spectacles but if he can find a site closer to Elland Road and build a facility that will continue to produce as well as it has been doing lately then I’m all for it. After-all our academy products who led us to the Champions League semi-finals developed at ‘The Grange’ not at ‘The Barn’.

Anyway, back to the present. Before today’s match against Forest, Leeds u21’s were sitting in 2nd place, a point behind leaders Forest and a point in front of Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday.


 

Pos          Team                   P      W      D      L      GD      PTS

1               Forest                 10      6       0      4       +4        18
2               Leeds                 10       5       2      3       +3        17
3               Huddersfield         9       5       1      3       +6        16
4               Sheff Wed           10      4       4      2       +4        16

 

Saturday morning our u18’s were defeated 3-1 at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday, Frank Mulhern got our goal. Before that game we were in 7th place, twelve points adrift of 1st place Coventry and two points clear of bottom club Crewe.

Pos           Team                 P      W     D     L     GD      PTS

6               Forest                11      3      2     6     +1        11
7               Leeds                 11      3      2     6     -3         11
8               Barnsley             10      3      2     5    -14        11
9               Crewe                  9      2      3     4      -2         9


Some of our academy players have been recognised on the international level as well. Eric Grimes has been called up to the Republic of Ireland u21 squad for their two friendly games against Russia and USA. Eoghan Stokes will also join up with the Republic of Ireland but at u19 level for their UEFA Qualification Tournament games and Callum Nicell will join up with the Republic of Ireland u16 squad for their games at the end of November.

Other Academy products currently with the first team who have been called up for their international teams are Alex Mowatt (England u20’s) and Lewis Cook (England u18’s).


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    As featured on NewsNow: Leeds United newsLeeds United News 24/7

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    RSS Feed

    This is an image from weallloveleeds.co.uk, the leading fans site for Leeds United
    Follow @weallloveleedsu
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Latest
  • Fixtures/Results/Table
  • Have Your Say
  • Meet the team
  • Contact Us
  • Links