The Daily Mail has said some things. We’re not so sure about them
The Daily Mail has taken time out from being the personal newspaper of Satan to do some reporting on youth players not being given a chance by clubs. They named eight in the Football League, one of them being Bolton.
In fairness to the Mail, they set out a criteria, and we did fit in it. But it was quite a simplistic way and it would be disingenious, nay, daft to suggest Wanderers kids haven’t been given a chance.
The Mail article decidied they would ‘out’ clubs who haven’t started a player in the league this season who was under the age of 21 on June 30. Fair enough, we haven’t done that.
But Jack Earing and Alex Perry have featured in the cups that matter (sorry Checkatrade Trophy) but in the league, neither has got further than the bench. Alex Samidzadeh has also featured in cups, while England’s youth goalkeeper Jake Turner is our de-facto number two while Mark Howard is a long term injury absentee.
But you only have to have half a brain to notice that in the last few seasons, mainly due to circumstances, but also that these players have deserved their shots, Wanderers have given kids the chance.
Arguably our best two players this season, Josh Vela and Zach Clough, are both academy graduates.
Did you see Arsenal’s match in midweek? You would have seen Rob Holding start in the Champions League. A year ago this weekend, we were throwing him in away to Hull City, and he never came out of the team and until the Gunners wanted to buy him.
Niall Maher, Oscar Threlkeld, Alex Finney and Tyler Garrett all got games last season as well. At the time, it would have been great for some of them to stay, although admittedly none of them have set the world alight at other clubs.
It hasn’t always been like this in the last few years. Owen Coyle did give Vela his debut, and also Joe Riley, but neither stayed in the team. Dougie Freedman never gave youth a chance, apparently Vela wasn’t good enough. What’s Freedman doing now?
For Neil Lennon’s many faults, him giving Clough and Vela, and Holding their opportunities were big calls, and good calls.
Despite the dig at the top, I don’t want to stick the knife into the Daily Mail too much. They aren’t being anti-Bolton, they just seem to have come from it at a daft, short-termist angle. Dare I say, to get people clicking. At the end of the day, they have money to make.
But their criteria is apoor way of looking at it. Maybe they should look at clubs’ squads this season, and work out how many academy graduates were in them. I’m sure we would come out much better then.
I would look at that, but I have a busy weekend, I have a job to do. If somebody wants to do it, leave it in the comments box, or pitch me an article.