Links with bigger clubs

[shrimper]

http://www.cfcnet.co.uk/2009/11/11/blues-look-to-forge-walsall-and-crewe-relationships/

Don't know why this kind of more organised link-up doesn't happen more.

Just thinking about Sammy and Mark's links with Man City, ManU? Could we get a formal arrangement? Also Burnley, PNE etc - they must have good lads who need regular experience in a competitive league against more than just other young kids, to prepare them for their own first teams.

They know Sammy and Mark's reputation for man-management and good coaching, playing football the right way etc

Also, if the players turn out to be not quite good enough for their own first teams, doing well at our club would put them in the shop window for a decent move away to a team lower down the leagues.

We already have a good relationship with Huddersfield (their young chairman used to watch Lils banging them in when he was merely a fan). But that may not be able to be long-term if we fulfil our ambitions and they dont and we end up rivals.

[Buzza]

Totally agree, Also Liverpool as our Physio came from there academy. Surely they could look into getting someone in, Dani pacheco or gerado bruna? Young and talented players that would be explosive in League 2.

[marky]

Such a link would only be useful if we had a management that fully embraced youth. It's no secret Sammy favours experience and I can't really see him using such a link to its full potential to justify a larger club approaching us.

[wonder shrimp]

to be fair we have had a couple of cracking young prospects (joe lewis being the obvious example, and mcgivern another one off the top of my head). when sammy has needed to get loans in he has done the job, what would we really get out of any deal? especially if it meant narrowing our search.

[shrimper]

I'm not saying we would flood our team with kids. It's true we have had one or two good ones so the club and management aren't against loans per se.
I just wonder if something more formal might establish a bit of a steady stream of players being offered to us to add something to our team.

One thing we don't have much of is pace, even coming off the bench. If we're not bringing quick lads of the kind of calibre we need up through our own academy, maybe we could get some benefit from someone else's.

[heysham_mfc]

would be good to be lined up with another team our be a lot easier when looking for loans deals

[footballfan]

I sometimes think that people under estimate an ex pro connections. I know Sammy does MUTV, but what proof is there of any links at Utd and the same for Lils with city. Just because someone has played for a club does not mean that they have a back door pass forever.

What should be happening is an investment in the youth in the area, I can think of at least 1/2 dozen players who are at clubs, when they should be here in their home town. Dickie & the other coaches with the 18`s & 17`s do their best, but they are un paid volunteers (not included dickie in that as unsure to his role within the club as he seems to be everywhere!) We need to get back to producing talent and before I am hung out to dry the last 2 lads of any mentionable talent (aaron & matty bell) both played at our club before moving on to the development centre at the college, so I get to see a fair amount of the local lads over the course of a season and have done for the past 6 or so years. I personally (keyword there!) feel that we will not move onwards & upwards without a solid base involving the youth in this area. I know it is hard to compete against the likes of Blackburn, Burnley, Utd, Liverpool and the likes, but something needs to be done before we have closed the door on the talent in this area.

[eggchaser]

Just having a look at the link posted in the first post, and the link that chelsea want to set up isn't so much as being able to send their own players to the lower leagues as it is getting a link with teams that turn out good homegrown talent (especially crewe) Links like this mean they can have first picks of the young players, also they will contribute a small amount of money every year to improve the academy and coaching staff. Until will start turning out some good academy players with lots of potential then bigger teams wont even give us a second look.

[heysham_mfc]

I sometimes think that people under estimate an ex pro connections. I know Sammy does MUTV, but what proof is there of any links at Utd and the same for Lils with city. Just because someone has played for a club does not mean that they have a back door pass forever.

What should be happening is an investment in the youth in the area, I can think of at least 1/2 dozen players who are at clubs, when they should be here in their home town. Dickie & the other coaches with the 18`s & 17`s do their best, but they are un paid volunteers (not included dickie in that as unsure to his role within the club as he seems to be everywhere!) We need to get back to producing talent and before I am hung out to dry the last 2 lads of any mentionable talent (aaron & matty bell) both played at our club before moving on to the development centre at the college, so I get to see a fair amount of the local lads over the course of a season and have done for the past 6 or so years. I personally (keyword there!) feel that we will not move onwards & upwards without a solid base involving the youth in this area. I know it is hard to compete against the likes of Blackburn, Burnley, Utd, Liverpool and the likes, but something needs to be done before we have closed the door on the talent in this area.

it was the other way around