Bodin backs new FA youth plans (From Swindon Advertiser)

as regard billy Bodin, if he does go I feel it would be a shame but also would have to question the value of the youth set up under the current regime. Most U20's coming through have been sold before ready or as soon as they hit the first team. I expect the costs of the scheme far exceed the income so unless their is a product - there is a case to close it and spend the money elsewhere. I realise evryone is saying Billy Bodin is making a great success of things - but when exactly will we see these successes helping stfc become successful in its right. Are we looking back too fondly on the days of Summerbee, Hunt, Rogers etc and Bert Heads babers. As for Billy I would expect him to go because he wont get 40 games at stfc next year!

We don't produce decent youths, the ones who've gone on to do well, Morrison and Lukas for example weren't ours either.

ciclosporindorset wrote:
as regard billy Bodin, if he does go I feel it would be a shame but also would have to question the value of the youth set up under the current regime. Most U20's coming through have been sold before ready or as soon as they hit the first team. I expect the costs of the scheme far exceed the income so unless their is a product - there is a case to close it and spend the money elsewhere. I realise evryone is saying Billy Bodin is making a great success of things - but when exactly will we see these successes helping stfc become successful in its right. Are we looking back too fondly on the days of Summerbee, Hunt, Rogers etc and Bert Heads babers. As for Billy I would expect him to go because he wont get 40 games at stfc next year!

Every club outside the big 3 are a selling club. These youngsters have , at times, in recent years been a major source of income. That's why clubs run the youth programmes. Look at Crewe, there is talk of Powell going for £4million this summer. That is a huge amount of money for any club outside the premiership.

If Billy thinks he should have a guaranteed start, he might as well sign for Torquay now, sorry, but IMO as with the rest of our present strikers apart from Benson, he is a squad player, he had his chances to shine last season, he did OK, but not enough to guarantee a start every week.

Lee Holmes signing for Preston as of July 1st.

old town robin wrote:
If Billy thinks he should have a guaranteed start, he might as well sign for Torquay now, sorry, but IMO as with the rest of our present strikers apart from Benson, he is a squad player, he had his chances to shine last season, he did OK, but not enough to guarantee a start every week.

Spot on OTR!!!!!no player should be guaranteed a start(unless he's MESSI)!!!!!!!

35yrRED wrote:
Lee Holmes signing for Preston as of July 1st.

No great loss,very inconsistent!!!!!

Rhys Boydy,
Thats my point though - when was the last time we got anywhere a million for one of our youths. £250K seems abouit as good as it gets. What does the scheme cost to run incl wages for Newton & Bodin. Chances are we have a loss making setup at U18 level with nothing to show other than BB and a few others. Now we will all hope for Storey to come good but if he gets sold on in 2 years for £250K was it really money invested well?

i agree with don 69, lee holmes will not be a great loss, we have no pace from the midfield forward and pace in the modern game is vital. as good as holmes is and as good as ritchie and rooney are they are not quick. hopefully paolo will sort this out.

ciclosporindorset wrote:
Rhys Boydy, Thats my point though - when was the last time we got anywhere a million for one of our youths. £250K seems abouit as good as it gets. What does the scheme cost to run incl wages for Newton & Bodin. Chances are we have a loss making setup at U18 level with nothing to show other than BB and a few others. Now we will all hope for Storey to come good but if he gets sold on in 2 years for £250K was it really money invested well?

Alex Henshall sold to Man City for £250k for a 16 year old enough said.

u dont get the point. It costs the club money ring fenced for youth development. I know Henshalll went for 250K but if the running costs of the youth set up were £300K for the year - we are loosing out. I would love to hear the running costs for the youth set up. LR? any ideas

old town robin wrote:
If Billy thinks he should have a guaranteed start, he might as well sign for Torquay now, sorry, but IMO as with the rest of our present strikers apart from Benson, he is a squad player, he had his chances to shine last season, he did OK, but not enough to guarantee a start every week.

I have no doubt that Billy will sign up for Torquay. Pity but he fits in better there and will undoubtedly get more games .

Leigh Mills generated £1m, Jukebox got £750k, Tozer £250k, Henshall £250k (up front and possibly more to come) and Morrsion got £300k
.
We also saw Stephens go to Liverpool - but not sure for how much
.
Now we had to buy Tozer and Morrison (along with Hyde) for £75k but that still shows Net income of over £2.5m - Not a bad return!
.
The main problem is the really good ones want out and their parents force it through - ala Henshall - so the club have no choice
.
The further up we go the less likely that is to happen - as parents will like the idea of kids playing at Championship level with a view to doing a Walcott, Bale or Oxlade-Chamberlain and securing a massive move from there

Wonder if Henshall is ready for a loan period. We have a vacancy now.

I'm afraid I'm resigned to losing Billy - there is no way he will be given any kind of assurances of regular starts, that's not Paolo's style. He wants the competitive edge there all the time and any slip and you're out. I think Torquay will grab him but I also think he will go on to play at a higher level. I can see him being another Paul Trollope, who I think also initially went to Torquay before going on to play in the old L1 (Prem) with Derby. Whatever his decision, I wish him all the very best, he has shown much loyalty to our club.

The problem that the youth set up has, is that if players are not intergrated into the first team on a regular basis parents will think twice about sending thier kids to STFC. If you look at Thompson, Kennedy, Scott, Bodin, Evans, Clarke, they have not really been given a chance to show what they can do, as if you make one mistake on the pitch, you are pulled off and made to train with the stiffs. With kids you need to bring them on, encourage them and teach, not to throw them in and throw them out again just as quickly. I beleive for a club like STFC youth has to be the future, as when JW etc get alittle bored with what they are doing the cash will dry up. If you stopped the youth structure you would remove any infastructure the club has. Last season was a perfect example of cash ruling the heads, we had Marshall, the guy from orient and a couple of other players brought in on loan who if we are honest were not better than Bodin. I beleive his face didnt fit because he was a home grown player. I hope he signs but as others say I cannot see it

So no Holmes who I thought was a nailed on certainty to sign, and by the sounds of it Williams off to MKD? Hopefully some socks off signings to arrive in the near future.

Good point about Holmes lack of pace, and he has been injury prone but he was two-footed and a good crosser and I can see him being one to come back to haunt us like Monkhouse and Revell.

Oh- so Milton Keynes is closer to Hereford than Yeovil!
.
Must have learnt his geography off Dowie!
.
The reason most of the youth players have "not had a chance" is they are simply not good enough!
.
Bodin has had a chance - 11 games this season (which is a high percentage of the time he was here) and has been offered a 2 year deal
.
Kennedy played over 25 times
.
Thompson is wanted by STFC - he is just unlucky he has Caddis in his way and wa sinjured when Caddis was
.
Smith was released as PdC has faith in Bedwell!
.
Also Storey has made quite a few appearances for a player who is not even professional yet
.
As for Evans and Clark would you drop Flint and Ferry for them? I wouldn't!

http://www.bbc.co.uk
/sport/0/football/18
245752

U might want to read this oh dear

Mmmm. There may be another mountain made from a molehill. Time to be patient take nothing as read or said until the facts are clear - which of course they may never be - as these things tend to be in confidence. Keep on to next season.

London Red wrote:
Oh- so Milton Keynes is closer to Hereford than Yeovil!
.
Must have learnt his geography off Dowie!
.
The reason most of the youth players have "not had a chance" is they are simply not good enough!
.
Bodin has had a chance - 11 games this season (which is a high percentage of the time he was here) and has been offered a 2 year deal
.
Kennedy played over 25 times
.
Thompson is wanted by STFC - he is just unlucky he has Caddis in his way and wa sinjured when Caddis was
.
Smith was released as PdC has faith in Bedwell!
.
Also Storey has made quite a few appearances for a player who is not even professional yet
.
As for Evans and Clark would you drop Flint and Ferry for them? I wouldn't!

i actually think Will Evans is a good midfield player for Hereford, he played well against us at their place. I would have had him everytime in midfield before Risser and Lee Cox

Bb should sign for supermarine if he wants to play ever game.
He gave up la to play at wembley, did he play NO.
Get real billy and listen to daddy.
Onwards and upward.
Watching the birth of someone who thinks he's better than he is.

Smirg, funny that mate his dad told him to sign for Highworth!!
watching the birth of somebody who is better than we think

Grim just like you on "onwards and upwards" I've a copyright fee due for "watching the birth..." !!!

smirg kcab wrote:
Bb should sign for supermarine if he wants to play ever game.
He gave up la to play at wembley, did he play NO.
Get real billy and listen to daddy.
Onwards and upward.
Watching the birth of someone who thinks he's better than he is.

smirg.... Bodin will play at a lot higher level than STFC, PDC should have given him a better run, the lad deserved better than what he got last year, pdc will struggle this year if he stays ??? no man management skills at all, its a shame that young players will thrive away from this club, home grown talent wasted while we spend a fortune getting people in. Watch and see, but then Billy has already proved that at Torquay under a class manager who knows how to deal with young players, my prediction PDC throws his toys out the pram within 3 months disappearing and leaving the next manager with a financial headache

sp2769 wrote:

smirg kcab wrote: Bb should sign for supermarine if he wants to play ever game. He gave up la to play at wembley, did he play NO. Get real billy and listen to daddy. Onwards and upward. Watching the birth of someone who thinks he's better than he is.

smirg.... Bodin will play at a lot higher level than STFC, PDC should have given him a better run, the lad deserved better than what he got last year, pdc will struggle this year if he stays ??? no man management skills at all, its a shame that young players will thrive away from this club, home grown talent wasted while we spend a fortune getting people in. Watch and see, but then Billy has already proved that at Torquay under a class manager who knows how to deal with young players, my prediction PDC throws his toys out the pram within 3 months disappearing and leaving the next manager with a financial headache

jeez, the PDC haters are out again...
FFS give the man a break!
No sooner has he won the league title than you get people coming on here knocking his discipline, training regime and man management skills... I'm not knocking Lingy, he'll always be a legend in my eyes, but as a "class manager" he didn't even gain promotion, let alone win the league, and that's what it's all about, winning.

Tr another new poster.agree with you, he evidently he didn't go under the Wilson regime.
I can't wait for the fixtures next week, I'm hoping the off field headlines will soon go away and then we can all get back to talking football.
Onwards and upwards
Sorry dream for infringement of your Copy rights lol, but had to put that one in.

TenerifeRed wrote:

sp2769 wrote:

smirg kcab wrote: Bb should sign for supermarine if he wants to play ever game. He gave up la to play at wembley, did he play NO. Get real billy and listen to daddy. Onwards and upward. Watching the birth of someone who thinks he's better than he is.

smirg.... Bodin will play at a lot higher level than STFC, PDC should have given him a better run, the lad deserved better than what he got last year, pdc will struggle this year if he stays ??? no man management skills at all, its a shame that young players will thrive away from this club, home grown talent wasted while we spend a fortune getting people in. Watch and see, but then Billy has already proved that at Torquay under a class manager who knows how to deal with young players, my prediction PDC throws his toys out the pram within 3 months disappearing and leaving the next manager with a financial headache

jeez, the PDC haters are out again...
FFS give the man a break!
No sooner has he won the league title than you get people coming on here knocking his discipline, training regime and man management skills... I'm not knocking Lingy, he'll always be a legend in my eyes, but as a "class manager" he didn't even gain promotion, let alone win the league, and that's what it's all about, winning.

TR, let me remind you of the differences M ling Budget =1 million. Pdc = 3.5 million, could be a big reason why lingy did not quite manage it. As far as the man management skills go, M Lings conducts himself in a far more professional manner than pdc, i would prefer my club to be in the headlines for the right reasons not the wrong ones, remember winning is what we want but at what cost .?? Interesting to see how we go at another level, hope i eat my words but i doubt
(a) Pdc will stay the season.
(b) The board will continue to plough cash in at the rate Pdc will require.
Time will tell

Chaps, I thought this was a really interesting article. Cheered me up no end to see that the FA have at last come up with something that encourages kids to play controlled football instead of making them play on full size pitches, which only encourages the opposite. I've been banging on about it for donkey's years, as I'm sure it's one of the reasons we don't produce a national side that can compete with the world's best. So I was really looking forward to reading the 29 comments - but nobody's commented on it!

It is patently obvious and seems that PB is already on it.

BillyLucas4me wrote:
It is patently obvious and seems that PB is already on it.

Not quite getting your drift there BL. What's patently obvious? - that playing on full size pitches is bad for young kids?

sp2769 wrote:

TenerifeRed wrote:

sp2769 wrote:

smirg kcab wrote: Bb should sign for supermarine if he wants to play ever game. He gave up la to play at wembley, did he play NO. Get real billy and listen to daddy. Onwards and upward. Watching the birth of someone who thinks he's better than he is.

smirg.... Bodin will play at a lot higher level than STFC, PDC should have given him a better run, the lad deserved better than what he got last year, pdc will struggle this year if he stays ??? no man management skills at all, its a shame that young players will thrive away from this club, home grown talent wasted while we spend a fortune getting people in. Watch and see, but then Billy has already proved that at Torquay under a class manager who knows how to deal with young players, my prediction PDC throws his toys out the pram within 3 months disappearing and leaving the next manager with a financial headache

jeez, the PDC haters are out again... FFS give the man a break! No sooner has he won the league title than you get people coming on here knocking his discipline, training regime and man management skills... I'm not knocking Lingy, he'll always be a legend in my eyes, but as a "class manager" he didn't even gain promotion, let alone win the league, and that's what it's all about, winning.

TR, let me remind you of the differences M ling Budget =1 million. Pdc = 3.5 million, could be a big reason why lingy did not quite manage it. As far as the man management skills go, M Lings conducts himself in a far more professional manner than pdc, i would prefer my club to be in the headlines for the right reasons not the wrong ones, remember winning is what we want but at what cost .?? Interesting to see how we go at another level, hope i eat my words but i doubt (a) Pdc will stay the season. (b) The board will continue to plough cash in at the rate Pdc will require. Time will tell

Love Lingy, recently re-watched the documentary of the Hoddle promotion season for which he was one of the main contributors, great bloke.

Lingy did well at Torquay with the resources available but more experienced manager's have not had success with a big budget, Leicester being a good example. To say that the reason PDC did well is because of the budget available is kind of suggesting anyone could have got the Town promoted which is just not the case.

I have followed Town for many years and last season was one of the most memorable. The reason for me is quite simple, and it reminded me of the Macari years, the passion and commitment.

On the Bodin front I hope he signs. IMO he was initially sent on loan to gain experience and the second loan was to free wages to bring in experience to ensure promotion was secured.

Billy may want regular 1st team football, IMO he is good enough to get it at the CG, but no club can ever guarantee that as you have to earn it.

Think about it Billy, you came back from Torquay, had a run in the team and did well enough to be offered a new contract. Some may say it is to get a fee should you move on but I have no doubts that you could have a big part to play in the future at STFC if you sign.

COYMR