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Just watched Nat Phillips make his debut in the Premier League for Liverpool.
He was a year older than young spud at BWFC academy and occasionally they played in the same team. Dropping down an age group is usually because someone isn`t doing very well.
It was widely acknowledged that Phillips was only there because his dad was Head of the Academy, and not on ability. Lancaster`s Sam Bailey was streets ahead of him then and being courted by Manchester City!
But at the age of 23 he just got Man of the Match against West Ham, whilst Sam was playing at Warrington Town.
Funny old game, eh?
Well done Nat....
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Funny old game... on 21:49 - Oct 31 with 1297 views
About 3 years ago was talking to someone who does work for academies, they said the system is full of ex-professional's kids, all getting mates to "do them a favour"
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Funny old game... on 07:55 - Nov 1 with 1282 views
There must be a lot of luck involved with injuries and opportunities.
Simply being in the right place at the right time, or not.
It makes me think of Rowan Roache and I can't help but feel as this is a real waste of a career and could / should've been handled better.
He was head and shoulders above the others in an extremely successful Blackpool youth team and was capped at all sorts of youth levels by the Republic of Ireland. He's still only 20 and is now turning out for Bamber Bridge (He also recently played for Lancaster).
As Red says, there's a lot of back-scratching going on in the system and probably a few other inherent faults that make youth development hit and miss.
Let's hope the planned academy at BFC addresses these issues and the young players are allowed to develop without negative influences and we get the most out of them.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Obviously the virus is putting a spanner in the works but that's quite a few months now that we've been promised and waiting for news of the academy proposal.
Shouldn't we at least have some concrete news about the details of such a long delay?
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Yep, agree with that Red, and to a certain extent I can understand it up to a certain level if the dad is the coach - doesn`t make it right because it should be a meritocracy - but when it gets serious then they shouldn`t get "honorary" scholarships, so to speak.
Remember Jamie Milligan`s lad got a year at an academy through his dad`s name and he was talentless.
There were a couple who "could have been something" at Lancaster recently - Rowan Roache was one, and Keiran Feeney another (someone paid over £50,000 for him I believe) and both didn`t make it, even at that level.
Must be very dispiriting when you were at one time the pick of the bunch. Young spud keeps in touch with both of them, Keiran is now playing NW Counties for Squires Gate.
Yet Nat Phillips was the runt of the litter at Bolton...
[Post edited 1 Nov 2020 8:31]
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Funny old game... on 08:36 - Nov 1 with 1273 views
It's easier to understand how a talented player might go off the rails and not make it rather than a rubbish one who succeeds.
Is it all down to drive and determination? Maybe late physical development allows a player to play in a different position, on better suited to his talents?
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
Agree spell it easier to see how a very talented player doesn`t succeed, rather than a mere `decent` one makes it.
Phillips is a case in point (to me) of someone who has been `manufactured` rather than someone of outstanding ability - which you have to be to play in the Premier League.
Made me think that if you take a reasonably talented but athletic player (with 100% attitude), and trained him long enough at the highest level, whether you can always make an `acceptable` player out of him. It is also unusual for a player aged 23 to be in Liverpool junior teams - normally by 21 they have decided whether you have a future or not.
I don`t think for a minute that Phillips will make a career in the Premier League, but anyone who saw him aged 14 would never have forseen him playing football for a living at that level.
Well done to him; his dad Jimmy - a lovely fella - must be very proud...
[Post edited 1 Nov 2020 8:59]
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Funny old game... on 09:26 - Nov 1 with 1257 views
Surprised with Liverpool's CH injuries, that Sepp van den Berg hasn't got a sniff yet. Impressed me when he played against us in pre season, looked a couple levels above the others.
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
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Funny old game... on 12:45 - Nov 1 with 1245 views
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