• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

EFL Trophy Pizza Cup Rovers v Leeds U21

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Ged Brennan, Big Steve McNulty,
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Mickey Mellon, Johnny King.
Thanks for writing my post for me, drw! All I would add is when I watched Liverpool in the sixties and seventies, they were packed with local lads and just as successful as today. Lawrence, Lawler, Byrne, Smith, Thompson P, Callaghan, Hunt, Melia et al - all internationals. Later on, Fowler, Carragher and Gerrard were exceptions to the rule.

EPL clubs can now afford the cream of world talent, leaving no room for local lads to develop unless they are exceptional and prodigious like TAA. The success rate of EPL development programmes is appalling and has gone backwards in my lifetime.

At the other end of the scale, Rovers used to have a steady stream of home-grown youngsters including McFarland, Coppell, Tynan, Irons, Mahon, Nolan, Thomas and Hill, who all moved on to the top division. The last three to come through our youth scheme to play more than a handful of games were Power, Stockton and Kirby. Since then, recruitment has largely been free transfers from other clubs.

So the big clubs and the top players have got a lot richer, while further down the pyramid players often face an annual battle to stay in a job and many clubs struggle to survive.
I think you have missed a few who came through our academy, one is still playing at the top level, Aaron Cresswell. Koumas had a few years with West Bromwich Albion and
Then in the championship, Will Vaulks. (Cardiff).
Ince, (Stoke) Ash Taylor has played for a few clubs, even a certain loanee, George, who came through our academy and was snapped up by the reds. Oops, oil forgot a certain Everton midfielder, started his career with his brother at Rovers, Davies.
Then there is a three locals who made pros, Declan Drysdale, (Gillingham).
Jamie MacGuire, (Mansfield youth coach) Luke Pilling.
And I'm really surprised you didn't mention Andy Roberts.
Another is club legend, Shaun Garnett, thirty years service as player, coach, assistant manager, academy director. Club representative in China.
Most of these and some more missing have been brought through the academy set up by Warwick Rimmer, who saved the club by selling on these players.
Another local is Derek Mountfield. There are a few more like Steve Jennings, not forgetting the four ex Rovers players who were on our television screens playing for Marine, who were very good v spurs in the FA cup.
Thanks to John Achterberg, we had up until a couple of years ago, a production line of goalkeepers signing pro contract. Other keepers, such as Danny and Joe, had good careers.
My brain has crashed, I know that I've missed some and will be reminded of it by you lot. But we should take pride in the number of professional footballers we have had come through the club ranks.
It is really sad to think that the club has abandoned the local youngsters by closing the academy. Other than financially, the club has prevented good young talent coming through. The only reason why we have first year pros. Is of the EFL rules that clubs have to have home grown players in the squad. As I've said before, now we haven't got the academy, the youth players are cast offs from other clubs, and as time goes, these youngsters don't have the tradition of the club. And don't have the Tranmere Rovers running through their blood. And the quality is deteriorating.
We need an academy again!
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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I see it more as an attempt to find a home for players who are not going to make it at the highest level. Glatzel is clearly a skilful and clever player but has he got what it takes to prosper in a league where toughness, desire and commitment are so important? Time will tell but he is only 20.
We have received quite a few that realistically were not going to make it at any level (Godwin Antwi and Jack Dunn spring to mind). The loan players provided by Everton in the last decade have generally been of a higher standard (Wallace, Baxter, Pennington).
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
In recent years they seem to have dumped their dross on us for the most part as well. There have been very few successful loans from them in the last decade.
I can only remember two - Shamal George and Jack Dunn, neither of whom impressed. Before that, there was Godwin Antwi (2008), who was so poor he was actually sent back early, and Peter Gulacsi (2010), who was signed as an emergency keeper. Peter has had a decent career since leaving Liverpool. He played for Hungary against England last week and for RB Leipzig at Man City this week.
 
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Yes, Gulacsi was a decent player. Kristofer Petersson was also ok on a short loan.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
We have received quite a few that realistically were not going to make it at any level (Godwin Antwi and Jack Dunn spring to mind). The loan players provided by Everton in the last decade have generally been of a higher standard (Wallace, Baxter, Pennington).
Apologies, but I wrote my post before I saw yours. I agree that Everton have been more generous, but only Morgan Feeney in the last seven years. You'd think it would be handy to place their youngsters with us. They could live on Merseyside and be closely watched. However, I agree that we almost always end up with players who are to be released at the end of their current contract, so it's just a money saving exercise.
 

drwhoman

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Apologies, but I wrote my post before I saw yours. I agree that Everton have been more generous, but only Morgan Feeney in the last seven years. You'd think it would be handy to place their youngsters with us. They could live on Merseyside and be closely watched. However, I agree that we almost always end up with players who are to be released at the end of their current contract, so it's just a money saving exercise.
I agree with your conclusion. I only think the loan is truly temporary if it is to the Championship like Elliott and Clarkson. And I do not think it is just a Liverpool thing. We can all recall loans from other PL clubs that have not worked out. A way of putting young players in the shopping window is another way of looking at it. It always amazes me how short the Liverpool released list is at the end of a season because so many players just seem to disappear - maybe they all give up. It would certainly make sense for many youngsters to join a family club like Rovers where they will get more hands on support than I suspect they get at the top clubs. However the latter assure everyone how supportive they are of their young players the outcome is usually pretty brutal for the individuals involved. The support network goes and they have to decide what they do with their lives thereafter!
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Red Scouse lent Ben Woodburn to Oxford when both the Us and Rovers were L1 teams and at the time he was well thought of though his star has subsequently waned, so their better young players don’t always end up at a Championship club. I don’t recall the last time we had a loanee from a Prem club who went on to have a decent top flight career, maybe Gulasci? Also wonder if we lose out a bit with Blue Scouse loans because of our ‘strong’ relationship with the Red version.

Returning to Glatzel, it’s unclear how long he is contracted for, signed a long term deal, whatever that is in Prem terms, in 2019. What troubled me with his Leeds showing was that his clever passes didn’t come off and think he only had one decent goal attempt, blocked for a corner. His confidence seems dented and arguably going backwards. If that is the reality then maybe the best for Paul not to stay with Rovers all season?
 

Ian

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It’s a difficult one really. It’s good that Glatzel is getting some competitive games on his CV, which is what these players need instead of being stuck in the youth teams for years but I don’t see where he fits in the team now we have more options up front. Couple of pizza cup games throughout the season?
 
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