Rovers old boys

[drwhoman]

6 academy players in their starting line up.

One reason for that may well be that Exeter is a bit of a football outpost. There are few other senior teams within close proximity and certainly not Premier League teams with vast academies, hoovering up anyone who is remotely decent.

 

[bigmart]

One reason for that may well be that Exeter is a bit of a football outpost. There are few other senior teams within close proximity and certainly not Premier League teams with vast academies, hoovering up anyone who is remotely decent.

If any player at junior level looks like they may be any good the prem/champ teams will sign them regardless of where the club is.

 

[drwhoman]

If any player at junior level looks like they may be any good the prem/champ teams will sign them regardless of where the club is.

Maybe their academy players are only good enough for Exeter? More seriously, there may be a greater desire to play for the local team when the club is geographically isolated? Either way, the situation does not imply that Rovers should reinstitute an academy. As many have alluded, money is tight and more pressing needs have to be met. In particular, finding someone who will score goals regularly, not easy I know!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

If any player at junior level looks like they may be any good the prem/champ teams will sign them regardless of where the club is.

I think that is true of any outstanding youngsters. However, they probably can get access to the more middling young players, which we can't because of the number of scouts in the North West and the volume of Championship / League One clubs in this region compared to the West Country.

 

[Sparky]

Cole Stockton is having a strange time at morcambe. 26 goals last season and with this being his final year in contract, he put in a request but didn’t leave.
He’s now not scored in his last 22 appearances and will be interesting where he ends up

 

[bigmart]

Cole Stockton is having a strange time at morcambe. 26 goals last season and with this being his final year in contract, he put in a request but didn’t leave.
He’s now not scored in his last 22 appearances and will be interesting where he ends up

He had a fall out with the manager and has barely started a game this season

 

[Boz]

Think he’d been injured for a spell too.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

He has always been a very temperamental player and it seems he has reverted to his Rovers type.

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

You are correct up to a point. We are not really looking for a high class youngster, we are not looking for any!
The majority of youngsters we had in youth came to Rovers because they had been released by other clubs, or recommended to Rovers by schools or children's teams in the league or by what passed as our scouting system. We did invite schools and teams from all over the Merseyside area. Kenny Irons was manager of Liverpool schools u16s and our u16s coach at the same time a few years back. Merseyside is a region rich in football potential. We have stopped. The youngsters are going elsewhere around the North West and Midlands to get a club.
How many players have come to us, who were born in the Merseyside area but we're in academies in Merseyside?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Not an old boy, but interesting that Anthony Barry confirmed in an article in The Telegraph that we offered him the manager's job prior to the appointment of Mike Jackson.

 

[Ian]

Does it say why he turned it down?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Does it say why he turned it down?

He was offered a job on the coaching staff at Chelsea.

 

[Sparky]

Speaking of old boys a shame that fitness coach Andy hodgen ‘hodgey’ has left the club and gone to Blackpool. I’m not surprised as he always came across well and if a albeit struggling championship club come calling then not a shock he’s gone. He was involved with a lot of mickys success having joined the club in 2017 so it’s a big loss

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Speaking of old boys a shame that fitness coach Andy hodgen ‘hodgey’ has left the club and gone to Blackpool. I’m not surprised as he always came across well and if a albeit struggling championship club come calling then not a shock he’s gone. He was involved with a lot of mickys success having joined the club in 2017 so it’s a big loss

I agree. He was highly rated by Micky and was a key part of the promotion seasons and it is a blow.

I don't think Micky is as comfortable working with Dawes and Parkinson as he was with Jacko and losing another member of the backroom staff is not great.

 

[Boz]

That’s a shame about Hodgen going, always seemed positive in the warm-ups and for the most part our players seem reasonably fit. Presume unlike DoF this will need to be a post that is filled quickly.

 

[Sparky]

It’s interesting that despite his previous sacking Jacko now has a good position on the coaching staff at Vincent kompanys Burnley. Vaughan got probably his dream job at Everton and now hodgen has got a job further up the ladder.

Won’t do Micky any good of course

 

[Sparky]

After me mentioning cole Stockton a couple of days ago he opens his account for the season

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I

Speaking of old boys a shame that fitness coach Andy hodgen ‘hodgey’ has left the club and gone to Blackpool. I’m not surprised as he always came across well and if a albeit struggling championship club come calling then not a shock he’s gone. He was involved with a lot of mickys success having joined the club in 2017 so it’s a big loss

It’s been a bad four days for Micky. Two defeats in games we should have won and now a key colleague leaving.
I hope Micky gets some good Christmas presents. He deserves a bit of cheer.

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

I agree. He was highly rated by Micky and was a key part of the promotion Wembley seasons and it is a blow.

I don't think Micky is as comfortable working with Dawes and Parkinson as he was with Jacko and losing another member of the backroom staff is not great.

MM is the only contracted football member of staff from the promotion years, pre covid. Hodgson is the last. Even MM had a spell away. I am aware of the opportunities of some, but you do wonder why the club cannot retain successful staff.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

…you do wonder why the club cannot retain successful staff.

Successful people often move on to bigger and better things. I’d be more worried if they weren’t succeeding here in the first place or, from a sporting perspective, if L2 was the height of their ambition.

More important issue for me is to be able to replace any one individual without sacrificing overall progress, which is do-able but is always going to be a big challenge for clubs like us.