Post by Dave on Oct 4, 2008 6:51:42 GMT
Thanks for those that voted, please keep the votes coming In next week, It runs from Saturday Morning until late Friday night.
This weeks winner Is well know to us and someone the forum Is really glad to have as a member, he did also get In touch with Merse for me, to let him know about the forum and we need our Merse on here.
The post was different In that It was something I had been looking for and that was a good report on a youth team game, so many thanks for writing It up on the forum.
This weeks winner is capitalgull, thanks Andy
Winning Post
It was nice to see Jon at the game on Saturday, but what was even nicer (sorry Jon) was to see the progress these young gentlemen are making.
The difference between the first time I saw them (back in pre-season) and last weekend was marked and it is obvious to me they are benefitting from playing against opposition a year or so (maybe two on occasion) older than them.
Unlike previous (end of the Bateson youth team era springs to mind) incarnations of the youth setup, this one has a great deal of promise in my opinion. These teenagers look stronger, fitter and have a great deal more skill, and it made me smile when I heard Paul Compton (you can't miss his voice) shout pass, pass, pass, pass, pass ad infinitum rather than some of the 'coaching' I have seen at that level, like the crap half-time team-talk I was privy to on a cold day outside Gillingham when Richard Hancox was in charge of the youth team for what I think was an FA Youth Cup tie that myself, Merse and a few other Capital Gulls took in around four or five years ago - the likes of Jimmy Benefield, Graham Killoughery and Scott Corderoy were in the youth team back then for those of you in the knowledge! All that included was brickbats for the players who had not performed and nothing in the way of tactical help for them. It came as no surprise at all when the performance did not improve after half-time, since Hancox offered absolutely nothing in the way of coaching help. Now I hope it is much different, and on Saturday's evidence I know it is. Compo may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if he plays bad cop to Matt Williams' good cop, then that's a pairing that could just work.
It really was a shame for keeper Grant Fisher that his howler cost TUFC the chance of victory against a very sound bunch of opponents, because his handling of the back four impressed me a great deal. That he bares a resemblence to Martin Rice physically is a worry, but I would imagine he has three more years to grow into his body and he might be nearer Scott Bevan if he has a growth spurt sometime.
Ashley Yeoman obviously has talent galore, but I hope the coaches don't mess him around too much, mixing playing him up front, in central midfield and wide on the right (where he played and had an impact on Saturday).
Of the rest, Joe Pryse could develop into a commanding centre-back in the Matt Elliott mould (he also looks a little like him), although others compared him to Carl Airey and Jody Banim because he might not be the most lithe 16-year-old in football. Cameron Kelly (son of Tom, who was in the crowd) continues to show promise but I was actually most impressed with Ryan Beattie, a ball-winning midfielder who must be well over 6-foot already and could develop into a smashing player with a bit more composure with the ball at his feet.
I'm hoping to get another chance to see them play at Plainmoor before I head back to London next month, but if any of you get the chance to see them play after then, go and cheer them on. You could see the lift they got from having a decent crowd watching them last weekend and they could be, to borrow Romford Kev's words, the future of the club.
And adding to the praise for Sean for his backing of the setup - kudos old buddy!
This weeks winner Is well know to us and someone the forum Is really glad to have as a member, he did also get In touch with Merse for me, to let him know about the forum and we need our Merse on here.
The post was different In that It was something I had been looking for and that was a good report on a youth team game, so many thanks for writing It up on the forum.
This weeks winner is capitalgull, thanks Andy
Winning Post
It was nice to see Jon at the game on Saturday, but what was even nicer (sorry Jon) was to see the progress these young gentlemen are making.
The difference between the first time I saw them (back in pre-season) and last weekend was marked and it is obvious to me they are benefitting from playing against opposition a year or so (maybe two on occasion) older than them.
Unlike previous (end of the Bateson youth team era springs to mind) incarnations of the youth setup, this one has a great deal of promise in my opinion. These teenagers look stronger, fitter and have a great deal more skill, and it made me smile when I heard Paul Compton (you can't miss his voice) shout pass, pass, pass, pass, pass ad infinitum rather than some of the 'coaching' I have seen at that level, like the crap half-time team-talk I was privy to on a cold day outside Gillingham when Richard Hancox was in charge of the youth team for what I think was an FA Youth Cup tie that myself, Merse and a few other Capital Gulls took in around four or five years ago - the likes of Jimmy Benefield, Graham Killoughery and Scott Corderoy were in the youth team back then for those of you in the knowledge! All that included was brickbats for the players who had not performed and nothing in the way of tactical help for them. It came as no surprise at all when the performance did not improve after half-time, since Hancox offered absolutely nothing in the way of coaching help. Now I hope it is much different, and on Saturday's evidence I know it is. Compo may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if he plays bad cop to Matt Williams' good cop, then that's a pairing that could just work.
It really was a shame for keeper Grant Fisher that his howler cost TUFC the chance of victory against a very sound bunch of opponents, because his handling of the back four impressed me a great deal. That he bares a resemblence to Martin Rice physically is a worry, but I would imagine he has three more years to grow into his body and he might be nearer Scott Bevan if he has a growth spurt sometime.
Ashley Yeoman obviously has talent galore, but I hope the coaches don't mess him around too much, mixing playing him up front, in central midfield and wide on the right (where he played and had an impact on Saturday).
Of the rest, Joe Pryse could develop into a commanding centre-back in the Matt Elliott mould (he also looks a little like him), although others compared him to Carl Airey and Jody Banim because he might not be the most lithe 16-year-old in football. Cameron Kelly (son of Tom, who was in the crowd) continues to show promise but I was actually most impressed with Ryan Beattie, a ball-winning midfielder who must be well over 6-foot already and could develop into a smashing player with a bit more composure with the ball at his feet.
I'm hoping to get another chance to see them play at Plainmoor before I head back to London next month, but if any of you get the chance to see them play after then, go and cheer them on. You could see the lift they got from having a decent crowd watching them last weekend and they could be, to borrow Romford Kev's words, the future of the club.
And adding to the praise for Sean for his backing of the setup - kudos old buddy!