Development Squad News 2017/18


Radford 72
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So This new era has a gaping hole in the infrastructure already, if you do not want to play in the reserve league that is fine? Surely it should be mandatory if you want to be in the league set up for it to work! It may well be that not only Saints are not joining it and they end up with only a few suitors?   

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On 09/05/2018 at 8:28 AM, Radford 72 said:

Obviously you can't name them but any word how many of the U17s will be going full-time with the (presumably) new U18 squad next season? @sevcozombie2

OK these are all rumors and personally i do not think they are good ,the no reserves i heard this a few weeks ago ,if this is true what a disaster for saints ,what happens fo the lads who are to old for 18s ,what happens to squad players or guys coming back from injury ,what happens to the 18s when they are to old .

i presumed that the reason for the reserves was to give the older youth more competitive games to bring them on better in a more challenging environment.

the 18s i really cant say as its all rumours just now ,we hopefully will find out this week but we have been told nothing so far .

the 17s play celtic on thursday at the astro .

hopefully the next time i post it is all positive and im sure it will be as the lad has talent and has improved ten fold with the coaching there ,double figures with goals lost count of the number of assists ,he a total team player and his movement of the ball to allow other players to play is superb ,but so much to learn still

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  • 2 weeks later...

Although the club have until the end of July to decide, Steve Brown admitting in the Sunday Mail today that Saints are unlikely to enter the new Reserve League, which in itself sounds a bit rubbish.

  • No requirement to play a number of senior players.
  • Games at 2:00pm on Monday with no requirement to play them in a licensed stadium.
  • Only 16 games in the season.

Full article: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/st-johnstone-set-snub-revamped-12602978

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So whats the alternative for Saints here? Do we just play friendlies for the season or just not have a reserve team and loan out all youngsters?

Surely it wouldn’t cost much more if any to run a reserve team vs an u23 team? Surely the whole point is that it is for either first team players who didn’t get a game at the weekend and/or youngsters coming through. Talking about the benefits of putting players out on loan, well this is aiming to be the same thing, mixing young and old players to get that experience.

Also, the Stevie May example of going out on loan and the benefits it gave argument is flawed. Yes it probably helped him, but of all the players we’ve put out on loan, how many have really stepped up a level? Arguably only May, Kane, Kerr and Clark out of the Maybe 40-50 players we’ve put out on loan. What works for some doesn’t work for others. Some players will need the tough competitive nature to develop and others would be better served with a higher technical quality level.

I think the reserve league is a good idea, but it will ultimately either succeed or fail due to the engagement with the likes of Rangers, Celtic, Hearts And Hibs, not Saints.

As a footnote, the failure of any reserve league will only lead to Colts teams being brought in in my view.

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6 minutes ago, TheYellowBox said:

As a footnote, the failure of any reserve league will only lead to Colts teams being brought in in my view.

I'm not usually one for a tinfoil hat but this is a point worth considering. Whilst a good reserve league could benefit Saints, Killie or Motherwell, it's arguably in the interests of the Old Firm for it to fail, to help push their agenda of getting a platform for their colt sides.

It's still not been confirmed but I believe there is to be a new U18 league next season and that's what Saints will play in. All the members of the development squad kept on (other than McCann) will be eligible for that league. Is Saints' plan going to be that the players come in and play at U18 level for two years then go out on loan to bridge the gap to the first team?

A properly structured reserve league that saw regular game time for the Hursts, Comrie, Gordon, McCann, McClean and Hendry would have been a positive (and would have meant Saints could have kept Jardine, Docherty and Thomson) but this proposal sounds more like an afternoon kickabout where you could be up against a bunch of 16-year-olds. The U18 league will probably be afternoon public park stuff as well though.

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 The article in the mail suggests that there will be a maximum of 20 games including league cup so it sounds like the 17 are being rationalized thus playing only 8 or 9 games a season plus league cup. 

Does sound a waste of time in that respect. Surely a return to the old style league which mirrored the league set up would be better. Team plays away to say Aberdeen on Saturday reserves play at home on Monday. 

Putting young players out on loan is obviously how Tommy sees the players developing.

Another project brave cock up.

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3 hours ago, TheYellowBox said:

 

As a footnote, the failure of any reserve league will only lead to Colts teams being brought in in my view.

I'm unconvinced, by the looks of the lower threads on P&B, a lot of clubs are fully aware how against colt teams their fans are, and I dont think Celtic and Rangers approach of sending youth coaches to boardrooms with the strong arm approach of "take this money or else" endeared them to anyone.

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On 27/05/2018 at 12:16 PM, Radford 72 said:

I'm not usually one for a tinfoil hat but this is a point worth considering. Whilst a good reserve league could benefit Saints, Killie or Motherwell, it's arguably in the interests of the Old Firm for it to fail, to help push their agenda of getting a platform for their colt sides.

It's still not been confirmed but I believe there is to be a new U18 league next season and that's what Saints will play in. All the members of the development squad kept on (other than McCann) will be eligible for that league. Is Saints' plan going to be that the players come in and play at U18 level for two years then go out on loan to bridge the gap to the first team?

A properly structured reserve league that saw regular game time for the Hursts, Comrie, Gordon, McCann, McClean and Hendry would have been a positive (and would have meant Saints could have kept Jardine, Docherty and Thomson) but this proposal sounds more like an afternoon kickabout where you could be up against a bunch of 16-year-olds. The U18 league will probably be afternoon public park stuff as well though.

you must use a lot of tin foil ,there is an under 18 league this season and  not everyone from  20s will be eligible  if the date is 1st to the first of January all lads apart from 2 are 18 this year,,they are all on 2 year deals this being the last year of it  .if it is the case somehow they can play in it most of them i assume will already be 18 when season starts and some no doubt will be 19 when season ends ,so its not under 18s really .

but most concerning and this is part one of that concern ,if they cant play in the 18s what happens to them ,what happens to the players in the 1st team squad who need game time ,what happens to the 17s who go up but will not get full game time if the 20s are allowed to play ,because they will only have one season and then what for them .

secondly and i see Mr browns point ,project brave was meant to help the youth ,but with the the rule changes and amount of games it actually does nothing to help the 17s of all teams who are about to go into 18s ,because after that their is no real pathway ,the reserve league was meant to help the young boys experience and learn from a  more competitive set up with a maximum amount of over 23s to give them that challenge ,and its not the old firms fault either   this is malky and the sfas fault in my eyes .

but i would urge mr brown to think of the bigger picture for saints ,follow hearts way of doing it ,the saints lads beat them on many occasions at youth level ,if hearts can throw them in why not saints ,best place to learn ,saves on transfer fees and higher wages and if they do succeed and i think most of the boys in my head would sell them on get a sell on clause make big bucks ,fans love seeing young lads play so might get bums on seats  .

as a 17s parent we have not heard what is happening yet but that may change in the coming days ,my lad is a saints fan ,Perth born  good enough and will only get better ,but most of all he loves it there and i really enjoy watching the saints youth play and all the work the coaches do with them ,i so hope this is resolved for the good of the players the coaching staff and fans and the long term future of saints and scottish football

 

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On 27/05/2018 at 12:16 PM, Radford 72 said:

It's still not been confirmed but I believe there is to be a new U18 league next season and that's what Saints will play in. All the members of the development squad kept on (other than McCann) will be eligible for that league.

As @sevcozombie2 points out, this is nonsense and he's right about the cut-off for the U18s (it'll be 01/01/01) so that makes the whole thing very strange as there are 8/9 players that won't be eligible for that league.

Hard to see how Saints can't be part of reserve league in that case. But then it comes back to why they didn't keep some of more of the 1999-born players on?

The reserve league still sounds crap though.

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On 30/05/2018 at 8:47 AM, Radford 72 said:

As @sevcozombie2 points out, this is nonsense and he's right about the cut-off for the U18s (it'll be 01/01/01) so that makes the whole thing very strange as there are 8/9 players that won't be eligible for that league.

Hard to see how Saints can't be part of reserve league in that case. But then it comes back to why they didn't keep some of more of the 1999-born players on?

The reserve league still sounds crap though.

pleased to tell you all the lad along with 7 others all signed their first full time professional contracts with st johnstone.

they will play in the new u18 side next season ,two of the 8 signed two year deals as they are eligible for two seasons at u18 ,also eligible

are john Robertson and Ross Sinclair,still no word on reserve side a very worrying time for the 20s lads and my heart goes out to them and hope its resolved soon for their sakes ,then again it maybe already is with hopefully good news    

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Well done to your lad. @sevcozombie2

Shame that it's only one-year deals for the majority of them as it's a lot of pressure but they should get plenty of opportunity to impress in the U18s, rather than maybe just sub appearances in an U20 League.

As said, I don't see an alternative for Saints but to join Reserve League as they 2000-born players will see their development seriously damaged without it.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 05/06/2018 at 9:01 AM, Radford 72 said:

Well done to your lad. @sevcozombie2

Shame that it's only one-year deals for the majority of them as it's a lot of pressure but they should get plenty of opportunity to impress in the U18s, rather than maybe just sub appearances in an U20 League.

As said, I don't see an alternative for Saints but to join Reserve League as they 2000-born players will see their development seriously damaged without it.

couldn't agree with you more ,lets just say they do not join the reserves ,saints have entered the oban tournament which is reserve and u20s usually and more importantly the irn bru cup which is colt sides ,and are the colt sides not u20 ??.more worrying for myself is if no reserves my lad has one season to get in the first team squad ,which is possible ,but if you look to the future if saints decide to go down the no reserve side ,you are either going to have some outstanding 18 year olds ready for first team or to go out on loan  or none ,where as other teams will be able to develop young players  an extra few years  ,suppose we will find out this week fingers crossed 

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http://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/news/post/tommy-delighted-new-backroom-staff

“Alan will have a similar but slightly changed role to the one just vacated by Alex. We’ll have Under 18 games this season and it also looks like we’ll be in the Reserve League and they will be the focus of Alan’s attention. However, as those commitments allow, he will help Alex and I with first team match preparation."

Looks like they are entering the reserve league. 

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Far from sold on the merits of the reserve league but Saints have made the right choice here as it would surely have harmed the development of the 2000-born players not having a league to play in.

A number of clubs have published website articles on their new U18 teams. Would be nice if Saints did likewise to give the new players their moment and let fans know who they are. Future of the club etc...

The squad travel to Oban next weekend to take part in the annual tournament there. Four or five shortened round-robin fixtures in one day. It's a decent day out.

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On 30/06/2018 at 8:47 AM, Radford 72 said:

Far from sold on the merits of the reserve league but Saints have made the right choice here as it would surely have harmed the development of the 2000-born players not having a league to play in.

A number of clubs have published website articles on their new U18 teams. Would be nice if Saints did likewise to give the new players their moment and let fans know who they are. Future of the club etc...

The squad travel to Oban next weekend to take part in the annual tournament there. Four or five shortened round-robin fixtures in one day. It's a decent day out.

Good luck to the youngsters.

C.o.y.s.

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I'm happy with Clelland. Even i hated him as a H@n player, but he deserves it. He's been with saints for a long time. Good luck... maybe a future saints manager. As for Callum, sad loss, but maybe he'll help us out down the line. My abiding memory of his playing days was vs H@ns. Rino Gattuso (italian hardman) got absolutely smashed near the touchline. Didn't see callum coming in at speed. Trolloped him.

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