Mihai Dobre

Can't recall in truth, though most kids play sporadically. Just remember that extra-sexy goal he scored. We pick out the highlights
 
With all the massive amount of money we have spent on our youth system over the past 7 or so years, who was the last youth player who has made it into our first team on a regular basis?
In case none can be remembered, who was the last youth product who netted the club a sizeable transfer fee?

Could the millions spent annually on our non-productive youth system be better spent on buying back and then enlarging Dean Court?
 
With all the massive amount of money we have spent on our youth system over the past 7 or so years, who was the last youth player who has made it into our first team on a regular basis?
In case none can be remembered, who was the last youth product who netted the club a sizeable transfer fee?

Could the millions spent annually on our youth system be better spent on buying back and then enlarging Dean Court?

That’s an interesting point and something I’ve often wondered - Cargill and Simpson haven’t/didn’t actually get into the team so we would have to go back further than that to the likes of Pitman, Vokes, McQuoid, Partington that actually broke into the team I think?

But when all your right backs are out injured and the so called up and coming youth right back in Charlie Seaman still can’t get near the squad for league or cup games they must have to start thinking they have a 1 in 100 chance of ever breaking anywhere near the first team?
 
That is a bit of a worry, but it's local, and the difference between Lg1 and Lg2 isn't really so much

Not sure I agree. I distinctly remember when we were in L2 everyone here bemoaning the much lower standard compared to our normal home and someone, this quote stuck in my mind, referred to it as an absolute armpit of a division.

However, it's a good move for him to get some gametime and let's hope he can make an impact.
 
With all the massive amount of money we have spent on our youth system over the past 7 or so years, who was the last youth player who has made it into our first team on a regular basis?
In case none can be remembered, who was the last youth product who netted the club a sizeable transfer fee?

Could the millions spent annually on our non-productive youth system be better spent on buying back and then enlarging Dean Court?

Massive compared to what? It's still a third tier category system and so will be underdeveloped compared to many clubs.

The thing about most youth systems is, you don't put money in today and get guaranteed money out two years later. You put money in now and hope to get a return ten years later.

The youngsters we've recruited over the past four years or five are the ones that will have been joining with breaking into the first team of a PL club on their minds. Give them another four or five years and we'll see how productive the extra investment has been.

Meanwhile, a number of the players who were recruited whilst we were a L1 club seem to be making headway at L1 and L2 level. Not really a huge surprise. Most youth systems at that level will also graduate a gem who makes the step up every few years. We had Ings and Pitman in the last dozen years so if one of this crop makes it to at least Championship standard then we're about on course for what you would expect.
 
But why spend millions on an unproductive youth system when you can buy a Lewis Cook, David Brooks or a Solanke from other club's more effective system. Currently we are spending excessive money on both, but getting no financial return from one of them.
 
But why spend millions on an unproductive youth system when you can buy a Lewis Cook, David Brooks or a Solanke from other club's more effective system. Currently we are spending excessive money on both, but getting no financial return from one of them.

I expect we're spending less than 1 mil per year on our youth system. The players coming through seem to be crap at the moment as they were mostly kids who joined when we were a league 1 side.
We'll see how we do over the next 10 years but I expect paying 1 mil per year for 20 years will get us something better than Solanke if we remain a premier league club.

Even Southampton haven't had much come through for a few years but over the last 10 years they had Bale, Walcott, Lallana, Ox, Shaw. Probably get 300 mil for them in todays market and I expect their academy costs them 5 mil per year or less.
 
Just how many millions do you think the youth system is costing us each season? When you factor in wages, agents fees etc I would hazard that a Lewis Cook costs a lot more than we have spent in running our youth system in total over the past four years. And he wasn't even that much by the standards of even a couple of years later. You only need to see how much fees went up by the time we got to Brooks, who at the respective times of recuitment had a much lesser relative pedigree than Cook, to see relying on the youth systems of other clubs isn't a cheap solution.

Then there's the case of what happens if things we do a Sunderland and find ourselves in league 1 in two seasons with no money for players? Having three or four L1 ready players for free could be our saving grace.

Relying on having an astute manager with an eye for the transfer market as the only plan to recruit players is remarkably short sighted.
 
We haven’t got a Premier academy category youth set up. So we will get second pick of players. Add this to the fact our youth team now have to break into a PL side and not a league 2 side with no money it is little wonder that we will see less making it if any at all. We need to either get a PL academy status or get relegated if you want to see anything other than the odd standout player once every decade.
 
With all the massive amount of money we have spent on our youth system over the past 7 or so years, who was the last youth player who has made it into our first team on a regular basis?
In case none can be remembered, who was the last youth product who netted the club a sizeable transfer fee?

Could the millions spent annually on our non-productive youth system be better spent on buying back and then enlarging Dean Court?

What massive money has been spent on the youth system?

We have a League One club's youth setup. It has no permanent base, flitting between Canford Arena, Chapel Gate, and Kings Park. It has nothing near top flight facilities. It's rated at Category 3 in the EPPP rankings for a reason - because that's exactly what level it is.

We'll have to throw much more money at it on an annual basis if we want to progress it to higher EPPP categories, as was the club's stated intention with the training complex. Which hasn't happened. Will it? God knows.

So far we've bought a patch of land and got planning permission, but the youth setup has seen nothing of that money. We're using that land to train sheep in their grass eating skills, and little else.
 
I think I remember Ipswich having to spend £7m to get their academy to Cat 1 status. That was a few years ago so probably more like £10m these days.

My point is, as we are still Cat 3, we would have spent much less than this. Hardly massive sums anyway.

We’ve already sold Cornick for £200k. If he continues to do well, the perception of our youth players will improve. That will mean larger future fees for the likes of Surridge, Taylor and Simpson if they don’t make it here.

I’d say in a couple of years the academy would be just about break even with the possibility of finding that once in a generation talent the ultimate aim.
 
There is a very interesting interview with Dobre on AFCB following our latest U21 win.
Crikey I'm impressed with this lad ! He talks like an experienced coach already ! Well worth a watch.
I'd always heard how hard he works and how determined he is to succeed and after seeing this video I don't doubt it for a minute. He sounds like he really wants it badly so I hope we get to see a bit more of him in the senior side. Maybe he will get his chance in a cup game.
If his football is up to PL standard you wouldn't bet against him having a great career. There can be no faulting his attitude. He comes across as a very impressive individual. Great mastery of English already too. I really hope he makes it with us, he's a strong character.
 
...be good to see the likes of Surridge, Dobre, Simpson and Kilkenny breaking into our first team, but I fear that Eddie won't take a chance on them in The PL...preferring his old guard like Francis, Surman and Gosling...which is probably sensible given our relegation fight?
 
Just watching the highlights of the hampshire cup. 2 assists by laying off after breaking through to a 1v1 with the Keeper and one tidy first time finish. Obviously the level is lower, but looks q very intelligent team player. I really hope we see some of him and he gets a chance
 
Like his style in interview and on the pitch. Anthony took his goals well as he has done before. Honourable mention for the no 10 an assist and a penalty.
 

;