*****New Football Thread*****
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@Ryan agree 100 per cent re Salah.. and I'm going to take a look at that book, will bring a couple over with me when I visit for you.
Re pathways I'm afraid it all boils down to the people behind the players (Players and Agents).
Its broken really because big Prem clubs are hoovering up talent across the country from very young ages so all the EFL clubs basically assume they will lose any decent players they have. Where Brentford were brilliant is that they said "Ok we can't compete on the academy side so lets focus instead on 16-21 because the "Big Teams" reject a load of good players so we can benefit from that" Add to their data recruitment and they've been brilliant.
I can't tell you the number of times I have been in meetings with Parents and Agents trying to tell them the best pathway for their youngster is to play games at a lower level and get that physical challenge, instead of following the bright lights with an offer from a championship or premier league team to go and get lost in their youth set up.. more often than not the ones who got giddy or listened to the agent (because for them its the glory of boasting getting a player to the higher level) the young players who went have regretted it.. whereas the ones who stayed and played first team football have gone on to have fantastic careers. Its a subject I feel so strongly about and you're right about protecting a pathway - at the moment it just relies on good people in football (rare enough) and sensible parents.
Look at Archie Gray - and his brother Harry who is the next one I mentioned a while back - Their Dad is sensible measured and made sure they ignored offers from City, United, Everton when they were 15/16 - Archie plays a season at Leeds and gets his move .. no doubt with guaranteed games in the Europa League .. but most Dads would have taken the City offer at 15
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@Mark-Maguire I think its the only way to know, he's pretty solid at making people better.
Yeh they will struggle with Salah and I get it... as a fan he's quality and a massive goal threat BUT when you dish out a contract the likes Salah most likely wants you need the output... which we aren't sure if you get that this time around, he isn't 25 or even 30.... not saying he wont be quality for the next few years but they dont give out contracts based on your history.
It's a great book that, any others you recommend on this stuff? I have been looking at it a bit, they used Poisson and another one that escapes me now will need to get it from the book.
One Q I would have if I was the FA was why can't we look to create better pathways for that through the leagues? Like the lad Brighton took from Leeds he looks unreal!
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@Ryan It would be great to watch if he did
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@Ryan they are impressive and the owners were involved a bit in similar process of recruitment in the states weren't they ? That's why they will struggle with the Sarah decision because it will go against their principles but they will know how important he is ?
Best of the best are Brentford and Brighton of course ! Albeit Brighton splashed out this summer. Back in the day Swansea had brilliant principles - a philosophy to their recruitment (promising players from a lower level) and they built gradually until they reached the Premier League - they kept the principles for a couple of years then sold out abandoned the things that made them great and down they went - I love looking into this stuff
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I'm reading "How to win the Premier League" It's about Liverpool so I am biased that its good but from a purely stats / trading / betting view its bloody brilliant, talks about how Liverpool found players and also a bit about stats modelling that the owners of both Brighton and Brentford have used to build their wealth and then taken that into the teams they bought.
Is a bit all over the shop, but is very very good for traders and betting people.
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@Mark-Maguire Ahahah its like you've watched from the sidelines waiting for this moment
I think Pep is a genius, 100%. My point with him is he will 100% improve players, and make them unreal - thats what I mean about the Ferrari he'll get it rocking but he needs money to be able to do it. He will buy the best talent and make them better.
One thing I dont think he could do would be mould a squad on a budget, would love to be proved wrong.
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@GREGORIOS-KARASHIALIS Me, but I'm new and wanted to watch what the odds did
so just a quid. -
anyone LTD in the barca game?
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@Craig-Greenway
Damn. What are the chances that streak would end on this game.
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Home with 0 0-0 in the last 50 games I believe which is over a year.
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Still confident a goal will come here. Odds 1.88.
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Next trade im on is JDT v Buriram SHG. Home side with SHG in there last 16 games. Wait for odds.
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@Craig-Greenway what have you seen my friend
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@GREGORIOS-KARASHIALIS no not a big fan off la liga tbh. I missed the roma game. Got a few games I've got my eye on today.
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@Mark-Maguire I agree. I’m not a city fan either but Guardiola needs a bit more respect than just saying it’s all about the money.
Liverpool and Klopp may have been more selective but they still spent vast fortunes on most of the key pillars of their team.
His influence on the league is ridiculous as well. Virtually every team tries to play out from the back now largely because of him. And a number of the next wave of highly regarded managers seem to be connected with him in some way as well (Arteta, Maresca, Alonso)
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@Craig-Greenway morning mate, I missed that, I was in the gym.....
did you get involved last night with LAliga & Serie A -
@Martin hey MartIn - back after a hiatus - 100 hour weeks in a job in France .. now back at my desk and on it full time - hello to those I've crossed paths with before and those who I havent .. Im Mark, currently full time trading , working on a football project which may stop me doing so from March but hope to prove to myself that I dont need that by succeeding full time on this between now and then
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@Ryan typical that I wait months to post on here for something I can argue with you about
Re Pep I think cheque book manager is too simplistic - my measure of a manager has always been how do they improve players - City spent a fortune but prior to the likes of Grealish at 100m they tended to buy players for 50 to 60 where other teams (United in particular) were paying double for worse..
My natural position is to hate City .. Shiteh as we Stockport fans call them but if you look at how he's improved players over the years .. and the work ethic he's established then you can only admire it .. De Bryne, Foden, Stones, Mahrez, Silva x 2 , etc etc look at their development under Pep .. in the same way as you can immediately say Slot is decent when you look at the difference in Gravenberg..
I think the problem at City now are down to the fact that Pep and his Mate (director of football)probably planned to leave this season and let the age of the squad drift - and brought in short term fixes like Haaland ... incredible record but when your backs against the wall how much does he work for the team ? Pep was close to taking England - changed his mind and now has to buy into the whole re build thing - but to be fair he's changed football in England and deserves some credit?
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@Liam-Mcnee thanks for the heads up Liam, il take a look.
