Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 7:05 am  

Khlav Kalash wrote:

If money is tight we should be dipping into the academy more and giving those young lads the opportunity. If we don't running one itself is a wate of money, and if we don't then we will lose the license to run one.
These boys have completed and beaten their Wogan, Saints and Warrington counterparts, and they are not shy about putting kids into the team.

One of the issues of using the academy is extra cost, all players get a 1st team debut bonus, plus subsequent appearance money (usually up to 5 games) then an extra bonus, this must be one of the reasons Trinity hold back in blooding young players as its a "non-budgeted expense"

Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 7:10 am  

Khlav Kalash wrote:

If money is tight we should be dipping into the academy more and giving those young lads the opportunity. If we don't running one itself is a waste of money, and if we don't then we will lose the license to run one.

These boys have competed and beaten their Wigan, Saints and Warrington counterparts, and they are not shy about putting kids into the team.

Doesn’t work like that. It would if there was no P&R but with that fear hanging over most teams it would be an incredibly brave coach who would go with youth over experience.

Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 7:15 am  

financialtimes wrote:

One of the issues of using the academy is extra cost, all players get a 1st team debut bonus, plus subsequent appearance money (usually up to 5 games) then an extra bonus, this must be one of the reasons Trinity hold back in blooding young players as its a "non-budgeted expense"

One of the many reasons. It’s not what we all want but even as a non accountant I can imagine just how tight our day on day finances are. Petty though it may seem to some as you say it’s an added cost.

Kind of makes me laugh. RL fans were for years demanding that the clubs were run like businesses and now they are some can’t accept the down side. The only way around it is increased revenue or a sugar daddy.

Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:43 am  

financialtimes wrote:

One of the issues of using the academy is extra cost, all players get a 1st team debut bonus, plus subsequent appearance money (usually up to 5 games) then an extra bonus, this must be one of the reasons Trinity hold back in blooding young players as its a "non-budgeted expense"

Yeah I remember this issue way back. Can't remember the detail but one player in particular was supposedly being held back from his 10th appearance due to some imminent bonus. Anyone recall who? Didn't the rumour come from the player and a chat in the Fox & Grapes?

Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 9:19 am  

Wollo-Wollo-Wollo-Wayoo wrote:

Yeah I remember this issue way back. Can't remember the detail but one player in particular was supposedly being held back from his 10th appearance due to some imminent bonus. Anyone recall who? Didn't the rumour come from the player and a chat in the Fox & Grapes?

I remember this but I think it’s been wheeled out for more than one player. It’s probably true but I can’t recall names, Anakin maybe?

Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:04 am  

Wollo-Wollo-Wollo-Wayoo wrote:

Yeah I remember this issue way back. Can't remember the detail but one player in particular was supposedly being held back from his 10th appearance due to some imminent bonus. Anyone recall who? Didn't the rumour come from the player and a chat in the Fox & Grapes?

Titus Gwaze I think it was. Turned out he’d never been in the Fox and Grapes!

Normally when a player highlights package is put together on YouTube, it means they’re being released and touting for another club. Purely guesswork on my part, but this would make me think he isn’t being retained.

Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:42 am  

imwakefieldtillidie wrote:

Titus Gwaze I think it was. Turned out he’d never been in the Fox and Grapes!

Normally when a player highlights package is put together on YouTube, it means they’re being released and touting for another club. Purely guesswork on my part, but this would make me think he isn’t being retained.

If you watch Leon’s highlights video we would be insane to let him go, but isn’t that the point of these videos.

If he is being let go and like you I have no idea you can bet your bottom doller there will be more to it than just his ability.

Players or more to the point players parents and friends often have ludicrous expectations as to their monetary value. Not saying that’s the case here but in my experience it’s a common reason why players part company with clubs.

I remember during my association with Fev many years back the father of a not especially good player demanding his son be given a car as part of his signing on fee. This was in an era when only international standard players got cars as an incentive. Never heard of said player again but his dad still claims to anyone willing to listen that the game was robbed of the finest player of that generation because the club were too tight to cough up for a car. The mans a deluded idiot and there are a lot of them about, though in fairness not as many as there used to be.

I honestly wish we could sign up more than we do but it’s a game where money or lack of is the driving force.

Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:05 am  

imwakefieldtillidie wrote:

Titus Gwaze I think it was. Turned out he’d never been in the Fox and Grapes!

Normally when a player highlights package is put together on YouTube, it means they’re being released and touting for another club. Purely guesswork on my part, but this would make me think he isn’t being retained.

He may have never been in the fox and grapes, but the issue relating to it is very real, not just in Titus's case

Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:16 am  

vastman wrote:

If you watch Leon’s highlights video we would be insane to let him go, but isn’t that the point of these videos.

If he is being let go and like you I have no idea you can bet your bottom doller there will be more to it than just his ability.

Players or more to the point players parents and friends often have ludicrous expectations as to their monetary value. Not saying that’s the case here but in my experience it’s a common reason why players part company with clubs.

I remember during my association with Fev many years back the father of a not especially good player demanding his son be given a car as part of his signing on fee. This was in an era when only international standard players got cars as an incentive. Never heard of said player again but his dad still claims to anyone willing to listen that the game was robbed of the finest player of that generation because the club were too tight to cough up for a car. The mans a deluded idiot and there are a lot of them about, though in fairness not as many as there used to be.

I honestly wish we could sign up more than we do but it’s a game where money or lack of is the driving force.

I’ve just had a watch and he does look a very good player, so I agree wouldn’t be just down to his playing ability. However, I am just guessing and we may be looking to sign him long term. Mark Applegarth seems to be doing a good job with the academy so I trust him either way.

The truth is that no matter how good an academy team is, and these lads seem to be the best we’ve had for a while, if we just bring two through to be first team regulars then we’ve done very well. I feel a lot of clubs use the Leeds golden generation as the yardstick but that was an absolute one off. If we keep producing two per year then we’ll always be looking at having half a side which is homegrown. I think we’d all be happy with that.

Re: Academy : Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:18 am  

financialtimes wrote:

He may have never been in the fox and grapes, but the issue relating to it is very real, not just in Titus's case

I don’t doubt it, and I think the rules were changed last year regarding minimum contracts when a player made their debut as clubs couldn’t afford to increase wages when an academy product played for the first time. It’s tough call between blooding your own and balancing the books, especially with no crowds for the best part of a year.