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When to start concentrating on youth?


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I always play in the non-league in English football, and I'm sure I read somewhere that in the non-league, you don't want youth, you need experience, so you should emphasise bringing players in rather than bringing on your own kids. And in fact, the u18's for my team, Wrexham...and most of the U21's, at the start of the game are absolutely dire..1's and 2's all over the place and literally zero chance of ever making my team, even in non league. However, I've now done what I've not done in years..and never with Wrexham. I got promoted into the League.

Two things have subsequently happened. My Youth level has dropped (because of technical advances or some such) from 4 to 3, and I've taken in a new group of players...with some reasonably decent prospects. I have a HOYD, an U21 Manager, and a single (pretty useless) U18 coach. My board will allow an U18 manager and, I think, physio to be brought on board, and of course it would be good to re-raise the Youth Level.

My question is, as a team expected to struggle, an apparent prime case for immediate re-relegation, but with a few reasonable U18 players (ie, £4-10,000 as soon as they come into the club at 16, before I do anything with them, before the first training session and before they kick a ball) do I sell them on straight away, concentrating all my finances on the first team, or do I invest in my youth set up straight away?

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I'm still on my first season as Bristol Rovers. My youth is horrible, so is their staff. However at the minute I ain't bothered. I would suggest leaving them for a season and focus on those who show potential. It ain't really hard to get staff so go ahead for that. However the youth itself, I'd leave until you establish yourself as a league team that way finances will be fine, you'll be able to upgrade the youth facility and etc. That's what I would do. My aim on my save is to wait 2-3 seasons until I establish my senior team and under 21s. Then ill go focus on the youth facilities and etc, why? I need my team more than the youth at the minute. I plan on making Bristol Rovers a club with quality youth and a youth squad as a senior team. I ain't going to rush into it. Research it, be patient. So overall I'd wait a year or two mate and focus on establishing yourself in the league.

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That was my thinking, Sir. I've advertised for an U18 manager, because I don't want to leave the progress of the decent few to the terrible coach, but I don't NEED the money so I'll give them time. As you suggest, everything else will wait. I've still got some of the real dross from the first team (not good enough to play, no one wants them, don't want the immediate financial hit of terminating contracts) so my comparison stats are a bit off, but if I survive this season I reckon I'll have them firmly established in 2-3 years, and that might be the time to really concentrate on the youth. Unless my level drops again...I don't know but suspect that might affect the new youth you get.

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I ain't entirely sure myself if it will. But surely it won't drop, your standards will be raised and you'll receive bigger expectation. Eh if you get bad youth, ahwell I say you'll be league 1 or championship before you even get any potential world class youth in my opinion. The club's stature in league 2 is too low to attract aswell with the staff being so low (cause we won't be able to pay bigger ones). Keep me updated on what's happening. I'm interested.

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Sure thing, Sir. As I say, I've got promoted to League 2, my youth level has dropped from 4 to 3, and I've got 4 or 5 decent kids...can't tell you attributes off the top of my head but Walsall have instantly offered me £10,000 for 1 sixteen year old. (Not 1 of my first time is worth more than £96,000, for comparison). There won't be much if any movement this season but I'll keep you informed. I've just brought in a new U21 Manager, so that'll shake things up a bit.

hi

One of the things I feel a lot people neglect, and one of the few areas I feel I'm okay at, is finding and hiring very decent staff, so I'm not sure about 'staff being low'. I know it's not world class, but none of my staff is below 10 in the category they train, and some are up to 13, so I'm hopeful of finding a decent u18 manager.....tbh I advertised just for the sake of doing something different, I fully expect to 'head hunt' the person I eventually employ myself.If I can figure it out I'll post some screens of my current youth, give you an idea of where I'm at.

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ATM, money's not that big a problem.....my player wages are well under control, we made loads from prize money last season and had very decent crowds, so we're well in profit right now. And I always tend to speculate to accumulate....I'd rather spend a reasonable amount on getting decent coaches in than making do with what I have (I simply can't find a decent replacement HOYD). My feeling is that, spend now and you'll make the money back eventually. The board keep control of your coaching spend by allowing a certain amount of coaches, physios and scouts, and don't seem to bother about their wages, so as long as you stay within their boundaries for numbers of staff you're not going to get in trouble for pushing the boat out a bit to make sure your backroom is as good as you can make it.

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