Tim Sherwood’s latest move on the training ground has been to join the training sessions of Villa’s youth side and first team. Sherwood is keen having a better look at Aston Villa youth players and is analysing whether or not there is any talent in there that would be capable of making an impact for Aston Villa this season.
Gordan Cowans and Sherwood, who once played together at Blackburn are now working closer together to try to graduate some more Villa academy players.
“Tim’s focus on player development is great for everybody here at the club.
“He’s got us training next to the first team now so if he needs anyone, he can shout straight over but then he also comes over and has a look at us training.
“If you look back on what he did at Tottenham with the young lads down there, he was the one who was pushing them from behind-the-scenes, telling the manager to have a look at them.
“He saw them in training, in games with the U21s and was pushing them on and really encouraging them.
“You’d like to think it will be the same here with us.
I’ve got no issues with this, what’s so ever. However you could argue that the mass majority of our most talented young players aren’t actually at our club at this given moment. Current I feel as the likes Jack Grealish could make an impact in the first team. Some have argued that during his substitute appearances he hadn’t done enough to start. But under Sherwood it could very well be a different story. Additionally I do believe that Graham Burke has a future at Villa Park, but I just don’t see him having a break through season this year. I reckon next year he’d be a better option. Finally, I believe that Janoi Donacien has a future at Villa Park. Earlier in the season he went off to Tranmere Rovers and played a handful of games. He can play at either right-back or centre-back. But again, with the likes of Lowton, Baker, Senderos and Okore in front of him in the pecking order, it just looks unlikely that he’ll be given some game time.
But next season there could be some real break through’s! Gary Gardner, currently on loan at Nottingham Forrest has made a massive impact for the club and the fans want him to stay their permanently. But with Sherwood at Villa, I and I believe that mass majority of Villa fans want to him stay at the club and be given a legitimate chance. Callum Robinson is another player whom I’m really excited about. Currently on loan at Preston North End, he can score goals and looks quite the handy player. I seriously believe that he could be Villa’s ‘Harry Kane’ next season.
It’s exciting to see what the next set of Villa graduates can do for the club. The last time we had a large series of graduates being promoted was under Houllier. As a result of that we have the likes of Ciaran Clark, Nathan Baker and Andreas Weimann at the club today. Of course the amount of graduates will very much vary on the fact if Villa stay in the Premier League or not.
Yes I agree Adam it’s a good thing but like you say the main ones are out on loan possibly for the time being only?
Morning my optimistic friend. Like what Sherwood is doing – whilst I’m keeping up my positivity in the short term I also think Sherwood is a good appointment for the longer term planning as well!
Agreed fellow oppo. 😀
Agree with you on this Adam. As for Houllier, I seem to remember we had about 13 first team players/squad members out when he put some of the young players in, so it was sort of forced on him. I thought they did well though, especially at home to Man Utd when we had a real go for once instead of trying to keep their score down.
It is a good move. We know there is a high attrition rate between a Youth team and a Premiership first team. In fact most of the youngsters will fail to bridge that divide, that is the case at all Prem clubs, but that does not mean the drop outs cannot earn a living as a footballer at a lower level.
Training with the first team will expose the youngsters to the pace and intensity of Prem opponents and those that can handle it will stand out. The loan system is also valuable in a different way. Stage fright is an issue that affects people hoping to perform in public, and even training against the first team at BMH will not test it. But the match day atmosphere at Championship or league 1 will test the youngsters for this ability.
pardon me for being a bit naive but why wasn’t this in place before Tim came surely all levels should be singing off the same hymn sheet and be able to step up to the next level seamless. i don’t know if other clubs do this but we seem to have lost a great number of promising young kids through various means bad coaching in their later teens seems to be the main cause, stay up or go down i think for the first time there’s a bit of joined up thinking going on down at villa park
I really feel we missed out on Daniel Johnson, Oldham fans were raving about him, as are Preston fans now. Sounds like he’s a class above the rest in league 1 and we sold him for peanuts. Sigh.
I thought Johnson would make the step up. Very disappointed to see him go. I read on here that it was for £50,000 transfer fee. If so that is ridiculous.
All these comments are yet another recognition of Lambert’s failings as manager and Lerner’s rather weak leadership. We just have to hope that if the worst was to happen, we don’t lose Fox as our CEO. It’s no coincidence that we’ve seen a stronger leadership since he’s arrived. UTV.
See Carver has come out saying he would be ‘happy to see Villa go down’ after they ‘relegated Newcastle last time’ I thought Newcastle relegated themselves by not collecting enoughoints over 38 games. Very poor and unacceptable comments from a PL manager in my view so Mr. Carver, I hope we stuff you Saturday.
* enough points!
I remember being at the game at VP when we beat them to confirm their relegation. As you say, they got themselves relegated. i think their real beef is the way we took the piss. My recollection is that it was directed at Alan Shearer, but who cares?
As for Carver, he will be out of a job at the end of the season so maybe he should be focused on getting his CV up to date.
And of course they wouldn’t if the tables were turned!
This can only be a good thing. Like has already been said some promising players on loan but those not I like the look of Khalid Abdo and I hope he can step up and impress.
Hitchens I read an article on football talk by a Newcastle fan they’ve got this down to a dead cert 3 points besides other things in there favour sounded like a real wanker.defense tomorrow is a bit of a worry in the full back dept I suppose Lowton & baker to stand in.I’m pretty confident we’ll do um but heh I’m Mr positive mate.
Giddy, you should never take things for granted; it’s not as if Newcastle’s recent form is anything to write home about! They may rue hounding Pardew out – poor show that IMHO. What really hurts is all these fans laughing at us – remember the 60’s – Aston Vanilla the easiest lick in football! What I want to see (whatever happens) is for us to shove it right back in their faces and get our respect back. Rant over; I’m going gung ho for a good win but don’t ask me to predict the score – don’t care as long as we score more!
Mate I think it’ll be a tight game 0-4 the villans.UTV
Love it – I’ll go for the rebirth of Benteke 1-3 Villa.
I am going for 1-3 too, Come on Tim do your stuff.
maybe this is more down to the 1st team squad being pisspoor, depleted in numbers and quality. can’t do any harm if new gaffer picks on training performances. we could see a under 10 1st team playing at newcastle
Baker at LB is meh but I can see it. Kinsella being put on the bench most likely then, dunno if Sherwood would risk him as a starter.
Perfect answer, just in case Sherwood reads this, is to put Gabby at left back. Okore and Clark CBs and the manager’s choice at LB if Hutton is unfit. Gabby has the speed and he has demonstrated he can tackle cleanly. The CBs will have to shout at him not to lag back, but that is routine. If he does get the chance to overlap he can deliver. There is no point in Gabby playing up front if Benteke is on the pitch at the same time.
I can see where you’re coming from OLL but not for me. I don’t think Gabby has the concentration to do the job properly for 90 minutes. I would go with Baker there as the best option in the circumstances.
I hope Sherwood can affect the mindset of the players. Newcastle have their own injury problems and very mixed form. They have a manager who will be out of a job at the end of the season, and I’m sure the players will know that. Hopefully that will knock their confidence. I would have 100% expected to lose this under Lambert, but feel that it’s 50/50 now. We need to get at them, rather than sit back and contain.
The key to Villa’s season is to get Benteke scoring. The other strikers are hopeless (Kozak apart though of course he can’t help us right now). The midfield is incapable of scoring more than a handful of goals between them across a whole season. The defenders chip in every now and then but it’s Benteke or nobody. The team has to create chances for him, and I’m sure that Sherwood will see that.
I mean manager’s choice at RB not LB.