Development League info. (2014/15)

[ICTRoughi]

Game against Hearts today

Team: Hoban,C.Brown,Howarth,Horner,J.Brown,

Polworth,Maclennan,Wilson,Ferguson,

Sutherland,Baptie

Subs: Blackett,Rennie,Hull

[Gavroche]

23 mins, Oliver for Hearts : 1-0.

 

27 mins, Oliver again. 2-0.

 

29 mins, Carrick. 3-0.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Gavroche

[Kingsmills]

We don't appear terribly good at this Development League thing this season.

[Gavroche]

46 mins, Smith. 4-0...

 

62 mins, Buchanan. 5-0.

 

80mins, Ferguson ! 5-1

 

90 mins, Henderson. 6-1.

 

FT : 6-1.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Gavroche

[old caley girl]

46 mins, Smith. 4-0...

 

62 mins, Buchanan. 5-0.

 

80mins, Ferguson ! 5-1

 

90 mins, Henderson. 6-1.

 

FT : 6-1.

Ouch!

[tm4tj]

_{I'm not up to speed with the development league players either, but it sounds like an inexperienced squad.}

[caleydawson]

Their squad all have had first team experience, our team only has Polworth, Horner and i guess Sutherland 

[WYNESS101]

Only three subs on the bench. We struggling to get young players?

[+bughtmaster]

Thanks for the updates

 

 

Only three subs on the bench. We struggling to get young players?

 

 

WE were hiding them from Aberdire

[Sneckboy]

I'm not surprised that Calum Ferguson scored again today - he's probably still 'smarting' from finding out that while he was away, Alistair Sutherland made his first-team debut and he now owes Ali £20!

[CaleyAlly]

watched a bit of the game between lectures today

Hearts were the dominant side and most of the football was being played in our half by hearts

I unfortunately only seen one of the goals and the goalie(hobban?) just seemed to get a hand to it before it looped into the net anyway

As has been mentioned a lot of the hearts side had first team experience

ferguson looked to be causing some trouble to the hearts defence with his pace and movement, was also quite impressed with Ryan baptie whom I think may have been playing in a more advanced role

Lewis Horner however seemed to be out of his depth even at that level

Edited January 28, 2015 by CaleyAlly

[PerfICT]

MacLennan and Wilson are certainly both very young lads, so some inexperience there. Nevertheless, not great getting gubbed every week at this level.

[+DoofersDad]

One can look at an individual match and identify that the reason for a defeat was that our team was so much less experienced than the opposition but it does seem that the development squad are really struggling this year.  The feeder team for the 1st team has done pretty well in in recent years but suddenly as the first team reaches new heights the "reserve" team seems to have slumped.  What is going on here?

 

I think this is an important issue because we are a small club with limited resources and it is therefore important to nurture players through the development system who will be capable of moving up to the first team.  On the face of it, results this season suggest there are very few players in the development squad who have the potential to make the step up.  I admit that I have never seen the development squad in action so speak in complete ignorance here, but I would be interested to hear the views of those who have been.  I guess it could simply be that other teams draw more heavily on first team squad members to give them game time, but I have another theory.

 

Clearly Yogi has changed the playing style of the first team to put more emphasis on possession and passing.  If young / fringe players are going to progress into the 1st team then they need to be adept at playing that way.  I would assume therefore that the style of play for the development team will reflect the style for the 1st team?  But what Yogi wants from his players is not easy and it requires high skill levels to pull it off successfully.  It goes without saying that those in the development squad will not be as good as those in the first team and therefore they will make mistakes.  When you make mistakes with this style of play you get punished.  It also needs all the team to be up to standard - a bit like a weak link in a chain. 

 

Of course the development league is first and foremost about development and as long as the players are developing in the style of play the manager wants in the 1st team, then the results don't really matter.  What would be interesting to know is whether the development team is playing the possession / passing game and if so, are there players who are beginning to look increasing adept and comfortable with it?

[+bughtmaster]

I agree with you here D D in fact I asked the same question some time back, it is a natural progression and I would have thought that was happening but nobody has confirmed this is happening. It  would be nice to know ???

[lightwelter]

I actually saw all the lads getting onto the bus after the game in Edinburgh as I go to uni here, didn't know what the score was but could tell they got humped from the grim looks of their faces. 

 

Hearts under 20's have been struggling so it's a poor result, although they have much more emphasis on bringing through young players than us, not to mention the standard of their facilities. Several of the players in the Hearts line-up, I would imagine, will go on to play first team football and are legitimate prospects (Ian Flanagan, L Smith, Robbie Buchanan, Liam Henderson, Gary Oliver etc), while I'd be surprised if even two or three made the jump for us.  

[+HawkeyeTheGnu]

Hearts away next tues at 2pm. Assuming they're still using Nitten for their home games?

 

Nah, this one was at Riccarton. Thought they also used Arniston Rangers' ground sometime too.

[The Mantis]

 

Hearts away next tues at 2pm. Assuming they're still using Nitten for their home games?

 

Nah, this one was at Riccarton. Thought they also used Arniston Rangers' ground sometime too.

 

Yeah, found that out about 2 hrs before KO. I'd already let Mrs Mantis go away with the car so I was snookered  Can get to Nitten by bus easily enough.

[Yngwie]

Souns like your missus did you a favour.

[Caley1885]

Its a bit unfair to criticise these young lads as four of the starting line up are in their first season at this level with all three subs also in their first season. All seven are 17 excluding the goalkeeper who  is 16. These boys are adjusting to the massive step up from u17's. These lads need the guidance and support of the older experienced pros that play beside them. However as our first team squad is rather bare these lads have had to face more experienced opposition many with  first team experience without this support. . Most of these lads that turned out for Hearts U20's are at least in their 2nd year, one is 16 and with a few over age players . This year has being pretty much a baptism of fire for our  guys from which im sure they will learn. So lets offer them a bare minimum our support. 

Edited January 28, 2015 by Caley1885

[CaleyD]

We do have a very (comparatively) young/inexperienced "development" squad (over half of them having just made the step up) and this season is being viewed as being thrown in at the deep end and results aren't the be all.  The numbers, in terms of squad size, are also not as high as they have been in the past (14 players if my count is right).

 

I believe most of the development squad are local...and whilst he is technically a local, Ferg is the only non-Scottish player in there (as per FIFA Eligibility rules he's currently Canadian)...so that's a good thing.

 

As I understand it, there's progression planning in place in regards to how the Development Squad are set up/train etc and how the first team do things (I think they also train together sometimes as well).  Yogi attends all the home Dev League matches (as do other coaches and a good few of the first team squad) and provides "feedback" from the stand during games, so in that regard he's hands on.

[CaleyD]

Today's home match v Dunfermline has been postponed due to a frozen pitch.

[The Mantis]

V Hibs today at Ainslie Park?

[ICTRoughi]

1-0 Hibs

[Slater]

1-1 ht, calum ferguson for us. Nice finish.

[ICTRoughi]

3-2 Hibs Brown scoring the second.