| Statman 17:00 - Sep 1 with 9441 views | KieranMcKenna1 |
What’s his problem? |  |
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| Statman on 18:09 - Sep 1 with 2728 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
I preferred him when he was getting into trouble with the Prem and the EFL for ripping copyrighted content.
Now he’s a ‘face’ and not one of the better ones. |  |
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| Statman on 18:20 - Sep 1 with 2651 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Statman on 17:59 - Sep 1 by ibbleobble |
This is a professional commercial enterprise with enormous investment and a solid infrastructure, it can easily do both. Youth investment is part of rebuilding. |
It's one of 100000000 things on the agenda of what needed sorting at itfc.
There are things being done. Foundation. Community building etc. There's also an aligned view on what the future will need to look like. However its not something that should immediately be seen with Ashton only in charge for over a year |  |
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| Statman on 08:45 - Sep 2 with 2567 views | dezb |
| Statman on 17:13 - Sep 1 by Matt_Netherlands |
Assume you’re talking about this (Which now has replies disabled)
He’s not really right though because Norwich approached Gibbs and Simpson decided he didn’t like our contract offer. Nothing to do with us casting them aside.
No he’s best mates with Kieron Dyer he seems to be in a bit of a crusade against the club’s youth policy. Think he might still also have a chip on his shoulder for not getting a social media job at the club a few years back…. |
He could have added Ben Knight, flores, Charlie brown all to this list and it still wouldn't make the point for him that he thinks he's making. All of them were pinched or wouldn't sign a contract!
McKenna has spent the majority of his career working in youth systems, I very much doubt he has a vendetta against youth players and not giving them chances. In fact he's probably about as qualified as it gets to judge what they need and then they're first team ready! |  | | |
| Statman on 08:56 - Sep 2 with 2537 views | abracaDOBRA_ |
He seems to now have this alter ego/ character that he has to keep up, where he's always negative, obsesses with the academy.
Every one of his tweets has a little dig in there. The other day he posted a photo of a list of people working for the club (there were a couple with the surname Ashton). He posted it, knowing for well people would notice it, to stir up sh!t. The thing is with him , he posts cryptic stuff, doesn't actually say anything bad, but knows exactly what he's doing. |  | | |
| Statman on 09:01 - Sep 2 with 2515 views | Dyland |
| Statman on 08:56 - Sep 2 by abracaDOBRA_ |
He seems to now have this alter ego/ character that he has to keep up, where he's always negative, obsesses with the academy.
Every one of his tweets has a little dig in there. The other day he posted a photo of a list of people working for the club (there were a couple with the surname Ashton). He posted it, knowing for well people would notice it, to stir up sh!t. The thing is with him , he posts cryptic stuff, doesn't actually say anything bad, but knows exactly what he's doing. |
The curse of clickbait. It's pathetic, like tabloid journalism except even worse in so many cases. I guess social media is a great leveler and democratising force in that regard, and the people get what they want or deserve. And I fooking hate it :) |  |
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| Statman on 09:06 - Sep 2 with 2493 views | Keno |
Does he try to have a large online profile to make up for having a small penis? |  |
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| Statman on 09:12 - Sep 2 with 2458 views | Generic |
He’s from t’other one |  | | |
| Statman on 09:17 - Sep 2 with 2440 views | abracaDOBRA_ |
| Statman on 09:01 - Sep 2 by Dyland |
The curse of clickbait. It's pathetic, like tabloid journalism except even worse in so many cases. I guess social media is a great leveler and democratising force in that regard, and the people get what they want or deserve. And I fooking hate it :) |
Yep, seems it went over peoples head as well. But he got what he wanted as a few replied and debated about if the Ashtons were related to him or not. | | | |
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| Statman on 09:38 - Sep 2 with 2400 views | Dyland |
| Statman on 09:17 - Sep 2 by abracaDOBRA_ |
Yep, seems it went over peoples head as well. But he got what he wanted as a few replied and debated about if the Ashtons were related to him or not. |
It's polemics without intellect, which is very, very tedious. Cult of the amateur.
How many more buzzphrases can I come out with. Slightly ironic innit :) | |
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| Statman on 11:04 - Sep 2 with 2302 views | ibbleobble |
| Statman on 18:20 - Sep 1 by FrimleyBlue |
It's one of 100000000 things on the agenda of what needed sorting at itfc.
There are things being done. Foundation. Community building etc. There's also an aligned view on what the future will need to look like. However its not something that should immediately be seen with Ashton only in charge for over a year |
It will be and should be a fundamental part of he business plan and roadmap from the get go, not something that gets looked at if and once we get promoted; that would be an exceptionally naive business logic. Ashton is not naive. | | | |
| Statman on 11:13 - Sep 2 with 2272 views | unbelievablue |
Delusions of grandeur. Probably a good bloke but comes across pretty poorly now, with agendas etc.
That said, he blocked me ages ago on there, so am probably speaking out of turn. |  |
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| Statman on 11:18 - Sep 2 with 2260 views | BondiBlue |
| Statman on 17:19 - Sep 1 by FrimleyBlue |
He fails to understand that our number 1 priority at the moment is getting out of league 1 and rebuilding this shambles of a club. Putting together a proper pathway will have to wait but will also become naturally easier and better to do the higher up you are.
You can't have everything in one go. |
Alan Hansen once said you don't win anything with kids. He was massively wrong. Have we conveniently forgotten about that? The other week Exeter started 8 or 9 academy graduates. They've only just been promoted. Most teams would have brought in a load of players with league one experience for a relegation battle. Exeter trusted their youth and are flying. You can have everything in one go. | |
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| Statman on 11:21 - Sep 2 with 2262 views | Bobbychase |
I echo what others have said. Used to find him very informative but have stopped following him as he claims to be only about facts, but is very choosy about which ones he shares.
On a broader point, there is a misconception that ITFC can do much to prevent teenage players leaving. I have some insight via a friend into one player who was poached by a Premier League club a few years back, and let's just say if a Premier League club wants a young player from an EFL side, they will offer eye-watering incentives to lure them away, incentives even we with our new money can't match.
I'd take Statman a lot more seriously if he looked into the flawed system that allows the Prem clubs to hover like vultures over the rest of us and poach our youngsters, even though they have their own Cat One academies, but that doesn't seem to get him going as much as criticising ITFC does. |  |
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| Statman on 11:33 - Sep 2 with 2234 views | jaykay |
the club was the problem in the past. loads who had inside info from mates in the club. now the club is being run professional ,they have to run the club down.like little kids they have to make things up to look as if they still in the loop |  |
| forensic experts say footers and spruces fingerprints were not found at the scene after the weekends rows |
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| Statman on 12:16 - Sep 2 with 2174 views | Churchman |
| Statman on 11:21 - Sep 2 by Bobbychase |
I echo what others have said. Used to find him very informative but have stopped following him as he claims to be only about facts, but is very choosy about which ones he shares.
On a broader point, there is a misconception that ITFC can do much to prevent teenage players leaving. I have some insight via a friend into one player who was poached by a Premier League club a few years back, and let's just say if a Premier League club wants a young player from an EFL side, they will offer eye-watering incentives to lure them away, incentives even we with our new money can't match.
I'd take Statman a lot more seriously if he looked into the flawed system that allows the Prem clubs to hover like vultures over the rest of us and poach our youngsters, even though they have their own Cat One academies, but that doesn't seem to get him going as much as criticising ITFC does. |
I agree with this. With regard to in particular your last paragraph, the situation now compared to 20 years ago or 40 for the Robson era is totally different. If a bigger club or one higher up the pyramid wants a young player, that’s that. They’ll take him.
The solution for some is to pay young players ‘their worth’, whatever that if. What, all of them? I’ve seen it suggested we know who the special ones are and the rest are squad fillers who can be paid crumbs. If that is the case, why are we entertaining squad fillers? Any player at this club should have the potential to play here or at a higher level or we are wasting time and money. As for paying their worth, who judges that? The player and the agent or the club?
The player and the agent have the right to go where they please and under the current system the bigger clubs have the right to take what they want. Ipswich Town have the right to not pay what’s demanded and essentially take on another player the same day with similar, less or greater potential. The warning is Bowditch. As good a prospect at 16 as I’ve seen, MKD by 22. Not all make it. Some like Ian Wright emerge late. It’s all a bit pattern free.
McKenna or somebody criticised the type of player in the Ipswich academy. There is an issue. Are the young players we take right for the modern game? A question for which I don’t have an answer.
Both Lee and Dyer when employed by us hammered the academy. Rightly. Has the players developed and the transfer fees justified it since Wickham? Hearing how people have done well in the lower leagues is great for them, but not for ITFC. The question is does it justify the cost? As it stands, for me in its current form the answer is no. It has to change.
There is also a bit of history re-write when it comes to youth. Robson produced a great team based on youth plus additions. 40 years ago. Burley’s play off final team had Wright from the academy. That was it. Naylor came on, Brown was a sub and Scowcroft (good player) injured. Of the latter three, JS was a first teamer. The following year, Naylor did feature a lot more.
Rant over [Post edited 2 Sep 2022 18:03]
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| Statman on 12:31 - Sep 2 with 2154 views | itfcjoe |
| Statman on 12:16 - Sep 2 by Churchman |
I agree with this. With regard to in particular your last paragraph, the situation now compared to 20 years ago or 40 for the Robson era is totally different. If a bigger club or one higher up the pyramid wants a young player, that’s that. They’ll take him.
The solution for some is to pay young players ‘their worth’, whatever that if. What, all of them? I’ve seen it suggested we know who the special ones are and the rest are squad fillers who can be paid crumbs. If that is the case, why are we entertaining squad fillers? Any player at this club should have the potential to play here or at a higher level or we are wasting time and money. As for paying their worth, who judges that? The player and the agent or the club?
The player and the agent have the right to go where they please and under the current system the bigger clubs have the right to take what they want. Ipswich Town have the right to not pay what’s demanded and essentially take on another player the same day with similar, less or greater potential. The warning is Bowditch. As good a prospect at 16 as I’ve seen, MKD by 22. Not all make it. Some like Ian Wright emerge late. It’s all a bit pattern free.
McKenna or somebody criticised the type of player in the Ipswich academy. There is an issue. Are the young players we take right for the modern game? A question for which I don’t have an answer.
Both Lee and Dyer when employed by us hammered the academy. Rightly. Has the players developed and the transfer fees justified it since Wickham? Hearing how people have done well in the lower leagues is great for them, but not for ITFC. The question is does it justify the cost? As it stands, for me in its current form the answer is no. It has to change.
There is also a bit of history re-write when it comes to youth. Robson produced a great team based on youth plus additions. 40 years ago. Burley’s play off final team had Wright from the academy. That was it. Naylor came on, Brown was a sub and Scowcroft (good player) injured. Of the latter three, JS was a first teamer. The following year, Naylor did feature a lot more.
Rant over [Post edited 2 Sep 2022 18:03]
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I think easy to take extreme examples from both sides of the argument, but for me main fact is when arguing over a few hundred pounds a week, selling them off for £500k and seeing them earn substantially more elsewhere is decent short term business but doesn't help the club in the long term.
From what those close to the Gibbs and Simpson situations indicate, we've lost players who wanted a pathway and a wage representing a higher squad status - this is very different to Man City throwing what they did at Ben Knight or Arsenal and Marcelo Flores where there is simply no real way to stop them as the pathway is so long from U15/U16 to the first team compared to those who are already professionals at the club.
The academy is a mess below the U14 level in lots of ways, and we are behind Norwich, Colchester and the like and rely on recruiting at 14 to usurp those filling squad spaces when the travel restrictions loosen - but at the top end of the academy we are producing players, getting results and punching above our weight - I can't help but think that Mark Ashton has decided that the academy is failing and now wants to put his stamp on it, his guys all through it and we'll have to wait for that to come to fruition - but think that does a disservice to the Liam Gibbs and Tyreece Simpson's off the world.
We've seemingly protected ourselves if those guys go off and flourish, but it's still going to be galling if they do - especially Simpson who had a spell in league 2 which simply isn't usual for a teenage striker and showed some real talent alongside his rawness |  |
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| Statman on 12:33 - Sep 2 with 2128 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Statman on 17:13 - Sep 1 by Matt_Netherlands |
Assume you’re talking about this (Which now has replies disabled)
He’s not really right though because Norwich approached Gibbs and Simpson decided he didn’t like our contract offer. Nothing to do with us casting them aside.
No he’s best mates with Kieron Dyer he seems to be in a bit of a crusade against the club’s youth policy. Think he might still also have a chip on his shoulder for not getting a social media job at the club a few years back…. |
It'll blow his mind when he finds out about Flynn Downes. |  |
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| Statman on 12:42 - Sep 2 with 2100 views | Darth_Koont |
| Statman on 17:19 - Sep 1 by FrimleyBlue |
He fails to understand that our number 1 priority at the moment is getting out of league 1 and rebuilding this shambles of a club. Putting together a proper pathway will have to wait but will also become naturally easier and better to do the higher up you are.
You can't have everything in one go. |
Not sure if it will be easier. As an upwardly mobile and ambitious club backed by money then we’ll be focused on more experienced players who can deliver today and tomorrow.
That will limit chances and development at the club for a lot of the youngsters who have been here for the Evans era and have seen young players given much more chance due to lower budgets. So they’ll have to look elsewhere for that same chance and/or more senior wages.
That’s the downside of success for the club. That lesser (or for now less ready) players will not fit into a higher-level senior structure and will have to find opportunities elsewhere. |  |
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| Statman on 23:10 - Sep 2 with 1859 views | backinbeige |
Very prickly and unable to concede he is ever wrong, which on a very basic level doesn’t win you many mates.
I get that his ‘brand’ is stats, and so they have to be correct. But when giving opinions it’s ok to be wrong sometimes, or just agree that the other person might have a point. Persistently and aggressively demanding you are always correct every time you are challenged isn’t a good look. It’s ok to see the other person’s POV sometimes. |  |
| RVRB: https://app.rvrb.one/channels/have-guitar-will-listen -
Listen to music when WFH, set your own music to DJ and find new recommendations from others |
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| Statman on 00:00 - Sep 6 with 1598 views | Significant_Blue |
| Statman on 17:10 - Sep 1 by BlueBadger |
He's mates with Bedsheet Rich isn't he?
That's ONE for starters. |
I've read this whole thread, a lot of it spot on, a lot of it way off, and I had a few laughs too. Too many to reply to (not a cryptic clue about my own megalomania), but I can't let this one go.
I am not mates with Bedsheet.
#MagiltonIn |  |
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| Statman on 06:05 - Sep 6 with 1494 views | Vic |
| Statman on 11:18 - Sep 2 by BondiBlue |
Alan Hansen once said you don't win anything with kids. He was massively wrong. Have we conveniently forgotten about that? The other week Exeter started 8 or 9 academy graduates. They've only just been promoted. Most teams would have brought in a load of players with league one experience for a relegation battle. Exeter trusted their youth and are flying. You can have everything in one go. |
We pretty much tried that a few seasons ago - it didn’t go well!
It’s a shame that KD is in danger of muddying his cult hero reputation with the fans by his criticism of the club. I’m sure he’s better than that, but seems to have been drawn into TalkSport style of radio clickbait.
I’m disappointed with Ashtons attitude to the academy, but accept that the immediate focus is on promotion. It’s a ‘needs must’ decision. I don’t like it, but I get it. I doubt Exeter will do much more than struggle this season, but we’ll see.
As others have said, KD has a reputation of working with youth and I’m happy to give him time to show that here if he needs it. I bet he’ll be of the camp of ‘if they’re good enough they’re old enough.’ Sadly, most of our youth products have either been poached by others or have proven not to be good enough. (Downes and Dozzer excepted) |  |
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| Statman on 07:37 - Sep 6 with 1373 views | Churchman |
| Statman on 06:05 - Sep 6 by Vic |
We pretty much tried that a few seasons ago - it didn’t go well!
It’s a shame that KD is in danger of muddying his cult hero reputation with the fans by his criticism of the club. I’m sure he’s better than that, but seems to have been drawn into TalkSport style of radio clickbait.
I’m disappointed with Ashtons attitude to the academy, but accept that the immediate focus is on promotion. It’s a ‘needs must’ decision. I don’t like it, but I get it. I doubt Exeter will do much more than struggle this season, but we’ll see.
As others have said, KD has a reputation of working with youth and I’m happy to give him time to show that here if he needs it. I bet he’ll be of the camp of ‘if they’re good enough they’re old enough.’ Sadly, most of our youth products have either been poached by others or have proven not to be good enough. (Downes and Dozzer excepted) |
I agree with all of this. With regard to Ashton and yoof, it’s the one area I disagree with him on. Ok they’ve appointed the Norwich bloke to head it up and revamp it but it all feels a bit of an add on rather than a priority. I do understand why.
As for Hanson’s quote, it refers to Man Utd’s team. Yes, you can win stuff with kids if you hoover the best ones up. It’s very rare though.
Regarding KD, he was a critic of the academy a year ago and nothing’s changed about the neglect and decay of Evans’ time. We’ve still not produced enough good players. It has to change. Kieron is entitled to his views but I’m not sure repeating them too often is helpful to anyone, not least himself. His prerogative.
I wish he’d stayed at the club. He had more to offer within it than just commenting on the outside. | | | |
| Statman on 07:42 - Sep 6 with 1352 views | clive_baker |
Other than the fact he’s an attention seeking jeb end? |  |
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| Statman on 07:49 - Sep 6 with 1309 views | SheffordBlue |
| Statman on 07:37 - Sep 6 by Churchman |
I agree with all of this. With regard to Ashton and yoof, it’s the one area I disagree with him on. Ok they’ve appointed the Norwich bloke to head it up and revamp it but it all feels a bit of an add on rather than a priority. I do understand why.
As for Hanson’s quote, it refers to Man Utd’s team. Yes, you can win stuff with kids if you hoover the best ones up. It’s very rare though.
Regarding KD, he was a critic of the academy a year ago and nothing’s changed about the neglect and decay of Evans’ time. We’ve still not produced enough good players. It has to change. Kieron is entitled to his views but I’m not sure repeating them too often is helpful to anyone, not least himself. His prerogative.
I wish he’d stayed at the club. He had more to offer within it than just commenting on the outside. |
"it all feels a bit of an add on rather a priority"
In the past fews weeks the club has started to advertise the following roles for the Academy:
Assistant Head of the Academy
Head of Academy Recruitment
Academy Recruitment Operations Assistant
Performance Insights and Methodology Analyst
Women's and Boy's Academy Goalkeeping Coach
While salaries aren't listed that must be around £150k per year in backroom wages they're about to add to the academy. Dean Wright has now been in post about 2 months. That's long enough to gain an understanding of what the issues are and to come up with a strategy for dealing with the. Some of them might be short term e.g. Joe's points about quibbling over a few hundred quid a week to keep some of our better academy players. Some of them are much more structural and will probably take a few years to begin to show the fruits of success.
I agree with you that it wasn't a priority but would suggest these recruitment efforts show that its priority is now higher than it was | |
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| Statman on 08:52 - Sep 6 with 1179 views | Churchman |
| Statman on 07:49 - Sep 6 by SheffordBlue |
"it all feels a bit of an add on rather a priority"
In the past fews weeks the club has started to advertise the following roles for the Academy:
Assistant Head of the Academy
Head of Academy Recruitment
Academy Recruitment Operations Assistant
Performance Insights and Methodology Analyst
Women's and Boy's Academy Goalkeeping Coach
While salaries aren't listed that must be around £150k per year in backroom wages they're about to add to the academy. Dean Wright has now been in post about 2 months. That's long enough to gain an understanding of what the issues are and to come up with a strategy for dealing with the. Some of them might be short term e.g. Joe's points about quibbling over a few hundred quid a week to keep some of our better academy players. Some of them are much more structural and will probably take a few years to begin to show the fruits of success.
I agree with you that it wasn't a priority but would suggest these recruitment efforts show that its priority is now higher than it was |
Fair comment. It feels a bit ‘start again’ to me. Maybe that’s just hope because it certainly needs a revamp. He never gives much away but KM and his assistant know all about academies and I would hope their input will be significant - and suspect it will be. | | | |
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