And how was the game? Good signs?
It's really good to have these regular high standard games.
So important in the general scheme of things, playing the sort of football that can fit into the Club's approach.

Could you appoint an under 18s reporter please?

This is at the very heart of Ipswich Town FC

It is essential that Town is playing a style of footballl to fit first team style.

There is a direct link between these lads and the big earners in the first team.

why dont u be the reporter fourth?

S6blue
I live in France!
SURELY there are hundreds of people who are are personally involved in the lads ...parents, coaches....

At the very least the management.

Let's give 30% of total reporting to the U 18s

Thoughts?

My general thought would be:
"Fourth" - your opinion is c**p. Thanks but 30% is a massive margin by all accounts and with the amount of news stories (approx 4 a day) that come from the first time that means at least 1 or 2 stories a day from the youth team. Lets face it, we're all much more interested on the first team in reality. It's nice to know our youth are flourishing but sometimes people on this site talk some utter nonsense
COYB

Actually Alex the under 18s ARE of great interest. What goes on there IS important and if you prersonally have no interest in them you don't need to read about them.

They were not at their best first half the diamond does not work at pr for anyone it seems. A great fight back in the second half when all subs were used but it was too late despite good chances . Better luck next week and a formation that will work for them

Too harsh alex, I doubt there's the budget to cover all youth/other games as full reports, but others are interested in more than the first team mate.

Re reports, we've one or two regulars who give us info on U18s games but we can't always be there. I'm doing the radio show at the same time, so not possible for me to go along. Think we do more on the academy than anyone else though.

Yes I'm sure that's right Phil.
I'm also absolutely sure that someone with talent would be delighted to give coverage at no cost. Newboy's comment above is very valuable. Say starting with a once a week report of 200 words?
zero budget.

fourth mate, just do one.

It's good to have support for the obvious, Taylor 15. Ipswich Town FC has never been just 11 players turning out on a Saturday afternoon. It is a complete operation all moving in the same direction. Developing players and systems of play (see Spanish methods) having scouts to look for talent that might fit and looking at the opposition to work out best approach for the coming game. Fitness experts to keep players on the field as long as possible.
Seeing how Russel Osman is fitting it into place is remarkably interesting. And he seems to be doing a great job.

Or would you disagree?


This is NOT just about 90 minutes on Saturday

It is nice to hear of the under 18s doing well and to see them going on to make a career out of football. However when/if they make it is when they get the headlines, until then they should go quietly about there business in my opinion.

the scorline is enough really, unless there is somebody putting in emmense performances that warrent a mention.

Very good fourth, ignore these careless moaners.
Our academy is very important and I am interested in how its run..

from Norway

Don't watch the youth team much but I see the game saturday moring and was very dissapointed with the performance, there was no shape to the team and they looked like 11 boys just thrown out there who was all playing off the cuff where as Arsenal looked to total opposite. Arsenal on the whole looked a class above on and off the pitch. I was extremly dissapointeed with our coach who seemed more interested shouting and screaming at the Referee than helping or coaching are young talent that we have.