Barnet Squad 2025/26

[Norfolkbee110]

It's a strange situation really. A kid gets a solid grounding in the academy of a Prem/Championship club, doesn't quite make the grade and it hampers any progress he may have towards making a career as a pro footballer. It's almost like it's a millstone round their necks. It is akin to not going to private school being an obstacle to becoming a professional cricketer or rugby union player. It's a pity that they don't look on ability rather than antecedents. Sadly, it's how a youngster get disenchanted and talent drifts away. .

[Mem Beespod]

I totally see where you’re coming from but a conversation I had with an Arsenal academy coach a few years ago about Jack Wilshere that always stuck with me.

Clubs know very early on which players are likely to make it. Arsenal made a call on a young Jack Wilshere and the objective was doing everything to get him through. The team played for him. They knew the other players in the team weren’t going to make it but he needed a team around him. That’s not to say his team mates weren’t good players but they were just that, good and not special enough.

Apparently it’s like that at every academy which is why i always warn parents about getting too excited when their child is invited to train with a club. They hoover up all the talent in the area hoping that one comes through.

Going back to Dean’s point. He knows what these academies are like so knows that only a handful will be cut out for “mortgage football”.

[Norfolkbee110]

I totally see where you’re coming from but a conversation I had with an Arsenal academy coach a few years ago about Jack Wilshere that always stuck with me.

Clubs know very early on which players are likely to make it. Arsenal made a call on a young Jack Wilshere and the objective was doing everything to get him through. The team played for him. They knew the other players in the team weren’t going to make it but he needed a team around him. That’s not to say his team mates weren’t good players but they were just that, good and not special enough.

Apparently it’s like that at every academy which is why i always warn parents about getting too excited when their child is invited to train with a club. They hoover up all the talent in the area hoping that one comes through.

Going back to Dean’s point. He knows what these academies are like so knows that only a handful will be cut out for “mortgage football”.

I get it that only a few academy players will become the creme de menthe and cut out for "mortgage football" . I was thinking more about former academy players, who are well capable of making a decent living at League 1 or 2 or even National League level. Some of these could even go on to develop further. Remember Jack Taylor came through the Chelsea academy.

[djhdjh]

It's a strange situation really. A kid gets a solid grounding in the academy of a Prem/Championship club, doesn't quite make the grade and it hampers any progress he may have towards making a career as a pro footballer. It's almost like it's a millstone round their necks. It is akin to not going to private school being an obstacle to becoming a professional cricketer or rugby union player. It's a pity that they don't look on ability rather than antecedents. Sadly, it's how a youngster get disenchanted and talent drifts away. .

But what are the odds of becoming a professional footballer either coming through the academy of a smaller professional club or fighting your way up through the semi-professional game? I am pretty confident that the odds for any individual are much better for those who were at the academies of bigger clubs (think about how many semi-professional teams there are), it's just that there aren't that many places in the professional game relative to the number of people who would like them. Therefore any route is going to have bad odds in absolute terms.

[WestHampsteadBee]

I totally see where you’re coming from but a conversation I had with an Arsenal academy coach a few years ago about Jack Wilshere that always stuck with me.

Clubs know very early on which players are likely to make it. Arsenal made a call on a young Jack Wilshere and the objective was doing everything to get him through. The team played for him. They knew the other players in the team weren’t going to make it but he needed a team around him. That’s not to say his team mates weren’t good players but they were just that, good and not special enough.

Apparently it’s like that at every academy which is why i always warn parents about getting too excited when their child is invited to train with a club. They hoover up all the talent in the area hoping that one comes through.

Going back to Dean’s point. He knows what these academies are like so knows that only a handful will be cut out for “mortgage football”.

I get it that only a few academy players will become the creme de menthe and cut out for "mortgage football" . I was thinking more about former academy players, who are well capable of making a decent living at League 1 or 2 or even National League level. Some of these could even go on to develop further. Remember Jack Taylor came through the Chelsea academy.

Odds are very small. See the likes of Kian Flanagan, Dom Revan, Jordan Thomas. All from Cat 1 academies, none of whom are now anywhere near EFL.

[northantsbee]

https://x.com/sportspeteo/status/193906 ... 93435?s=46

Got a Brentwood town follower & a Southend ST holder in the office & this guy & his agent have been slutting themselves out since January. Time to make a decision for him.

He's one I thought we were in for in Jan. Seems pretty raw, but isn't this the sort of striker we need to be looking at? It's relatively low risk, but we also know that DB doesn't like signing "youngsters" out of Academies with no senior football under their belt so it doesn't leave loads of options.

He's also trained with Southend and Halifax last season. So many clubs have had a look at him but there must be something that is putting potential buyers off.

[Norfolkbee110]

https://x.com/sportspeteo/status/193906 ... 93435?s=46

Got a Brentwood town follower & a Southend ST holder in the office & this guy & his agent have been slutting themselves out since January. Time to make a decision for him.

He's one I thought we were in for in Jan. Seems pretty raw, but isn't this the sort of striker we need to be looking at? It's relatively low risk, but we also know that DB doesn't like signing "youngsters" out of Academies with no senior football under their belt so it doesn't leave loads of options.

He's also trained with Southend and Halifax last season. So many clubs have had a look at him but there must be something that is putting potential buyers off.

A final leap of faith?

[Mem Beespod]

I totally see where you’re coming from but a conversation I had with an Arsenal academy coach a few years ago about Jack Wilshere that always stuck with me.

Clubs know very early on which players are likely to make it. Arsenal made a call on a young Jack Wilshere and the objective was doing everything to get him through. The team played for him. They knew the other players in the team weren’t going to make it but he needed a team around him. That’s not to say his team mates weren’t good players but they were just that, good and not special enough.

Apparently it’s like that at every academy which is why i always warn parents about getting too excited when their child is invited to train with a club. They hoover up all the talent in the area hoping that one comes through.

Going back to Dean’s point. He knows what these academies are like so knows that only a handful will be cut out for “mortgage football”.

I get it that only a few academy players will become the creme de menthe and cut out for "mortgage football" . I was thinking more about former academy players, who are well capable of making a decent living at League 1 or 2 or even National League level. Some of these could even go on to develop further. Remember Jack Taylor came through the Chelsea academy.

But this is the issue. There will be the real talent but the academy system isn’t designed for the players who make up the numbers, to be suitable for L1/2 football. They will be taught a style of play that works at a prem club but won’t cut it in the lower leagueS.

Once those players who make up the numbers are released they find that the style of football in L1/2 is so far beyond what they know, plus a lot struggle to go from the support and facilities of an Arsenal or Chelsea to a lower league setting.

Jack Taylor was different. He came to Barnet quite young and he was the talent in the youth team.

[Norfolkbee110]

I totally see where you’re coming from but a conversation I had with an Arsenal academy coach a few years ago about Jack Wilshere that always stuck with me.

Clubs know very early on which players are likely to make it. Arsenal made a call on a young Jack Wilshere and the objective was doing everything to get him through. The team played for him. They knew the other players in the team weren’t going to make it but he needed a team around him. That’s not to say his team mates weren’t good players but they were just that, good and not special enough.

Apparently it’s like that at every academy which is why i always warn parents about getting too excited when their child is invited to train with a club. They hoover up all the talent in the area hoping that one comes through.

Going back to Dean’s point. He knows what these academies are like so knows that only a handful will be cut out for “mortgage football”.

I get it that only a few academy players will become the creme de menthe and cut out for "mortgage football" . I was thinking more about former academy players, who are well capable of making a decent living at League 1 or 2 or even National League level. Some of these could even go on to develop further. Remember Jack Taylor came through the Chelsea academy.

But this is the issue. There will be the real talent but the academy system isn’t designed for the players who make up the numbers, to be suitable for L1/2 football. They will be taught a style of play that works at a prem club but won’t cut it in the lower leagueS.

Once those players who make up the numbers are released they find that the style of football in L1/2 is so far beyond what they know, plus a lot struggle to go from the support and facilities of an Arsenal or Chelsea to a lower league setting.

Jack Taylor was different. He came to Barnet quite young and he was the talent in the youth team.

So where do these players end up? It seems that a lot of talent is destined to be wasted, which is, at best, a crying shame or, at worst, downright ridiculous. It's little wonder our kids are now opting to play for clubs abroad.

[#Beebot]

I totally see where you’re coming from but a conversation I had with an Arsenal academy coach a few years ago about Jack Wilshere that always stuck with me.

Clubs know very early on which players are likely to make it. Arsenal made a call on a young Jack Wilshere and the objective was doing everything to get him through. The team played for him. They knew the other players in the team weren’t going to make it but he needed a team around him. That’s not to say his team mates weren’t good players but they were just that, good and not special enough.

Apparently it’s like that at every academy which is why i always warn parents about getting too excited when their child is invited to train with a club. They hoover up all the talent in the area hoping that one comes through.

Going back to Dean’s point. He knows what these academies are like so knows that only a handful will be cut out for “mortgage football”.

I get it that only a few academy players will become the creme de menthe and cut out for "mortgage football" . I was thinking more about former academy players, who are well capable of making a decent living at League 1 or 2 or even National League level. Some of these could even go on to develop further. Remember Jack Taylor came through the Chelsea academy.

But this is the issue. There will be the real talent but the academy system isn’t designed for the players who make up the numbers, to be suitable for L1/2 football. They will be taught a style of play that works at a prem club but won’t cut it in the lower leagueS.

Once those players who make up the numbers are released they find that the style of football in L1/2 is so far beyond what they know, plus a lot struggle to go from the support and facilities of an Arsenal or Chelsea to a lower league setting.

Jack Taylor was different. He came to Barnet quite young and he was the talent in the youth team.

So where do these players end up? It seems that a lot of talent is destined to be wasted, which is, at best, a crying shame or, at worst, downright ridiculous. It's little wonder our kids are now opting to play for clubs abroad.

They will get clubs, but their first season will often be a development season as they get used to men's football which for some clubs means they won't take said players on straight away.

For some players it works out in the end. Ryan Glover didn't have the easiest first season at Aldershot after leaving Bournemouth but did very well after that.

Ryan Watson a good example of a player who spent his first season in men's football here and struggled, but has done well since.

Some players unfortunately never adapt.

[Tuesds]

Kian Flanagan was a star player for Crystal Palace u23s in Premier League 2. When he came to us he hadn’t played a single minute of senior football, yet when he made his debut in the first game of the season in August 21 he was just a week shy of his 22nd birthday. I thought this press story from when he’d just turned 20 was interesting:

https://www.hitc.com/do-young-star-kian ... al-palace/

You might think that a just-20 year-old criticising his employers in the media says says as much about him as them, but whoever’s fault it was, such a talented young player surely should not have been almost 22 before playing a senior competitive football match.

[Norfolkbee110]

Don’t get me wrong. I am in no way in favour of the system but you can see why other countries allow B teams into their league pyramid. Quite a few top continental stars debuted in B teams.

[#Beebot]

Don’t get me wrong. I am in no way in favour of the system but you can see why other countries allow B teams into their league pyramid. Quite a few top continental stars debuted in B teams.

They should really just loan players out more and stop holding on for players for longer than they need to. Players who will never make it shouldn't be released at 22/23

[northantsbee]

Don’t get me wrong. I am in no way in favour of the system but you can see why other countries allow B teams into their league pyramid. Quite a few top continental stars debuted in B teams.

They should really just loan players out more and stop holding on for players for longer than they need to. Players who will never make it shouldn't be released at 22/23

On the face of it it would appear to make sense for premiership sides to loan kids out sides in league 2 or national league to give them a taste of mens football and to toughen them up a bit, but they appear too reluctant to let them out of their system. Possibly because they feel the chance of them picking up a bad injury is too big a risk to take. There is always the odd exception like Keeley, but then maybe clubs are a bit more relaxed about loaning goalkeepers out.

[Norfolkbee110]

Don’t get me wrong. I am in no way in favour of the system but you can see why other countries allow B teams into their league pyramid. Quite a few top continental stars debuted in B teams.

They should really just loan players out more and stop holding on for players for longer than they need to. Players who will never make it shouldn't be released at 22/23

On the face of it it would appear to make sense for premiership sides to loan kids out sides in league 2 or national league to give them a taste of mens football and to toughen them up a bit, but they appear too reluctant to let them out of their system. Possibly because they feel the chance of them picking up a bad injury is too big a risk to take. There is always the odd exception like Keeley, but then maybe clubs are a bit more relaxed about loaning goalkeepers out.

Premier League clubs need to grasp that 21 and 22 year olds are men and should be treated as such. They shouldn't be wrapped up in cotton wool and have their noses wiped. They would doubtlessly benefit from playing senior football and are probably crying out to be given the experience.
Paradoxically, you do get the situation where a club is quite happy to push its "next big superstar" into the heat of the Premier League at the tender age of 17 or 18. These kids are more likely to get injured than a 22 year old playing League Two football. There is always the lurking dangers of a prize asset spending months on the sidelines or a young kid being totally overawed by the occasion and his career taking a backward step.