Derek adams interview

Adams is no fool he took the job knowing what the club's "Ethos" was but his and the clubs aim is promotion this season.
He's not said there won't be chances for the youth players but let's not kid ourselves Adams is not going to blow what he's been brought in to do to shoehorn these kids into the side at the expense of promotion.
Over the years there have been very few who came through the ranks and eventually were sold for big bucks, on the contrary the majority have been spotted by clubs with little or no first team experiance.
McBurie, Cleverley, Wisdom, Delph, Ombang, Green, very little first team experiance between them and the lads who were drafed in last season will have had plenty of attention from the big clubs if they thought they would make it.

 

We do have a good production line here but the top prospects often get sold before breaking through. The young keeper, Daryll Ombang, the latest case in point.

I suppose its sign of the times given we are in League Two.

How do you break the cycle and convince those kids and the likes of Wisdom and Delph etc to stay to at least feature for the first team?

Or is them leaving before doing so inevitable when Premier League academies come knocking?

 

At the end of the day there is one driver…..Money. Big clubs , through Sky, can afford to have 30 great young footballers on their books. 99% of which get nowhere within the parent club.

They do develop within the smaller league set ups , only to be picked up by the likes of Peterborough who make the real money on these younger players seemingly “ lost” to the professional game.

That’s how Peterborough do it, they have done it for years and it’s paid off ( eventually)

 

You can't persuade them, the money and kudos of a move to a bigger club is near on impossible to turn down. Best you can hope is that they are loaned back to you.

 

Peterborough now have the track record to say to young players that if you stay with us there is a real time path to a move to a big club, especially if you are a striker. This approach can only work if yoor clubs strategy is set up for it, the junior set up there is cat 2 academy and they've spent a fair amount on the facilties to go with it.

 

Nonsense !

 

It’s isn’t nonsense at all of course any first team player has to justify his place and promotion is the clubs priority but the club is putting money into the academy to bring through young players with the aim of selling on and if the manager is not on board with that it could result in friction at the top

 

Where’s the evidence we’ve put anymore money than usual into the academy? It’s still the lowest rating as far as I’m aware and little has changed, sorry must have missed that.

 

I'm pretty sure Adams knows far more than any of us about the ethos at Exeter so like you, I don't think it's harsh at all and believe it is close to the truth. Taylor has talked a few times about the difficulties they have in attracting players to the club due to their location, and said at the weekend they had made offers to a few players this season that have chosen to go elsewhere. That is always going to be the case for them, hence why they are so relient on players coming through their academy and why they are so vulnerable to losing the quality ones when offers come in for them from higher leagues.

 

Where's the evidence Adams isn't on board with that? Just because he doesn't feel some of the lads are good enough for the first team doesn't mean he is against us having an academy and developing players for the future.

 

Is it depressing, or is it a kick up the arse? 'You have to be good enough to perform well' doesn't feel unfair. And he's right, fans don't have the patience for it at this club.

 

I suspect some early Adams mind games here. We know he's got form for this. Exeter expect to be in the mix again this season so undermining their 'philosophy' like this will get back to the fans, who, in turn will start to question the club's ambition in much the same way fans on this forum do.

Possibly also an early marker for blaming Sparks and his policy if things don't go well at some point. Again, I think it was a Plymouth fan's contribution, he's got form.

 

Quick, someone ring Sparksy and tell him Adams isn't getting with the programme.

 

Dont disagree, but you need to look at where they “ source” these players. Not schools, not their own academy largely, but via picked up through non league football after being “ released” by Southerm based Prem Clubs.

They used to be my nearest club, bar Colchester, and they tended to have the pick of Southern based Ex prem released youngsters.

They picked two up from village teams near me and it made them £M’s . That’s how McAnthony funded the club for the last 15 or so years on the profits these “ finds” made.

Through, of course Barry Fry.

 

The club putting money into an academy and having to play them in a first team chasing promotion are two completely different things. We have re-established an under 19 team (in which a set number of over aged players are allowed) to develop the youngsters and I am sure Adams has had a say in that.

I predict Adams will create a an epoch of his own here, and potentially take us higher up the league than Parky, that wont be compromised by him being forced to blood youngsters. He is his own man and wouldnt have taken the job if he had been told part of his job was to develop the youth.

 

I think you are spot on there and the key is HAVING to play them...I think we can encourage the academy and sell players like we have done in the past before they've hit the first team but if we don't and then they are good enough to play for the first team and can seriously contribute then all well and good!!

What we don't want is similar to the Archie Christie era where it appeared that far too much money was aimed at the 'Development Squad' to the detriment of the first team.

I also think we need to develop our 'scouting' network amongst grassroots junior clubs...I know we can't possibly have the same level of scouts as MCFC, MUFC etc... but there must be so many junior football team coaches that attend BCFC games, season ticket holders etc...if we could encourage them to refer players and let's say 10 a season attend development centres then they get a free something or other!!!

 

If we're going to get out this godawful league, we must have a manager who is ruthless. Adams is just that and he's not stupid. He's thrown down the gauntlet to our young players - perform well when you're asked to and you're in with a chance. Fall short of what I expect, and you're off to The National on loan to develop, gain more experience and get a bit more battle hardened. If the latter, as long as they have immediate recall options built into their loans, everyone wins. They get valuable game time - we get them back if injuries, covid or suspensions decimate us.

 

Very good point Dave. And McBurnie the case in point. In most of the first team games he had with us, he looked under-powered and not ready for big boys football. But there was clearly a good player in there and higher clubs, who have more time and structure to develop young players, saw that. Throwing in teenagers too soon at City does them no favors, nor us.

 

Nothing is more depressing than been in this league for another season. Good call from Adams

 

I think like all good managers, Adams wants just one thing - success. If he thinks young players can help give him and the club that, he'll play them.