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Firhillista
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surely if Leeds are interested in Lindsay it would be in their interest to help us rather than killie with getting Erwin

Yeah, it would make sense but they'll possibly need to take other things in to consideration like amount of game time and percentage of wages to be paid etc.

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McDaid is a classic example of why the U20 league just isn't working. He was a very good player at that level but just not capable of making the huge step from U20s to premier league football. We need to bring back the reserve leagues ASAP.

Considering he didn't really make the step up from U20's to League One while on loan at Cowdenbeath, isn't it more likely that's he's not really good enough period, and the suitability of the U20 set up has nothing to do with it?

 

We had reserve team football for years and had countless young players that weren't good enough to make the step up then too. Why would bringing it back make things any different?

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Considering he didn't really make the step up from U20's to League One while on loan at Cowdenbeath, isn't it more likely that's he's not really good enough period, and the suitability of the U20 set up has nothing to do with it?

 

We had reserve team football for years and had countless young players that weren't good enough to make the step up then too. Why would bringing it back make things any different?

I agree entirely.

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McDaid is a classic example of why the U20 league just isn't working. He was a very good player at that level but just not capable of making the huge step from U20s to premier league football. We need to bring back the reserve leagues ASAP.

 

I agree to a point, Ian. The U20s is ideal for the likes of Dunfermline and Falkirk as there's less of a gap. Many of their U20s could easily play in or at least be around 1st team football in the championship. At our level tho' we need to send players out on loan to get hardened up in the lower divisions. We're not alone of course and there simply isn't enough part time teams to send all the "senior" U20 players to. Sending a wide player like McDaid to Cowdenbeath of all clubs last season was far from ideal but probably all that was available.

 

Where I disagree or maybe more correctly would have worries is returning to reserve football. Or at least reserve football as it was a few years ago. One thing that the U20s league has got in its favour is the competitiveness, which by and large can't be faulted. Too much of reserve football in recent years was just a mixture of seasoned pros stretching their legs in case they were required for first team duties and first team players being eased gently back from some injury or other. Matches were as often as not as competitive as a pre season friendly at Dumbarton.

 

Where we need to be going is easing players in their late teens into the real world of first team football as opposed to the sink or swim of the current system. A reserve league could help in terms of the youngsters encountering streetwise players maybe picking up on some of the black arts necessary for the step up. But that would only work if the senior players they were up against were up for it so to speak. Without a competitiveness aspect I can't see a reserve league being anything but at best a marginal improvement.

 

Perhaps re-introduce an U19s league along the lines of the present U20s (maybe 3 overage players allowed). And introduce something of a hybrid league, where so many say 5 players have to be under 22 or 23 year old. Something along these lines, as long as there was an incentive to win as opposed to just have a kick about session.

 

Re McDaid, not at least surprised he's been released. He was effectively playing in a " Higgy" type role, which as we know is a bit of a luxury position or put better a position you have to be on top of your game to get selected. I couldn't see that happening anytime soon with Declan. Hope the lad does well and doen't have to drop too far down to get regular football*

 

* edited to add he's now signed for Ayr till end of season..

Edited by lady-isobel-barnett
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I think it's harsh to judge him on a loan spell at a club and a home pitch that just would not suit him in the least.

 

There are only so many loan deals you can do for these players. Many people within the game agree with my point re the U20s v Reserves. Malky Mackay said last week that he hadn't met a single person within the game who had a good thing to say about the U20 league, and the universal preference was a return to reserve football. The young players need experience against senior pros. I would say LIB's point about senior pros playing the game like a friendly could potentially result in them not getting back in to the first team. I'm not saying reserve football is perfect but I would say it would be more beneficial for the top tier clubs and the young players than the U20 league.

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