UEFA Youth League

I may be preempting our inclusion in the Champions League next season but thought it would be good to discuss this as our u19's will once again be competing in a European Competition if we qualify.

Those of us who follow our Academy progress know how much our young lads benefited from playing in the Next Gen series most notably Raheem, Suso, Flanno, Robinson, Wisdom, Coady and not forgetting those who competed for other teams like Illori and Texeira.

Of course those players are now too old but imagine how amazing it'll be to watch the likes of Canos, Chirivella, Dunn, Hart, Kent, Wilson, Rossiter, Lussey, Randall, McLaughlan, DTS, Williams, Sinclair, Ibe, Brannagan, Jones etc playing in Europe.

It's a double benefit for us to qualify this season and for their sakes I really hope we do.

Our absence from Europe hurting us at two levels now that UEFA destroyed what NextGen had built.
I loved that tournament. I genuinely believe that produced some of the best football,
played by the teams that wanted to develop youth players.
Now it's been messed up and teams are entered because their first team is in Europe rather than because they
genuinely have youth academies.

It's a disgrace that Next Gen was allowed to die due to lack of funding but it was inevitable that UEFA would want to take the idea and make it theirs, reaping the financial rewards for themselves.
Obviously I hope we make it into the CL and this will be a great bonus but I feel for the academies at clubs such as Villa who are working hard to produce top class youth players and have now lost a great chance to get them playing in meaningful competitions and gain experience of playing against teams across Europe. They'll start losing more players to elite clubs who will strengthen right through their ranks and any chances of them catching up by concentrating in youth development have now been weakened due to pure greed.

I may be preempting our inclusion in the Champions League next season but thought it would be good to discuss this as our u19's will once again be competing in a European Competition if we qualify.

Those of us who follow our Academy progress know how much our young lads benefited from playing in the Next Gen series most notably Raheem, Suso, Flanno, Robinson, Wisdom, Coady and not forgetting those who competed for other teams like Illori and Texeira.

Of course those players are now too old but imagine how amazing it'll be to watch the likes of Canos, Chirivella, Dunn, Hart, Kent, Wilson, Rossiter, Lussey, Randall, McLaughlan, DTS, Williams, Sinclair, Ibe, Brannagan, Jones etc playing in Europe.

It's a double benefit for us to qualify this season and for their sakes I really hope we do.

We're almost there Debs a couple more wins and it's ours , well ours to throw away, the next gen serious was excellent just a shame it got fu**ed up,

It will be fantastic to have the young lads compete at the highest of levels and put our great name at the top table in Europe, I have no doubt whatsoever that our current  'group' of youngsters will do themselves and us extremely proud ,

It also opens the door to see what talent other clubs have for possible targets , we brought Texiera from Sporting Lisbon if I'm not mistaken,

Exciting times ahead not only for the first teamers me thinks ?


YNWA

we brought Texiera from Sporting Lisbon if I'm not mistaken,

And Illori followed him although a couple of seasons later but you've made a good point as it's a good shop window to browse in 

And Illori followed him although a couple of seasons later but you've made a good point as it's a good shop window to browse in 

Of course I'd forgot who we'd got illori from, hope we can find a couple more starlets this way, could profit to if they don't make the grade .


YNWA

Of course I'd forgot who we'd got illori from, hope we can find a couple more starlets this way, could profit to if they don't make the grade .


YNWA

Sporting Lisbon?

Time to resurrect this thread seeing as we are now guaranteed to be playing in this.

I'll do some research into the qualification age group and which of our players will be eligible to play.  I've not followed any of it this season so no idea whose youth teams have been doing well or what level we'll be up against next season.

Either way it'll be fantastic experience for the lads as it proved with the Next Gen series.

Missed the Next Gen this season.

Youth League F***ing stinks.
Aston Villa won the Next Gen and deserve to compete at the top level of youth football.

I'm glad to have our lads back at the highest level
but other teams also belong in this.

Ok so players must be born on or after 1 January 1996 for next seasons competition.  Those eligible are as follows.  Unfortunately our website doesn't give too much information on exact positions for midfield and defenders so I've done a breakdown below for those of you who don't follow our Youth teams.

Andrew Firth  -  goalkeeper  -  1996
Ryan Fulton  -  goalkeeper  - 1996

Tom Brewitt  -  defender  -  1997
Dharius Waldron  -  defender  -  1996
Daniel Cleary  -  defender  -  1997
Sam Hart  -  defender  -  1996
Joe Maguire  -  defender  -  1996
Alex O'Hanlon  -  defender  -  1996
David Roberts  -  defender  -  1997

Ryan Kent  -  midfielder  -  1997
Will Marsh  -  midfielder  -  1996
Sheyi Ojo  -  midfielder  -  1997
Matty Virtue  -  midfielder  -  1997
Harry Wilson  -  midfielder  -  1997
Sergi Canos  -  midfielder  -  1997
Pedro Chirivella  -  midfielder  -  1997
Cameron Brannagan  -  midfielder  -  1996
Jordan Rossiter  -  midfielder  -  1997

Jerome Sinclair  -  striker  -  1996

It would appear from this list that we're short of "striker" options, as we are right through every age group but we do have plenty of attacking midfield options who make up the front 3 in most of our Youth games.  Brannagan, Canos, Wilson, Kent and Ojo can and do play across the front line.

Likewise O'Hanlon, Hart and Maguire have covered in midfield this season.

It seems we'll get to see some of the promising u16's playing in this competition but due to legal reasons those players details aren't available and shouldn't be published.

Really looking forward to watching this as much as the senior competition 

I had intended to keep this thread updated over the summer but not had my laptop and posting on my phone is a pain in the ass.

The lads play the same group games as the seniors so they start tomorrow at St. Helens ground 2pm ko.  The game's live on lfc.tv for those wanting to watch.

If somebody has the time to update the thread with the actual squad list we've registered it would be much appreciated.

I had intended to keep this thread updated over the summer but not had my laptop and posting on my phone is a pain in the ass.

The lads play the same group games as the seniors so they start tomorrow at St. Helens ground 2pm ko.  The game's live on lfc.tv for those wanting to watch.

If somebody has the time to update the thread with the actual squad list we've registered it would be much appreciated.

Was going to put something up about this in the senior match thread, but you're spot on it needs its own.
Great for the U19s to be in Europe. Even if it's not NextGen.

Was going to put something up about this in the senior match thread, but you're spot on it needs its own.
Great for the U19s to be in Europe. Even if it's not NextGen.

I'm looking forward to this as much as the proper CL mate, like you I've missed watching the lads in the NextGen.

We've got a wealth of attacking and midfield talent in the squad although the defence is very young and not so talented.  Young Fulton has been exceptional since returning from injury so hopefully he'll keep us in it.

I'm looking forward to this as much as the proper CL mate, like you I've missed watching the lads in the NextGen.

We've got a wealth of attacking and midfield talent in the squad although the defence is very young and not so talented.  Young Fulton has been exceptional since returning from injury so hopefully he'll keep us in it.

It will be interesting to see how we line out.
If it's actual U19 lads we could boss this.

Given the tendency to push lads up in the age groups, I'm not sure who will feature.

It is u19s mate, birthdays after January 1st 1996. 

It is u19s mate, birthdays after January 1st 1996. 

Sorry debs.
That's not what I meant.

We put out a young U21 team sometimes.
I just meant whether it would be U19 lads or some U18s.

Sorry debs.
That's not what I meant.

We put out a young U21 team sometimes.
I just meant whether it would be U19 lads or some U18s.

From what I've read mate we're mostly u16s/17s/18s although the majority are already playing at u21s.  It's our defence where the younger ones fit in so it'll be a massive test for them at this level.

From what I've read mate we're mostly u16s/17s/18s although the majority are already playing at u21s.  It's our defence where the younger ones fit in so it'll be a massive test for them at this level.

That's kind of what I meant.
Most of what could be classed as U21 is either in the first team squad or on loan.
Wouldn't surprise me to see U17/18 make up most of the U19 squad.

That's kind of what I meant.
Most of what could be classed as U21 is either in the first team squad or on loan.
Wouldn't surprise me to see U17/18 make up most of the U19 squad.

I'll have to try and post our full squad list but I know it includes the likes if Canos, Chirivella, Ojo, Kent, Wilson, Williams, Rossiter, Randall, Sinclair.  Not sure about Ibe being at Derby as I know they can still compete with our youth teams when on loan.

Goalkeepers.

Owen Wheeler
ENG   27/01/1998   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Benjamin Jackson
ENG   03/12/1997   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Ryan Fulton
ENG   23/05/1996   18   -   -   -   -   -   -

Andrew Firth
ENG   26/09/1996   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Defenders

Samuel Hart
ENG   10/09/1996   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Joseph Maguire
ENG   18/01/1996   18   -   -   -   -   -   -

Kane Lewis
ENG   17/03/1998   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Corey Whelan
ENG   10/12/1997   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Joshua Dobie
ENG   26/01/1998   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Daniel Cleary
IRL   09/03/1996   18   -   -   -   -   -   -

Tom Brewitt
ENG   11/02/1997   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Lewis Travis
ENG   16/10/1997   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Nathan Sheron
ENG   04/10/1997   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Kris Owens
ENG   07/12/1998   15   -   -   -   -   -   -

David Roberts
ENG   07/02/1997   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Kristof Polgar
HUN   01/12/1996   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Midfielders

Adam Phillips
ENG   15/01/1998   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Wade Maxwell
ENG   02/10/1997   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Oluwaseyi Ojo
ENG   19/06/1997   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Alex O'Hanlon
IRL   24/04/1996   18   -   -   -   -   -   -

Jordan Rossiter
ENG   24/03/1997   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Liam Robinson
ENG   05/11/1998   15   -   -   -   -   -   -

Jack Watts
ENG   11/12/1997   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Matthew Virtue-Thick
ENG   02/05/1997   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Harvey Whyte
ENG   22/11/1998   15   -   -   -   -   -   -

Trent Arnold
ENG   07/10/1998   15   -   -   -   -   -   -

Pedro Chirivella
ESP   23/05/1997   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Herbie Kane
ENG   23/11/1998   15   -   -   -   -   -   -

Liam Griffin
ENG   14/01/1998   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Oviemuno Ejaria
ENG   18/11/1997   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

Forwards

Ryan Kent
ENG   11/11/1996   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Sergi Canós
ESP   02/02/1997   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Yan Dhanda
ENG   14/12/1998   15   -   -   -   -   -   -

Cameron Brannagan
ENG   09/05/1996   18   -   -   -   -   -   -

Harry Wilson
ENG   22/03/1997   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Jerome Sinclair
ENG   20/09/1996   17   -   -   -   -   -   -

Callum Nicholas
ENG   15/09/1997   16   -   -   -   -   -   -

William Marsh
ENG   01/10/1996   17

http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/season=2015/clubs/club=2606417/squad/index.html

Thanks for that mate.

I'll add some detail to each player profile at the weekend, should have the laptop back then.

Thanks for that mate.

I'll add some detail to each player profile at the weekend, should have the laptop back then.

I love it when a plan comes together.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Me too