Best Youth crop

[growler]

Was having a chat with a mate on the weekend and we were discussing top youth teams that came through. Neither of us have any fondness for the mancs, and they have already had their press, so we ignored the class of 92 or whatever with Beckham et al. Also, looking at not necessarily successful clubs, but more a group of players who have come through together in a single crop.

 

The ones we came up with were:

 

Hammers: Rio, Johnson, Joe Cole, Carrick, Lampard, Defoe (with James, Kanoute and Sinclair as quality additions too). Quality because look at where all the players are now.

 

Man City: Onuha, Richard, Ireland, Joe Hart, Wright Phillips and the kid that went to Chelsea for the money.

 

Liverpool: Rob Jones, McManaman, Carra, Fowler, Redknapp, Matteo et al. Regardless of their failures, they were talented players who perhaps with a stronger manager, could have gone to the top

 

Mine are all relatively recent, because thats what I remember. Are there others?

[cymrococh]

Liverpool: Rob Jones, Redknapp,

Bought from Crewe, Bought from Bournemouth.

[Stevie H]

the ajax 1995 team is probably worth a look.

[Falconhoof]

Was having a chat with a mate on the weekend and we were discussing top youth teams that came through. Neither of us have any fondness for the mancs, and they have already had their press, so we ignored the class of 92 or whatever with Beckham et al. Also, looking at not necessarily successful clubs, but more a group of players who have come through together in a single crop.

 

The ones we came up with were:

 

Hammers: Rio, Johnson, Joe Cole, Carrick, Lampard, Defoe (with James, Kanoute and Sinclair as quality additions too). Quality because look at where all the players are now.

 

Man City: Onuha, Richard, Ireland, Joe Hart, Wright Phillips and the kid that went to Chelsea for the money.

 

Liverpool: Rob Jones, McManaman, Carra, Fowler, Redknapp, Matteo et al. Regardless of their failures, they were talented players who perhaps with a stronger manager, could have gone to the top

 

Mine are all relatively recent, because thats what I remember. Are there others?

 

James was at Watford as a young player. They signed Kanoute from Lyon when he was 22. Sinclair started out at Blackpool, moving to QPR before arriving at West Ham at about 25 years old.

[PhilM]

Ajax had Davids, Seedorf, Kluivert, Bogarde, Reizeger, the De Boers, and Overmars from the same youth team didn't they?

[Kahnee]

James was at Watford as a young player.

 

We talking David James, who arrived at Anfield from Watford before heading to West Ham via Villa?

[Sion]

James was at Watford as a young player. They signed Kanoute from Lyon when he was 22. Sinclair started out at Blackpool, moving to QPR before arriving at West Ham at about 25 years old.

Add to that Defoe started at Charlton and Ferdinand was poached from QPR

[Falconhoof]

We talking David James, who arrived at Anfield from Watford before heading to West Ham via Villa?

 

er yes, so he wasn't at West Ham as a 'youth' player

[Snookie]

Ajax had Davids, Seedorf, Kluivert, Bogarde, Reizeger, the De Boers, and Overmars from the same youth team didn't they?

 

This is the squad. A few never really achieved what they should have - Kluivert and Bogarde obviously - but they'd still give any team in Europe today a run for their money. Just about all of them came through their system. The unfortunate thing for Ajax was that most of them left in the following couple of years on a free.

 

Edwin van der Sar

Michael Reiziger

Frank Rijkaard

Frank de Boer

Clarence Seedorf

Edgar Davids

Finidi George

Ronald de Boer

Jari Litmanen

Marc Overmars

Fred Grim

Winston Bogarde

Nw***wo Kanu

Patrick Kluivert

Peter van Vossen

[yellow jumper]

wright-philips was at forest to begin with wasn't he? not sure how much under 18 footy he played at city. michael johnson was regarded as the best player of that recent youth team, although he looks like he's f***ing up his career.

 

if martin kelly comes through at our place will he be considered a youth product? i suspect so. to all intents and purposes ferdinand came through the west ham academy, even if he was poached originally.

[Gunga Din]

Fred Grim is a fantastic name

[Ramón Benítez Hernández]

Fred Grim is a fantastic name

 

 

Nw***wo is better.

Edited August 25, 2009 by B.A.Baracus

[Maldini]

wright-philips was at forest to begin with wasn't he? not sure how much under 18 footy he played at city. michael johnson was regarded as the best player of that recent youth team, although he looks like he's f***ing up his career.

 

if martin kelly comes through at our place will he be considered a youth product? i suspect so. to all intents and purposes ferdinand came through the west ham academy, even if he was poached originally.

 

Kelly's been with is since he was about ten. Boro have had a decent crop of young players in recent years albeit not at the level of those listed above; Wheater, Cattermole, Downing, Johnson.

 

Forest and Leeds had good crops when Paul Hart was with em. Leeds has Robinson, Kewell, Woodgate, Kelly, Harte, Maybury, Mcphail, Smith, Milner and Lennon come through over the course of 5 or 6 years. Forest had a great record for a small club with Jenas, Dawson, Reid and Prutton joining the first team within a year or two of each other.

 

Barca beat em all though, Valdes, Puyol, Pique, Xavi, Iniesta and Messi all in the same team with Buswuets and Krkic in reserve, with two are three more about to break through as well.

[Benzo-13]

This is the squad. A few never really achieved what they should have - Kluivert and Bogarde obviously - but they'd still give any team in Europe today a run for their money. Just about all of them came through their system. The unfortunate thing for Ajax was that most of them left in the following couple of years on a free.

 

Edwin van der Sar

Michael Reiziger

Frank Rijkaard

Frank de Boer

Clarence Seedorf

Edgar Davids

Finidi George

Ronald de Boer

Jari Litmanen

Marc Overmars

Fred Grim

Winston Bogarde

Nw***wo Kanu

Patrick Kluivert

Peter van Vossen

 

Litmanen came from Mypa in Finland.

Marc Overmars was signed from Go Ahead Eagles

Peter van Vossen came in from Anderlecht