Is Geoff Harrop worth his money ?

Leroy · Post by **Leroy** » 10 Mar 2015, 14:25

We all know the club is facing a testing time on the financial front. But where will the savings be made ?

I honestly don't thing we can afford to keep the Youth team and Academy going. Yeovil got rid of theirs a few years ago because of cost and I think we' will have to follow a similar route.

Ok it's great having the likes Lavercombe,Ives,and Pym pushing for a first team starting spot but is it cost affective ? It must cost quite a bit employing Geoff Harrop and his coaching team.

I'm going again tonight, I know I shouldn't but maybe just maybe the revival will start against Chester. I live in hope....

Post by **Scott Brehaut** » 10 Mar 2015, 14:28

I think the WORST thing we can do is shut down the youth academy.

royalgull · Post by **royalgull** » 10 Mar 2015, 14:34

It's because we got rid of it in the first place that we have very few young players of suitable standard coming through, it's the only thing we should be spending money on because it's the future for clubs like us. Getting rid of it is signing your own death warrant as a club

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 10 Mar 2015, 14:53

We should also be having some kind of reliable scouting system or network. Doesn't need to be huge or expensive. There should be enough contacts or ex-players around the country who could help out. Guy Branston, for example, was a scout for Notts County for a while.

Richinns · Post by **Richinns** » 10 Mar 2015, 14:53

It needs to start producing but the future of the club very much depends on it. We need to be trusting these guys more and giving them the chance to show they are good enough and I suspect the budget for next season means this will be a must in order for us to try to balance the books.

Post by **Dave** » 10 Mar 2015, 16:27

I think it goes with out saying, the absolute number one priority is to keep the youth set up, it's vital. I would be the first say it is important that the club try's to maintain it's current level three academy status, that may not be possible.

My reasons for that, with out promotion back to the football league the club will lose it's current youth funding, so our academy will have to bridge that funding gap, if it can do that by sponsorship or by other means fantastic, if not, the players currently with our club and new players coming in will have to paid a training fee (they don't currently) As many will know I'm a qualified youth coach, been in involved in grass roots youth football for nearly 10 years, I will critize the club for not being pro-active enough, and I've seen that first hand.

The academy seems quite happy to have a development system as a tool to widen the search for young players, however has anyone from our academy bothered to contact Phil Osborne just4keepers Devon or Jay Gibbs J4K Somerset, who I know has had keepers sign contracts with Exeter and Bristol City over the last few seasons, or any other football development schools, do they scout youth football tournaments and festivals which are held right through out the close season.

Season before last I attended a football trial day at Tiverton Town, I looked over where the scouts were, and saw scouts from professional clubs from all levels and all over the country sat there, locally Argyle and Exeter were there, even Tiverton, who wasn't there, yep you guessed it TUFC.

All that said, a big problem going forward for the academy now, will be the ability to remain competitive, we are a conference club now, many of the better youngsters aren't going to want to come to TUFC, and as said, if parents are faced with having to pay £30 a month training fee, if there lads are good enough they'll go Plymouth or Exeter where they wouldn't have to pay for training, that's something that will have to be avoided if possible.

For me, we have to start producing players from the U8-16 age groups(not happening at the moment) personally I would give that a few more seasons, failure to do so, and as much as I really don't agree with such a step, I think the club should considered down grading the academy and working with youth team and late developers, but not get rid of the youth up completely.

supergulls · Post by **supergulls** » 11 Mar 2015, 16:08

From what I'm hearing its a strong possibility that the youth will be shut down. Geoff harrop has been heard saying that he has no job

arcadia · Post by **arcadia** » 11 Mar 2015, 16:32

Geof Harrop could very well be the next manager.

nickbrod · Post by **nickbrod** » 11 Mar 2015, 16:40

Not having a reserve side to keep fringe players match fit is bad enough but to ditch the youth setup would be football suicide.

Post by **Scott Brehaut** » 11 Mar 2015, 16:41

arcadia wrote:Geof Harrop could very well be the next manager.

If we WERE to get rid of CH, surely we could do a LOT better than Geoff Harrop.

Post by **Dave** » 11 Mar 2015, 18:37

Yes we could. As for the youth set up, like I said in my first reply, as much I would disagree with such a step, down grade the academy and work with U18's only, it would be a lot cheaper for the club and still give the club access to some promising young players. We've brought in players from Ireland, London, Cyprus and other areas as well as worked with local lads from 8 to 16 years old since 2007 spent a small fortune and brought through the some total of absolutely nothing.

I do believe as said we should keep some form of youth set up, but what we have currently is as big a white elephant as the training ground, and like the training ground not fit for purpose.

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 12 Mar 2015, 10:50

As others have said we need to keep the youth set-up. In response to the OP I do wonder about Geoff Harrop. He came here with a great reputation but we really haven't seen much in the first team. Whether that is down to the quality of players coming through or the first team managers just refusing to play them regardless I'm not sure.
As for us being a Conference club, that really shouldn't matter to the quality of kids we can get to join. If they see players graduating from youth team to first team, if they see the youth team competing in it's league and doing well in cups they will want to join. If they don't see any youth graduates in the first team, if the team is performing crap in its league no one will want to join, regardless of the league the first team is in.

kevgull · Post by **kevgull** » 12 Mar 2015, 11:56

Unfortunately our current board did not foresee this senario when they employed a rookie manager for the remaining 22 league 2 games.

Without Thea's money I'm guessing the Youth setup would have been disbanded months ago. The future of the Youth setup now lies within the wealth and ambitions of the next owner(s).

Sunnysideup · Post by **Sunnysideup** » 12 Mar 2015, 14:32

Its a hard one to call is this.
Of course, we should be bringing through youngsters from the lowest age groups, through the system and into the first team squad. That just isnt happening though and we would really expect something since its been going 9 years is it?
If its a toss up between what we have now, and a decent scouting network with a much smaller youth setup, thats the way to go IMO.
Shame that neither will probably get past the budget holder

tommyg · Post by **tommyg** » 28 Apr 2015, 15:34

Interesting interview with Harry Redknapp (skip to the last minute).

http://talksport.com/football/exclusive ... 0428144743

No, he's not the mystery new owner, but apparently he was told by parents of our youth team on the weekend that the academy is closing down. Not sure if the parents are speculating or if they've been informed of this by the club.

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