13 Sep 2015 20:26:36
Reading Paper Talk on Sky Sports it says we are interested in 2 up-and-coming talents, Nishan Birkhart of FC Zurich and Raphael York of Sandviken. I have looked at sites for both teams and they certainly don't show on the first team lists. I take it that they must be youth players.anyone got any more info?

1.) 13 Sep 2015
13 Sep 2015 22:45:20
A quick internet search shows up Nishan Burkhart as a 15 year old striker, Swiss U15 international.

York Rafael is a 16 year old Swedish midfielder who apparently signed a three year contract at Sandviken this summer. Which doesn't mean Saints couldn't buy him, of course, but suggests he's not making plans to move at the moment.

2.) 14 Sep 2015
14 Sep 2015 13:39:44
Having an interest in these two young lads is ok but what sort of message is that sending out to the academy lads some of whom have been with Saints for a long time.

3.) 14 Sep 2015
14 Sep 2015 17:15:44
What message does it send out? Saints have been signing players from plenty of other clubs (Arsenal and Chelsea, to name a few - and I think they've added a kid from Man City this summer) for their academy, and will continue to cast the net far and wide to try and get the best crop of youngsters possible into the system.

The message it sends out is: business as usual. What's the problem?

4.) 14 Sep 2015
14 Sep 2015 17:40:19
I quite agree. I wouldn't want to go the way of Chelsea and bring fewer British players through as that is what attracts them to come to he club. I suspect that the club will keep the right balance.

5.) 14 Sep 2015
14 Sep 2015 18:42:29
What I'm trying to get across is it must be disheartening for a lad that's been with Saints working his socks off for years dreaming of one day getting into the first team then BANG. A couple more imports to get past. I know that teams have to cast their net wider these days but we have always been known for bringing on British talent.

6.) 15 Sep 2015
15 Sep 2015 00:32:46
These are 15 and 16 year old kids. Saints add 15 and 16 year old kids to the youth squads every season. Nothing has changed. Sam Gallagher didn't join from Plymouth until he was 17. Was that disheartening for everyone? Was there another young striker already on Saints' books who saw some competition coming in and just gave up and joined the circus?

If any of these young lads can't cope with the idea of having to earn their places by being better than their peers, they're not going to make it anyway and are no real loss. That's the reality of it. English football mollycoddles its young talent more than enough as it is.

7.) 17 Sep 2015
17 Sep 2015 00:23:51
Who would you rather have in your youth team and eventually the first team, someone who sulks and gets 'disheartened' at another player in their position being signed or someone who works twice as hard to prove they're better?