The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[Royals and Racers]

2-0 Frost.

Nothing on Academy twitter feed; that's poor.

Sunderland down to 10 men too

Goalkeeper for handball outside the area.

[Royals and Racers]

For the 2nd week in a row the U23`s have 2 games in a week. The 2nd game this week see`s the Royals playing Swansea U23`s in a premier league 2 cup match, which is being played on Friday November 8th KO 3pm at Woking FC Laithwaite community stadium(only match scheduled for Woking) The Royals are in group A and have played 1 match, drawing 2-2 with Colchester at the Madejski stadium.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Not sure this is the place, but Smith's loan is going well this year. Still only 21. If he gets 15-20 goals in League 2 this year, surely he's worth having around the squad next year?

[URZZZZ]

Not sure this is the place, but Smith's loan is going well this year. Still only 21. If he gets 15-20 goals in League 2 this year, surely he's worth having around the squad next year?

Personally, I don’t think so. Right now, we have too many strikers and I’m not sure Smith is quite good enough to make the step up to the championship. He always struck me as just, well, too average, no real stand out qualities

Good to see him scoring though after two awful loans last year. Think he made the wrong choice dropping to league 1 rather than league 2 last season

[Hound]

yeah pleased he is doing well. I can't see him making it at champ level, but definitely making a career for himself at Div2. Good finisher but no real stand out attributes

Be nice if we could squeeze a few quid out of someone for him as well.

[Hendo]

yeah pleased he is doing well. I can't see him making it at champ level, but definitely making a career for himself at Div2. Good finisher but no real stand out attributes

Be nice if we could squeeze a few quid out of someone for him as well.

If he continues to score goals at L2 level, I am sure there will be a L1 team looking to take a punt on him.

[Vision]

Not sure this is the place, but Smith's loan is going well this year. Still only 21. If he gets 15-20 goals in League 2 this year, surely he's worth having around the squad next year?

Personally, I don’t think so. Right now, we have too many strikers and I’m not sure Smith is quite good enough to make the step up to the championship. He always struck me as just, well, too average, no real stand out qualities

Good to see him scoring though after two awful loans last year. Think he made the wrong choice dropping to league 1 rather than league 2 last season

One thing I noticed and liked about him was that he was always willing to make the run in behind and play on the last shoulder.. Unfortunately strikers of that ilk need to playing in teams that are looking for that sort of ball (to some degree Puscas has the same issue with us).

He's the type that if he found the right team could well be a pretty prolific scorer.

[URZZZZ]

Not sure this is the place, but Smith's loan is going well this year. Still only 21. If he gets 15-20 goals in League 2 this year, surely he's worth having around the squad next year?

Personally, I don’t think so. Right now, we have too many strikers and I’m not sure Smith is quite good enough to make the step up to the championship. He always struck me as just, well, too average, no real stand out qualities

Good to see him scoring though after two awful loans last year. Think he made the wrong choice dropping to league 1 rather than league 2 last season

One thing I noticed and liked about him was that he was always willing to make the run in behind and play on the last shoulder.. Unfortunately strikers of that ilk need to playing in teams that are looking for that sort of ball (to some degree Puscas has the same issue with us).

He's the type that if he found the right team could well be a pretty prolific scorer.

Yeah, in fairness, his movement was pretty decent and we never really got to see him in a side brimming with confidence to judge his proper ability

I don't think he'll get past league 1/lower Championship but then again I didn't expect Stacey to get as far as he is right now so who knows

[lewesroyal]

Not sure this is the place, but Smith's loan is going well this year. Still only 21. If he gets 15-20 goals in League 2 this year, surely he's worth having around the squad next year?

Not sure he'd make the jump up to the Prem!

[Snowflake Royal]

Not sure this is the place, but Smith's loan is going well this year. Still only 21. If he gets 15-20 goals in League 2 this year, surely he's worth having around the squad next year?

The word from my Cambridge supporting chums is that he's decent, but he's at his level, nowhere near Championship standard.

I'd agree from what I've seen in the past.

[paultheroyal]

On a slightly different note, i can speak from experience that Reading FC Academy - the younger years is in an absolute mess and needs sorting out. Someone has clearly taken their eyes off the ball. Hopefully with the transition over to Bearwood, someone will get a hold of the setup and some of the appointments and get it back to the professional outfit it should be for a category one club.

Many others put ours to shame.

[Hound]

Doesn’t surprise me from bits I’ve seen recently

[paultheroyal]

Aaron Kuhl and Jack Stacey sign their first pro contracts with Reading today.

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article ... 27477.aspx

More good news. Had been hearing whispers of interest from bigger clubs in Kuhl so good to see him on a reasonably long deal. Especially before the Youth Cup gets going, where hopefully these guys will get a good run going and attract more interest.

Just had a scour back at this thread - going back to 2013 - funny how all the names listed have just drifted away. Cooper and Kelly talked of being hot talents.

Kuhl now playing for Basingstoke Town and Stacey, another one who got away.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Aaron Kuhl and Jack Stacey sign their first pro contracts with Reading today.

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article ... 27477.aspx

More good news. Had been hearing whispers of interest from bigger clubs in Kuhl so good to see him on a reasonably long deal. Especially before the Youth Cup gets going, where hopefully these guys will get a good run going and attract more interest.

Just had a scour back at this thread - going back to 2013 - funny how all the names listed have just drifted away. Cooper and Kelly talked of being hot talents.

Kuhl now playing for Basingstoke Town and Stacey, another one who got away.

Cooper has forged a solid Championship career and is still relatively young. Kelly showed his ability but clearly he didn't have the attitude and application to kick on.

Kuhl is a mystery as to what went wrong; he seemed to just lose confidence and get into a downward spiral. Great shame.

And yes, the one playing in the Premier League barely featured for us and wasn't seen as particularly exciting.

Think it just shows that, until you reach the highest heights of the game, hard work, maturity, confidence and maximising your ability is more important than raw talent. Ultimately you will have a ceiling, but you can still go a very long way without being exceptionally talented.

[Snowflake Royal]

When you look back it's not been as good as it should have, but it's not been bad and we've had plenty of appearances.

Kuhl, Tshibola, Taylor, Hector, Cooper, Kelly, Tanner, Stacey, Fosu, Samuel, Keown, DIckie, Hyam, Obita, Watson, McIntyre, Osho, Richards, Olise, Barrett, Loader, Rinomhota, Ward, Southwood, McCarthy, Andersen, Hamer Owusu, Fridjonsson

The vast majority have made a first team appearance, many have made quite a few more, and we've made good money from several. Plenty are still playing in the league even if they've left.

That's a lot of promising players from the last 5-10 years, with a lot of appearances for us and in the league, between them.

[Snowflake Royal]

More good news. Had been hearing whispers of interest from bigger clubs in Kuhl so good to see him on a reasonably long deal. Especially before the Youth Cup gets going, where hopefully these guys will get a good run going and attract more interest.

Just had a scour back at this thread - going back to 2013 - funny how all the names listed have just drifted away. Cooper and Kelly talked of being hot talents.

Kuhl now playing for Basingstoke Town and Stacey, another one who got away.

Cooper has forged a solid Championship career and is still relatively young. Kelly showed his ability but clearly he didn't have the attitude and application to kick on.

Kuhl is a mystery as to what went wrong; he seemed to just lose confidence and get into a downward spiral. Great shame.

And yes, the one playing in the Premier League barely featured for us and wasn't seen as particularly exciting.

Think it just shows that, until you reach the highest heights of the game, hard work, maturity, confidence and maximising your ability is more important than raw talent. Ultimately you will have a ceiling, but you can still go a very long way without being exceptionally talented.

Stacey was always one of our best prospects IMO. Reminded me of Little.

[leon]

Not sure this is the place, but Smith's loan is going well this year. Still only 21. If he gets 15-20 goals in League 2 this year, surely he's worth having around the squad next year?

Personally, I don’t think so. Right now, we have too many strikers and I’m not sure Smith is quite good enough to make the step up to the championship. He always struck me as just, well, too average, no real stand out qualities

Good to see him scoring though after two awful loans last year. Think he made the wrong choice dropping to league 1 rather than league 2 last season

One thing I noticed and liked about him was that he was always willing to make the run in behind and play on the last shoulder.. Unfortunately strikers of that ilk need to playing in teams that are looking for that sort of ball (to some degree Puscas has the same issue with us).

He's the type that if he found the right team could well be a pretty prolific scorer.

Spot on. As ever.

[morganb]

For the 2nd week in a row the U23`s have 2 games in a week. The 2nd game this week see`s the Royals playing Swansea U23`s in a premier league 2 cup match, which is being played on Friday November 8th KO 3pm at Woking FC Laithwaite community stadium(only match scheduled for Woking) The Royals are in group A and have played 1 match, drawing 2-2 with Colchester at the Madejski stadium.

https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/foot ... y-17215419

Not strictly an U23 but it says that:

Boye has been training this week but it's too soon for him to play on Saturday. He is chomping at the bit though. He will play for the U23s, 45 minutes on Friday night. We have to be careful with him.

[Royals and Racers]

For the 2nd week in a row the U23`s have 2 games in a week. The 2nd game this week see`s the Royals playing Swansea U23`s in a premier league 2 cup match, which is being played on Friday November 8th KO 3pm at Woking FC Laithwaite community stadium(only match scheduled for Woking) The Royals are in group A and have played 1 match, drawing 2-2 with Colchester at the Madejski stadium.

https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/foot ... y-17215419

Not strictly an U23 but it says that:

Boye has been training this week but it's too soon for him to play on Saturday. He is chomping at the bit though. He will play for the U23s, 45 minutes on Friday night. We have to be careful with him.

Friday night

[Royals and Racers]

When you look back it's not been as good as it should have, but it's not been bad and we've had plenty of appearances.

Kuhl, Tshibola, Taylor, Hector, Cooper, Kelly, Tanner, Stacey, Fosu, Samuel, Keown, DIckie, Hyam, Obita, Watson, McIntyre, Osho, Richards, Olise, Barrett, Loader, Rinomhota, Ward, Southwood, McCarthy, Andersen, Hamer Owusu, Fridjonsson

The vast majority have made a first team appearance, many have made quite a few more, and we've made good money from several. Plenty are still playing in the league even if they've left.

That's a lot of promising players from the last 5-10 years, with a lot of appearances for us and in the league, between them.

The best one you have forgotten- Gylfi Sigurdsson