FAN ARTICLES

The Reserve Team Use

By Christine Foster :  21/01/2011 :  Comments (14) :

The recent debates on diving and how football has changed in the Premiership got me thinking and Will Simpsons thread on youth development just added to my thoughts that there has to be a change in thinking by managers and clubs in the use of youth, reserve and first team squads.

Given the financial realities of life, its not just Everton that are finding it difficult to survive under the commonly used techniques to raise capital on future sales etc and the chances of finding a philanthropist investor with a pot of money who doesn?t want to make a profit, is about as rare as the level of trust Bill Kenwright engenders.

Looking at the official site we can see that the first team squad lists 30 players, however some have left, are on loan or in the process of going as well as a number of younger reserve team players as well. In practical terms our first team squad is about 18 players and that includes 3 goalkeepers!

We plainly haven?t got a squad big enough to cover suspensions, injuries and absentees.

Ok, we all know that even if its just got a little worse with the leaving or Agard, Yak, Yobo, Pienaar, Vaughan (probable) and Cahill on international duty but my concern is that there aren?t enough players coming in or up through the reserve ranks to supplement the squad.

Which brings me to the crux of my point, the reserve team in years gone by was a place where those out of form, coming back from injury or pressing for a first team place could battle for recognition.

In recent years that concept has pretty much died. Consider that the reserve team this season has played just 8 matches in total and those who are the staple players in the team are never given an opportunity to play at senior level. Its nowhere near enough games for those to stake a claim or even get match fit.

In short the reserve team doesn?t really fit the requirements for today?s cash strapped environment. Its not just Everton?s fault though, if there aren?t the teams to play then there needs to be a re structuring of reserve team football in general and frankly get back to the days when those in the reserve team where banging on doors to play on Saturday.

If we have to develop more home grown talent we need to give them the opportunity to raise their game with matches against stronger opposition on a regular basis. The reserves are an under utilised resource and perhaps more competition for places will result.

Of course this means that other clubs will need to do the same without having to fall back on transfers as the cash runs out. The reserve league needs that stronger emphasis, more clubs and needs to be seen for what it used to be, a chance to stake your claim to a first team place.

The more the gap widens between the first team and the reserves the less value it becomes. We need a strong reserve squad to challenge the first team, that will need more matches, more teams, more commitment and players who need to understand when they are dropped they have to fight for their place not on a training pitch but in reserve games.

As transfers become fewer, money tighter, clubs are going to have to rely on development of their own players through the academies and reserve teams even more. I wonder when the penny will drop!

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