THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

Off to play national league North with Banbury United

Sad to see him go, but obviously not part of our plans going forward

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Watching and moaning from the Balcony at Stadium MK since 2012
APL Prediction League Champion 21/22 season

Was one I thought might have a chance but we've not had much luck with academy grads recently.

Fair point, and it highlights the lack of progression we currently offer to youngsters. We tried to address it with an under 23’s. It was bit embarrassing as we could barely field a team and forfeited fixtures at times and disbanded after a season.

I hate to say it but it does seem as though we’re only offering that first year as a bit of a PR move to parents/agents of lads offered scholarships at 16 to show that they can get a pro deal at 18. So many are discarded after that first year. As an example, three years ago, Lewis Johnson was making great strides under RM. Change of manager and he’s out the picture. No loans, no further Pizza Cup appearances and then gets injured and that’s his time done. Or take Junior Gyamfi, offered a deal less than a year ago, now released. What was the thinking there? If you believe in a kid enough to offer them pro terms then at least see it through.

There is a positive in that we’re at least now trying to secure them loans but there’s nothing for them with us when they return. Again, is that policy solely to give them a chance of playing at a reasonable semi pro level when we inevitably release them or actually for their progression to being first team ready at the Dons? I would suggest the former.

We can point to all the ones that got away, and I get that it’s difficult for any lad to be first team ready at 19 or 20 after just a year or two with a pro contract, but what else are we supposed to do with the likes of BTA, Nombe for a couple of years while they mature? It needs addressing with a proper commitment to the ones we do sign, not “filling quotas” with two or three graduates every summer.

Well said sir. Either we are serious about local development or we're not. The latter is fine, as long as we stop pretending that we are, and stop selling kids a bullshit dream.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Another consequence of sacking Karl Robinson.

All feels a bit predictable if you're an academy graduate at the moment:

- Play for the U18s with a bit of success
- Sign 1 year pro deal
- Train with first team, get a few minutes in pre-season XI fixture against 17th tier AFC Flitwick Rangers
- Loaned out for two months to somewhere like Bedford Town or Banbury
- Put in a couple of above average performances but nothing that makes you look like you're anywhere near ready
- Loaned out to another non-league side a couple of months later
- Do okay, but eventually end up on the bench as the loan club realise you're not much better than your current set of players
- Recalled early or loaned out again, similar result
- Released at end of season, or if you're lucky you get another year and repeat above

Yup. Pretty decent summary of the situation Mr F.

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

Or a consequence of football clubs chasing a rainbow of success however slim it is. People were giving Man City grief for not using any homegrown players in their starting 11 last weekend. Not even Foden got a start. He did come on for De Bruyne, but that was only cause of an injury. How many minutes would Foden have got if De Bruyne wasnt injured? Its been happening for years and it is now filtering down the leagues. But why would City care? Success is success. That is all the fans will care about and whilst there is no rule in what they are doing they are not going to give two shits about the 16 year old who may or may not make it in football.

It also doesn't help that we haven't had a cat 1 training ground and that has been 10 years in the making. Ones that are good they were just taken away before we could even get a pro contract on the table and there was fuck all we could do about it. That then leave the not as good ones to fight for first team places with us who clearly are not good enough. I am hoping that at least when we have the complex set up we can sell it to the kids and their families that we do have a good setup and it is worth sticking around, but when they are training on a gloryfied public field you can see why it has been a struggle.

One thing that I’ve always wondered is what happened to the link up with that Icelandic club?

In a few short years, George Baldock, Callum Brittain and Kabongo Tschimanga all spent time out there. It seemed to do their progression the world of good. I can understand if it was just a Karl Robinson personal connection, but links like that need maintaining.

Me too. I wonder who pulled the plug as it seemed a good arrangement.

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Disclaimer: All my comments are my opinions unless stated otherwise. I'm just a fan following my club.