Academy & PL2 2023/24

alderzalderz
in PL2 & Academy
We don't seem to have a dedicated academy thread at the moment, so I thought I'd make one for the 2023/24 season now.

Reason being, we've announced the new batch of scholars for the U18s, and in the picture every single one of them looks miserable about it, which I find hilarious.



https://www.whufc.com/news/12-academy-youngsters-sign-scholarships

Comments

  • SlackerSlacker
    That matador bloke on second right is on loan from Real Madrid.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    'Keeper had this photoshoot at 5pm, and prom at 7pm
  • KuchinghammerKuchinghammer
    Love the bow tie. That's really making a statement. And Nallo ain't wearing a suit no way man. Hope they do as well as this year's Under 18 team
  • alderzalderz
    There’s a very interesting interview with Jamal Baptiste on the Athletic today. The main takeaways are:
    - He’s leaving this summer
    - He developed a condition that affects the nervous system after suffering from glandular fever, and it has affected his ability to play football
    - David Sullivan has been really supportive, took Baptiste to his private doctor and sought help for him.
    - Online rumours about his disciplinary record were wide of the mark, and affected him mentally over the course of the year.

    Really sad, and shows how toxic social media behaviour can have an impact when people don’t really know half as much as we think.
  • BubblesNeverDiesBubblesNeverDies
    "how toxic social media behaviour can have an impact"
    Who'd have thought?
  • OutcastLondonerOutcastLondoner
    alderz said:

    There’s a very interesting interview with Jamal Baptiste on the Athletic today. The main takeaways are:
    - He’s leaving this summer
    - He developed a condition that affects the nervous system after suffering from glandular fever, and it has affected his ability to play football
    - David Sullivan has been really supportive, took Baptiste to his private doctor and sought help for him.
    - Online rumours about his disciplinary record were wide of the mark, and affected him mentally over the course of the year.

    Really sad, and shows how toxic social media behaviour can have an impact when people don’t really know half as much as we think.

    https://archive.ph/3rM1i

    This was it - posted it in another thread earlier
  • ZakkkerZakkker
    alderz said:

    There’s a very interesting interview with Jamal Baptiste on the Athletic today. The main takeaways are:
    - He’s leaving this summer
    - He developed a condition that affects the nervous system after suffering from glandular fever, and it has affected his ability to play football
    - David Sullivan has been really supportive, took Baptiste to his private doctor and sought help for him.
    - Online rumours about his disciplinary record were wide of the mark, and affected him mentally over the course of the year.

    Really sad, and shows how toxic social media behaviour can have an impact when people don’t really know half as much as we think.

    So we need to watch less social media and not believe rumours. I think the guy took it too personally.
  • OutcastLondonerOutcastLondoner
    He was 17/18 at the time? And it's pretty personal when people get into talking about your character, which people tend to be very quick to make decisions about based on very little information.

    The thing about Moyes saying he "doesn't help himself" before his illness was diagnosed should be something to learn from. I can see why Moyes without that information would say it, maybe even see it as motivation, but it was a mistake.
  • FortuneseekerFortuneseeker
    Outcast, Shouldn't David Moyes have acted on the facts, or at least waited until they became known, instead of making a generalisation?
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    Not sure he could have if the illness was not known about.
  • OutcastLondonerOutcastLondoner
    edited May 2023
    Yes, I think so. Though, maybe he saw himself as acting on facts - that Baptiste was late or seemed to lack energy in training. His illness was a rare one as well, so that might have also played into it. I think Moyes made a mistake here but it could easily be that he thought he had the facts. Either way, it's a chance to learn, either about being more careful in general or realising that actually there could be something deeper even when you think it's obvious.

    Being held back by nerve pain that young must be so strange, especially when you're an athlete and probably think that if you've not broken or torn something that you should be fine.
  • alderzalderz
    My Sunderland supporting pal messaged me a highlight reel of Pierre Ekwah, and said that he looks like a steal now and will be the main man for them next season. Obviously a bit of me is disappointed he’s not doing it here, but most of me is delighted to hear an academy graduate is doing so well 👏🏻
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    Sunderland have done well out of Ekwah and Alese. Alese had established himself before injury. Ekwah was introduced slowly but had a great end to the season.
  • alderzalderz
    I saw the other day that Kaelen Casey has signed a new contract with the club.

    https://www.whufc.com/news/kaelan-casey-signs-new-contract
  • alderzalderz
    And, it looks like Krisztian Hegyi and Freddie Potts in particular are settling in out on loan.

    https://www.whufc.com/news/loan-watch-hegyi-trott-and-potts-action
  • alderzalderz
    One for squad numbers fans: all of the academy and PL2 squads have been given first team squad numbers. As players get older their squad numbers get smaller, starting to resemble what you might actually see in a first team squad.
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