Academy Players - Any progressing to the First Team Squad

[kylelauren01]

Spoke to a parent of one of the new signings this morning and 8 definitely signing at an event this week.

[Jambof3tornado]

Spoke to a parent of one of the new signings this morning and 8 definitely signing at an event this week.

Excellent news.

[Hh51]

Spoke to a parent of one of the new signings this morning and 8 definitely signing at an event this week.

first time poster. Are all boys signing 16 years of age ?

[Diadora Van Basten]

That's namesake scored another 5 goals this weekend to take his season total to 79.

 

I think whoever at Hearts who deemed him not good enough has made a mistake.

[hhgh1973]

That's namesake scored another 5 goals this weekend to take his season total to 79.

 

I think whoever at Hearts who deemed him not good enough has made a mistake.

  

hi, don't know the boy (can not comment on his ability) but according to their facebook page he scored 2 goals not 5 as you claim, winning by 4-12 goals each week against poor opposition is not a barometer to determine if good enough or not for hearts. an example in january our u16's (with some u15s) played 2 supposedly good u18 boys club team's after the winter shutdown and beat them both by 7 or 8 goals. the pace of play, touch, dedication required is night and day. i wish the boy you obviously rate highly every success but it is not fair to compare both levels.

[Diadora Van Basten]

hi, don't know the boy (can not comment on his ability) but according to their facebook page he scored 2 goals not 5 as you claim, winning by 4-12 goals each week against poor opposition is not a barometer to determine if good enough or not for hearts. an example in january our u16's (with some u15s) played 2 supposedly good u18 boys club team's after the winter shutdown and beat them both by 7 or 8 goals. the pace of play, touch, dedication required is night and day. i wish the boy you obviously rate highly every success but it is not fair to compare both levels.

It was three on Friday and two for region on Sunday.

 

I think there is a snobbery about pro youth over boys club football.

[TexasAndy]

One of the things that was made apparent when Ann Budge took over is that there had been a lack of investment in youth academy through the final few years of Vlad. Probably explains the dearth of talent coming through just now.  Would expect this to improve over next 2 or 3 seasons.     

[kylelauren01]

It was three on Friday and two for region on Sunday.

 

I think there is a snobbery about pro youth over boys club football.

I don't think it's snobbery, more like reality. There is a huge difference between the two and some people delude themselves if they think differently.

[graham]

I don't think it's snobbery, more like reality. There is a huge difference between the two and some people delude themselves if they think differently.

100% spot on with this comment. The U16 age group is very poor at boys club level with only two good teams who can rack up goals each week. One being Tynecastle the other being Portobello(Edina Hibs) with the latter not being as good as they were previous seasons. Players stand out mainly due to the opposition being poor. Good players? Yes but not to a level the previous poster thinks they are.

[allanwilson1970]

Has there been any information on the 8 academy players signing contracts tonight?

[Zibi]

I think we will find it hard in future to produce players of Paterson and Walker's ability. There is a lack of youth players coming through across all Scottish clubs, and ones with any ability get signed by Celtic or go to England for peanuts.

[Howdy Doody Jambo]

I think we will find it hard in future to produce players of Paterson and Walker's ability. There is a lack of youth players coming through across all Scottish clubs, and ones with any ability get signed by Celtic or go to England for peanuts.

Oh well the baw is burst then

got to give the kids a chance in Scotland and not give the has beens and the never wasis from across Europe instead

Walker and Paterson are still progressing

[Zibi]

Oh well the baw is burst then

got to give the kids a chance in Scotland and not give the has beens and the never wasis from across Europe instead

Walker and Paterson are still progressing

Only if the kids are good enough though. 

[jamboinglasgow]

Has there been any information on the 8 academy players signing contracts tonight?

 

Doesn't seem to be.

 

But they way Cathro talks in his interview and the way the club is making it a formal event tonight suggests to me that the club will have something up about it. I also think its a nice touch by the club to mark the players signing their first full time contract with a dinner and event with the first team players there. Plus them all signing together with their team mates brings a group mentality which hopefully helps them grow together and develop.

 

On another note, not heard anything more about the Alloa player who was supposed to sign for us in January when he turned 16, Declan McDonald. Did he join us?

 

Also on other academy related things, an interesting side note, I noticed a few months back in a story about a 9 year old from Paisley who turned down Barcelona (due to personnel issues (father felt that at the sons age and the short notice of having to move to Spain) that they could not go but Barcelona are going to keep an eye on him) at the end of the story it mentioned that he is now training with us and Rangers. The player is called Alejandro Maroto. Now the player may not go on to be anything, they may not even sign for us, but what I was most interested with that story is that we are scouting and trying to recruit great talent at that age. Also seen the boys club he is at is called Scotland Boys club which seems to have a lot of their players go to Rangers and Celtic (and even some to us.)

[pattythejambo]

Has there been any information on the 8 academy players signing contracts tonight?

I think the u16s only have 8 players so it speaks for itself (hope the boys have a great night and good luck to them in the future).

[eck1874]

Been following the 17s (some 20 games also) quietly most home games this season and the Scotland Victory shield games. I know we have a talented pool of players, must be if 7/8 getting contracts (we can guess the 7/8 if you are familiar with the 17s) and almost weekly there is a thread on here excited by them.

 

Hamilton is a great defender but needs to improve technical ability and also can lose focus/temper in games, likely to be a right back in time, Cochrane is a great number 8, all over the park and never stops, sometimes out of position and that can cause issues defensively, but he excels in this role, Leonard in the final third has a calmness and a vision that is unique, only positions for him will be 10 or a fake 9, McDonald can only be a winger, not in same league as Leonard in the 10 position, I was speaking to a parent before the Hibs game and he told me that McDonald in the last 1 year has been injured more than not, surely not good for a young player to miss so much development.

 

Then you add Henderson, Ritchie, Sandison and Young and we have 7/8 who will get contracts in my view. Then it is upto all of them to use the full time to develop and become close to first team, not having a token 30 minutes as a reward for singing a contract as that could happen next pre-season. I am also keeping in my mind, our last successes who have made the breakthrough have not been our best hopes when they were all 16 years old so I am watching this pool of players, best we have had in 10 years and intrigued to see how they all do in time.

 

The future is definitely maroon providing they all sign and don?t get heads turned by Glasgow and 2 minutes of fame and fortune.

Sandison has been offered a full time contract so you have that one correct.

[Mikey1874]

first time poster. Are all boys signing 16 years of age ?

Soon find out but no

 

Some of expected group are still 15. Can't sign till 16 but may have agreed to.

[Hh51]

Soon find out but no

 

Some of expected group are still 15. Can't sign till 16 but may have agreed to.

find it strange that the club don't encourage kids to stay in education if they are good enough now to be getting a contract then surely they will still be good enough in a year or so to get signed ?

[Footballfirst]

find it strange that the club don't encourage kids to stay in education if they are good enough now to be getting a contract then surely they will still be good enough in a year or so to get signed ?

The club has different arrangements to suit the needs of the players.  Some have stayed on at school in 5th year to sit their highers, e.g. Angus Beith, Leon Jones and Euan Henderson, some have been able to split their time between school and the club, e.g. two days at school and three days full time with the club as Kyle Smith did before going full time. Some are full time but the club still allows them time to continue their studies as necessary, e.g. Aaron Reid.

 

The club also gives a least one day a week off in any event for full time kids to continue with educational activities, e.g SVQs.

 

We might see more of these flexible arrangement with the implementation of Project Brave which looks like it will see Academy Football extend to U18.

[pattythejambo]

The club has different arrangements to suit the needs of the players. Some have stayed on at school in 5th year to sit their highers, e.g. Angus Beith, Leon Jones and Euan Henderson, some have been able to split their time between school and the club, e.g. two days at school and three days full time with the club as Kyle Smith did before going full time. Some are full time but the club still allows them time to continue their studies as necessary, e.g. Aaron Reid.

 

The club also gives a least one day a week off in any event for full time kids to continue with educational activities, e.g SVQs.

 

We might see more of these flexible arrangement with the implementation of Project Brave which looks like it will see Academy Football extend to U18.

I am glad to see that the academy is starting to bare fruits with the 8 signings last night, that will allow both the academy and the boys to concentrate fully on developing them into the best players they can be, I would emagine they now look towards the next batch of kids coming through , if we can continue to produce the numbers we did this year with the hope that 4 or 5 might eventually progress to first team level, as a club must be getting something right.

[allanwilson1970]

I would have thought the club would have had something on the website or twitter about the signing's. Does anybody know who signed ? 

[A_A wehatethehibs]

I don't think it's snobbery, more like reality. There is a huge difference between the two and some people delude themselves if they think differently.

Theres a difference between the levels but ability is ability.

 

The best player Hearts have produced in the last 5-10 years came to us through Tynecastle boys, Callum Paterson.

 

No idea who the lad in question is but hitting the net 70 times is very consistent at any level, even hitting the target that many times is decent let alone scoring. The boy could be absolute shite at everything but if he can do that 1 skill he has a long and lucrative career ahead of him, case in point Kris Boyd who did absolutely **** all in his career apart from hit the net 250 odd times.

[jamboinglasgow]

So guess nothing has been heard then.

[Diadora Van Basten]

Theres a difference between the levels but ability is ability.

 

The best player Hearts have produced in the last 5-10 years came to us through Tynecastle boys, Callum Paterson.

 

No idea who the lad in question is but hitting the net 70 times is very consistent at any level, even hitting the target that many times is decent let alone scoring. The boy could be absolute shite at everything but if he can do that 1 skill he has a long and lucrative career ahead of him, case in point Kris Boyd who did absolutely **** all in his career apart from hit the net 250 odd times.

Just to follow on from the post above which I agree whole heartedly with.

 

When was the last time we brought through a striker? 1983?

[dkmmgcycbwc]

Development is the time when we SHOULD be testing players in different positions, not once they reach the first team. We destroyed Eggert Jonsson as a player and nearly did the same to McGowan by not finding their position before advancing them to the first team. They both became "utility men" at age 19!

 

Occasionally you will get a Paul Hartley who is a revelation in a different position in his mid-twenties but that is rare.  

 

I think the Academy is in safe hands. Levein took Gordon into the first team as a young GK and Hearts have done the same with Hamilton. I just wish we'd found a GK coach who could teach our GKs to kick long in the last 30 years...Henry Smith was a terrible kicker, so was Gordon and so is Hamilton!

And so was Jim Cruickshank though until he hurt his back his throw out was as good as a kick.

[Ray Gin]

Plus our kids now are middle class and lack the toughness of an upbringing where you had to scrap a bit.

 

I must have missed the complete eradication of Scotland's working class.

[jamboinglasgow]

I must have missed the complete eradication of Scotland's working class.

 

There is a good chapter in the book Soccernomics, which says that football is bad at attracting middle class children to play professional, thus depriving itself of many potential players. In fact as the poster who you quote is following the stereotype in football that they can only be working class to have fight in them. Partrick Bamford was at loan at Burnley earlier this season, but Dyche would not give him a game saying he is middle class and has not had to work hard to get anywhere. The focus on toughness and being able to scrap again shows that people in this country miss the point. While it helps, it is no the be all and end all. Skill is just as important if not much more important. 

[Finlay James]

There is a good chapter in the book Soccernomics, which says that football is bad at attracting middle class children to play professional, thus depriving itself of many potential players. In fact as the poster who you quote is following the stereotype in football that they can only be working class to have fight in them. Partrick Bamford was at loan at Burnley earlier this season, but Dyche would not give him a game saying he is middle class and has not had to work hard to get anywhere. The focus on toughness and being able to scrap again shows that people in this country miss the point. While it helps, it is no the be all and end all. Skill is just as important if not much more important.

 

Interesting point and the opposite is where Scottish rugby has went wrong for 20 years as the focus has been on picking kids from private schools rather than mainstream thus reducing the talent pool significantly.

 

A persons upbringing is no barrier to being successful in sport.

[eck1874]

So guess nothing has been heard then.

. It will be in the evening news tomorrow.

[Footballfirst]

. It will be in the evening news tomorrow.

I'm not sure if you are being serious or not, but I'd be disappointed if that was the case. Such information should come from the club in the first instance.

[eck1874]

I'm not sure if you are being serious or not, but I'd be disappointed if that was the case. Such information should come from the club in the first instance.

Yes I am serious it will also have a piece in our programme against celtic.

[Mikey1874]

EEN exclusive

 

Story now online

[Mikey1874]

Euan Henderson

Anthony MacDonald

Connor Smith

Dean Ritchie

Chris Hamilton

Jay Sandison

Marc Leonard

Harry Cochrane

[Mikey1874]

So after concerns about interest from Celtic all these boys clearly are confident that Hearts is the right place for them to progress.

[Midloth_Iain]

E.E.N Article:

 

Eight Hearts youth academy players will graduate to full-time professional contracts this summer ? the biggest single intake in club history.

 

The Evening News gained exclusive access to the signing session when the players in question ? all currently playing for Hearts Under-17s ? put pen to paper. They will leave school in June and immediately begin full-time training as part of the Riccarton under-20 squad under coaches Jon Daly, Andy Kirk and Liam Fox. Hearts have high hopes for all eight teenagers and believe they have the potential to progress to first-team level over the next three to four years.

 

Signing contracts are Euan Henderson (striker), Dean Ritchie (holding midfielder), Jay Sandison (full-back), Anthony McDonald (attacking midfielder), Chris Hamilton (centre-back/right-back), and Connor Smith (attacking midfielder). Central midfielder Harry Cochrane and striker/midfielder Marc Leonard will also sign deals soon. Roger Arnott, manager of the Riccarton youth academy, welcomed the historic moment as visible evidence of Hearts? commitment to developing their own players. ?We?re very clear on where we?re trying to get to,? he said. ?We?ve had to bring players in to fill gaps before so we?ve only taken two or three players on professional deals from the academy before this. By signing these eight players, we might bring in one from outside. 

 

We think we?ll have another six or seven coming through next year, and after that Craig Levein [director of football] is encouraged by what he sees going down through the age groups.

 

The plan is to have our home-grown academy players playing in our development team at under-20 level. ?That?s the route we?re trying to get to. The more good players we have in there, the better their chances of making it through to the first team. We?ve had to bring in players from abroad recently at first-team level but the manager will always look to the development team first to see who can play in the first team. That takes time. ?It will be two or three years, it might be four, before this group of players are ready to play in the first team. What this says to the fans is that the club is in a good place. We?re working very hard with young players. ?Some of these kids were here previously, some have come in since the club came out of administration in 2014. We?re trying to create a pathway where we don?t have lots of players, but the ones we do have get challenged and play in older age groups.?

 

 

[Howdy Doody Jambo]

Hopefully this is the start of a solid settled foundation for the club where we don't have to go out mid season and top up the first team squad with left overs

Some good news at last on the playing side

[pattythejambo]

Euan Henderson

Anthony MacDonald

Connor Smith

Dean Ritchie

Chris Hamilton

Jay Sandison

Marc Leonard

Harry Cochrane

Only 6 in photo Harry Cochrane and Marc Leonard still to sign ?

[Footballfirst]

Connor Smith is an U15 this season and won't be 16 until February 2018, so I'm surprised that he will be able to sign a full time contract. You can only guess that the the club has come to some agreement with his school re his education during the period from August to January, as I'm sure that he can't officially leave school before he is 16..

 

Similarlly Marc Leonard won't be 16 until December this year.

[Mikey1874]

Only 6 in photo Harry Cochrane and Marc Leonard still to sign ?

Yes

 

Possibly as they are younger. Marc is 16 in December.

[Footballfirst]

 

Hearts academy graduates, from left, Euan Henderson, Anthony McDonald, Connor Smith, Dean Ritchie, Christopher Hamilton and Jay Sandison. Harry Cochrane and Marc Leonard were absent from the photo shoot. Picture: Ian Georgeson


 

[allanwilson1970]

Only 6 in photo Harry Cochrane and Marc Leonard still to sign ?

 

Only 6 in photo Harry Cochrane and Marc Leonard still to sign ?

 

It states in the article they will sign soon, I hope they do as Hearts rescued them (when Rangers had no interest in playing them) and gave them the chance to develop, I hope Hearts are rewarded with loyalty from these 2. Chris signing is a coup as I heard Celtic were all over him

[Footballfirst]

Hearts story now up

 

http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/5832

 

Eight Hearts youth players, a record in recent times, have signed professional contracts with the club.

The Academy?s brightest young talents will continue their football education at Riccarton in a full-time environment after impressing during their development with the U17s.

Euan Henderson, Dean Ritchie, Jay Sandison, Anthony McDonald, Connor Smith and Christopher Hamilton have all signed pro contracts, with Harry Cochrane and Marc Leonard also committing to signing, and will start next season with the U20s. Leonard and Smith?s full-time contracts will begin upon them turning 16 in December and February respectively.

The impressive number making the transition is a sign of the Academy?s strength after years of rebuilding work following the issues the club faced during a difficult period, and U20s coach Jon Daly believes much credit should go to those involved.

?I?m obviously delighted to get these players in on pro contracts,? he said. ?They?re good players and to get eight through from one year, with more to come, and into the U20s is a fantastic achievement for all involved at the Academy.

?It?s a big number and it?s quite rare to see so many from the same group come through. I think it shows the work done by the club over the past few years.

?Before I arrived here there was a lot of work done in the background to develop the Academy and there was a lot of hope that a scenario like this would happen.

?A lot of credit has to go to the Academy staff, Roger Arnott, Craig Levein and all the coaches that have worked with the boys along the way.?

Many of these young stars have already tasted Development League football thanks to a long-term plan put in place by the football department, and Jon insists the hard work starts now.

?The plan was to involve some of these guys with the U20s as quickly as possible,? he said. ?We knew they were good enough players. Physically there?s a bit to go but technically we knew they could play at this level. That?s why they got game-time at u20s level, because they?re good enough players.

?We wanted to bed them in and get them playing as much U20s football as we saw fit, without hampering their development. We didn?t want to overexpose them, so some have played more than others. Hopefully that will stand them in good stead going forward and assist with their development.

?For me, that?s the easy part. The hard work starts now and it?s trying to get as many of these guys through to the first-team as we possibly can. We have to help them along the way as much as we can.

?Myself, Andy Kirk, Liam Fox, we have to all help them and push them and make sure they develop into the players we think they can become.

?It?s now that the players? work really begins. The coaches in the Academy have done their part, they?ve got them to this stage where the boys have got full-time contracts, it?s up to myself, and more so the players, to push them and not let them rest on their laurels.

?They can?t think that?s the job done because it isn?t. It?s the first step on the ladder and it?s now about pushing on and developing the talent and ability that we know they have. They have to show enough to the head coach to prove that they are going to be first-team players.?

[Hh51]

Hearts story now up

 

http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/5832

 

Eight Hearts youth players, a record in recent times, have signed professional contracts with the club.

The Academy?s brightest young talents will continue their football education at Riccarton in a full-time environment after impressing during their development with the U17s.

Euan Henderson, Dean Ritchie, Jay Sandison, Anthony McDonald, Connor Smith and Christopher Hamilton have all signed pro contracts, with Harry Cochrane and Marc Leonard also committing to signing, and will start next season with the U20s. Leonard and Smith?s full-time contracts will begin upon them turning 16 in December and February respectively.

The impressive number making the transition is a sign of the Academy?s strength after years of rebuilding work following the issues the club faced during a difficult period, and U20s coach Jon Daly believes much credit should go to those involved.

?I?m obviously delighted to get these players in on pro contracts,? he said. ?They?re good players and to get eight through from one year, with more to come, and into the U20s is a fantastic achievement for all involved at the Academy.

?It?s a big number and it?s quite rare to see so many from the same group come through. I think it shows the work done by the club over the past few years.

?Before I arrived here there was a lot of work done in the background to develop the Academy and there was a lot of hope that a scenario like this would happen.

?A lot of credit has to go to the Academy staff, Roger Arnott, Craig Levein and all the coaches that have worked with the boys along the way.?

Many of these young stars have already tasted Development League football thanks to a long-term plan put in place by the football department, and Jon insists the hard work starts now.

?The plan was to involve some of these guys with the U20s as quickly as possible,? he said. ?We knew they were good enough players. Physically there?s a bit to go but technically we knew they could play at this level. That?s why they got game-time at u20s level, because they?re good enough players.

?We wanted to bed them in and get them playing as much U20s football as we saw fit, without hampering their development. We didn?t want to overexpose them, so some have played more than others. Hopefully that will stand them in good stead going forward and assist with their development.

?For me, that?s the easy part. The hard work starts now and it?s trying to get as many of these guys through to the first-team as we possibly can. We have to help them along the way as much as we can.

?Myself, Andy Kirk, Liam Fox, we have to all help them and push them and make sure they develop into the players we think they can become.

?It?s now that the players? work really begins. The coaches in the Academy have done their part, they?ve got them to this stage where the boys have got full-time contracts, it?s up to myself, and more so the players, to push them and not let them rest on their laurels.

?They can?t think that?s the job done because it isn?t. It?s the first step on the ladder and it?s now about pushing on and developing the talent and ability that we know they have. They have to show enough to the head coach to prove that they are going to be first-team players.?

at a time when the club is under intense scrutiny we suddenly sign 8 youngsters something stinks here imo

[The Treasurer]

at a time when the club is under intense scrutiny we suddenly sign 8 youngsters something stinks here imo

??????????????????????????????????????????????

[jamboinglasgow]

at a time when the club is under intense scrutiny we suddenly sign 8 youngsters something stinks here imo

 

If you are not a hibs troll and actually a Hearts fan I think you should get the chip off your shoulder. This is good news and something that has been planned longer then just the last few days. Its great news and should be treated as such.

[Mikey1874]

If you are not a hibs troll and actually a Hearts fan I think you should get the chip off your shoulder. This is good news and something that has been planned longer then just the last few days. Its great news and should be treated as such.

Been in planning around 2 years as the guys potential was developing and being recognised.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

at a time when the club is under intense scrutiny we suddenly sign 8 youngsters something stinks here imo

Cmon man. This is a cracking piece of news.

 

Good luck to the players. Important we get behind them.

[Malinga the Swinga]

 

Hearts academy graduates, from left, Euan Henderson, Anthony McDonald, Connor Smith, Dean Ritchie, Christopher Hamilton and Jay Sandison. Harry Cochrane and Marc Leonard were absent from the photo shoot. Picture: Ian Georgeson

 

Looking at these boys, they aren't really men, makes me feel so old. Doesn't seem that long ago that I was leaving school, and no idea where the last 36 years have gone. Good luck to all of them in their careers,.

[XB52]

at a time when the club is under intense scrutiny we suddenly sign 8 youngsters something stinks here imo

yet another hobo, do you lot never tire of posting on here?  

[wavydavy]

 

 

Hearts academy graduates, from left, Euan Henderson, Anthony McDonald, Connor Smith, Dean Ritchie, Christopher Hamilton and Jay Sandison. Harry Cochrane and Marc Leonard were absent from the photo shoot. Picture: Ian Georgeson

 

 

 

 

 

Nice to see them smartly dressed in suits for a special event in their young careers rather than joggers and hoodies.