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B Team 2023/24


Footballfirst

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9 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

Good to see the youngest of Hearts CAS squads getting the opportunity to play in tournaments like this.  Hearts do have some talent within that age group. 

 

 

I watched the U13s play very competitive games against Celtic at the Oriam this morning (2 x 9 a side games 20mins each way in parallel, then the same again with the squads swapped). 

In the first pair of games Celtic won 2-0 and Hearts won the other 2-1.  In the second pair, Celtic had a 2-1 win and Hearts finished with a 5-1 win.  I'll claim an 8-6 aggregate win for Hearts. 😍 

Good to see the young lads carrying on the club traditions 👍

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Remaining games

 

23/02/2024  East Kilbride  H

03/03/2024  Broomhill  A

08/03/2024  Albion Rovers  H

16/03/2024  Linlithgow Rose A

23/03/2024  Gretna 2008 A

05/04/2024  East Stirlingshire  H

12/04/2024  Bo'ness United  H

20/04/2024  Celtic B  A

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The_razors_edge
2 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

Good to see the youngest of Hearts CAS squads getting the opportunity to play in tournaments like this.  Hearts do have some talent within that age group. 

 

 

I watched the U13s play very competitive games against Celtic at the Oriam this morning (2 x 9 a side games 20mins each way in parallel, then the same again with the squads swapped). 

In the first pair of games Celtic won 2-0 and Hearts won the other 2-1.  In the second pair, Celtic had a 2-1 win and Hearts finished with a 5-1 win.  I'll claim an 8-6 aggregate win for Hearts. 😍 


Not long back from Leeds. Was a great experience for all the boys - they got to train at the Oriam on Friday morning at the same time as the 1st team. At the end of their session a certain L Shankland popped in to see them to wish them good luck before they headed down to Leeds on the bus. A wee hotel stay on Friday night then up early this morning to make the short journey to Leeds academy. They acquitted themselves well falling just short in the end - they were 1 win short of winning a trip to Italy to take part in the Pulcino D’oro finals! 

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16 hours ago, Jonbo said:

A very impressive performance from the young jambos today, who made a decent Tranent team look pretty average!

From back to front the work rate and desire was evident, mixed with some quality but of play. The lads were worthy of their victory, standouts today for me could of quite easily been the whole team, but a mention for Rathie who was an absolute rock at the back beside Kai Smutek, Gus Stevenson in the middle of the park just never stopped all game. Sandilands always looked dangerous. Good to see the losing run come to an end, sets the boys up nicely for next Friday at home to East Kilbride.

Pollock was unbelievable, looking better every week and a very impressive performance by Smutek ( looks a real player) 

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Chuck Berry
13 hours ago, The_razors_edge said:

Not long back from Leeds. Was a great experience for all the boys - they got to train at the Oriam on Friday morning at the same time as the 1st team. At the end of their session a certain L Shankland popped in to see them to wish them good luck before they headed down to Leeds on the bus. A wee hotel stay on Friday night then up early this morning to make the short journey to Leeds academy. They acquitted themselves well falling just short in the end - they were 1 win short of winning a trip to Italy to take part in the Pulcino D’oro finals! 

 

Great to hear.  It seems the Academy is starting to head in the right direction again after years of drifting along.

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Chuck Berry
5 minutes ago, Bigteam said:

Pollock was unbelievable, looking better every week and a very impressive performance by Smutek ( looks a real player) 

 

Good to hear. He's came back in after injury and hit the ground running with the B team.  Bodes well for follwowing Tait into the first team next season.

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Jambo senior

Pollok was superb playing as centre forward yesterday,  worked his socks off and his ability to drop into hole allowed Sandilands the opportunity to run beyond and those two as a partnership are very impressive.     Smutek and young Gus both did very well in tough game.    However for me Pollok, Sandilands and mention for Harry Gordon were all outstanding yesterday against a top side and controlled the centre of the park for long periods of the game.     Hope big Luke Rathie okay after two nasty head knocks during the game and left pitch looking really unsteady 

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The_razors_edge
3 hours ago, Chuck Berry said:

 

Great to hear.  It seems the Academy is starting to head in the right direction again after years of drifting along.


It’s not perfect but from what I understand we’re competitive at most age groups. 

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Footballfirst
1 hour ago, The_razors_edge said:


It’s not perfect but from what I understand we’re competitive at most age groups. 

To add to yesterday's positive results, both the U14s and U16s beat their Celtic equivalents 2-1 at Barrowfield this morning.  I also watched the U12s at the Oriam this morning against Celtic. They shared the first two games, with Celtic winning 3-2 and Hearts winning 3-1. I only saw the first half of the 2nd  games, but Hearts were leading comfortably in both, 3-0 and 4-1. 

 

Edit: Hearts girls U18s beat Rangers 6-2 and the U14s beat Rangers 2-0 this weekend, according to the SFA website.

Edited by Footballfirst
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2 hours ago, The_razors_edge said:


It’s not perfect but from what I understand we’re competitive at most age groups. 

Ive heard from more than one person involved in youth football that Hearts (and Aberdeen tbf) have the best academy in Scotland, OF included, at the moment.

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The_razors_edge
50 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

Ive heard from more than one person involved in youth football that Hearts (and Aberdeen tbf) have the best academy in Scotland, OF included, at the moment.


Aberdeen are the only fish in the pond up there so they’ll naturally pick up all the best talent in that area - they also extend into Angus and Dundee too. So that’s no real surprise. We’re fishing in the same pond - Edinburgh, lothians, Fife, central area, Lanarkshire etc as rangers, celtic, hibs, Dundee Utd, Motherwell, Hamilton etc so naturally the competition for players is more intense. That said, we seem to be doing ok across a number of age groups which is pleasing. 

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2 hours ago, The_razors_edge said:


Aberdeen are the only fish in the pond up there so they’ll naturally pick up all the best talent in that area - they also extend into Angus and Dundee too. So that’s no real surprise. We’re fishing in the same pond - Edinburgh, lothians, Fife, central area, Lanarkshire etc as rangers, celtic, hibs, Dundee Utd, Motherwell, Hamilton etc so naturally the competition for players is more intense. That said, we seem to be doing ok across a number of age groups which is pleasing. 

The Academy has been producing for years, and along with Aberdeen have likely been the top 2 for a while. We now have a manager who is prepared to play youth. This is what has changed. Tait, McLuckie and Wilson are the product of the Balerno High School put in by the previous regime. An academy can be producing awesome results but it is no good if no pathway given by first team mgr. This has been discussed at length on previous threads. The current Tait thread just shows how ignorant most fans are to the B Team. There are some elite youth, but they need their chance. It does feel there is now a strategy from the Board through all football departments that will try and ensure first team football is possible for our best young players.

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The_razors_edge
24 minutes ago, Prehen said:

The Academy has been producing for years, and along with Aberdeen have likely been the top 2 for a while. We now have a manager who is prepared to play youth. This is what has changed. Tait, McLuckie and Wilson are the product of the Balerno High School put in by the previous regime. An academy can be producing awesome results but it is no good if no pathway given by first team mgr. This has been discussed at length on previous threads. The current Tait thread just shows how ignorant most fans are to the B Team. There are some elite youth, but they need their chance. It does feel there is now a strategy from the Board through all football departments that will try and ensure first team football is possible for our best young players.


I agree, there does appear to be a willingness to promote youth players under Naismith, however that may not be the view of the next manager if/when he moves on.
 

It will be interesting to see if future head coach/managerial appointments include history of promoting youth players as an essential requirement. 
 

As someone with a vested interest in this, selfishly, I hope the club continue to push the promotion of youth players into the first team for a long time to come. 

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jamboinglasgow
19 minutes ago, The_razors_edge said:


I agree, there does appear to be a willingness to promote youth players under Naismith, however that may not be the view of the next manager if/when he moves on.
 

It will be interesting to see if future head coach/managerial appointments include history of promoting youth players as an essential requirement. 
 

As someone with a vested interest in this, selfishly, I hope the club continue to push the promotion of youth players into the first team for a long time to come. 

 

Its all comes down to the board ensuring that when it comes to recruitment of the next manager that not only has experience and commitment to bringing through youngsters but that its part of their job remit that they must look to promote young players with their performance targets linked to youth development. Craig Levein talked about on the Sacked in the Morning Podcast that if you in an interview for a manger role, always say you want to bring through youngsters as club board members love it as they want to not have to pay for new players and possibly get money from selling young players, but then a manager can go on and not play youngsters. So dont just go on a potential manager saying they will bring through youngsers.

 

I think a big thing is if under Naismith we develop a culture of youngsters coming through and getting a chance with the youth development pathway (first pro-contract -> U18 -> B team -> First team) then its harder for a new manager to ignore it.

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8 minutes ago, jamboinglasgow said:

 

Its all comes down to the board ensuring that when it comes to recruitment of the next manager that not only has experience and commitment to bringing through youngsters but that its part of their job remit that they must look to promote young players with their performance targets linked to youth development. Craig Levein talked about on the Sacked in the Morning Podcast that if you in an interview for a manger role, always say you want to bring through youngsters as club board members love it as they want to not have to pay for new players and possibly get money from selling young players, but then a manager can go on and not play youngsters. So dont just go on a potential manager saying they will bring through youngsers.

 

I think a big thing is if under Naismith we develop a culture of youngsters coming through and getting a chance with the youth development pathway (first pro-contract -> U18 -> B team -> First team) then its harder for a new manager to ignore it.

I agree, it's imperative that we make it an explicit part of any subsequent manager's role to give opportunities to emerging talent, assuming the youngsters are good enough to merit an opportunity.

 

It also places an onus on Savage as Sporting Director to ensure that the Academy is developing a steady stream of youngsters who are capable of making the progression.  He's already acknowledged that as a goal and we are starting to see a few green shoots springing forth so hopefully that will continue.

 

In terms of the pathway to first team, I would add to your list B team -> Loan Deal as an option.  Obviously there may be some players in the B team who look ready to make the step up to the first team squad, like Tait for example.  There will be others though who don't look quite ready to make the leap to the first team squad but have outgrown the B team, so a loan to a League 1 side allows them to play at a higher level than the B team and continue their progression.

 

Only problem with that is we don't have much control over how the player is utilised at the loaning club.  Kirk springs to mind in this respect, banging in the goals for the B team over the past season and a half, gets a loan to Hamilton but is just not getting any meaningful game time so far, coming on as a sub in the final minutes of games.

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Chuck Berry

The fly in the ointment here is that the B team may have no league to play in should the Lowland League not extend their membership beyond 2026-27 (they voted to extend the arrangement a couple of months ago by 2 seasons plus options for a third).  There is no gurantee it will be extended.

 

This is a Scottish football problem due to the lack of a proper Reserve/ B / U20 league.

 

 

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Celtic B have now had a request to cancel their game at Tranent agreed for the 3rd time ,this time due to" International Duty ",Stinks to high heaven.

 

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47 minutes ago, ehcaley said:

Celtic B have now had a request to cancel their game at Tranent agreed for the 3rd time ,this time due to" International Duty ",Stinks to high heaven.

 

Age group international 🤷‍♂️

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RustyRightPeg
2 hours ago, ehcaley said:

Celtic B have now had a request to cancel their game at Tranent agreed for the 3rd time ,this time due to" International Duty ",Stinks to high heaven.

 

 

They'll get their way too. It's a disgrace.

 

Tranent still have a faint chance at the league and going up. Celtic's actual presence in the league means nothing in comparison.

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Heart&soul

Excuse my ignorance - but could someone explain what CAS stands for when talking about our academy teams? I’m sure it’ll be blatantly obvious but it’s been driving me nuts trying to work it out. 

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AppleTarts
9 minutes ago, Heart&soul said:

Excuse my ignorance - but could someone explain what CAS stands for when talking about our academy teams? I’m sure it’ll be blatantly obvious but it’s been driving me nuts trying to work it out. 

 

Club Academy Scotland

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/performance/club-academy-scotland/

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scott herbertson

2-1 after 33 - goals from Wilson (pen) and Sandilands then a penalty back for EK.

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scott herbertson

3-1 Sandilands again just before half time - he seems on a good run (he made the penalty as well according to twitter)

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This EK team aren’t half a bunch of cry babies when things are not going their way. 
Very pleasing so far watching Hearts take the peep out of their pipes. 

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32 minutes ago, Daveandal said:

Impressive half time score. Loving the B Team.

3-2 now

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Footballfirst

A very "professional" performance against the LL leaders and a deserved win.

 

Two goals each for Wilson and Sandilands, and one each superbly executed as Hearts hit on the break with pace.

 

The are sometimes games where your style of play works against certain teams and I think Hearts has it over EK.  Hearts pressed them high and hit them with pace which they struggled to cope with.

 

The early goals obviously helped and Sandilands had a great chance to make it 3, but chose to pass when through on goal. The inevitable happened and EK went up the park and got a goal back from the penalty spot.

 

Sandilands, however, did get his second just before the break with a composed finish following a swift attack.

 

EK looked like they might have got back into it after they got a goal back from a free kick, close to the corner flag. Hearts probably should have defended it better by treating it as a corner.  EK were then on top for maybe 10-15 minutes during which McFarlane made a couple of good stops and another shot went just wide.

 

From midway through the half Hearts re-established control of the midfield with subs Duncan initially and Ross later in the game providing renewed energy.  The 4th goal was well worked and was due in large part to a superb take and turn by McLuckie breaking down the left. He looked up and saw Wilson who timed his run perfectly to meet the incoming cross to side foot it past the keeper from 6 yards.

 

Thereafter Hearts managed the game very well, seeing it out with some comfort.

 

They are learning as they go, but it was pleasing to see them compete physically and give out as much as the got from an experienced EK side.

 

A special mention for Lennon Thompson, who had his best game so far after coming on as an early sub for Kenzi Nair.

Edited by Footballfirst
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Niemi’s gloves

Good to see Sandilands and Wilson getting goals, given the absence of Kirk out on loan. I think Sandilands has bagged something like 14 goals this season and James Wilson is on 9 (including 3 penalties). JW’s goals are from a relatively limited number of starts - I think 10 starts and 7 sub appearances in the LL. 

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Chuck Berry

Finlay Pollok ran the show first half from a wide left position before being subbed at HT for McLuckie. With Rathie not in the squad presumably injured, and Nair going off after 10 mins, it was an inexperienced pairing of Smutek and Thompson at CH and they done very well throughout. Dall and Forrester also performing well at fullback.

 

The B team are finding their mojo again after losing Kirk and Tait.  Also still missing Ethan Drysdale (injured?) and Flatman out on loan

 

Also heard Rocco Friel was down at Leicester City a couple of weeks ago for a week and is apparently signing for them, may explain his absence, anyone heard?

 

Edited by Chuck Berry
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Footballfirst
5 minutes ago, Chuck Berry said:

Also heard Rocco Friel was down at Leicester City a couple of weeks ago for a week and is apparently signing for them, may explain his absence, anyone heard?

 

He was supposedly also at Derby a few weeks ago.  He was also away with Scotland U19s in Croatia recently where they played Turkey and Latvia (as were McLuckie and Wilson).

 

His absence from both the U18 and B Team squads tonight would suggest that he is either injured or off on his travels down south again.

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Was an excellent performance from Hearts players.   Some outstanding, some poor decisions, great determination in the end. 

 

Well done to the two CB tonight Smutek and Thomson.   

 

Wilson not letting himself get bullied off the ball.   Slow start but got into it eventually. 

 

Some players taking knocks but kept going especially Sandilands. 

 

Hard to pick a motm really.   Even the Goalkeeper had some great saves. 

 

Cold and damp night. 

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Jambo senior
2 hours ago, jamboinglasgow said:

4-2 Wilson 

Edited by Jambo senior
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Jambo senior
2 hours ago, LogicalEric said:

Sounds like McCluckie has been superb again.

He only came on at half time for Pollok 

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Jambo senior
54 minutes ago, Niemi’s gloves said:

Good to see Sandilands and Wilson getting goals, given the absence of Kirk out on loan. I think Sandilands has bagged something like 14 goals this season and James Wilson is on 9 (including 3 penalties). JW’s goals are from a relatively limited number of starts - I think 10 starts and 7 sub appearances in the LL. 

Kirk on 27 goals

Sandilands 15 goals 

Wilson 9 goals 

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Niemi’s gloves
1 hour ago, Footballfirst said:

He was supposedly also at Derby a few weeks ago.  He was also away with Scotland U19s in Croatia recently where they played Turkey and Latvia (as were McLuckie and Wilson).

 

His absence from both the U18 and B Team squads tonight would suggest that he is either injured or off on his travels down south again.


Wasn’t Friel an unused sub tonight? Certainly listed on Twitter as a sub, and also in the match report on the Hearts web site. 

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Jambo senior
Just now, Niemi’s gloves said:


Wasn’t Friel an unused sub tonight? Certainly listed on Twitter as a sub, and also in the match report on the Hearts web site. 

Yes on bench 

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Footballfirst
6 hours ago, Niemi’s gloves said:


Wasn’t Friel an unused sub tonight? Certainly listed on Twitter as a sub, and also in the match report on the Hearts web site. 

Thanks. I hadn't paid attention to the full squad listing, or the subs warming up at HT.

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