U19's V Bonnyrigg 6.45Pm Tonight

[Gambo]

Anyone else heading along?

[RobbieBox]

Anyone else heading along?

 

Thought ko was 7pm ???

[Gambo]

Thought ko was 7pm ???

 

 

Was told by a work collegue (Bonnyrigg player) that it was 6.45pm.

[Footballfirst]

Look's like I'll have to leave 15 mins earlier that I had intended.

[jamboinglasgow]

Wont be there tonight but will look forward to seeing the match reports and what the starting XI is (could be the first indicator at who is the U19 XI for this season.)

[Gambo]

Look's like I'll have to leave 15 mins earlier that I had intended.

 

 

I'm not saying my info is right.

[Nobreath]

7 pm according to the Bonnyrigg Rose web site

 

http://bonnyriggrosefc.co.uk/#/juniors-home-page/4534078467/

[Cigaro]

Work

[heartsfc_fan]

Bugger. Pooh. Smell.

 

 

Totally forgot about this.

[blondejamtart]

Mr BJT and BJT junior are away to it, so I'll let you know how it's going if I can actually get either of them to answer their mobiles!

 

0-0 at the moent and it's just starting raining

[tazhearts]

Nil nil at half time

[tazhearts]

Pass pass pass but not one shot at goal the whole game. Good line up out as well. Ridgers has made a few good saves. Rose keeper still to be tested.

[tazhearts]

Nil nil full time score. Robinson probably hearts best player. We struggled to create chances against a good bonnyrigg side depite having a number of players with first team experience.

[Footballfirst]

Team was:

Ridgers (Lyness)

Brown D McGowan (McCormack) Gilbert Morton

---------- Stewart (Prychynenko) ------ Mulrooney

Thomson (Hill) ------ Robinson ------- Holt

------------------G Smith (Ogleby)

 

Disappointing performance overall. Probably had 80% of the ball in the first half but had 0% of the chances as Stewart and Thomson dominated. However, Hearts were completely shot shy and crosses were consistently overhit. Ridgers had to make one good stop from a diving header just before the half to keep us on level terms.

 

Bonnyrigg started the 2nd half the better and again created a couple of half chances. It took a raft of substitutions and tiredness in theBonnyrigg camp before Hearts started to get on top and create some chances in the last quarter. Ogleby created two great chances with measured crosses, first setting up Robinson with a simple header that he put over the top and the second for Holt when he hit the ball wide when he came in unopposed at the back post. Mulrooney brought out a good stop from their keeper after being set up by Hill, then Morton had Hearts best effort of the night with a left foot shot from the right corner of the box which brought a great save from the keeper.

 

Must do better ..... particularly in creating and converting chances.

[Gambo]

Team was:

Ridgers (Lyness)

Brown D McGowan (McCormack) Gilbert Morton

---------- Stewart (Prychynenko) ------ Mulrooney

Thomson (Hill) ------ Robinson ------- Holt

------------------G Smith (Ogleby)

 

Disappointing performance overall. Probably had 80% of the ball in the first half but had 0% of the chances as Stewart and Thomson dominated. However, Hearts were completely shot shy and crosses were consistently overhit. Ridgers had to make one good stop from a diving header just before the half to keep us on level terms.

 

Bonnyrigg started the 2nd half the better and again created a couple of half chances. It took a raft of substitutions and tiredness in theBonnyrigg camp before Hearts started to get on top and create some chances in the last quarter. Ogleby created two great chances with measured crosses, first setting up Robinson with a simple header that he put over the top and the second for Holt when he hit the ball wide when he came in unopposed at the back post. Mulrooney brought out a good stop from their keeper after being set up by Hill, then Morton had Hearts best effort of the night with a left foot shot from the right corner of the box which brought a great save from the keeper.

 

Must do better ..... particularly in creating and converting chances.

 

Agree witht he above, we passed them off the park for the first half but they had the only chances, second half was better chance wise.

 

 

Goalies looked safe, McGowan and Gilbert impressed at the back, Prychynenko looked assured, Robinson never stopped trying (missed a free header) and Holt looks a prospect, the rest must do better imo especially Mulrooney, Stewart and Smith if they want to keep involved with the first team .

 

PS Nobody is going to mess with Ryan Stevenson with that dog beside him:unsure: .

[magicTs]

Its a pre season friendly and all that but am I right to be concerned that there are just no goalscorers in the club (at least who are near first team football stage) ? We just don't seem to be producing or finding them ?

[Gambo]

Its a pre season friendly and all that but am I right to be concerned that there are just no goalscorers in the club (at least who are near first team football stage) ? We just don't seem to be producing or finding them ?

 

We seem to prefer to train them to pass and run, run, run, chase, chase, chase. Tonight only Thomson first half and Holt second half looked as though they could take a player on and go past him.

 

I stopped watching the u19's a while ago as it seemed we were producing/wanting athletes first, footballers second, i aint a big fan of Darren Murray.

 

Let them worry about playing the 'simple ball' when they are older but whilst they are devoloping give them the freedom to try and do things with the ball at their feet against the opposition.

 

Don't get me wrong, it was nice at times to see them playing the simple passes and playing keep ball, it would have been nicer if there was some penetration to that play as well.

[magicTs]

We seem to prefer to train them to pass and run, run, run, chase, chase, chase. Tonight only Thomson first half and Holt second half looked as though they could take a player on and go past him.

 

I stopped watching the u19's a while ago as it seemed we were producing/wanting athletes first, footballers second, i aint a big fan of Darren Murray.

 

Let them worry about playing the 'simple ball' when they are older but whilst they are devoloping give them the freedom to try and do things with the ball at their feet against the opposition.

 

Don't get me wrong, it was nice at times to see them playing the simple passes and playing keep ball, it would have been nicer if there was some penetration to that play as well.

 

 

Interesting. I've argued this before and I stand by it. Given the way HMFC has to be run moving forward and to have any chance of developing the type of quality of player to sell on for major cash it could be said that the coaches at the younger levels are amongst the most important employees in our club. In my opinion they are not good enough. We (or in reality Romanov) should be spending big on wages to bring top coaches in at that level as it is how ultimately we could become self sufficient. Lose a couple of unnecessary bodies from the first team squad and spend that cash on additional or preferably better coaches. In the last 25 years we have brought through only 2 genuine goalscorers and whilst clearly the current coaches can't be blamed for that they are making little impression in bringing through quality forwards. It's about time something was done about it.

[Guest jambomickey]

it,s still early days in pre season and these games are all about building up fitness, results don't matter.

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

These coaches have brought through Berra, Wallace, Driver Gordon and more.

 

That's about 15 million + worth of player. Three of them are full internationalists and all 4 look like they'll be vital to Scotlands campaign this time round.

 

But aye, they arenae good enough.

[Guest jambomickey]

These coaches have brought through Berra, Wallace, Driver Gordon and more.

 

That's about 15 million + worth of player. Three of them are full internationalists and all 4 look like they'll be vital to Scotlands campaign this time round.

 

But aye, they arenae good enough.

spot on.

[tazhearts]

Ridgers pulled of one cracking save and looked assured. I did notice however that he was very much on the chunky side and would give kyle a run for his money at a weigh in. I suppose with a keeper it doesnt matter so much.

[heartsfc_fan]

These coaches have brought through Berra, Wallace, Driver Gordon and more.

 

That's about 15 million + worth of player. Three of them are full internationalists and all 4 look like they'll be vital to Scotlands campaign this time round.

 

But aye, they arenae good enough.

 

 

Yup, quite right.

 

 

It sounds like the youth team still have Csaba's style drilled into them (all passing and no chance creation), although I'm not sure how much, if any, coaching/time he had with the younger players.

[tazhearts]

On a positive note jj and bb were both at the game. Whereas csaba rarely if ever watched the under 19's live.

[Footballfirst]

Their next game is on Thursday evening away to Duns AFC.

[DETTY29]

On a positive note jj and bb were both at the game. Whereas csaba rarely if ever watched the under 19's live.

What was their answer to the question everyone wants to know?

 

You did ask, didn't you?

[centre forward]

Its a pre season friendly and all that but am I right to be concerned that there are just no goalscorers in the club (at least who are near first team football stage) ? We just don't seem to be producing or finding them ?

 

 

Given Hearts front two tonight were 18 and 19 and therefore still relatively inexperienced and Bonnyrigg's central defence was a player with many years of junior experience (Reid) and a player who played 1 game for Hearts 1st team a few years ago (Dunn)(possibly with a point to prove) I thought the forwards did reasonably well given the lack of cutting edge and supply from midfield.

 

IMO I thought Johnny Stewart looked very much at ease and keeps the ball very well in central midfield. Very tidy and keeps things simple.

[kevinmackenzie14]

imo hearts have one of the best youth systems along with hamilton.. looks like we have alot of good players coming through and with jj in charge a few will be given there chance.

[Charlie-Brown]

Interesting. I've argued this before and I stand by it. Given the way HMFC has to be run moving forward and to have any chance of developing the type of quality of player to sell on for major cash it could be said that the coaches at the younger levels are amongst the most important employees in our club. In my opinion they are not good enough. We (or in reality Romanov) should be spending big on wages to bring top coaches in at that level as it is how ultimately we could become self sufficient. Lose a couple of unnecessary bodies from the first team squad and spend that cash on additional or preferably better coaches. In the last 25 years we have brought through only 2 genuine goalscorers and whilst clearly the current coaches can't be blamed for that they are making little impression in bringing through quality forwards. It's about time something was done about it.

 

The 'problem' isn't the coaching - the youth academy coaches are dedicated guys doing on the whole a very good job and regularly producing players for first team consideration, that is their job - what happens to them afterwards - above U19 level is the responsibility of the 1st team manager and his coaches / assistant manager and how well they continue to develop the young players nurture their development and make sure they are given sufficient chances to develop and enough game time to get the necessary level of experience - sometimes it's easier for a manager to send a player away on loan then it's something he doesn't have to deal with or decide upon until later and some other manager of an SFL club can do the development work and suffer the inconsistent performance levels ..... but generally Hearts have given plenty opportunities for young players to learn and grow in Hearts first team.

 

Regards 'strikers' that is probably the hardest position for young players to establish themselves at the top level and only really Hibs have had any consistent success over the last decade or so having produced K.Miller, Riordan, Shrek and Fletcher but if you look at the rest of the SPL then most of them they're lucky to have produced 1 or none in the same timescale - Celtic McGeady and Maloney but they are more wingers than strikers, Rangers - Ross McCormack but then he only succeeded after being freed and working his way back up at another club, Dundee Utd only Goodwillie and only in the last year nobody else, Aberdeen Fyvie and Pawlett are good attacking midfielders but not really out and out strikers and they haven't produced anybody else since Jess & Booth 20 years ago, Kilmarnock K.Boyd probably the only out and out poacher since Robbo & McCoist, Motherwell McFadden a decade ago and he'd been at Hearts first, St Mirren, St Johnstone, Falkirk, Inverness, Hamilton, Dundee etc nobody that I can think of - Livingston with Snodgrass, Griffiths, Dorrans and Halliday have probably been one of the best at producing exciting attacking players but as you can see none of the clubs have been prolific and the number of home produced strikers of genuine quality in Scotland has been at a premium with only a small handful coming thru in the last decade or so.

 

Hearts have actually had some of the countries top scorers in the reseve and youth ranks in that time frame Kris O'Neil, Ryan Davidson, Graeme Weir, Calum Elliot, Jamie Mole, Gary Geln, Mark Cowan, David Love .... the problem has been making the step up to senior level and making a satisfactory impact at 1st team level which is ultimately down to how they are managed once they progress beyond Academy level so maybe we definitely need a striker coach?

[TheBigO]

The 'problem' isn't the coaching - the youth academy coaches are dedicated guys doing on the whole a very good job and regularly producing players for first team consideration, that is their job - what happens to them afterwards - above U19 level is the responsibility of the 1st team manager and his coaches / assistant manager and how well they continue to develop the young players nurture their development and make sure they are given sufficient chances to develop and enough game time to get the necessary level of experience - sometimes it's easier for a manager to send a player away on loan then it's something he doesn't have to deal with or decide upon until later and some other manager of an SFL club can do the development work and suffer the inconsistent performance levels ..... but generally Hearts have given plenty opportunities for young players to learn and grow in Hearts first team.

 

Regards 'strikers' that is probably the hardest position for young players to establish themselves at the top level and only really Hibs have had any consistent success over the last decade or so having produced K.Miller, Riordan, Shrek and Fletcher but if you look at the rest of the SPL then most of them they're lucky to have produced 1 or none in the same timescale - Celtic McGeady and Maloney but they are more wingers than strikers, Rangers - Ross McCormack but then he only succeeded after being freed and working his way back up at another club, Dundee Utd only Goodwillie and only in the last year nobody else, Aberdeen Fyvie and Pawlett are good attacking midfielders but not really out and out strikers and they haven't produced anybody else since Jess & Booth 20 years ago, Kilmarnock K.Boyd probably the only out and out poacher since Robbo & McCoist, Motherwell McFadden a decade ago and he'd been at Hearts first, St Mirren, St Johnstone, Falkirk, Inverness, Hamilton, Dundee etc nobody that I can think of - Livingston with Snodgrass, Griffiths, Dorrans and Halliday have probably been one of the best at producing exciting attacking players but as you can see none of the clubs have been prolific and the number of home produced strikers of genuine quality in Scotland has been at a premium with only a small handful coming thru in the last decade or so.

 

Hearts have actually had some of the countries top scorers in the reseve and youth ranks in that time frame Kris O'Neil, Ryan Davidson, Graeme Weir, Calum Elliot, Jamie Mole, Gary Geln, Mark Cowan, David Love .... the problem has been making the step up to senior level and making a satisfactory impact at 1st team level which is ultimately down to how they are managed once they progress beyond Academy level so maybe we definitely need a striker coach?

 

well posted

[londonjambo]

Sorry to be an anorak but can anyone who went confirm for me whether there was a programme issued

 

Thanks

 

GC

[Feeno]

Id like to know whats wrong with the young lads learning to keep possesion?

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Interesting. I've argued this before and I stand by it. Given the way HMFC has to be run moving forward and to have any chance of developing the type of quality of player to sell on for major cash it could be said that the coaches at the younger levels are amongst the most important employees in our club. In my opinion they are not good enough. We (or in reality Romanov) should be spending big on wages to bring top coaches in at that level as it is how ultimately we could become self sufficient. Lose a couple of unnecessary bodies from the first team squad and spend that cash on additional or preferably better coaches. In the last 25 years we have brought through only 2 genuine goalscorers and whilst clearly the current coaches can't be blamed for that they are making little impression in bringing through quality forwards. It's about time something was done about it.

 

 

Agreed. If they consider the likes of Mole and Weir to be an acceptable quality of forward player, then they need replaced.

 

Maybe they don't, and maybe they see how poor they are also, but bottom line is these are the players that are coming through the system, and the forwards we've been producing have not been good enough for a number of years. Someone has to take some responsibility for that failure.

[magicTs]

The 'problem' isn't the coaching - the youth academy coaches are dedicated guys doing on the whole a very good job and regularly producing players for first team consideration, that is their job - what happens to them afterwards - above U19 level is the responsibility of the 1st team manager and his coaches / assistant manager and how well they continue to develop the young players nurture their development and make sure they are given sufficient chances to develop and enough game time to get the necessary level of experience - sometimes it's easier for a manager to send a player away on loan then it's something he doesn't have to deal with or decide upon until later and some other manager of an SFL club can do the development work and suffer the inconsistent performance levels ..... but generally Hearts have given plenty opportunities for young players to learn and grow in Hearts first team.

 

Regards 'strikers' that is probably the hardest position for young players to establish themselves at the top level and only really Hibs have had any consistent success over the last decade or so having produced K.Miller, Riordan, Shrek and Fletcher but if you look at the rest of the SPL then most of them they're lucky to have produced 1 or none in the same timescale - Celtic McGeady and Maloney but they are more wingers than strikers, Rangers - Ross McCormack but then he only succeeded after being freed and working his way back up at another club, Dundee Utd only Goodwillie and only in the last year nobody else, Aberdeen Fyvie and Pawlett are good attacking midfielders but not really out and out strikers and they haven't produced anybody else since Jess & Booth 20 years ago, Kilmarnock K.Boyd probably the only out and out poacher since Robbo & McCoist, Motherwell McFadden a decade ago and he'd been at Hearts first, St Mirren, St Johnstone, Falkirk, Inverness, Hamilton, Dundee etc nobody that I can think of - Livingston with Snodgrass, Griffiths, Dorrans and Halliday have probably been one of the best at producing exciting attacking players but as you can see none of the clubs have been prolific and the number of home produced strikers of genuine quality in Scotland has been at a premium with only a small handful coming thru in the last decade or so.

 

Hearts have actually had some of the countries top scorers in the reseve and youth ranks in that time frame Kris O'Neil, Ryan Davidson, Graeme Weir, Calum Elliot, Jamie Mole, Gary Geln, Mark Cowan, David Love .... the problem has been making the step up to senior level and making a satisfactory impact at 1st team level which is ultimately down to how they are managed once they progress beyond Academy level so maybe we definitely need a striker coach?

 

Some fair points though I still believe a club who is allegedly hanging its coat on youth development and then the sale of players moreso than at anytime in its history the whole coaching structure should be looked at as a priority. They are key roles with the club if this is to work over the coming years.

 

As for your point in red it isn't ultimately down to coching at first team level, its ultimately whether they are good enough to play week in week out at first team level for a club who should never be outside the top 3 or 4 in the SPL. None of those you list are/have been. We have brought through many more than decent defenders over the last couple of decades and a truly top class keeper but we have singularly failed to bring through a striker of note since Scott Crabbe. Not just the current scouts/coaches fault but one they have not as yet addressed.

[Charlie-Brown]

Agreed. If they consider the likes of Mole and Weir to be an acceptable quality of forward player, then they need replaced.

 

Maybe they don't, and maybe they see how poor they are also, but bottom line is these are the players that are coming through the system, and the forwards we've been producing have not been good enough for a number of years. Someone has to take some responsibility for that failure.

 

Can you tell me which laddies were scoring more goals than Mole or Weir in the youth ranks in their age group and whom Hearts should have picked and played ahead of 2 kids who scored for fun in the youth ranks? Who was better that was overlooked? Your previous 'experience' as an East of Scotland (diddy?) player obviously gives you superior insight into predicting future goal scoring talent than guys who are the professionals?

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

There is a strong argument that Elliot could have went on to be a good striker when he made the breakthrough.

 

Young player of the year nomination, vital part in Scotland 19's reaching the Euro Championship final, played very well for us in his first season.

 

Unfortunately, his career has been handled terribly and it's had a real impact on his progress. But I'd argue that the youth coaches brought through a striker with real potential.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Can you tell me which laddies were scoring more goals than Mole or Weir in the youth ranks in their age group and whom Hearts should have picked and played ahead of 2 kids who scored for fun in the youth ranks? Who was better that was overlooked? Your previous 'experience' as an East of Scotland (diddy?) player obviously gives you superior insight into predicting future goal scoring talent than guys who are the professionals?

 

I don't know and I don't care. Scouting and coaching youth players is not my job. That is the job of the hearts youth scouts/coaches.

 

Evidently, they've not being doing a very good job in producing forward players for a number of years. To dispute that is laughable, and taking pops at me won't change that fact.

 

Agree with Alan Partridge that Elliot is the closest we've come to producing a forward who is half decent. That fact alone illustrates how poorly we've done in this respect.

[Charlie-Brown]

Some fair points though I still believe a club who is allegedly hanging its coat on youth development and then the sale of players moreso than at anytime in its history the whole coaching structure should be looked at as a priority. They are key roles with the club if this is to work over the coming years.

 

As for your point in red it isn't ultimately down to coching at first team level, its ultimately whether they are good enough to play week in week out at first team level for a club who should never be outside the top 3 or 4 in the SPL. None of those you list are/have been. We have brought through many more than decent defenders over the last couple of decades and a truly top class keeper but we have singularly failed to bring through a striker of note since Scott Crabbe. Not just the current scouts/coaches fault but one they have not as yet addressed.

 

There has been a dearth of really talented strikers not only at Hearts but across the whole of Scotland for at least a decade and this is reflected in the national side - K.Miller, Boyd and McFadden are all now past their mid twenties heading towards 30 and their isn't a whole lot below them - McCormack, Fletcher and Goodwillie but that is THREE players in a 5-6 year age bracket below the slightly older players. All the clubs have struggled to find decent forwards coming through the ranks sufficent to play at the top level - it's a Scotland wide problem not just a Hearts problem.

[Charlie-Brown]

I don't know and I don't care. Scouting and coaching youth players is not my job. That is the job of the hearts youth scouts/coaches.

 

Evidently, they've not being doing a very good job in producing forward players for a number of years. To dispute that is laughable, and taking pops at me won't change that fact.

 

Mole and Weir were 2 of the best young players in their age group - who else were Hearts supposed to select? The fact they didn't prove good enough to progress to the highest level isn't a fault or blame of anybody - very few players make it to the top - clubs can only pick the better or best of the pool of talent available. Are you just assuming there was better than Mole and Weir available?

[magicTs]

There is a strong argument that Elliot could have went on to be a good striker when he made the breakthrough.

 

Young player of the year nomination, vital part in Scotland 19's reaching the Euro Championship final, played very well for us in his first season.

 

Unfortunately, his career has been handled terribly and it's had a real impact on his progress. But I'd argue that the youth coaches brought through a striker with real potential.

 

 

There were glimpses of something there with Elliot (the 2 goals against Aberdeen sping to mind) and I agree he has suffered through the Romanov madness years but at the end of the day top class players or even good SPL players would have got through that. The truth is Elliot is lazy and his attitude has stunk. The term petted lip was made for him. He has been as big a wage thief as many who have had far more abuse for taking cash for zero return. If he hadn't been given the ridiculous 5 year contract he wouldn't be at Hearts now with yet another opportunity to sort himself out and make an impression.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Mole and Weir were 2 of the best young players in their age group - who else were Hearts supposed to select? The fact they didn't prove good enough to progress to the highest level isn't a fault or blame of anybody - very few players make it to the top - clubs can only pick the better or best of the pool of talent available. Are you just assuming there was better than Mole and Weir available?

 

Are you just assuming there wasn't?

 

I'm just stating the fact that the clearly aren't and weren't good enough, and I feel our coaches should be bringing through better players than that. Do you think they are good enough?

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

There were glimpses of something there with Elliot (the 2 goals against Aberdeen sping to mind) and I agree he has suffered through the Romanov madness years but at the end of the day top class players or even good SPL players would have got through that. The truth is Elliot is lazy and his attitude has stunk. The term petted lip was made for him. He has been as big a wage thief as many who have had far more abuse for taking cash for zero return. If he hadn't been given the ridiculous 5 year contract he wouldn't be at Hearts now with yet another opportunity to sort himself out and make an impression.

 

He showed more than glimpses. He had half a season of consistantly good football with the help and guidance of Janny. He certainly is lazy and his biggest problem in my eyes is he's thick as mince. A 5 year contract is the worst thing a young player can get. It very rarely works for us, Simmons looked a class act when he came through, got his deal and then took the piss. That's not the fault of coaches though.

 

Anyway, I can handle a lack of forwards if they producing multi million pound players on a regular basis.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Anyway, I can handle a lack of forwards if they producing multi million pound players on a regular basis.

 

Agree to an extent, but the success in producing defensive players just highlights the deficiency in producing forward players.

[Charlie-Brown]

I'm just stating the fact that the clearly aren't and weren't good enough, and I feel our coaches should be bringing through better players than that. Do you think they are good enough?

 

Mole and Weir were 2 of the best strikers in their age group who else were they supposed to select? kids who weren't as good or who were scoring less goals? You can only pick from what's available savvy?

[Feeno]

He showed more than glimpses. He had half a season of consistantly good football with the help and guidance of Janny. He certainly is lazy and his biggest problem in my eyes is he's thick as mince. A 5 year contract is the worst thing a young player can get. It very rarely works for us, Simmons looked a class act when he came through, got his deal and then took the piss. That's not the fault of coaches though.

 

Anyway, I can handle a lack of forwards if they producing multi million pound players on a regular basis.

 

 

Something that been conviently ignored by these two while they have their little moan.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Mole and Weir were 2 of the best strikers in their age group who else were they supposed to select?

kids who weren't as good or who were scoring less goals? You can only pick from what's available savvy?

 

I've no idea, but we live and die by their choices, and evidently Mole and Weir were not good choices. Maybe they need to look at ability rather than just who is scoring goals at U-12's cause their a bit bigger than the others.

 

All I know is, evidently, we didn't choose well.

[magicTs]

There has been a dearth of really talented strikers not only at Hearts but across the whole of Scotland for at least a decade and this is reflected in the national side - K.Miller, Boyd and McFadden are all now past their mid twenties heading towards 30 and their isn't a whole lot below them - McCormack, Fletcher and Goodwillie but that is THREE players in a 5-6 year age bracket below the slightly older players. All the clubs have struggled to find decent forwards coming through the ranks sufficent to play at the top level - it's a Scotland wide problem not just a Hearts problem.

 

I couldn't give a monkeys about the other clubs though the one just a couple of miles away have brought through several players who have scored regularly at SPL level, one more than any Edinburgh striker since our own legend Robbo. The fact is HMFC as a club whilst having great success in bringing through some excellent defenders are for some reason not producing strikers good enough to claim first team spots even in the SPL. It's not a young Robertson (though it would be damn nice) I am looking for but I still can't believe to this day we started Jamie Mole on his own in one of the biggest games in the clubs history. That alone sums up the mess we have been in striker wise.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Something that been conviently ignored by these two while they have their little moan.

 

No, see above. I think the success with defensive players illustrates what can be acheived.. Question is, why aren't we managing that with forward players. Is our scouting poor? Our coaching? Evidently, we're not doing so well with forward players - what do you put that down to? Bad luck?

[badly drawn boy]

Sorry to be an anorak but can anyone who went confirm for me whether there was a programme issued

 

Thanks

 

GC

 

 

Gary their was no Programme/ team sheet etc

[Charlie-Brown]

I've no idea, but we live and die by their choices, and evidently Mole and Weir were not good choices. Maybe they need to look at ability rather than just who is scoring goals at U-12's cause their a bit bigger than the others.

 

All I know is, evidently, we didn't choose well.

 

Which other glut of strikers born in the same years as Mole & Weir that Hearts somehow failed to spot are doing better? Those kids got picked because they were among the best available - look around the SPL and tell me which strikers that other teams produced in those years Hearts should have signed but didn't?