I'm far from being an expert however it does look like our current crop if youffs arnt much cop at this level!!!

I don't seem to remember them winning many, is this an issue with our current academy set up?

Like I said I'm no expert so I'm probably wrong

With the number of youngsters in and around the 1st team, I'm guessing this has left the youth team a little light?

Probably not good for them to get pasted every week but lets hope they will learn quickly and come good...

The current academy set-up is perceived to be quite weak,i think the changes made in the last couple of years regarding the senior coaching staff has not improved a thing.

There's more to development than getting results yet results help with confidence which, in turn, helps with player development. I think @mungo is right that the academy has been strained by the number of young players in the first team during the injury crisis. This should be evident through the season when the the younger players mature and the academy team has more players to pick from.

The fit youngsters in the first team are too old for the U18 team anyway.

Judging by how well the Academy has done in the recent past (take our first-team squad at present), it looks as if this is an area we ought to now be slightly concerned about. The crop of young players we have now weren't built yesterday, but over the last 5 years or so. But then how could getting rid of Ipswich legend Brian Klug be a sensible move? What goes round comes round. The Academy is ITFC's trademark. It needs monitoring!

4-1, 5-2! COYB! Here's hoping to a better week next week.

i agree with steve the swede,getting rid of Brian Klug was a rank bad move ,one of the most respected youth coaches in the country. Its not unnusual though for clubs who have money to spend place less emphasis on the youth set up. Acadamies cost a lot to run and they exist not for team results but in the hope that you find one or two players per season suitable for the first team or for sale.Some years its Connor Wickham or Keiron Dyer others it sweet nothing. Such players will emerge even in a losing team as long as the coaching is good.I hope Mike Pejic is such a coach

A win would be nice, but I wonder how many Players on Trial were playing? and how many changes took place in the game?.Many of these young players may not have played together before?. These games are to see individual potential of the players on the field of play. Also a chance for football scouts to eye the players with a special talent for various clubs?.Also for the fitness of players.Only the best will have a chance of progressing further.

I am suprised at how poor the academey are doing i watched a few U16 games last year and they were a very good technical team, they were not just about getting the ball and kicking it long but passed it around, where are these boys now ? U18's is a step up but its the same for every other team.I think Brian Klug and Tony Humes were big losses to our academey. From the looks of the report 3 subs unused so i don't think there was many changes. But in a realistic view Bents and Wickhams and Rhodes do not come along very often and a player like wickham is worth the academey staying open even if it is once in a blue moon.