Quote: Gotcha "Where we differ though it seems is on the point you made on kids coming through. I am unsure if you mean first team, or available for development for first team? because that is where the difference lies. We do have the equal juniors coming through of that golden generation, it is just simply we do not deal with it the same way in this era as we did back then, once they are at under 19 level.'"
I mean first team. All the ones I’ve mentioned have been selected in the first team fairly regularly. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think all of them have made 10 or more appearances this season so aren’t bit part players. I’m not sure what your term “available for development for first team” means but I suspect you mean fringe players like Baldwinson, Handley, Jordan Roberts, Oledzki, Walters and Cameron Smith.
Are you saying that Watkins, Ward, Sutcliffe etc are at the same level as the “golden generation” but have not been “dealt with in the same way” as them? Or are you referring to Baldwinson, Handley etc or some other group in the U19s. What do you mean by “dealt with in the same way”?
Quote: Gotcha "My point on it can keep on happening, is that it is by choice. It isn't done each because if you had a batch of 7 or 8 one year, they will ultimately, subject to earning their shirt, have a near ten year stint holding it. Leeds broke that ideaology back in 2002 by planning for something different in a transistion and clearing the decks. But it can happen as often as the club wanted. The players individually, are not once ince a lifetime, the development of players is however following that route.'"
Bit confused what you’re saying here. Are you saying that Leeds if Leeds treated all their youngsters in the same way as that “golden generation” they’d have the same result (mega success etc)? They just have to choose to do it?
Quote: Gotcha "What you have to remember here, and it is not been arrogant to smaller clubs, that Leeds do generally pick up the cream of the crop (although accepted lost out to Wigan on a player each of the last two years). On that basis they should be able to produce super league players much more often than certain other clubs. They did used to, our record speaks for it's self, but we don't have that same record over last five years.'"
No arrogance in that statement. The game is strong in Leeds so they should be producing a lot of players. They always have. My issue is with the assertion that I think you’re making that Leeds could produce a “golden generation” any time they choose – simply by developing any bunch of players the same way as they did Burrow/McGuire/Sinfield etc. I don’t think you could.