I disagree.

If you take any junior side in RL (or football, Union etc), you have 17 lads who are exceptional in their age group, the best in their year (or 2 years) but, the real test comes when they are no longer playing aginst lads their own age, where they may have physical advantage etc but, when they have to play against fully grown blokes.

No longrer is it good enough to be the best in your age group or best at your club, you have to be better than the rese or, at least as good or, show enough potential for someone to want to invest large sums of cash and time into helping you reachyour full potential.

Even with full backing and resources, not everyone picked to make it will actually get there.

Of course, every player needs an opportunity and then has to take it but, the reality is that it's damned hard to get to the top in any sport and just because a kid looks like a world beater at 18 or 21, doesnt mean that they will make it as a pro.

It would be interesting to see some stats of just how few youngsters make it form each junior national side.

I agree with you both. Its difficult to judge at youth as size and speed always make you look better and you can be found out when you progress and everyone has that.

But the road to the top is never a straight line. Nothing wrong with going to a lower club to establish yourself before going back to the big show.

I recently read an article anoyr Shoot magazines ones to watch with the best 15 year old footballers in the country.
Of those named a couple had Premier league experience but most were complete unknowns. Only Bertrand had really made it to national level and he's probably lost his place now......though worthy of his one to watch tag, he didn't get there quickly.

Well of course they won’t have premier league experience as they are only 15 years old and the youngest premier league player was 16 lol

At a guess & seen as PT mentioned Bertrand and since he's played for England and has probably has lost his place, Plus he's played in every national youth England team before that - he's talking about an old article and the players who went on to make it when judged as a 15-year-old.

I guess I should have explained it was 10 year old article looking at how they'd progressed.

Apologies. That makes sense then