Once you have provided me with evidence of it I will gladly apologise.

You are entitled to your opinion and it is a very strong argument. I happen to disagree but the fact is without giving the merger an equal amount of time I suppose we will never know.

And I have nothing to do with either club, just very interested in player development.

If you trust in Pearson's academy investment enough from before, then surely you should trust that he knows what he's doing here also?

From what I've heard, they're spending just as much as before and getting more out of it as a shared investment (so better coaches, etc), a higher concentration of talent which will improve the players even further. I'm not sure if it's a case of you can't see what good can come from it or you just refuse to because it doesn't benefit us alone.


Does it matter if Rovers come out with the better deal if we both improve? This is what I mean by some people cutting off their nose to spite their face.

If this academy produces better players, then I don't care if Rovers get some also as long as we get improved players. I'd rather have a little of something better than a lot of something worse.

I think some people remain to be convinced that we'll all of a sudden get better coaches etc. just because there in theory is a bigger pot of money (shared investment). After all if it was just a case of throwing (or 'pooling') money at things Koucash would be choosing his open top bus as we speak.

Given the CCJ's and players having enforcement officers turn up at their door for unpaid rent I am not sure he throws money at anything

I don't need to. If you're that bothered I'm sure it will be available on listen again but take my word for it I'm right and you look like a dick for trying to score points that just aren't there

I am not bothered in the slightest. You have used something to try and prove a point but cannot reference it or prove it was ever said.

You may well have heard it but having read some of your previous posts I think even the World's biggest **** would have to be on the top of his game to look more of a dick than you

Fight, fight, fight..........

I reckon even with the merger the above type of players will come through (hopefully more) and they will be better prepared like Saints, Leeds and Wigan youngsters seem to be.

I think they had a few heated words week before last and it has all been sorted.

Cant work these Arab guys out. We have Allam splashing his cash like a mad man and then trying to upset everyone he can whilst on the other hand Salford have Marwan who says he is going to splash cash everywhere to try and win fans but then does all he can to avoid spending anything

But Leeds, Saints and Wigan youngsters apparent better preparation isn't really from what happens in the u16's or u19's. There's only so much you can do with part time players (which they are) seeing them only 2/3 times a week.

I think Leeds conditioning/sports science is significantly better than either Hull clubs (from what I've heard) but I think there are 2 far bigger factors:

1. A supremely professional attitude throughout the club - this filters down from the management and the first team and is expected of the academy players.

2. A good transition from u19's to first team - Leeds u19's aren't rushed into the first team. They are given plenty of DR time with Hunslet or sent out on loan, both crucially playing against men. When U19's players are needed for the first team due to injury etc they aren't expected to perform exactly like a regular first teamer. They are given help and guidance by the leaders in the team and are generally given a mentor. Also, the forwards who step up from the u19's aren't expected to do long minutes in games. They are eased in gently over a few seasons, see Singleton, Mulhern, Yates etc.
Also at Leeds they don't pack muscle onto the u19's. They keep them very much away from weights until they're 19 years old. So whilst they might struggle a bit initially with the physicality of the game, you're less likely to see the kind of drop off a season or so later that seems to happen with Hull lads.

It is nothing more than a cost cutting exercise because all the benefits ie better coaching, better facilities etc can be obtained by spending more money on the academy. There is no need to merge. Just to spend more money on the academy itself and on the amateur game in Hull. Leeds have been spending lots of money on trying to improve participation and the quality of coaching in the amateur and schools game in Leeds since the Leeds Foundation was established. Hull need to do the same.