Quote: JohnSmith2602 "If this is JM's response to a player shortage, what's the point of having a 20s Academy then? Surely there are enough players in there good enough to have a punt on, compared to an untested 20s player from a rival club getting his 1st team experience at the expense of a KR youngster? Very negative IMO, having to go begging to a 'bigger' club. What message does it send the lads playing now as regards to possibly playing first team football. Mariano must be thinking what he's done wrong. Another Esders?'"
To take this to its natural conclusion we could say why sign players from outside the club ever, surely if the U20's are good enough come next season we should just promote from within. This doesn't happen and injuries to key positions where a suitable back up / or a back up who hasn't progressed well enough means we have to externally recruit. All teams ae in a similar position, Mrs B's club for instance, who will tell anyone who listens what a fantastic youth set up they have, duriing yet another injury crisis fail to play Tuffor on the wing and only give Lynne one game there, maybe they wrere a charity beneficiary put there to work alongside Calderwood. Yet this mature set up still had to bring in McShane to cover hooker. Similarly last year with the wealth of homegrown talent sat there they bring in Broughton.
We have hit a bit of problem due to Welham, Webster, Ratu, Walker and Colbon all being out. One of our U20 backs has been draughted in and an U20's 2nd rower has also been brought in to allow moves of our other players to cover. So maybe Mariano isn't up to it, some players aren't, he maybe has had a bad year and hasn;t responded to being in the 1st team squad, it happens, even to 1st team regulars so I really don;t see the point of the arguements.
