Is Leeds' recruitment approach now being held up as the blueprint for future success?

[Carrick Dave]

I thought it was interesting that fans and potentially management at a global brand like Celtic are beginning to look at the Leeds recruitment approach with admiration and recognition that we are now ahead of the game:

https://thecelticstar.com/leo-hjelde-to ... o-address/

Changed days, we can be very proud of Victor, Andrea and Marcelo.

[Chilli D]

I thought it was interesting that fans and potentially management at a global brand like Celtic are beginning to look at the Leeds recruitment approach with admiration and recognition that we are now ahead of the game:

https://thecelticstar.com/leo-hjelde-to ... o-address/

Changed days, we can be very proud of Victor, Andrea and Marcelo.

Good post. Very interesting.

[The Subhuman]

2 ways to recruit, skilfully or just keep throwing pound notes (figuratively) at players agents and teams .. Personally I disregard MC's and Chelsea's achievements over the last few years as bought and paid for.. One wonders if Pep is a good manager or just can afford the best players.

[SG90]

I wouldn't agree that we're "poaching" these players. We've agreed a transfer fee as normal, we haven't had to go through a tribunal.

It might be exciting signing young players, but what is the end game? Bielsa won't give them a chance in the first team and every year we'll just keep buying more and more.

Of all the u23s we've signed under Radz/Orta, only Struijk has become a regular. It just feels like a waste of money and ruining development of players like Bogusz.

[weasel]

It might be exciting signing young players, but what is the end game? Bielsa won't give them a chance in the first team and every year we'll just keep buying more and more.

Of all the u23s we've signed under Radz/Orta, only Struijk has become a regular. It just feels like a waste of money and ruining development of players like Bogusz.

Messlier has played a few games too. I would also throw Ben White into the equation as someone young that Bielsa was prepared to blood straightaway - although he wasn't our player it shows that if a young player is good enough Bielsa will play him (Jack Clarke and Jamie Shackleton too were given a number of games). I don't see any of the young players we have let go tearing it up elsewhere which to me suggests that the quality hasn't been good enough.

[SG90]

Messlier has played a few games too. I would also throw Ben White into the equation as someone young that Bielsa was prepared to blood straightaway - although he wasn't our player it shows that if a young player is good enough Bielsa will play him (Jack Clarke and Jamie Shackleton too were given a number of games). I don't see any of the young players we have let go tearing it up elsewhere which to me suggests that the quality hasn't been good enough.

Meslier was a signing for the first team not the u23s though. He also didn't get a chance until Kiko was banned for racism. Struijk was dropped as soon as Cooper was fit, despite playing well and the defence looking solid.

Only really Jack Clarke has got into the team on merit, not injuries or suspensions, under Bielsa.

If the quality isn't good enough, then it indicates it's been a waste of money. We certainly aren't going to gain big fees on Stevens, Hossanah, Edmondson as hoped.

[whiteroseboy]

Struijk was dropped as soon as Cooper was fit, despite playing well and the defence looking solid.

The last time Coops was out was his suspension, on his first match available (Burnley) he was on the bench and Struijk retained his place.

Through the season he had 3 injuries from which he returned straight away,
First time Struijk was left out but hadn't played CB in place of Coops, has been covering Kalvin.

2nd time Coops returned and played with Struijk.

3rd time Struijk was dropped for Coops return.

[weasel]

Meslier was a signing for the first team not the u23s though. He also didn't get a chance until Kiko was banned for racism. Struijk was dropped as soon as Cooper was fit, despite playing well and the defence looking solid.

Only really Jack Clarke has got into the team on merit, not injuries or suspensions, under Bielsa.

If the quality isn't good enough, then it indicates it's been a waste of money. We certainly aren't going to gain big fees on Stevens, Hossanah, Edmondson as hoped.

Messlier was signed as back up so predominantly played for the U23s. Bielsa showed faith in him though by keeping him in the side when Kiko wa sback from the ban. Many felt we needed to buy a more experienced keeper last summer to start but Bielsa kept faith in Messlier. Similar to a post i made elsewhere the youngsters have to come in and make it impossible to be dropped. Struyjk did well but didn't do enough to replace Cooper - you don't just drop someone the second someone replaces them for a match of two or you'd completely lose the dressing room.

[1964white]

I would say so whilst we have Bielsa as our coach.

Some horrendous injuries robbed us of a top six place last season.

[Carrick Dave]

While Leeds are widely viewed externally as a club which offers young talent a pathway to first team football, Leeds fans tend to have their doubts in that regard. Certainly there have been instances of round pegs in square holes, but likely because Marcelo didn't think the pretender was ready to step up and offer the best potential outcome for that set of particular circumstances, and we can't fault the results overall.

It would be interesting to compare the number of Leeds debuts over the Bielsa period with our competitors, but I wouldn't know where to start to get hold of that data.

Someone suggested in a podcast the other day that for some PL clubs the U23s were becoming a revenue stream in their own right, separate to the first team, and I don't think we can compare the resale value of Gelhardt/Greenwood/Bate in two or three years with the likes of Stevens/Hosannah/Edmondson - and I mean no disrespect to those lads, they were the signings of a different era almost.

Meanwhile, the cream rises to the top, and a few will break through. I really believe that we are building a platform to take the league by storm a few years down the line - maybe it's just rose-tinted specs.