The Jacks go through

Swansea City u19s 1-0 Cardiff City u19s

Media Wales

Thursday 7th March 2019

The Swans are in the final of the FAW Youth Cup yet again after easing past their fierce local rivals

Swansea City took a significant step to winning their tenth consecutive FAW Youth Cup title, after seeing off bitter rivals Cardiff City in an intriguing semi-final in Llanelli.

Ollie Cooper, who hit the post early on, popped up with the only goal of the game just before half-time to send Swansea through to another final, where they will play either The New Saints or Cardiff Met.

Cardiff came into this clash on the back of a frightening run of form have scored 38 goals without reply on their way to this semi-final, but it was Swansea who started the brighter.

Ollie Cooper hit the post and saw another effort cleared off the line as the Swans dominated the early exchanges.

Cooper forced a good save from Bluebirds goalkeeper George Ratcliffe, who also had to be alert to smother after Mason Jones-Thomas prepared to pull the trigger.

Cardiff forward Dan Griffiths, who had scored 10 of side's goals in this season's competition, finally mustered a shot for the boys in blue just after 25 minutes.

But Swansea continued to stay on top and grabbed a deserved opener a minute before the break.

A horrendous error from Ratcliffe allowed Cooper to nip in and slot home into an empty net.

After an intriguing first half, chances largely dried up after the break.

Jones-Thomas came close to bundling over to double Swansea's lead following a goalmouth scramble, before Sam Bowen warmed the palms of Nathan Shepperd at the other end.

Matthew Blake's freekick sparked further panic for the Bluebirds when it was spilled by Ratcliffe, who made amends by getting down to deny Jones-Thomas late on.

But one goal proved enough for Swansea, who will now be hot favourites to lift the trophy yet again at the end of the season.

Swansea City: Shepperd, Evans, Blake, de Boer (Richard 79), B. Cooper, Cabango, Rushesha, Price, Jones-Thomas, Berry(Paulet 59), O. Cooper.

Subs: Withers, Reid, Reed.

Goal: O.Cooper 44

Cardiff City: Ratcliffe, Wooton, Margetson (Evans 56), Reynolds, Bagan, Patten, Martin (Davies 56), Bowen, Griffiths, Spence, Bolger

Subs: Duffey, Davies, Pinchard

Fair play, they know how to run an academy.

In my opinion it’s a priority to establish a Category 1 Academy,otherwise we will never attract the future Bale,Ramsey,Ledley and Gunter’s. The Jacks on the other hand are getting some quality players from their Academy.

TBH it is embarrassing how the club is set up off the pitch; granted we're not a massive club but you'd think we'd be able to manage a category 1 academy given the size and demographics of the city and the surrounding area.

We had Earnie, James Collins, Chris Gunter, Joe Ledley, Arron Ramsey, Darcy Blake all come through, then what happened?
No longer had the lure of playing at Ninian Park for these yoofs to aspire to?

The talent is obviously here, so what is wrong with the structure, scouting and coaching that we just don't seem to produce anyone capable of consistently making first team appearances?

' CARDIFF CITY'S FUTURE '
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viewtopic.php?f=2&t=205697

In my opinion it’s a priority to establish a Category 1 Academy,otherwise we will never attract the future Bale,Ramsey,Ledley and Gunter’s. The Jacks on the other hand are getting some quality players from their Academy.

are you saying players are choosing Swansea over ourselves.
or that being a CAT1 academy is more likely to produce. and if so for what exact reason.

' CARDIFF CITY'S FUTURE '
Link
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=205697

If I may
I watch a lot of junior football and Academy football I have to say imo a lot of the problem is kids being coached incorrectly prior to be picked up by the Club and in some cases within the Academy Development environment , I'm not criticising the local coaches who give up their time freely because without them there would be no kids football but watching the difference between how "some "local park football is played both in Cardiff and Swansea and then Academy football there can also be a marked difference in the basics of how the game is played ,in a lot of games you will see more running than using the ball ,and most players being encouraged to play the ball forward as soon as possible ,lumping the ball forward for big, quick and usually strong kids to chase, all junior clubs should be teaching their coaches to focus on producing players who understand and can play the game, that they can control the ball maintain possession both individually and collectively, and construct an attack and respond well in defence, Most kids football is purely base on the result and not how it was achieved which shouldn't be the aim

' CARDIFF CITY'S FUTURE '
Link
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=205697

If I may
I watch a lot of junior football and Academy football I have to say imo a lot of the problem is kids being coached incorrectly prior to be picked up by the Club and in some cases within the Academy Development environment , I'm not criticising the local coaches who give up their time freely because without them there would be no kids football but watching the difference between how "some "local park football is played both in Cardiff and Swansea and then Academy football there can also be a marked difference in the basics of how the game is played ,in a lot of games you will see more running than using the ball ,and most players being encouraged to play the ball forward as soon as possible ,lumping the ball forward for big, quick and usually strong kids to chase, all junior clubs should be teaching their coaches to focus on producing players who understand and can play the game, that they can control the ball maintain possession both individually and collectively, and construct an attack and respond well in defence, Most kids football is purely base on the result and not how it was achieved which shouldn't be the aim

the majority of boys at the academies are there long before they play competitive local league football though...and an alternative view { not saying correct } is that talented young boys gain huge amounts of confidence by playing for local clubs where they can try things that they cannot when up againsrt very good players week in week out.
there has also been a noticable drop in the talent being produced since the introduction of academies ?