Ken Bates On Woods & Taiwo

[.Cee 50]

'Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo. Remember them?' asked Bates in Leeds' programme for the 2-1 home defeat to Huddersfield on Saturday. 'No? The names came back to me when we received a circular from a firm of football agents as follows: "Tom Taiwo - Chelsea central midfield/right-back. Former Leeds United. £2m. England youth international who had a spell at Port Vale this season".

'Remember them now? Great players with outstanding potential. They were invited down to Chelsea with their parents. They visited the Chelsea training ground, stayed at a good hotel, watched Chelsea and then signed for the club. Haven't heard of them since until the above circular, offering Tom on loan, arrived at our door.

'The problem is that young players and their parents are sometimes seduced by short-term promises. It must be very tempting to see short-term gains and the glamour of moving to a so-called "big club". In reality the truth is very different. The kids disappear into the anonymity of the nether regions, rarely to be heard of again.

'Meanwhile, back at their origins, other youngsters are nurtured, encouraged and progress through the ranks. [Danny] Rose, Woods and Taiwo versus Delph, [Jonny] Howson, [Aidan] White and [ben] Parker speak for themselves. Short-term gain, long-term loss. Leeds United are committed to caring and fostering our youth for the long-term benefit of the kids' future.'

So far 18-year-old Woods - who was an unused substitute in Chelsea's Carling Cup defeat to Burnley last week - has made just two substitute appearances for the Blues, which total less than half an hour on the pitch in FA Cup games against lower League opposition in January 2007.

Taiwo, also 18, has yet to play for the Premier League giants and does not even have a profile on the Chelsea website. He made five appearances - two as a substitute - during a loan spell at Port Vale earlier this season.

Rose, 18, has been similarly anonymous at Spurs since a controversial move in the summer of 2007. He is yet to make his debut, though he did not play for Leeds either.

By contrast Delph, who the Elland Road hierarchy now value at more than £10m , has now made 17 starts for Leeds, scoring three goals and has attracted interested from Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Sunderland - and played in front of a League One crowd of 32,028 in the Yorkshire derby on Saturday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...ph-suitors.html

Can't agree more, great points.

[Elliott 7]

Well are we expected to not have a youth team then? The reason Leeds are using these players is because they have to, we can get around it. We need to include our youth team more, but we can't expect to use the players as much as Leeds use theirs.

[.Cee 50]

Well are we expected to not have a youth team then? The reason Leeds are using these players is because they have to, we can get around it. We need to include our youth team more, but we can't expect to use the players as much as Leeds use theirs.

True, but we hardly use them. Not even when we're already winning 3-0 or 5-0...

[Elliott 7]

I know, we do need to use them more, but we can't expect to use them as much as Leeds. We are challenging for trophies after all.

[bombayblue™ 55]

Yes but we don't even seem to bring on players when the match is in the bag.. i mean wouldn't you give Sinclair Di santo more playing time instead of belletti?

[Kez 2,727]

The Portsmouth game was a perfect example first game of the season 3-0 up with about half an hour to go, you'd of thought he'd of brought Di Santo on

[.Cee 50]

The Portsmouth game was a perfect example first game of the season 3-0 up with about half an hour to go, you'd of thought he'd of brought Di Santo on

Or the 5-0 games where Di Santo and Sinclair could surely came on as it was game over.

Also, if we don't start using youngsters when the games are as good as over, it could be bad for our reputation. It'll decrease the chances of future youngsters with potential of wanting or being tempted to come to us as youth when they were relatively unknown.

Edited November 22, 2008 by .Biru

[alexandre 0]

i believe what scolari said that he will help the yongster

or find some english talents. He said that and i'm sure he will do what he say

just give him a time

oh and one thing that i'm surely.....believe that Chelsea kids will be a star in the future

not only one maybe two or three

[EskWeston 696]

Stupid points by the old Bearded fool.

Ask Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo if they would prefer to get regular football with Leeds now in League 1 or take a bit longer time to get into the Premiership Champions first team. He has already written them off which is ludicrous as both have tons of potential and have every chance of making it still.