Arsenal’s Head of Youth Development chief Liam Brady has decided against offering new contracts to Under 18 trio Sam Byles, Rhema Obed and James Dunn. All three are now free to find new club’s ahead of next season.
Byles and Obed are both graduates of the Hale End Academy, with the former being associated with the club since he was eight years old. The latter may have joined a little later, but a large part of the defenders careers have been spent with the Gunners. They were part of the London Colney intake from the summer of 2008, penning two year scholarships with the option for a two year professional contract if they impressed. After a series of ups and downs, Brady has decided against awarding the chance for them to become pro footballers with Arsenal.
Powerful right back Obed has already been busy in his search for new employment. Trials with Queens Park Rangers and Norwich City have seen him impress while a spell most recently with Leeds United brought a contract offer. He is yet to make up his mind and returned from Elland Road to play against Milton Keynes Dons a fortnight ago. Versatile defender or midfielder Byles will start to look at new outfits shortly.
Goalkeeper James Dunn is the third player to be released, but the least surprising. He was drafted in from Fulham on an emergency loan in October following a collection of injuries to Sean McDermott and James Shea, before Young Guns announced that he would be offered a short term deal to provide extra cover. A longer term stay never looked to be a feasible option despite some FA Youth Cup penalty saving heroics and some fine performances in the Premier Academy League.
The blow of losing all three players will be cushioned by the new 2010 scholars who are already making an impact in the Under 18’s.
If they’re not upto it then its better for them to find a club where they have a chance of making it.
The education they got at arsenal will surely make them the a hot property for other clubs
I wish them a wonderful future and lets hope they become great players in future and increase the prestige of our academy.
A little surprising about Byles. I thought he’d done well last season, but really didn’t hear much from him this year.
Obed has always looked more suited for a lesser club.
Good luck to all three. Hope they build professional careers and grow into top professionals.
Sad they didn’t make it, but for the sake of the quality of our program the cut has to be made somewhere.
But then again your chances of becoming a pro are still not out the window, being from Arsenal’s training ground. It’s just that your readiness might be later in life.
Maybe if our youth system had a longer cycle for ROI (Return of Investment) there would be more surprise blossoms. But I think we are still in a phase of building the Arsenal Acadamy as a world brand. And the best promotion for our way of education is pushing sparkling students through the ranks, as young as they come.
Perhaps that moment of forceable progress comes too early for these guys.
Wish you well. Stay focused. You have already beaten so many potentials by earning a place at our Acadamy. Believe you can hold that spirit till ‘the spark’ comes and you turn into a blazing fire.
(Hope that we may welcome you back if that happens for you.)
Cheers,
DutchGooner10
@DutchGooner10,
You sound like an experienced administrator, those words of wisdom will strengthen those quality young men who cant make it Arsenal. but the quality of Arsenal academy will help them find a strong carrier somewhere
Good luck to those guys, hope they get good careers.
So that means we will have a reserve team squad of:
Shea
Nordtveit
Hoyte
Pedro Botelho
Cruise
Bartley
Evina
Ayling
Gilbert
Coquelin
Eastmond
Lansbury
Frimpong
Henderson
Watt
JET
Barazite
Randall
Deacon
Sunu
Murphy
Freeman
Simpson
That’s 23 players.
And our U18 squad for next year will be:
McDermott
Charles-Cook
Miquel
Hajrovic
Boateng
Brislen-Hall
Bihmoutine
Angha
Monteiro
Campbell
Glasgow
Wynter
Smith
Edge
Ozyakup
Yennaris
Aneke
Rees
Webb
Meade
Bunjaku
Afobe
Monokana
Neita
Ansah
That’s 25 players.
So 48 players for in the U18 and reserve teams. That seems a bit too much. Think we will see a few more players leave, like Gilbert, Simpson and Randall. And maybe some players will be promoted to the first team squad (a few of Lansbury, JET, Bartley, Botelho,Nordtveit).
Should be intresting to see.
Bothelo will be released so will GIlbert
Simpsons, Randall, Hoyte will be sold or released
And most of the reserve will go out on loan – Cruise, Bartley, Shea, Evina, Ayling, Eastmond, Coquelin, Frimpong, Henderson, Watt, Deacon, Sunu, Murphy, Freeman
These players with either move to the first team (if not then sold) – Barazite, JET, Norvedit and Lansbury
i dont understand why u feel simpson should leave he has all the attributes to be a top striker and i fell he is the one who shold be promoted to the first team with the right guidence he could be our drogba
SImpson has better players in front of him e.g vela and Eduardo
and how can Simpson be the next Drogba he has none of Drogba attributes the closest player we have to Drogba is JET even though he’s not a striker.
Good luck for the future to all three of them!!!
What about jones? Didn’t he get re-offered a scholarship with arsenal
well, better release them then tied them to bench forever
Here’s something for you list-makers. Best XI out of the 48 players mentioned for Reserves and U-18’s. Go nuts.
Not every young player can make it. Especially at a club like Arsenal that is constantly scouring the world to find top-flight prospects to bring in and develop. Places have to be found for new arrivals annually. And, as a result, some players who have not progressed as far or as quickly as expected must be let go.
There is no disgrace, however, in being one of those players. Some simply take more time to develop their skills, while others simply reach a plateau in the development of their skills that they have difficulty moving forward from, and others discover that their skills are not well-suited to the style of game that the club wants them to play.
What’s important for each of these young men to keep in mind is that they had enough talent to be invited to be a part of the Arsenal Academy and that there is still a chance for them to continue to develop their talents at another club where the expectations may be lower, the demands for quick development less, or they will be a better fit.
I hope that each of these young men finds such a club. I would like to thank them for their contributions to the Arsenal Academy on and off the pitch and wish them well. I hope that they will leave Arsenal with a good feeling about the club and at least an open mind about perhaps returning if their careers should blossom at some point in the future.
Good luck and stay healthy lads!
Bothelo wont be released. Next year is his ones I am sure of that!! He was on loan to get work permit but now all is sorted. Same like we did with Vela!!!
I can bet that he will be released.
He has not improved one bit in his second year and he’s making headline for all the wrong reasons with going out with his club president daughter and his partys.
Nice pic of boots being hung up!
YG
any idea if Wellington is injured? haven’t seen him play last 2 games for Fluminense
My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!