Picks up an impressive assist: GOAL! Cracking finish by Tyler Frost to level it up at 1-1! Great footwork by Novakovich in the build-up as well! URZ— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) September 19, 2016 Novakovich received the ball on the run, danced through the defence and fed 17-year-old Frost, who struck in via the post. 1-1!— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) September 19, 2016
Looks like he is taking credit for assists on both goals: Great result tonight! Happy to get 2 assists for the team 👊🏻 On to the next one 🔵⚪️— Andrija Novakovich (@AndrijaNovakov3) September 19, 2016 Reading U23:Moore, Sheppard, Griffin, McIntyre, Jules, Bennett (East 71), Rinomhota, Frost, Barrett (Vancooten 65), Novakovich, Cardwell (Smith 82). Unused subs: Southwood, Andresson, Smith. Goals: Frost (52), Smith (87). http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/art...ier-league-2-3317005.aspx#UcfWQuDG8FUeSIYb.99
The assist: 🎥 Fresh off his 20th birthday, all 6'4" of Andrija Novakovich cut through Cheslea's defense to set up 2 of Reading's goals in their 3-2 win. pic.twitter.com/O8m1rPWMVl— Nats Abroad (@Nats_Abroad) September 22, 2016
At the moment Reading hardly have a wealth of great strikers, so it'd be great if Novakovich could get himself to the level where he's ready to contribute to the 1st team, but he's only 20 so it's not surprising he's with the U-21s.
Little known fact, the top four in the Prem qualify, and the 17th placed club in the Championship. The situation at Reading right now, who are actually quite a bit better this season, is that they have a striker crisis, and I haven't heard Stam mention Novakovich once as a solution or a stop gap or depth, even. I also haven't heard any clamoring from the fans. He's playing well for the Us. Reading aren't a huge club, so Stam is seeing him in training. The last time he was discussed as a first team option was in the summer, as a maybe if Kermogant is injured, and he is, and he isn't right now.
Started for the U23s in a Premier League Cup match: Full-time: Birmingham City U23 1-3 Reading U23 Birmingham City U23 starting XI: Weaver, Dacres-Cogley, Caddis, Cleary, Martin, Cooper, Maxwell, Lubala, O’Keeffe, McDonald, Hale. Reading U23 starting XI: Moore, Sheppard, Griffin, Jules, McIntyre, Bennett, Rinomhota, Frost, Barrett, Novakovich, Samuel. http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/art...am-city-reading-autotech-stadium-3341085.aspx
Scored the opening goal, nearly scored at least one more and created some chances for others. Came off after 78' Goalscorer @AndrijaNovakov3 puts pressure on in the first period. pic.twitter.com/NLHdjJ7ARt— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) October 4, 2016
Why can't this kid get minutes with the first team? He seems dominant on the reserve level, and Reading could afford to give him some sub minutes up top.
Has he been that good? i review this thread from time to time, and often it appears he hasn't been a surefire starter for the youth team.
The last few seasons, he's dominated for them. This year, he started a little slow, but he's picked up 2 or 3 goals and 2 assists in the last 3 games. He's a very good player, and finally rounding back into form.
I thyink calling him dominant on the reserve level is an overstatement: 2 goals and 2 assists in 5 games this season mostly as a winger is decent and better than last season where he was often a sub. However dominance at U-23 level is not in itself something that is going to guarantee time at Championship level. For example Rowan Liburd was the 2nd highest scorer in the PL2 last season and Novakovich was often playing 2nd fiddle to Liburd, but Liburd was sold to Stevenage at the end of last season,
I think that's an indictment of the English developmental system more than anything. If you succeed with the 2nd team, you should in turn get a chance with the 1st team, otherwise what's the point of your youth teams? A cache in case of disaster?
You're right, I made a mistake with confusing his dominance on the U-18 level with the reserves in 2014. My bad.
Pretty much. You hope to find that future star and you work like hell to turn that star 13 year-old into a starter for the First XI, but most kids get cut at 18 and about half get cut every year until they turn 22, either because they don't have the ability, don't have the right attitude, or discover other priorities. Nobody relies on their youth teams to supply future players. it's nice if it happens, but you'd be crazy to rely on it
A former EPL academy coach once told me he expected about 1 in 100 academy players to play for the first team. This was a conversational point -- we weren't looking at spreadsheets -- and this was an elite club. But still, it's telling that some of the guys who were in that club's academy around the time of the conversation were completely out of the pro game by their early 20s.
Sounds like to me they much better youth coaches. No reason England can't turn around their development like Germany did. In fact we'd all be very critical of any MLS team's development if that was their return on investment.
The reasons it's much more difficult for them are the massive monetary deterrence against relegation and the history + romanticism of lower league sides who they don't want conceding their spots for the b-teams of major clubs or even playing against them. Gotta see Bristol Rovers vs. Coventry, not Bristol vs. Chelsea B, let alone Chelsea B vs. Man City B. During the suggested realignment when it was proposed Rangers and Celtic come in, the catch was they'd have to start at the bottom in the 5th division. All these proud clubs with history and clout but were now in the lower divisions weren't going to let Rangers or Celtic start in their division, let alone take their spots, even if it may be the best thing for English Football overall. I think this is a big impediment German, Spanish, and Portugese football didn't have nearly as much when reforming their systems to benefit the bigger clubs/higher levels. So this way a much higher percentage of youth players fall through the cracks.
Also, all Bundesliga clubs are majority owned by Germans. In theory, at least, they care about Germany. The Premier League is now in the position where many (a majority?) of its clubs aren't owned by Englishman. Do we think Stan Kroenke cares at all about the English national team or the development of English players?
...But the opposition was from English fans? They didn't want the restructured league. The German fans could've made the same decision. I don't see where the ownership factors into a fan decision. Especially one where the resistance is from so many lower-league clubs (which I would imagine have more English ownership teams).