local lads

[Konaldo]

So how are the other triallists given opportunities then?

The majorite have proven themselves at this level before at other clubs, and therefore earned themselves a spot for a friendly match. Just as the keeper from Furness XI did. But these 2-3 players that called Bayliss have from what I know no experiance at all. Therefore they must take their chance at training, or if a spot opens up.

[mally]

How many players from Holker old boys played in the Furness game.?

[patrickstarfish]

As an aside, did you know that former local schoolboy sensation Max Wiper was at Man Utd then Blackburn academies from the age of 11, when that didn’t work out he turned to rugby league and now plays for Barrow RL!

Yep, cracking player in an age group that many thought 4 or 5 would make it. Best achievement, one made the Chorley team after being released from some Premiership factory (Callum O' Connor?)

Max actually turned down football to play Rugby as he prefers it, apparently.

Plus, there is an 18 year old Barrow lad who played against Liverpool in Shankley's birthday game this past weekend and has been playing for Preston in the first team squad for the last season.

[barrowaberdeen]

Yep, there's a few, one of the Newby twins, Sam ____? at Blackburn and a few more. And of course Joe Jackson is hanging in there too after Burnley.

See , we do all want the same thing, local lads in the side, someone for the kids to relate to, more connection with the area etc. Where I differ is that not every footballing ill of the last 25 years can be laid at the club's door. I do think there are lads out there who were unlucky at Academies, came back here, and for a variety of reasons didn't kick on and went to play with their mates. There is however, a tendency among some Barrow local players (and maybe the club deserve this, maybe they don't) of slagging off our team and living in the comfort zone of being a good player among their mates. That's just M.O.

[Wintergreen]

Yep, cracking player in an age group that many thought 4 or 5 would make it. Best achievement, one made the Chorley team after being released from some Premiership factory (Callum O' Connor?)

Max actually turned down football to play Rugby as he prefers it, apparently.

Plus, there is an 18 year old Barrow lad who played against Liverpool in Shankley's birthday game this past weekend and has been playing for Preston in the first team squad for the last season.

Bit confused there Patrick.
So Blackburn and United wanted MW to play for them but he said 'No I prefer rugby?' And what is your point regarding the Preston player exactly?

[Wintergreen]

Yep, there's a few, one of the Newby twins, Sam ____? at Blackburn and a few more. And of course Joe Jackson is hanging in there too after Burnley.

See , we do all want the same thing, local lads in the side, someone for the kids to relate to, more connection with the area etc. Where I differ is that not every footballing ill of the last 25 years can be laid at the club's door. I do think there are lads out there who were unlucky at Academies, came back here, and for a variety of reasons didn't kick on and went to play with their mates. There is however, a tendency among some Barrow local players (and maybe the club deserve this, maybe they don't) of slagging off our team and living in the comfort zone of being a good player among their mates. That's just M.O.

I worked in BAE with some local football committee types and 'the soccer' were widely ran down and denigrated on a daily basis for reasons never fully explained. Instead of being something for their players to aspire to, Barrow AFC were regarded as the enemy of local football somehow.

[K-Man]

I was told by a good source 2 lads rang Bayliss up after the Furness XI saying they hadn't done themselves justice and wanted to come down to training. Bayliss said no worries we wont be training for a couple of weeks because of games. He then said a date they could come to training and they both said they had something on so couldn't go. That's the problem these locals care more about what their doing with the lads on Saturday night rather than their football. Obviously there will be the odd exception.

Possibly the most worrying point. How many other teams don't train because they have games.....

Bayliss should be bending over backwards to accommodate players wanting to prove their worth! Its pre season!

We're not full time anymore and these players have jobs. We are playing 3 games a week how do you expect us to train during it ? I presume the lads Bayliss has coming in have all been in league academies and come with recommendations and towards the end of last season I'd imagine he'd of been looking for this season. I think I heard he wanted to get the squad rapped up in a couple of weeks. He'd then have 3 weeks to train with the lads. He also invited the furness select keeper back for the Gateshead game in which he conceded 2 goals in 15 mins. Another local lad looks set to be our number 2 ( Bittner ? ) Bayliss told the lads when he could accommodate them and they had plans. It should be them bending over backwards not Bayliss.

[patrickstarfish]

Max actually turned down football to play Rugby as he prefers it, apparently.

Plus, there is an 18 year old Barrow lad who played against Liverpool in Shankley's birthday game this past weekend and has been playing for Preston in the first team squad for the last season.

Bit confused there Patrick.
So Blackburn and United wanted MW to play for them but he said 'No I prefer rugby?' And what is your point regarding the Preston player exactly?

Apparently so. Why play something if your heart is not in it and prefer something else on the table?

BA said no one from Barrow has played at a decent level for about 20 years. Just saying, there are young players from the area who are playing and taking chances at league clubs. The talent is here, but it seems only the people from outside looking in, can actually see it sometimes.

[spirit of 1990]

I would love to have a core of locals in the team but it can't be a realistic option surely.

If a Blackburn or Bolton etc come in for some kid at the age of, what 13-14-15 & offer him whatever sort of terms they offer, no kid that age would opt to taking a chance in six years time at POSSIBLY getting a game for us.

I don't know anywhere near enough about how it work's & I might be a million miles away but thats how it looks to me atm.

[barrowaberdeen]

In an ideal world, we'd have an academy, then we'd play a good standard right through the age groups and Blackburn etc couldn't cherry pick so easily. However, that's not viable at all, so what we have got just now is what we can manage, and there's a reasonable relationship between Doc and the junior clubs (frankly, I doubt anyone else remotely related to B.A.F.C could have pulled that trick off). So all that's positive. Like most things, we are doing are best in an imperfect world where mistakes have ben made in the past.

I agree the talent's there, Moons, but can the talent be bothered?

[bluebird90]

In an ideal world, we'd have an academy, then we'd play a good standard right through the age groups and Blackburn etc couldn't cherry pick so easily. However, that's not viable at all, so what we have got just now is what we can manage, and there's a reasonable relationship between Doc and the junior clubs (frankly, I doubt anyone else remotely related to B.A.F.C could have pulled that trick off). So all that's positive. Like most things, we are doing are best in an imperfect world where mistakes have ben made in the past.

I agree the talent's there, Moons, but can the talent be bothered?

Yes, given the chance they can. I know a few of the local lads have seen a couple of the comments regarding 'being bothered' and 'nights out with mates' on this site and are pretty annoyed by them! 'clueless' was a word used by one on a social networking site a few days a go regarding these comments.

In that case, local amateur teams are currently training/playing more than Barrow are. There are at least 3 teams locally that are playing 2-3 games per week and also training.

[bluebird90]

Now that the game is off tomorrow night, will Bayliss be holding a training session locally and inviting these lads that want a shot along to it? The players will have already been prepared to travel for a match to Barrow, so it seems the perfect opportunity.

[DocsStepover]

I would argue that local lads seem "not bothered" or seemingly lack the commitment to give it a go at Barrow AFC because there is a feeling of never being given a fair crack of the whip so to speak. Locals only ever being used as a last port of call, to fill in when there is no other option and then discarded just as quickly regardless of performances. Who was the last local - excluding Jason Walker - to have featured regularly? The only ones I can think of have only ever been bit part players - Phil Morris, Andy Hill, Gareth Jones, Carl Waters, Dave Mansagh, Swabba, Steven Gill, Mike Kewley, Bri Dawson, the list goes on. All of whom I don't recall ever having a decent run in the side.

It is my perception that the bulk of the squad is made up from players who reside in a similar area to the manager. Example, Kenny Lowe/Lee Turnbull, squad made up largely of lads from the NE/Scunthorpe area. Wilson - full of scousers. Bayliss/Sherindan - Mancs and Scousers. There is no surprise that this happens these players will have already been known by the managers or a friend of a friend will have recommended them. Until there are the finances and facilities in the area to have at least training and the manager living closer to the town I believe this will always be the case.

[DaveP]

This is unfortunately inevitable until we can base a manager and training facilities close to Barrow.

A forlorn dream I suspect

[Wintergreen]

Now that the game is off tomorrow night, will Bayliss be holding a training session locally and inviting these lads that want a shot along to it? The players will have already been prepared to travel for a match to Barrow, so it seems the perfect opportunity.

Fair comment.

BA said no one from Barrow has played at a decent level for about 20 years. Just saying, there are young players from the area who are playing and taking chances at league clubs. The talent is here, but it seems only the people from outside looking in, can actually see it sometimes.

See what you mean bud, and if you get the NWEM regularly there are usually two or three articles per year featuring some young local hopeful signing for a league club. You don’t tend to hear about them again much unless they make the really big time like Emlyn Hughes and Gary Stevens which were admittedly quite some time ago now - we must be due another shirley?