Newcastle United Should Call On Youth Academy

Well it seems that stringent budget cuts are not just affecting us, they now seem to be rolling over to professional football with Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew stating he is reluctant to use the players coming through the youth system.

Alan Pardew has of course been promised the full £35m generated from the sale of Andy Carroll to Liverpool. Newcastle's most famous youth academy graduate was sold to Liverpool in the January transfer window for money simply to good to turn down. So where do Newcastle stand on becoming a force in the premiership. Alan Pardew seems to think that our current youth system is good and that the calibre of players that will evolve from the system can cut in the top flite.

Newcastle have been linked with players for the summer who are going to cost money, all be it no where near the money paid for Andy Carroll. The promise of the £35m to spend would appear to still stand though.

But on the weekend gone and the Newcastle 2 - 1 defeat to Everton saw 19 year old Shane Ferguson introduced to the game after 65 minutes. Ferguson impressed Pardew immediately and is now in line to get the nod for Newcastle Vs Stoke on 19th March.

With this in mind Padrew still seems reluctant to play Newcastle youth academy players, stating that blooding them too early and before the 40 point safety mark depends on results as we still have a bit of work to do.

That work looks as if it is going to get done, so for me bringing in the youth academy players into the premiership frame for the end of this season will hold us in good stead for the beginning of the next. That said most of them are away on loan deals at the moment so would not be avalible. And as for the 40 point safety mark in the premiership, well. That could well be not the case this season with there only being a 9 to 10 point gap from 5th place to 20th.

So who have Newcastle got waiting in the wings of the academy that could do a job for us in the top flite.

Well first up would be 16 year old Adam Campbell who won the Golden Boot and most valuable player at last years Nike World Football finals, he is a pacey striker local to the North East and has always supported Newcastle United. He made his under 18 debut for Newcastle when aged only 15, and comes from the famous Wallsend Boys Club, the same club as former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer.

Sammy Ameobi is another who is well regarded at Newcastle to break through into the first team along with his older brother Newcastle centere forward Shola Ameobi. Sammy made his debut for Newcastle reserves back in 2008 and is currently in his third year at the academy, he would surely be looking to break into the main squad by the end of this season or the beginning of the next.

James Tavernier is a defender currently out on loan, Ryan Donaldson is a midfielder on loan with Hartlepool United and Kazenga Lua Lua currently on loan to Brighton and Hove Albion, the cousin of former Newcastle player Lomana Lua Lua. all the three mentioned are highly regarded at the club.

One of the most exciting prospects is said to be Haris Vuckic, a Slovenian born attacking midfielder who apparently has every club in Europe chasing his signature. Vuckic scored on his reserve team debut against Blackburn in 2009, he has represented Slovenia at under 14, 16 and 17. His latest has been with Slovenia under 19's playing in the European Championships held in the Ukraine and he was called up to the Slovenian senior squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers in October 2010.

Vuckic is without doubt the hottest property at the academy right now and Newcastle beat Italian giants AC Milan to get his signature.

For me the great youth system at Newcastle United is great news and stands Newcastle in a good postion for next season with fresh youngsters ready for their shot at the big time, most of whom are local to Newcastle and know what it means to play for your local club. With the £35m war chest that Pardew has at his disposal in the summer the great youths coming into the team with the added new signings then Newcastle stand to have a really strong squad next season and will be looking to improve on an impressive first season following their promotion from the Championship.