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Tim Akinola

Postby Johnny H » Mon Sep 07, 2020 5:44 pm

Can't say I remember this lad but 3 or 4 years ago he was part of our Youth Academy.
Then moved to Lincoln City and then onto Huddersfield Town.
Arsenal have recently signed him.

Can anyone remember him ??
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby MTFCMAD » Mon Sep 07, 2020 5:52 pm

Never heard of him and i tend to try and keep up with youth players.

Can anyone fill in the blanks for me.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Martin Shaw » Mon Sep 07, 2020 5:54 pm

don't think he played for our U18s as I would remember the name I think, and I don't. Perhaps he played for a younger age group in which case I would not have known the name.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby IAmTheStag » Mon Sep 07, 2020 6:08 pm

Me neither and I keep up to date with the first and second year scholar programme and a little on the Brooksby College Development Group
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Tippy Tappy Football » Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:01 pm

I've asked a few people but nobody can remember him.

The article says: "He didn't manage to get his foot in the door at any club at academy level until the age of 16-years-old, joining League Two side Mansfield Town. Ahead of the 2018/19 season, Akinola made the switch to Lincoln City, who were seen as a club on an upward trajectory at that point, as they scooped the League Two title that season. His time with the Imps saw him join their local rivals Lincoln United on loan, testing himself in the eighth-tier of English football. He also featured for City in the FA Youth Cup, playing against West Bromwich Albion."

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/ ... a-18783705

There is a Simeon Akinola (28) who played for Danny Cowley at Braintree and who he tried to sign at Lincoln but they missed the transfer deadline. He now plays for Barnet.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby stagmanrob » Mon Sep 07, 2020 8:18 pm

Saw something in the big newspapers about Arsenal signing a young player without giving him a trial, and this is the one.

Just goes to show how Premier League clubs stockpile youngsters for the sake of it.

Another ex-Stag (albeit on loan) was mentioned in that article, Leigh Bromby.

Remember him being brilliant when on loan as a young lad for us.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Tippy Tappy Football » Mon Sep 07, 2020 10:11 pm

I went to the Emirates three years ago. There were over 100 players listed in the stats sections at the back of the Arsenal programme.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Tippy Tappy Football » Mon Sep 07, 2020 10:25 pm

Tim Akinola has been tracked down by one of my football friends. He played for Mansfield Town's Brooksby Team in 2017-2018 making 9(1) appearances and scoring 4 goals in the National U19 league.

https://fulltime-league.thefa.com/Displ ... =846884385
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby part time pete » Mon Sep 07, 2020 10:47 pm

Tippy Tappy Football wrote:Tim Akinola has been tracked down by one of my football friends. He played for Mansfield Town's Brooksby Team in 2017-2018 making 9(1) appearances and scoring 4 goals in the National U19 league.

https://fulltime-league.thefa.com/Displ ... =846884385


Don’t recognise any other players on that list as well.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby arsene wengers coat » Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:25 am

If this is true and he was on our books and was allowed to leave then the academy staff at the time want a bloody good telling off.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Tippy Tappy Football » Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:55 am

The Brooksby lads are the college lads who are not deemed good enough to be in our youth team although I think Lewis Gibbens started off with the Brooksby lads and then moved up.

Football is about opinions and in truth there is very little difference in ability sometimes. Sometimes it is about whether your face fits or whether you are lucky enough to be given an opportunity and then grab it. Sometimes players do not even get a chance to play in their strongest positions.

Michael Calvin's book "No Hunger In Paradise" is well worth reading on youth football. Very few young lads make it. There are thousands of cast offs from academies in higher leagues and the Stags recruit a lot of these players for our youth team. This also used to happen in the past. Liam Lawrence and Craig Disley were rejected by Forest. Bobby Hassell and Leroy Williamson were rejected by Derby County. A few of our current youngsters used to play at Forest such as Jimmy Knowles and Ethan Hill (Paul Matthews' grandson). Tyrese Sinclair was released by Blackburn Rovers. I think Alistair Smith was at West Brom, Jamie Chisholm at Birmingham City, Tom Fielding at Leicester City and Josh Scott was at Hartlepool. I'm sure the youth team followers on here can name a few more.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby arsene wengers coat » Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:07 am

Tippy Tappy Football wrote:The Brooksby lads are the college lads who are not deemed good enough to be in our youth team although I think Lewis Gibbens started off with the Brooksby lads and then moved up.

Football is about opinions and in truth there is very little difference in ability sometimes. Sometimes it is about whether your face fits or whether you are lucky enough to be given an opportunity and then grab it. Sometimes players do not even get a chance to play in their strongest positions.

Michael Calvin's book "No Hunger In Paradise" is well worth reading on youth football. Very few young lads make it. There are thousands of cast offs from academies in higher leagues and the Stags recruit a lot of these players for our youth team. This also used to happen in the past. Liam Lawrence and Craig Disley were rejected by Forest. Bobby Hassell and Leroy Williamson were rejected by Derby County. A few of our current youngsters used to play at Forest such as Jimmy Knowles and Ethan Hill (Paul Matthews' grandson). Tyrese Sinclair was released by Blackburn Rovers. I think Alistair Smith was at West Brom, Jamie Chisholm at Birmingham City, Tom Fielding at Leicester City and Josh Scott was at Hartlepool. I'm sure the youth team followers on here can name a few more.



You actually believe that talent doesn't make a difference and you think that they're all as good as each other? That's absurd, and quite frankly, wrong.

You've named a number of people there who have not made it at their last club, who have come to us from bigger better academies in order to keep themselves in with a shout of making it in the game.

If one of them or any other lads gets released by Mansfield and then Arsenal pick them up without the need for a trial, it says to me that the talent scouts and coaches are getting it wrong. Unless by your logic, anyone is good enough to sign for Arsenal because there is very little difference in ability.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Dave Wayne » Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:00 pm

arsene wengers coat wrote:
Tippy Tappy Football wrote:The Brooksby lads are the college lads who are not deemed good enough to be in our youth team although I think Lewis Gibbens started off with the Brooksby lads and then moved up.

Football is about opinions and in truth there is very little difference in ability sometimes. Sometimes it is about whether your face fits or whether you are lucky enough to be given an opportunity and then grab it. Sometimes players do not even get a chance to play in their strongest positions.

Michael Calvin's book "No Hunger In Paradise" is well worth reading on youth football. Very few young lads make it. There are thousands of cast offs from academies in higher leagues and the Stags recruit a lot of these players for our youth team. This also used to happen in the past. Liam Lawrence and Craig Disley were rejected by Forest. Bobby Hassell and Leroy Williamson were rejected by Derby County. A few of our current youngsters used to play at Forest such as Jimmy Knowles and Ethan Hill (Paul Matthews' grandson). Tyrese Sinclair was released by Blackburn Rovers. I think Alistair Smith was at West Brom, Jamie Chisholm at Birmingham City, Tom Fielding at Leicester City and Josh Scott was at Hartlepool. I'm sure the youth team followers on here can name a few more.



You actually believe that talent doesn't make a difference and you think that they're all as good as each other? That's absurd, and quite frankly, wrong.

You've named a number of people there who have not made it at their last club, who have come to us from bigger better academies in order to keep themselves in with a shout of making it in the game.

If one of them or any other lads gets released by Mansfield and then Arsenal pick them up without the need for a trial, it says to me that the talent scouts and coaches are getting it wrong. Unless by your logic, anyone is good enough to sign for Arsenal because there is very little difference in ability.

Shaun Wright-Phillips was released by Forest as a 17 year old because they didn't think he was big enough or strong enough to make the grade.
There are examples everywhere of players slipping through the net and then making it elsewhere. Players develop differently and those who look good at 16/17 might not make it while those who are average at that age may come good a few years later. Decisions have to be made on what they can see at the time and mistakes will be made. This doesn't mean somebody on our staff deserves reprimanding based on a single case.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Dan » Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:03 pm

I think Ian Wright was about 21 when he got spotted, might have been older.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby arsene wengers coat » Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:10 pm

Yeah yeah yeah, Jamie Vardy this, Charlie Austin that....

It's not like this lad was cast off into non league obscurity . He was at the club, no one was aware of him, he went into bigger and better things until 3 years later he signs for Arsenal. That's a massive one 'slipping through the net'.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby cassellswasmagic » Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:32 pm

Dave Wayne wrote:
arsene wengers coat wrote:
Tippy Tappy Football wrote:The Brooksby lads are the college lads who are not deemed good enough to be in our youth team although I think Lewis Gibbens started off with the Brooksby lads and then moved up.

Football is about opinions and in truth there is very little difference in ability sometimes. Sometimes it is about whether your face fits or whether you are lucky enough to be given an opportunity and then grab it. Sometimes players do not even get a chance to play in their strongest positions.

Michael Calvin's book "No Hunger In Paradise" is well worth reading on youth football. Very few young lads make it. There are thousands of cast offs from academies in higher leagues and the Stags recruit a lot of these players for our youth team. This also used to happen in the past. Liam Lawrence and Craig Disley were rejected by Forest. Bobby Hassell and Leroy Williamson were rejected by Derby County. A few of our current youngsters used to play at Forest such as Jimmy Knowles and Ethan Hill (Paul Matthews' grandson). Tyrese Sinclair was released by Blackburn Rovers. I think Alistair Smith was at West Brom, Jamie Chisholm at Birmingham City, Tom Fielding at Leicester City and Josh Scott was at Hartlepool. I'm sure the youth team followers on here can name a few more.



You actually believe that talent doesn't make a difference and you think that they're all as good as each other? That's absurd, and quite frankly, wrong.

You've named a number of people there who have not made it at their last club, who have come to us from bigger better academies in order to keep themselves in with a shout of making it in the game.

If one of them or any other lads gets released by Mansfield and then Arsenal pick them up without the need for a trial, it says to me that the talent scouts and coaches are getting it wrong. Unless by your logic, anyone is good enough to sign for Arsenal because there is very little difference in ability.

Shaun Wright-Phillips was released by Forest as a 17 year old because they didn't think he was big enough or strong enough to make the grade.
There are examples everywhere of players slipping through the net and then making it elsewhere. Players develop differently and those who look good at 16/17 might not make it while those who are average at that age may come good a few years later. Decisions have to be made on what they can see at the time and mistakes will be made. This doesn't mean somebody on our staff deserves reprimanding based on a single case.

Forest scouts are told to concentrate on finding a player who is big (6ft+), Strong and Pacey. I would imagine a lot of clubs work this way. I know because a member of the family is a scout for them.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby ST4GS » Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:16 pm

cassellswasmagic wrote:
Dave Wayne wrote:
arsene wengers coat wrote:
Tippy Tappy Football wrote:The Brooksby lads are the college lads who are not deemed good enough to be in our youth team although I think Lewis Gibbens started off with the Brooksby lads and then moved up.

Football is about opinions and in truth there is very little difference in ability sometimes. Sometimes it is about whether your face fits or whether you are lucky enough to be given an opportunity and then grab it. Sometimes players do not even get a chance to play in their strongest positions.

Michael Calvin's book "No Hunger In Paradise" is well worth reading on youth football. Very few young lads make it. There are thousands of cast offs from academies in higher leagues and the Stags recruit a lot of these players for our youth team. This also used to happen in the past. Liam Lawrence and Craig Disley were rejected by Forest. Bobby Hassell and Leroy Williamson were rejected by Derby County. A few of our current youngsters used to play at Forest such as Jimmy Knowles and Ethan Hill (Paul Matthews' grandson). Tyrese Sinclair was released by Blackburn Rovers. I think Alistair Smith was at West Brom, Jamie Chisholm at Birmingham City, Tom Fielding at Leicester City and Josh Scott was at Hartlepool. I'm sure the youth team followers on here can name a few more.



You actually believe that talent doesn't make a difference and you think that they're all as good as each other? That's absurd, and quite frankly, wrong.

You've named a number of people there who have not made it at their last club, who have come to us from bigger better academies in order to keep themselves in with a shout of making it in the game.

If one of them or any other lads gets released by Mansfield and then Arsenal pick them up without the need for a trial, it says to me that the talent scouts and coaches are getting it wrong. Unless by your logic, anyone is good enough to sign for Arsenal because there is very little difference in ability.

Shaun Wright-Phillips was released by Forest as a 17 year old because they didn't think he was big enough or strong enough to make the grade.
There are examples everywhere of players slipping through the net and then making it elsewhere. Players develop differently and those who look good at 16/17 might not make it while those who are average at that age may come good a few years later. Decisions have to be made on what they can see at the time and mistakes will be made. This doesn't mean somebody on our staff deserves reprimanding based on a single case.

Forest scouts are told to concentrate on finding a player who is big (6ft+), Strong and Pacey. I would imagine a lot of clubs work this way. I know because a member of the family is a scout for them.
Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona would have been turned away if that was the only criteria!! I hope that talent still gets spotted and a Messi or Maradona would still get signed on.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Dave Wayne » Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:22 pm

arsene wengers coat wrote:Yeah yeah yeah, Jamie Vardy this, Charlie Austin that....

It's not like this lad was cast off into non league obscurity . He was at the club, no one was aware of him, he went into bigger and better things until 3 years later he signs for Arsenal. That's a massive one 'slipping through the net'.

Nor was Wright-Phillips. He left Forest and signed for Man City !!
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Dave Wayne » Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:27 pm

ST4GS wrote:
cassellswasmagic wrote:
Dave Wayne wrote:
arsene wengers coat wrote:
Tippy Tappy Football wrote:The Brooksby lads are the college lads who are not deemed good enough to be in our youth team although I think Lewis Gibbens started off with the Brooksby lads and then moved up.

Football is about opinions and in truth there is very little difference in ability sometimes. Sometimes it is about whether your face fits or whether you are lucky enough to be given an opportunity and then grab it. Sometimes players do not even get a chance to play in their strongest positions.

Michael Calvin's book "No Hunger In Paradise" is well worth reading on youth football. Very few young lads make it. There are thousands of cast offs from academies in higher leagues and the Stags recruit a lot of these players for our youth team. This also used to happen in the past. Liam Lawrence and Craig Disley were rejected by Forest. Bobby Hassell and Leroy Williamson were rejected by Derby County. A few of our current youngsters used to play at Forest such as Jimmy Knowles and Ethan Hill (Paul Matthews' grandson). Tyrese Sinclair was released by Blackburn Rovers. I think Alistair Smith was at West Brom, Jamie Chisholm at Birmingham City, Tom Fielding at Leicester City and Josh Scott was at Hartlepool. I'm sure the youth team followers on here can name a few more.



You actually believe that talent doesn't make a difference and you think that they're all as good as each other? That's absurd, and quite frankly, wrong.

You've named a number of people there who have not made it at their last club, who have come to us from bigger better academies in order to keep themselves in with a shout of making it in the game.

If one of them or any other lads gets released by Mansfield and then Arsenal pick them up without the need for a trial, it says to me that the talent scouts and coaches are getting it wrong. Unless by your logic, anyone is good enough to sign for Arsenal because there is very little difference in ability.

Shaun Wright-Phillips was released by Forest as a 17 year old because they didn't think he was big enough or strong enough to make the grade.
There are examples everywhere of players slipping through the net and then making it elsewhere. Players develop differently and those who look good at 16/17 might not make it while those who are average at that age may come good a few years later. Decisions have to be made on what they can see at the time and mistakes will be made. This doesn't mean somebody on our staff deserves reprimanding based on a single case.

Forest scouts are told to concentrate on finding a player who is big (6ft+), Strong and Pacey. I would imagine a lot of clubs work this way. I know because a member of the family is a scout for them.
Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona would have been turned away if that was the only criteria!! I hope that talent still gets spotted and a Messi or Maradona would still get signed on.

Would that be the Maradona that Sheffield United nearly signed in 1978, but decided £200k was too much for an unknown 17 year old ? :lol:
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Tippy Tappy Football » Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:34 pm

arsene wengers coat wrote:You actually believe that talent doesn't make a difference and you think that they're all as good as each other? That's absurd, and quite frankly, wrong.


I'm not saying talent does not make a difference Arsene. I am saying that football is all about opinions and scouts, coaches and managers will all have different opinions about young players who have a similar level of ability or talent. We could go and watch 220 players in 10 trial matches and select 20 different players. There could be one or two players who really stood out and which everybody agreed on.

Sometimes there are players who have more talent than others but who do not make it because they are deemed to not have the right attitude or who are deemed to be too small or too slow or not fit enough. There are some players in non league who are just as talented as league or academy players but have been rejected or never given opportunities or whose circumstances meant they could not take those opportunities.

It does seem to help though if you are the son or relative of a current/former player or coach or owner :lol:

Sam Clucas was rejected by Leicester City and Lincoln City and was finally given a chance at Hereford. Jamie Vardy was rejected by Sheffield Wednesday and got his chance at Stocksbridge Park Steels. Lee Gregory was rejected by Sheffield United and went to play for Staveley Miners Welfare. The list is endless. Sheffield United have just signed a 18 year old lad from Matlock Town, Ashton Hall. I bet he has been for trials with pro clubs and been rejected.

I think for every player who has been sold by the Stags for a decent transfer fee there have been fans on here who have said they were not that good and can easily be replaced :lol:

Opinions, opinions, opinions...signing players, picking sides, releasing players.....it's all part of the fun of football for the fans but it can be really hard on young players and lower league players. It's ok for the higher league players because usually they have at least had a decent pay day for a season or two.
Last edited by Tippy Tappy Football on Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby gazza1988 » Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:42 pm

Was it Scott Sinclair who came on trial and Keith Curle didn't want to sign him because he was too good? Mind you maybe Curle did that to avoid haslam getting an eventual pay out.

The main issue with youngsters is confidence. They can do it repeatedly for the reserves or u23s but can't in a proper game. Danny Mitchley comes to kind (the lad from Blackpool).

For players to get into the first team you need to have a good mix of physical, mental and technical ability. Sometimes you just get unlucky with injuries.

You need that one player that hasn't suffered repeat injuries. That isn't phased by setbacks. That is strong enough to not be bullied. That has the fitness to keep up with players who may not be as fit but smarter. Do enough to impress but also don't make too big of an error. That once an error has been made to recovery ASAP from it.

That's part of why so many youngsters fail. Another reason is they are competing with players much better than them.
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby Tippy Tappy Football » Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:52 pm

Another excellent book to read on scouting is Michael Calvin's "Nowhere Men". From memory, I think Ray Clarke and Keith Curle get a mention in that book.

You will see from reading it that scouts are often looking for different things in players and that they will often pretend to be looking at a different player to the one that they are really watching. :lol:
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby yorkstag » Tue Sep 08, 2020 3:24 pm

Reality is he hasn’t made it at Arsenal and statistically he won’t. Although on a personal level
I hope he does

Teams like Mansfield have to sign players who they think will ultimately make an impact at first team level... teams like Arsenal can collect players and dump them.

All clubs miss players
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Re: Tim Akinola

Postby stagmanrob » Wed Sep 09, 2020 12:46 am

arsene wengers coat wrote:Yeah yeah yeah, Jamie Vardy this, Charlie Austin that....

It's not like this lad was cast off into non league obscurity . He was at the club, no one was aware of him, he went into bigger and better things until 3 years later he signs for Arsenal. That's a massive one 'slipping through the net'.

He was released by Huddersfield. They can't get their head round why Arsenal want him.
I think it is just because they are filling out their squad.
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