New scholars link up with the club

The beginning of new season is as always an exciting time for all players at a football club, but it is especially exciting for 11 youngsters at Crewe Alexandra.

As usual, the Football Club has taken on a new batch of scholars who have begun full-time training with the U18 side.

For the 2013/14 season, the Alex have opted to take on 11 new youngsters and joint academy director James Collins is excited about the year ahead.

Speaking exclusively with Crewe Alex Player, James said: “It is an always exciting time for the football club when the new scholars link up with us.  They are in to a real job and although it is hard work they will all be relishing it.

“We have a got a good batch this year and we think we have a talented group. We think we have players who will definitely play in our first-team, and we also think we have players who will go on in their careers.  So we can’t wait to see where the next two-years take us.”

Here are the profiles of the new youngsters of Crewe Alexandra Football Club:

Name: Andre Brown
Position: Striker
Born: Birmingham
Coach’s View: “A powerful forward who has shown great commitment to us over the years. He developed physically early and the boys have caught him up a little so he now needs to work on the tactical side of his game, but he is still a great threat."

Name: Michael Pino
Position: Centre Midfield
Born: Chester
Coach’s View: “A talented central-midfield player who does anything that you ask of him. He has a good touch and feel of the ball combined with good athleticism. He needs to improve on his tactical awareness but that will come in these two years." 

Name: Toby Mullarkey
Born:  Warrington
Position: Centre Midfield
Coach’s View: “Toby was with us a youngster but left to go to Everton. However he quickly decided that he had made a mistake and came back. He has been super since his return. He is a box-to-box midfielder and is great to work with."

Name: George Cooper
Position: Winger
Born: Warrington
Coach’s View: “George can play anywhere really. He is a highly talented footballer who has great belief and great balance. He has a wand of a left-foot and  has played in our youth team at an early age at left-back although his goals mean he may play further forward.”

Name: Chris Speed
Position: Striker
Born: Alsager
Coach’s View: “A goal-scoring forward who can do a bit of everything but always scores a lot of goals. He comes alive in the penalty area and darts across defenders to score goals. He is getting better athletically and that will obviously help him."

Name: Joe Kearns
Position: Centre Back
Born: Liverpool
Coach’s View: “A defender who has been with us since day one. He has always been a very good footballing defender who reads the game very well. His football is very good so he has modern centre-half if you like."

Name: Jon Moran
Position: Centre Back
Born: Crewe
Coach’s View: “A big tall boy who plays at centre-half. He has been with us since he was 13 and is a talented footballer for a big guy. His defending his good as is his heading.  He has had injuries but he if he can get over them he has a big chance.”

Name: Liam O’Neill
Position: Striker
Born: Warrington
Coach’s View: “Liam is a highly skilled footballer who can do exceptional things. He has great natural talent but he can be a bit hit and miss in the games at the moment. We are hoping we can get some more out of him because he is a super lad to work with."

Name: Liam Matthews ‏
Position: Goalkeeper
Born: Brighton
Coach’s View: “Liam is a goalkeeper that we signed after he got released from Brighton. They thought he wasn’t going to be big enough but we think that may still come. I’m sure Steve Phillips will be looking forward to working with him.” 

Name: Joe Howell
Position: Centre Midfield
Born: Chester
Coach’s View: “Another who has been here for a long time, Joe is a central midfield player who has a lovely touch and feel for the ball. He maybe needs to toughen up a little bit, but that will come with time. He is very much in the Luke Murphy mould and has lots of skill.”

Name: Connor Smith
Position: Goalkeeper
Born: Crewe
Coach’s View: “A goalkeeper who has signed on extended school-boy forms so is not a full-time scholar but will be in plenty. He has been blighted by injury over the years and has been very unlucky  but he has shown great drive and we aren’t giving up on him just yet.