Episode 9 Late Kick Off Midlands

Thank you once again. What do you think about Our Midlands clubs at

the moment? What is your take on Birmingham City? They are doing a

great job. They have a huge chance to reach the play-offs.

Nottingham Forest, having been surprised about how badly things

have gone -- have the been surprised? It was very sad that the

owner passed away, I'm very sorry about that. They are struggling,

and didn't expect that before the season started. You expected them

to fight on the other side of the table. You really hope they will

stay in the division at least. having been surprised by Derby

County's progress? Yes, they're doing well. The manager is doing a

great job. Are you pleased to see Notts County doing well after the

difficulties they have had? It will be great if they go up to the

championship. I hope for them. what now for a Sven Goran Eriksson

quiz man what is the feature? feel too young to go intention so I

want to come back to football, probably not now, so next season.

We do come back to the Midlands? Yes, of course. Good quality of

football, nice place to live, that is for sure. I would come back, but

I have nothing programmed or planned for now. We will see.

Goran Eriksson left them shy of the play-offs. It is two different

directions. You want to grow a club-like Norwich North Wednesday

and have longevity or you want to get the quick hit. Relatively new

owners in the game. Nigel Pearson, he been it -- he bemoans the

inconsistency they have had, but they have got a great fan base and

some very good players. If it doesn't happen this season, they

will have a good run next season. What do you think lies behind the

inconsistency at Leicester this season? They can't seem to put a

run together whereby there winning week in week out. I don't know if

they are performing at the top of their ability. Nine points off the

play-offs, with 11 games to go. Is that it for the play-offs?

three games back to back, it is notoriously... Reading have grave -

- gone on a fantastic run. West Ham have struggled at home at the top

of the championship, so it is possible. But from the owners

perspective, it is keeping the core of Leicester City players. Still to

come: Cheltenham miss out at the top of League Two but their manager

is defiant. We are the best team in the league. Two teams with very

different ambitions met in the Championship on Saturday.

Birmingham have promotion on their minds but for the home team

Coventry, it's a scrap for survival. Marlon King returned to the Ricoh

Arena for the first time since deciding to leave Coventry for

Birmingham last summer but it was his old club who took the lead with

The last refrains of the Sky Blue song had barely faded away before

King marked his return with the equaliser. Coventry might have

grabbed an invaluable win late on through Ollie Norwood but a draw

was probably a fair reflection on the game. Coventry remain in the

bottom 3 and are now five points behind Nottingham Forest who beat

And almost impossible angle! He shoots himself, magnificent goal!

Leicester's hopes of gatecrashing the play-offs are now slimmer after

Mickaele Leigertwood set Reading on their way to a three-one victory at

the Madjeski Stadium. Jason Roberts and then Simon Church confirmed

Reading's superiority before Neil Danns provided scant consolation

Not a great afternoon for the Foxes. Coventry have claimed a piece of

silverware. Gael Bigirimana made his debut this season after he was

spotted by scouts. I was running and they called me. They must have

seen something so they called me back. Very well done to him. Next

at this time last season Derby County were hovering above the

bottom three and fighting the threat of relegation. Now the Rams

are mid table, seventeen points better off and making a welcome and

healthy improvement after all the troubles at the cub. So on Saturday

It is a three and a half years since Nigel Clough and the dynasty

rolled back into Derby. What do you think of the job he's done?

Fantastic. Well I think he is a very good man manager. He has

brought in some great young players on low wages. He has cut the wage

bill. I would not change him. I love him to bits. Behind the scenes

he's reduced the average age of the squad and cut the wage bill from 17

million to 9. Nigel had had 6 transfer windows and in that time

he has got rid of 41 players - that is quite an average over the 6

windows to do that and keep The fans are largely patient

because there are green shoots of recovering and stronger foundations.

We would like to get into the top 12 as a next step after that the

top 10 but if we do make a late run then that would be great. We really

do believe we can build and next season move forward. And it's a

real privilege to lead the teams out today because if Derby get

three points. Be equal their points total for the whole of last season.

And with eleven games to go that would shown real progress under

Clough. But Watford ruined the script. Sean Murray caught the Rams

napping! And within 15 minutes Derby were two down - Troy Deeney's

deflected shot beating Frank Fielding. Last season though Derby

would have capitulated but Ben Davies got them back in the game.

And they dominated the last hour. But it wasn't good enough for a

manager working hard for change. wasn't good enough today but

overall we are much better as a club and higher up the table. We

had a real opportunity to get higher up the table but it didn't

We saw from Gael Bigirimana, picking up his award. For Coventry,

they rely on younger players. and Alex Mendy. It's an incredible

story, he was running down the road. Hopefully now he can take on. He

seems level-headed and at Coventry City he would give youth

opportunity. Derby, a slow process of evolution under Nigel Clough. He

has time on his side and the fans he he is a patient manager. He lent

his trade at Burton. He knows the game inside out. -- learned his

trade. Putting his own stamp on it. He thinks he will go to Scotland,

the players are more honest! stereotype! I played with him and a

name like Clough, he is a patient manager. Will the ball be patient

with him? Paul Lambert, Brendan Rodgers, small budgets this to the

fans might be patients but will the board? Interesting. And a great win

for Forest. A wonder of the left foot. The last time I was at the

Baseball Ground we won it 2-0. Fingers crossed. We'd love to hear

from you here on Late Kick Off. We're open for business seven days

a week on Facebook, and you can continue the conversation right now

on Twitter by using the hashtag LKO mids, In League One, Walsall remain

just outside the relegation zone after a goalless draw at home to

Hartlepool. The Saddlers are now unbeaten in six games but

Saturday's result could have been better if on-loan Sam Mantom hadn't

fluffed a late chance. Walsall are three points above the bottom four

with a better goal difference and a game in hand. But the team of the

moment in League One is Notts County. Since Keith Curle became

manager, Notts have won five games out of six. And Saturday's win at

the runaway leaders Charlton was However promising a team's form, a

trip to the league litres is a reality check. Not the Notts County

as they brushed aside Charlton. Notts County have the lead! Edge of

the area, squares the ball in! The would you believe it? Jonathan

Forte! Charlton responded after half-time with two quick goals but

this emphatically was Notts County's game. 16 points from a

possible 18. Have you surprised yourself? Yes! What has been the

secret? What have you said to the players? A few people have asked

what you brought into the changing them, it was already there, the

ability and freedom, I asked the players took trust themselves. I

had one training session with the players. Everything has been about

the professionals expressing themselves when they get on the

pitch, the freedom to play Abbate see it. Would you agree you needed

a good start, there were a few doubters on your appointment and

clearly you will be winning them over. I think I knew the results

would the extra important. The chairman's wife said I hope to a

good because you need to be. There was grumbling on the side of the

pitch. I know Martin was a crowd favourite. The performance levels,

the crowd needed to be entertained and see the players were playing

with passion and pride and a flair there would excite them. You are in

the top six, what is your ambition? At the moment, Fifth. Right from

day one, we want to chase the team in front of us. And if you turned

over Charlton, Sheffield United and Wednesday, it's a formality. They

are big teams and big games. That is what we want to bring. Packed

houses, two exciting games. Sheffield Wednesday, the manager in

place. He has made an excellent start. Fantastic, we talked about

players like Jonathan Ford and Alan Judge, creative and let them

Now, across the football league there are over eight and a half

thousand youngsters on the books of academies, and needless to say

competition is tough. With the introduction then of the Elite

Player Performance Plan - the "E" Triple "P" next season -

competition is set to become intense. It means Premier League

clubs can scout for the top players at academies anywhere in the

country. Laura May McMullan has been back to Birmingham City where

their academy is successfully producing youngsters for the first

team. Last time on Late Kick Off. It would be a dream come true. It

is everything you work towards. Last year, eight were kept on, five

Almost 150 players are on the books of Birmingham City's academy. Each

one of them striving to impress at every opportunity. These youngsters

are first and second year scholars. Their aim - a professional contract.

18 year-old Will has already earned his contract. He says that's when

the hard work really starts. have not made it when you get the

first contract, that's when the work kicks off. You have to give

yourself the best chance to get into the team. And it's the likes

of 20 year old Jordan Mutch and 17 year old Nathan Redmond who are

providing the inspiration. They've worked their way up through the

academy ranks and are now part of Birmingham's promotion pushing

Goalkeeper Jack Butland is also a precocious talent. Premier League

scouts are flocking to watch him. Not only is he enjoying a

successful spell on loan at Cheltenham, he's currently

England's Under 21's goalkeeper. It's been a roller-coaster ride so

far. Luckily, it's going up at the minute. I have really enjoyed every

minute of it. It has gone from not expecting anything to do beyond

where I could imagine. A 17-year- old Nicholas has been with Burnley

and since he was eight. Jacques success has been a revelation.

say he is a great role model for me. He has sacrificed so much. Youth

development is one of the game's success stories with more and more

young players making the grade at first-team level. It's also a hot

topic at the moment. The elite player performance plant will be

introduced next season -- plan. have to bowl with it before we see

what it will deter us. Hopefully not too much. I think like all

clubs you are concerned about losing players. We like to think we

put on a good product but the players want to stay. Some clubs

argue it's bad for the game, premier-league clubs will now be

able to have the pick of top youngsters at smaller clubs will be

entitled to less in compensation. 22 of the 72 league clubs have

voted against the plan. The effect on the players, an even higher

competitive environment. That could be damaging in the long run. Yes,

and the proof is in the pudding. There's a lot of competition around

the area we were akin. With the other clubs and we all know players

heads are turned by the Premier League. More than 90% of young

players who join it Premier League academies will fail to make it into

the first teams. Most will not become professional footballers.

Statistics suggest one or two of these players will have full

professional careers. In two months' time the second year

scholars will know if they will be taking the next step with

Birmingham. Good luck to the kids at Birmingham City. 144 players in

the academy, sounds a lot. It is a lot. With the new rules coming in,

say you get �150,000 for a player, how is that supposed to fund those

hundred and 44 kids? The old fulls -- rules were fined. If Wayne

Rooney comes through Birmingham City, you can pay two or three in

terms of compensation and that money goes into funding of the

others they develop and come through Birmingham City's team.

It's wrong and will not help Football League clubs. And that's

not the financial situation at St Andrew's. What about the E PPP? Do

you welcome the changes? No, with my interview with the chairman,

part of the remit was to produce the next generation of players

coming through the system. With new legislation it will be difficult

because of players being cherry- picked at different age groups.

This favours the clubs in the top flight? Definitely. Some people are

trying to find a way of getting the players to another country where

they cannot get picked out of the season -- system. Kids they just

did with Swedish clubs or anywhere in Europe, if you are Chelsea or

Manchester City you can develop players for peanuts relative to

what comes through. And let them go and they can say we've given the

Football League fantastic talent but it doesn't work the other way

round. It's a poor decision. A one- way street. Ssional football has

been honoured with the Football League's Contribution to League

Football Award. His career began as a player with Wrexham in 1964

before moving to Chester and then Shrewsbury. His time as a manager

began there and also took in Aston Villa and Wolves. He managed - and

chaired the board of directors - at Hereford before returning to

Shrewsbury. He's won five promotions and the Football League

Trophy in 1988. It is a super nights to have had an award of this

nature on a night like this. It is touching. It's a big honour. Well I

look at the company I am in, the other recipients, I feel really

proud of my achievements. Well, Graham Turner's Shrewsbury Town are

now the Midlands leading team in League 2. They equalled a club

record of 26 games without a home defeat by edging out Burton one-nil.

Graham Turner conceded this was not a vintage performance but they were

too strong for Burton. Malkin gave him the lead but after half-time

shops did. -- Sharps. A Cheltenham slip out of

the top three after a missed penalty.

Paul Benson was the match-winner. We are the best team in League. We

play great football. 10 more performances like that and we are

where we want to be. Don't let anyone say supporting Port Vale is

a mug's game. The deduction has ended all hopes of promotion. Vale

fans are resilient. It was administration or insolvency. We

have a lot to thank Stoke council four. More through the gates,

raising funds. It will work out for the best, a bright future on the

horizon. Despite taking the lead, Vale could not provide Bonfield

Herefords fight to stay in the lead continues with their new manager.

Lyle Taylor was the match-winner at Morecambe. Well done, Richard

O'Kelly. Graham Turner, walking the say about a man who has done almost

everything in football? A gentleman, first and foremost. He is very

pleasant and well mannered and loves his football. Managed over

1,500 games. It's incredible. the only gripe was letting the game.

Nor bitter! When I was at Wolves, he club bills, he did it at

Hereford. He built the club and took them two promotions and stuck

around with each club he's been at and left it in a better position

than when he came. It wasn't revolution evolution. Unbeaten at

home in 26 games, that's the previous record he set over 20

years ago. Things coming full circle. Phenomenal. He is a

fantastic manager. He is obviously tipped into the directorship and

chairman and that angle, in terms of nuts-and-bolts manager, you do

not manage that many games if you're not very good. Well, that's

it for this evening. And don't forget all seven of the Late Kick