Watching him come through he has usually played at the right hand side of things, or as centre half. I have a fantasy that he could be a tall rangy deep lying defensive midfielder eventually, a sort of cross between Tydeman and Dobson. Early days for Zach, the most important thing is he isn’t undermined by overplaying.
In a back 3 you do need a CB who's comfortable on the ball, and can move into midfield, as otherwise you can end up with 3 CBs marking one centre forward.
Bit unfortunate that the best place to play him is where we've just brought in a quality RCB. Probably doesn't bode well for REG though if Jones really does decide he likes ZMitchell as the season goes on
Into the last year of his contract just like Leaburn and Small. Lots of potential selling on value in those 3. Need all of them signed up and have done all summer.
I've been the Secretary of his Fan Club for several seasons....
If you have been Secretary I am President, first saw in in The FA Youth Cup against Brighton, along with TC, Kanu & Leaburn and thought he was outstanding.
Zach is a rounded, intelligent lad. My younger son was sandwiched between him and Billy, in terms of age, at the same private junior school and then grammar school. The former school would have taught him how to hold himself in public because they do that at a very young age there as well as a decent introduction to sport and the latter would have offered him other competitive sports (football is not allowed at the school) such as rugby and hockey, albeit for a very limited period of time given his commitments to CAFC and a good education.
Providing the footballing side of things develops as many of us believe it will, he is a future Charlton captain in the making. Let's not forget this is someone who was skipper of the U21s at the ripe old age of 17. And of course assuming that someone else doesn't come in for him which is why I was so concerned last season at how the loan situation at Colchester was developing especially if his contract with us does end this season. He already said, prior to the friendly against Millwall, how great it would be if one day he was to play with his brother and the last thing we need to do is to invite them to make an offer (or any other club for that matter) especially if we are in no position of strength to turn that down.
Zach is a rounded, intelligent lad. My younger son was sandwiched between him and Billy, in terms of age, at the same private junior school and then grammar school. The former school would have taught him how to hold himself in public because they do that at a very young age there as well as a decent introduction to sport and the latter would have offered him other competitive sports (football is not allowed at the school) such as rugby and hockey, albeit for a very limited period of time given his commitments to CAFC and a good education.
Providing the footballing side of things develops as many of us believe it will, he is a future Charlton captain in the making. Let's not forget this is someone who was skipper of the U21s at the ripe old age of 17. And of course assuming that someone else doesn't come in for him which is why I was so concerned last season at how the loan situation at Colchester was developing especially if his contract with us does end this season. He already said, prior to the friendly against Millwall, how great it would be if one day he was to play with his brother and the last thing we need to do is to invite them to make an offer (or any other club for that matter) especially if we are in no position of strength to turn that down.
I have visions of Andy Scott hearing that, and going to Millwall to sign his brother, but signing the wrong Mitchell
Zach is a rounded, intelligent lad. My younger son was sandwiched between him and Billy, in terms of age, at the same private junior school and then grammar school. The former school would have taught him how to hold himself in public because they do that at a very young age there as well as a decent introduction to sport and the latter would have offered him other competitive sports (football is not allowed at the school) such as rugby and hockey, albeit for a very limited period of time given his commitments to CAFC and a good education.
Providing the footballing side of things develops as many of us believe it will, he is a future Charlton captain in the making. Let's not forget this is someone who was skipper of the U21s at the ripe old age of 17. And of course assuming that someone else doesn't come in for him which is why I was so concerned last season at how the loan situation at Colchester was developing especially if his contract with us does end this season. He already said, prior to the friendly against Millwall, how great it would be if one day he was to play with his brother and the last thing we need to do is to invite them to make an offer (or any other club for that matter) especially if we are in no position of strength to turn that down.
I wouldn't worry about Millwall, Arsenal were sniffing around last season
I think I was one if the first (at least a year ago) to tout him as a potential CDM, although I'm not sure NJ sees him there. Can I be first to suggest he might be an excellent CAM with his ability to carry the ball forward at pace.
Zach is a rounded, intelligent lad. My younger son was sandwiched between him and Billy, in terms of age, at the same private junior school and then grammar school. The former school would have taught him how to hold himself in public because they do that at a very young age there as well as a decent introduction to sport and the latter would have offered him other competitive sports (football is not allowed at the school) such as rugby and hockey, albeit for a very limited period of time given his commitments to CAFC and a good education.
Providing the footballing side of things develops as many of us believe it will, he is a future Charlton captain in the making. Let's not forget this is someone who was skipper of the U21s at the ripe old age of 17. And of course assuming that someone else doesn't come in for him which is why I was so concerned last season at how the loan situation at Colchester was developing especially if his contract with us does end this season. He already said, prior to the friendly against Millwall, how great it would be if one day he was to play with his brother and the last thing we need to do is to invite them to make an offer (or any other club for that matter) especially if we are in no position of strength to turn that down.
I wouldn't worry about Millwall, Arsenal were sniffing around last season
In which case all I will say is Karlan Grant. How much did we get for him the in the January following the season he went out on loan to Crawley given he only had 6 months left on his contract? Who was then sold by Huddersfield for £15m to WBA.
Last season he went out on loan, people were saying when he became a victim of the situation he found himself in, that all is good and that we were monitoring the situation and in constant dialogue. So where is that new contract if he is valued as much as we believe he is?
I've been the Secretary of his Fan Club for several seasons....
If you have been Secretary I am President, first saw in in The FA Youth Cup against Brighton, along with TC, Kanu & Leaburn and thought he was outstanding.
He is out of contract next summer but the Addicks are thought to be keen to secure him on new terms.
Need to get it done soon, before he has a run in the team and before January to avoid and Aribo or Grant situation. I would think players like him with contracts expiring next summer will be the priority after any signings we’re working on.
You have to wonder what a specialist director of football does when reflecting on CBT, Dobson, Leaburn, Small and Mitchell all running contracts down. That’s before you get to the time wasted on signing useless loan players.
You have to wonder what a specialist director of football does when reflecting on CBT, Dobson, Leaburn, Small and Mitchell all running contracts down. That’s before you get to the time wasted on signing useless loan players.
Being a club stuck in league one doesn't help the situation, as talented players will want to play higher up (granted Dobson has ended up in same league as us anyway), and may be reluctant to sign another contract with us.
You have to wonder what a specialist director of football does when reflecting on CBT, Dobson, Leaburn, Small and Mitchell all running contracts down. That’s before you get to the time wasted on signing useless loan players.
Being a club stuck in league one doesn't help the situation, as talented players will want to play higher up (granted Dobson has ended up in same league as us anyway), and may be reluctant to sign another contract with us.
Yeah think most players at this level want to see solid evidence the club is going somewhere first. TC pretty much did that last year. We did well to get Anderson and Asiimwe tied down early. Hopefully some activity on contracts after the window closes
What we don't know with the likes of Zach and Miles, is whether the club hasn't done anything yet, or whether talks have been going on for a while already, but the player/agent has turned down the offers (for financial or other reasons).
What we don't know with the likes of Zach and Miles, is whether the club hasn't done anything yet, or whether talks have been going on for a while already, but the player/agent has turned down the offers (for financial or other reasons).
There are, of course, influences (and with rightly the player's interest in mind because football clubs have their own interests to protect) who know all there is to know about professional football and that these boys will be able to trust - Zach's older brother, Billy and Carl and Tracey in the case of Miles. They both would have grown up playing with James Beadle (in Zach's case from a very young age) and will have seen how well he is doing too.
I said at the time that I really wasn't sure that the best idea was to send Zach on loan for the whole season but let's hope that we haven't compounded that by trying to agree a contract following him being sent into the wilderness of watching from the stands rather than during that period. He hasn't suddenly become the player he is and to have done so would have been a demonstration of our belief in him.
Let's hope that negotiations are well in hand for both and it is just a question of signing on the dotted line.
What we don't know with the likes of Zach and Miles, is whether the club hasn't done anything yet, or whether talks have been going on for a while already, but the player/agent has turned down the offers (for financial or other reasons).
There are, of course, influences (and with rightly the player's interest in mind because football clubs have their own interests to protect) who know all there is to know about professional football and that these boys will be able to trust - Zach's older brother, Billy and Carl and Tracey in the case of Miles. They both would have grown up playing with James Beadle (in Zach's case from a very young age) and will have seen how well he is doing too.
I said at the time that I really wasn't sure that the best idea was to send Zach on loan for the whole season but let's hope that we haven't compounded that by trying to agree a contract following him being sent into the wilderness of watching from the stands rather than during that period. He hasn't suddenly become the player he is and to have done so would have been a demonstration of our belief in him.
Let's hope that negotiations are well in hand for both and it is just a question of signing on the dotted line.
Zach was very keen to go out on loan last season, he was unlucky that Colchester brought in new management mid way through the season thus seeing his minutes limited - certainly not Charlton's fault and I doubt Zach would think it is.
What we don't know with the likes of Zach and Miles, is whether the club hasn't done anything yet, or whether talks have been going on for a while already, but the player/agent has turned down the offers (for financial or other reasons).
There are, of course, influences (and with rightly the player's interest in mind because football clubs have their own interests to protect) who know all there is to know about professional football and that these boys will be able to trust - Zach's older brother, Billy and Carl and Tracey in the case of Miles. They both would have grown up playing with James Beadle (in Zach's case from a very young age) and will have seen how well he is doing too.
I said at the time that I really wasn't sure that the best idea was to send Zach on loan for the whole season but let's hope that we haven't compounded that by trying to agree a contract following him being sent into the wilderness of watching from the stands rather than during that period. He hasn't suddenly become the player he is and to have done so would have been a demonstration of our belief in him.
Let's hope that negotiations are well in hand for both and it is just a question of signing on the dotted line.
By sending him out on loan we were trying to ensure he did get regular play (which was scuppered by circumstances outside our control.)
I very much doubt that he would be expecting to get regular games here and if he did then going out on loan instead would have been a very illustrative lesson in where he stands.
By all accounts he seems to have his head firmly screwed on and I'm hopeful that a new deal is/can be discussed as things progress.
What we don't know with the likes of Zach and Miles, is whether the club hasn't done anything yet, or whether talks have been going on for a while already, but the player/agent has turned down the offers (for financial or other reasons).
There are, of course, influences (and with rightly the player's interest in mind because football clubs have their own interests to protect) who know all there is to know about professional football and that these boys will be able to trust - Zach's older brother, Billy and Carl and Tracey in the case of Miles. They both would have grown up playing with James Beadle (in Zach's case from a very young age) and will have seen how well he is doing too.
I said at the time that I really wasn't sure that the best idea was to send Zach on loan for the whole season but let's hope that we haven't compounded that by trying to agree a contract following him being sent into the wilderness of watching from the stands rather than during that period. He hasn't suddenly become the player he is and to have done so would have been a demonstration of our belief in him.
Let's hope that negotiations are well in hand for both and it is just a question of signing on the dotted line.
By sending him out on loan we were trying to ensure he did get regular play (which was scuppered by circumstances outside our control.)
I very much doubt that he would be expecting to get regular games here and if he did then going out on loan instead would have been a very illustrative lesson in where he stands.
By all accounts he seems to have his head firmly screwed on and I'm hopeful that a new deal is/can be discussed as things progress.
This I disagree with, each player should be played on his performances, if Zach is performing better than Jones, A.Mitchell, Gillesphy then he should be in the team, but no player should be held back because of his age.
What we don't know with the likes of Zach and Miles, is whether the club hasn't done anything yet, or whether talks have been going on for a while already, but the player/agent has turned down the offers (for financial or other reasons).
There are, of course, influences (and with rightly the player's interest in mind because football clubs have their own interests to protect) who know all there is to know about professional football and that these boys will be able to trust - Zach's older brother, Billy and Carl and Tracey in the case of Miles. They both would have grown up playing with James Beadle (in Zach's case from a very young age) and will have seen how well he is doing too.
I said at the time that I really wasn't sure that the best idea was to send Zach on loan for the whole season but let's hope that we haven't compounded that by trying to agree a contract following him being sent into the wilderness of watching from the stands rather than during that period. He hasn't suddenly become the player he is and to have done so would have been a demonstration of our belief in him.
Let's hope that negotiations are well in hand for both and it is just a question of signing on the dotted line.
By sending him out on loan we were trying to ensure he did get regular play (which was scuppered by circumstances outside our control.)
I very much doubt that he would be expecting to get regular games here and if he did then going out on loan instead would have been a very illustrative lesson in where he stands.
By all accounts he seems to have his head firmly screwed on and I'm hopeful that a new deal is/can be discussed as things progress.
This I disagree with, each player should be played on his performances, if Zach is performing better than Jones, A.Mitchell, Gillesphy then he should be in the team, but no player should be held back because of his age.
I'm not that he shouldn't be playing, I'm saying he shouldn't be EXPECTING to play. If he forces his way in on merit and form, great. But being a younger player he's surely well aware that he starts at the back of the line.
What we don't know with the likes of Zach and Miles, is whether the club hasn't done anything yet, or whether talks have been going on for a while already, but the player/agent has turned down the offers (for financial or other reasons).
There are, of course, influences (and with rightly the player's interest in mind because football clubs have their own interests to protect) who know all there is to know about professional football and that these boys will be able to trust - Zach's older brother, Billy and Carl and Tracey in the case of Miles. They both would have grown up playing with James Beadle (in Zach's case from a very young age) and will have seen how well he is doing too.
I said at the time that I really wasn't sure that the best idea was to send Zach on loan for the whole season but let's hope that we haven't compounded that by trying to agree a contract following him being sent into the wilderness of watching from the stands rather than during that period. He hasn't suddenly become the player he is and to have done so would have been a demonstration of our belief in him.
Let's hope that negotiations are well in hand for both and it is just a question of signing on the dotted line.
Zach was very keen to go out on loan last season, he was unlucky that Colchester brought in new management mid way through the season thus seeing his minutes limited - certainly not Charlton's fault and I doubt Zach would think it is.
I didn't suggest it was Charlton's fault but I questioned why we allowed to be out on loan at Colchester for the whole season. How many players have we sent back over recent years when things haven't worked out or that have been recalled by their host club?
Cowley took over on 3rd January and the window didn't close for another 4 weeks and it was clear, very early on, that he was signing his own players on loan. Was there any conversation with Cowley about Zach's role for the rest of the season prior to the window closing? If so, why did we not recall him at that point and if we weren't going to use him then send him out somewhere to get game time? Yes being out of the team and fighting for your place is part and parcel of a footballer's life but not kicking a ball for anyone, not even at U21 level, for half a season can create doubt in the mind of a young player isn't good for his development - whether that doubt is the player in his own ability or in the club and their value of him. Bringing him back to train is one thing but it is absolutely no substitute for playing. Having your brother come home from playing probably doesn't help the tea time discussions either.
Let's accept, though, that he was just a victim of circumstances and there was absolutely nothing the Club could have done about him playing. That does not change the situation that it isn't usual for clubs to allow their potentially biggest assets in the form of Zach and Miles to have just 10 months of a contract to go. Chelsea have their young players on 10 year contracts which is ridiculous and we certainly can't afford to do that but surely we have to be as pro-active as possible? As I say, this could be, potentially, a Karlan Grant (and others with contracts running down) type issue where we have very little leverage or bargaining power. If that happens, will that be the Club's fault, Zach's fault or would we just accept, like his period on loan, how things developed? Or question whether we could/should have done more and last season when Zach wasn't playing?
Again, I hope that everything is in hand and there will be an announcement in the next few weeks that both have signed. That really would be fantastic because I want to see the lad who I have seen pick up trophies since the age of about six play for us for many years to come. But if he does decide to leave soon that we get a meaningful fee for him. Doing that is, or possibly was, within our control.
Comments
I have a fantasy that he could be a tall rangy deep lying defensive midfielder eventually, a sort of cross between Tydeman and Dobson.
Early days for Zach, the most important thing is he isn’t undermined by overplaying.
If you have been Secretary I am President, first saw in in The FA Youth Cup against Brighton, along with TC, Kanu & Leaburn and thought he was outstanding.
Providing the footballing side of things develops as many of us believe it will, he is a future Charlton captain in the making. Let's not forget this is someone who was skipper of the U21s at the ripe old age of 17. And of course assuming that someone else doesn't come in for him which is why I was so concerned last season at how the loan situation at Colchester was developing especially if his contract with us does end this season. He already said, prior to the friendly against Millwall, how great it would be if one day he was to play with his brother and the last thing we need to do is to invite them to make an offer (or any other club for that matter) especially if we are in no position of strength to turn that down.
I wouldn't worry about Millwall, Arsenal were sniffing around last season
Last season he went out on loan, people were saying when he became a victim of the situation he found himself in, that all is good and that we were monitoring the situation and in constant dialogue. So where is that new contract if he is valued as much as we believe he is?
He is out of contract next summer but the Addicks are thought to be keen to secure him on new terms.
That’s before you get to the time wasted on signing useless loan players.
I said at the time that I really wasn't sure that the best idea was to send Zach on loan for the whole season but let's hope that we haven't compounded that by trying to agree a contract following him being sent into the wilderness of watching from the stands rather than during that period. He hasn't suddenly become the player he is and to have done so would have been a demonstration of our belief in him.
Let's hope that negotiations are well in hand for both and it is just a question of signing on the dotted line.
I very much doubt that he would be expecting to get regular games here and if he did then going out on loan instead would have been a very illustrative lesson in where he stands.
By all accounts he seems to have his head firmly screwed on and I'm hopeful that a new deal is/can be discussed as things progress.
This I disagree with, each player should be played on his performances, if Zach is performing better than Jones, A.Mitchell, Gillesphy then he should be in the team, but no player should be held back because of his age.
Cowley took over on 3rd January and the window didn't close for another 4 weeks and it was clear, very early on, that he was signing his own players on loan. Was there any conversation with Cowley about Zach's role for the rest of the season prior to the window closing? If so, why did we not recall him at that point and if we weren't going to use him then send him out somewhere to get game time? Yes being out of the team and fighting for your place is part and parcel of a footballer's life but not kicking a ball for anyone, not even at U21 level, for half a season can create doubt in the mind of a young player isn't good for his development - whether that doubt is the player in his own ability or in the club and their value of him. Bringing him back to train is one thing but it is absolutely no substitute for playing. Having your brother come home from playing probably doesn't help the tea time discussions either.
Let's accept, though, that he was just a victim of circumstances and there was absolutely nothing the Club could have done about him playing. That does not change the situation that it isn't usual for clubs to allow their potentially biggest assets in the form of Zach and Miles to have just 10 months of a contract to go. Chelsea have their young players on 10 year contracts which is ridiculous and we certainly can't afford to do that but surely we have to be as pro-active as possible? As I say, this could be, potentially, a Karlan Grant (and others with contracts running down) type issue where we have very little leverage or bargaining power. If that happens, will that be the Club's fault, Zach's fault or would we just accept, like his period on loan, how things developed? Or question whether we could/should have done more and last season when Zach wasn't playing?
Again, I hope that everything is in hand and there will be an announcement in the next few weeks that both have signed. That really would be fantastic because I want to see the lad who I have seen pick up trophies since the age of about six play for us for many years to come. But if he does decide to leave soon that we get a meaningful fee for him. Doing that is, or possibly was, within our control.