It's images like that, that make me feel really old and tired!
Can't imagine Johnny Bumstead being chauffered out of Sparrows Lane in his agents Ford Grenada Scorpio, giving it large with hand signals while a passer-by takes a chance snap from his Polaroid 600 and sends it into the Kentish Mercury for next weeks edition...
On smith, we had everything agreed, but it was a straight shoot out with Reading, he chose them. We win some and you lose some. In fact, he has gone to them for less money
Lyle Taylor joined us for less money than what he was offered by Sunderland back in 2018
Correct, sometimes depends on where the players want to live. The odd £1000 here won’t make a difference if someone wants to live in a certain location
Some lovely places outside of Reading to live as well
is there any reason that lad who got 40 odd goals in the u21s couldn't step up to the squad this season?
Not saying as a regular or anything - if Leaburn and JRS can do it as a couple of teenagers in their first season then why not?
Because not all people age in the same way. Compare Rooney and Kane, by any metric, from 17 to 22.
Bowyer was a first team star for us at 18. Parker wasn't.
can you elaborate a bit on this? Not saying you are wrong, but are you basing this assessment on size? maturity? mindset? the "X Factor"? I don't know anything about youth football, or what means someone can "make it"
If we were still Prem and a lad like Casey came around scoring for fun in u21 competition - wouldn't we be looking for a league 1 or 2 club to loan him out to this season?
I dunno... i'm just asking the question.
It's an impossible question to answer because there are so many variables.
Rooney was a "man" at 17, probably in the best 5 players in the world at 20. Kane couldn't get in the Leicester team at 20.
Troy Parrot, who could be an example for the second paragraph didn't really set the world alight when Spurs loaned him out to league 1 clubs. He might still come good though.
Cesc Fàbregas was a first team regular at Arsenal when he was 17, he didn't have the obvious physical advantage Rooney had.
Bowyer and Shevley were at about 80% of the player they would become when they were 18 or 19, Parker was about 60%.
There is a good interview with Nick Powell going round at the moment. At 17-18 he had the world at his feet, at 30 he has just signed for Stockport.
It's not an exact science, Bojan, is another one. Actually a lot of these played for Stoke so it's probably @bobmunro fault!
In short, if a player has done well in u18/u21 football there is no guarantee that they will "make it" and because some players are ready at 17/18 doesn't mean everyone will be. Unless your playing at 3 or 4 levels below your "natural" level most players aren't ready as teenagers. The ones that are are special.
Agree it's not an exact science. Ask different pro coaches about when are youngsters ready for the first team and you get different answers. I Saw Paul Walsh score a hat trick against Chelsea 44 years ago at Sparrows lane in a youth match,when he was small but so confident. He was 16 I believe. Paul was fast tracked into the team.
I'm not giving up on Kanu yet to make his mark in League 1 this season but best if he makes steady progress rather that Mason Burstow progress when they are sold in a blink of the eye.
Miles Leaburn's injury may complicate issues but we build around Alfie May and see he is used in and around the box.
Been out of the loop a bit so can someone tell me where that lad Lloyd Jones has gone or is already crocked?
IIRC Awaiting an operation (or possibly had it by now), did not go to Spain but expected to be part of preseason and fit for the actual season start.
I thought I saw him in the Spain clips, just didn’t play in the game
Ah that's my mistake then. But certainly he's not crocked, whatever is going on is something known prior to his signing not an injury he's picked up since.
Not a bad basis of a team… this doesn’t include lads like Kanu, Campbell, Chin or Anderson either.
Looking at the below, I think we could do with one more centre back, two wing backs and a striker. Kirk and Jaiyesimi are the square pegs that will need to be shifted if they want to play football.
Mentioned it before but I think Max Watters from Cardiff would be a decent punt for a loan signing. Likely to be down the pecking order again for Cardiff so a loan move out again on the cards.
On smith, we had everything agreed, but it was a straight shoot out with Reading, he chose them. We win some and you lose some. In fact, he has gone to them for less money
Lyle Taylor joined us for less money than what he was offered by Sunderland back in 2018
Correct, sometimes depends on where the players want to live. The odd £1000 here won’t make a difference if someone wants to live in a certain location
Some lovely places outside of Reading to live as well
On smith, we had everything agreed, but it was a straight shoot out with Reading, he chose them. We win some and you lose some. In fact, he has gone to them for less money
Lyle Taylor joined us for less money than what he was offered by Sunderland back in 2018
Correct, sometimes depends on where the players want to live. The odd £1000 here won’t make a difference if someone wants to live in a certain location
Some lovely places outside of Reading to live as well
Still need another box to box midfielder. Games are won and lost in midfield.
Need someone who can orchestrate things. Fraser is the closest we have but I’m still not convinced he’s the metronome we need. Perhaps with Dobson and Camara he’ll become that player. Very difficult to dominate games without a really good midfield.
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Had a post season operation so is a couple of weeks behind everyone else , might get some minutes tomorrow I would guess.
1-0. Best of 3?
Can't imagine Johnny Bumstead being chauffered out of Sparrows Lane in his agents Ford Grenada Scorpio, giving it large with hand signals while a passer-by takes a chance snap from his Polaroid 600 and sends it into the Kentish Mercury for next weeks edition...
Agree it's not an exact science.
Ask different pro coaches about when are youngsters ready for the first team and you get different answers.
I Saw Paul Walsh score a hat trick against Chelsea 44 years ago at Sparrows lane in a youth match,when he was small but so confident.
He was 16 I believe. Paul was fast tracked into the team.
I'm not giving up on Kanu yet to make his mark in League 1 this season but best if he makes steady progress rather that Mason Burstow progress when they are sold in a blink of the eye.
Miles Leaburn's injury may complicate issues but we build around Alfie May and see he is used in and around the box.
Looking at the below, I think we could do with one more centre back, two wing backs and a striker. Kirk and Jaiyesimi are the square pegs that will need to be shifted if they want to play football.
Less expensive to get your barnet done.
not forgetting Swindon.
Comment now edited