chazzle_dazzle
Player Valuation: £35m
Yeah just said the same Eggs, think if he doesn't end up abroad he has been massively poorly advised, the other clubs in the league hell have no chance of breaking through.
Yeah just said the same Eggs, think if he doesn't end up abroad he has been massively poorly advised, the other clubs in the league hell have no chance of breaking through.
Just read the Athletic article on Small, it seems he’s posted Instagram shots of him doing one to one training with a personal trainer , but we’ve been in contact. It’s hard to deny he’s a talented 16 year old , with a lot more development needed, but if we’re doing the right things and he’s determined to push for a move then so be it.
JMT
Player Valuation: £20m
The youth today wants to play especially when you see how many people are going abroad mostly to Germany and getting decent game time, It's a shame but it massively stinks of bad advice from whoever his agent is.
No PL club is giving you first team game time at 16...if you want a better youth system then I might agree, I think Everton has massively failed the academy in general by being so reactive.
No PL club is giving you first team game time at 16...if you want a better youth system then I might agree, I think Everton has massively failed the academy in general by being so reactive.
There's more chance of him getting game time at United then there is anywhere if I'm honest.
Having been subject to these conversations, United particularly sell themselves on the opportunities they give, the high level loans they arrange and they provide evidence and stats to back it up.
Cameron Manning
Player Valuation: £35m
Second paragraph spot on Eggs, he looks good going forward but his defending is not all that great, doesn’t read the game well and he certainly wasn’t the best player in the U18’s squad, not a leader, just another player, he’s got potential just like a few players in that squad.
EFC_FRANCIS
Player Valuation: £35m
It's not like this wasn't on the cards. If Okeefe has said it then it's pretty much been with the clubs blessing
EFC_FRANCIS
Player Valuation: £35m
Well it is what it is. We've just got to hope he goes to an English club to get a decent compensation package. I obviously wanted him to resign but I don't think the club done pretty much anything to help get him resigned last season. Ancelotti continuously overlooked him for a spot on the bench (even just naming less than allocated) and he wasn't in the behind the scenes first team training videos despite the club being well aware that this was a massive possibility. How was giving him 30 seconds in an fa cup game reassuring?
With all that being said I am well on the record that I think it is by no means a sure thing Small ends up a top level player. I don't even think he ends up a left back he seems more a winger.
This should be a massive wake up call to the club who need to take a long hard look at the direction we are going. And please please I beg them to shut up about the non existent 'pathway' they harp on about. No one is buying it anymore
With all that being said I am well on the record that I think it is by no means a sure thing Small ends up a top level player. I don't even think he ends up a left back he seems more a winger.
This should be a massive wake up call to the club who need to take a long hard look at the direction we are going. And please please I beg them to shut up about the non existent 'pathway' they harp on about. No one is buying it anymore
….history suggests failed wingers become very decent full backs, interesting that a failed full back could become a winger.
catcherintherye
Player Valuation: £80m
I mean is there really that much evidence from United? They are certainly better than most of the top teams, but they are not streets ahead. I suppose people can point to Rashford, Mctominay and now Greenwood over the last 4-5 years getting through. Given that Luke Shaw is 24 though, and Alex Telles can't get a kick, I think it would be a poor move for him. I'm sure he would get lots of loans, but I'm still to see how that really helps that much (and often think younger players can be used as pawns). I can only think if he goes to a United, money will be a big factor, but would say it was a foolish move, given he would be around the 1st team here. I just don't see that next season for him there.
The curveball in this is going abroad. There has been a major leak of talent to German/Dutch teams of younger players. Muniala went recently, Bellingham, Sancho and others have gone. I know we lost a goalkeeper recently but have largely avoided that fate. I know Tottenham lost a couple recently. Chelsea are also losing players. It's very difficult, but in honesty I don't blame the lads at all. If you're not going to get 1st team football, to me go somewhere where you will get that, and have a 3 year contract with a development plan to boot. I suppose the disappointing thing here is he does seem to have that in place, but people's heads get turned.
For the club, I think it's a wake up call really. We obviously avoided this fate with Gordon, and Lewis Gibson who were linked away in a similar way but this is a major kick in the teeth. Brands was meant to be brought in to make us more competitive at academy level, and losing your better younger players for development fees isn't really covered in that. I appreciate Manchester United will have lots of graphs and the like, but Everton really have to start creating a better narrative and giving younger players more exposure. I doubt there will be any sort of assessment taken, as there never is, but questions should probably be asked of this. Are we creating enough pathways for players, and being aggressive enough in recruitment? Are we giving players a compelling enough story.
My own view, is that we have been too reticent in giving younger players chances and it has cost us.
There's of course a wider question here. Which is for all English clubs, who have talented players, but won't put them into the teams, increasingly they will move abroad to get that exposure.
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EFC_FRANCIS
Player Valuation: £35m
It's a recent trend with England's best youth left backs as it happens with Ryan Sessegnon and Bukayo Saka moving up at about the same age. Then theres the magnum opus of left backs getting moved up the pitch in Bale. Having watched him he's never really struck me as someone who either enjoys or is any good at defending whilst he is truly excellent going forward at his age. Just my thoughts that if he wants to break through to high level senior football as swiftly as possible it's going to be higher up the pitch.
mightymoyes
Player Valuation: £70m
I don't believe Ancelotti had any real interest in creating opportunities for any young players and not sure Benitez will be any different.
Small probably right to ditch us
The sad thing about your “ My own view, is that we have been too reticent in giving younger players chances and it has cost us.” is that we’ve nothing to show for it at first team level in that we’ve hardly got a bunch of talented players ripping up the PL keeping youngsters out . I would qualify that by saying being young doesn’t guarantee you a starting place , and many of them are just not ready yet for the PLbut as already been said we haven’t got any kind of pathway. In the end Ancellotti‘s reign ended with “ No youngsters blooded in the PL and 10th place FFS.”
Ahead of Luke Shaw?
mightymoyes
Player Valuation: £70m
Luke Shaw won't play all their games
