Yes, the lad from Arsenal served as a wake-up call (as did the Checkatrade Trophy) regarding the ability of youth players from Premier League clubs to hack it in the rough and tumble of League 2.
Better perhaps to look to the likes of Nick Freeman and (although unproven because of circumstances) Dayle Southwell.
Holloway seemed to hate every minute of playing football. He just seemed unhappy. I have followed him since he left us as I honestly thought he would be the one that got away. On the rare occasion I have seen him score goals (one spectacular volley from outside the box) he looked like someone had just pissed on his chips regardless of the celebrations of his team mates. Now sometimes I like an arrogant celebration (Cantona esq) but this was just dour.
Mawson (OK not from premier team) , McCarthy, Blackman, Gape etc didn't do too badly though, Micra.
Best perhaps to try to judge them as individuals rather than labelled from what team they come from and accept that as young players their development will be unpredictable, one or two will fly, one or two bomb. Just the way it is.
Alex Jakubiak (or the Watford guy as I didn't get past calling him due to his lack of impact on a game or my mind) is a good example of what I am saying. Even taking away the amazing bottling of the header against Mansfield he looked like someone totally out of his depth despite being a Premier League player.
As @DevC rightly points out others have been very successful. I think part of it is the club we loan from. Watford players don't seem to do that well with us whereas Southampton ones tend to come with the right attitude to get stuck in and learn.
Our country is really losing ground in youth development. It's down to the hugely bloated top end of the game and the need for instant success. Oh and Pokeman Go
@DevC said:
Mawson (OK not from premier team) , McCarthy, Blackman, Gape etc didn't do too badly though, Micra.
Best perhaps to try to judge them as individuals rather than labelled from what team they come from and accept that as young players their development will be unpredictable, one or two will fly, one or two bomb. Just the way it is.
I was thinking of the younger ones like Jakubiak, the Arsenal lad and Janoi Donacien @DevC. Dominic Gape was older, had captained the U18 team at Southampton and was part of the first team squad. Likewise, Jason McCarthy , albeit younger, had also forced his way into the first team squad. As for
Jamal Blackman- well goalkeepers are more used to the rough and tumble (and generally well protected by referees) and can be more readily assessed. £1300 a week must also have been a bit of a clue regarding his potential.
If they cannot be arsed and the manager cannot make them be arsed eventually the interest, League football and the money will tail off and the building site/Tesco warehouse calls. You therefore have to admire players like Bean and Bloomfield, who perhaps lack god given talents, but created a career for themselves in the professional game. Professional being the word I think.
Think his surname was Jeffery (or something like that) although in all honesty all awful short term players should be only known by the phrase 'that bloke'.
@DevC The club they have come from is a factor. You ignored it twice but it is there. We do have a much much better hit rate from Brentford and Southampton than we do from Watford and Aston Villa.
Have seen two Pokeman Go gamers this week. It won't go away and is stiffling youth development in so many ways.
I haven't done any research, but on the whole it appears the player we get from slightly further down the pyramid do a better job than those from the very top.
@Right_in_the_Middle I'm not sure Watford is a problem club - its youth team indirectly provided us with Luke O'Nien, who probably has the best attitude and most desire of any squad member here in the last decade or so, including Bloomfield! Sure - Luke has the added motivation of being let go weeks before joining us, but I'm sure if he'd come on loan the season before instead of going to Boreham Wood he'd have been just as committed a player as any of our star loanees.
Gonna spell his name incorrectly but let's not forget
Millwalls 'he's Fred Onyendima he scores when he wants' was a fantastic loan signing, so young he had to come out on the train to train.
Comments
Yes, the lad from Arsenal served as a wake-up call (as did the Checkatrade Trophy) regarding the ability of youth players from Premier League clubs to hack it in the rough and tumble of League 2.
Better perhaps to look to the likes of Nick Freeman and (although unproven because of circumstances) Dayle Southwell.
How could I have forgotten Alex Jakubiak?!
Even the sight of him on the front cover of a recent match programme still haunts me.
Holloway seemed to hate every minute of playing football. He just seemed unhappy. I have followed him since he left us as I honestly thought he would be the one that got away. On the rare occasion I have seen him score goals (one spectacular volley from outside the box) he looked like someone had just pissed on his chips regardless of the celebrations of his team mates. Now sometimes I like an arrogant celebration (Cantona esq) but this was just dour.
Mawson (OK not from premier team) , McCarthy, Blackman, Gape etc didn't do too badly though, Micra.
Best perhaps to try to judge them as individuals rather than labelled from what team they come from and accept that as young players their development will be unpredictable, one or two will fly, one or two bomb. Just the way it is.
Aaron Holloway's first touch was a thing of absolute beauty
Alex Jakubiak (or the Watford guy as I didn't get past calling him due to his lack of impact on a game or my mind) is a good example of what I am saying. Even taking away the amazing bottling of the header against Mansfield he looked like someone totally out of his depth despite being a Premier League player.
As @DevC rightly points out others have been very successful. I think part of it is the club we loan from. Watford players don't seem to do that well with us whereas Southampton ones tend to come with the right attitude to get stuck in and learn.
Our country is really losing ground in youth development. It's down to the hugely bloated top end of the game and the need for instant success. Oh and Pokeman Go
Pokeman Go is so 2016
Pokemon Gone?
I was thinking of the younger ones like Jakubiak, the Arsenal lad and Janoi Donacien @DevC. Dominic Gape was older, had captained the U18 team at Southampton and was part of the first team squad. Likewise, Jason McCarthy , albeit younger, had also forced his way into the first team squad. As for
Jamal Blackman- well goalkeepers are more used to the rough and tumble (and generally well protected by referees) and can be more readily assessed. £1300 a week must also have been a bit of a clue regarding his potential.
If they cannot be arsed and the manager cannot make them be arsed eventually the interest, League football and the money will tail off and the building site/Tesco warehouse calls. You therefore have to admire players like Bean and Bloomfield, who perhaps lack god given talents, but created a career for themselves in the professional game. Professional being the word I think.
Remind me who was the lad from arsenal?
Think his surname was Jeffery (or something like that) although in all honesty all awful short term players should be only known by the phrase 'that bloke'.
Gape, Jakubiak and Mccarthy had all played one game for their parent clubs, Mawson and Donancien none. No obvious trend there
Donancien was 21 and Jakubiak 2o when they joined us. Mccarthy was 19, Mawson 20 and Gape 22. Precise age isn't an obvious determinant either.
Think you just have to try to judge them as individuals and accept that sometime you will judge them wrong.
Anthony Jeffrey? Last seen playing for Boreham Wood.
@DevC The club they have come from is a factor. You ignored it twice but it is there. We do have a much much better hit rate from Brentford and Southampton than we do from Watford and Aston Villa.
Have seen two Pokeman Go gamers this week. It won't go away and is stiffling youth development in so many ways.
I haven't done any research, but on the whole it appears the player we get from slightly further down the pyramid do a better job than those from the very top.
Donacien really wasn't that good for us, but turned out better during later loan spells elsewhere. His debut was a howler.
Reported in national papers that Jamal would like a return to Wycombe he has unfinished business. How fantastic would that be if he does.
Blackman, Floyd?
LOL, there are obvious outliers.
@Right_in_the_Middle I'm not sure Watford is a problem club - its youth team indirectly provided us with Luke O'Nien, who probably has the best attitude and most desire of any squad member here in the last decade or so, including Bloomfield! Sure - Luke has the added motivation of being let go weeks before joining us, but I'm sure if he'd come on loan the season before instead of going to Boreham Wood he'd have been just as committed a player as any of our star loanees.
As well as out and out liars?
Some loanees are good, some aren't. That's just his it is
All this just reminds me though, what on earth was going on at Brentford that they thought it was a good idea to release Alfie Mawson?
That blows my tiny little mind
They didn't release Mawson, he turned down the two year contract they offered.
Get some sticky tape and put your mind back together - they didn't. He left at the end of his contract.
Fair enough
Gonna spell his name incorrectly but let's not forget
Millwalls 'he's Fred Onyendima he scores when he wants' was a fantastic loan signing, so young he had to come out on the train to train.
Who is the best player we've ever had on loan? Luke Moore, Steven Taylor, Alfie Mawson are three of the best I can think of..
Taylor & Mawson are the standouts.
@Right_in_the_Middle are you being serious with the Pokémon Go thing? I can't even tell.