19-06-2019, 18:24
I`m inclined to agree with you, Matt. I saw young Levi play a few games last season and from what I could see he`s about as ready for first-team football at our level as he ever will be – assuming he`s played in the right position with the right support. If he`s asked to play as a lone front-man, which he was a couple of times, he`s going to struggle because that`s just not his game.
I didn`t see enough of Luke Rawson to pass judgement but the same principle applies, I`d have thought. I agree 100% with the idea of a development squad, but surely there comes a point with any youngster where the only way you`re going to develop them any further is by giving them experience of ‘men`s football’, as MA used to call it. (He may have got a hell of a lot wrong during his time with us and talked a load of hollocks at times, but I do think he was right on that one.)
I don`t have your encyclopaedic knowledge of lower-league and non-league players, Dev, but I do know that Reid is a goalscorer with a proven track-record. I don`t know that he`s quite got to the Ebanks-Blake stage yet (he`s only 30ish, isn`t he?) but I certainly have reservations about bringing in a player at that stage of his career to put him ahead of Amantchi in the pecking order. Unless, of course, JS has no confidence in said Levi; but from what I saw of him, I`d be amazed if that`s the case. If it is, however, what`s the pont in keeping him? We may as well ship him on now and get him off the payroll. (But if that`s the philosophy and we`re going to give our own youngsters so little opportunity, what`s the point in a development squad?)
All questions to which I have no answers whatsoever, I`m afraid. Like everyone else, I`m just gonna have to wait and see what happens over the next few weeks and hope that the club management know what they`re about.
I didn`t see enough of Luke Rawson to pass judgement but the same principle applies, I`d have thought. I agree 100% with the idea of a development squad, but surely there comes a point with any youngster where the only way you`re going to develop them any further is by giving them experience of ‘men`s football’, as MA used to call it. (He may have got a hell of a lot wrong during his time with us and talked a load of hollocks at times, but I do think he was right on that one.)
I don`t have your encyclopaedic knowledge of lower-league and non-league players, Dev, but I do know that Reid is a goalscorer with a proven track-record. I don`t know that he`s quite got to the Ebanks-Blake stage yet (he`s only 30ish, isn`t he?) but I certainly have reservations about bringing in a player at that stage of his career to put him ahead of Amantchi in the pecking order. Unless, of course, JS has no confidence in said Levi; but from what I saw of him, I`d be amazed if that`s the case. If it is, however, what`s the pont in keeping him? We may as well ship him on now and get him off the payroll. (But if that`s the philosophy and we`re going to give our own youngsters so little opportunity, what`s the point in a development squad?)
All questions to which I have no answers whatsoever, I`m afraid. Like everyone else, I`m just gonna have to wait and see what happens over the next few weeks and hope that the club management know what they`re about.