[Archived] Youth Players

[roversfan99]

With Shebby Singh saying that we plan to sign only 2 more players, and departures inevitable, which youth players/reserve players seem the most likely to step up to the squad next season?

I'd guess at:

Josh Morris - can play anywhere down the left and looked decent in his first team cameos.

Maybe Hugo Fernandez who it seems I technically gifted and also versatile, and Robbie Cotton who is highly rated.

Who else do people feel can step up to make up the numbers, as I haven't seen the youth team play to be honest?

[Parsonblue]

Watching the Reserves last season I felt that Josh Morris looked distinctly ordinary and he didn't break many pots on his loan period in the lower divisions. Robbie Cotton didn't make much impression and I've yet to see what other people see in him. Fernandez looks a prospect but is not ready to simply be thrown in. O'Sullivan has had several good games with the Reserves as well as the youth and seems to be rather like Alan Judge and Aaron Doran in that he is talented but not very big and that might be a handicap in the Championship.

We can forget about the likes of Bruno, Anderson, Blackman and Slew as these have looked very poor in the Reserves and unless there is a sudden transformation I can't see them making any impact. Linganzi reappeared towards the end of the season in the Reserves and is still here for another year. At one time he looked a real prospect, both in defence and midfield, but he seems to have lost his way.

Adam Henley and Jake Kean are the only youngsters who look ready for a long run at senior level while Edwards, who has gone to Rochdale on loan, and O'Connell are a couple of outstanding prospects at centre-back.

If we are only looking to sign two more players then it is vital we keep the likes of Nzonzi, Givet, Olsson, Pedersen etc. If not I fear we are going to be thin on the ground in terms of quality.

[roversfan99]

I expect that Henley will get a decent amount of appearances this season, and I assume Robinson will leave therefore Kean can be sub goalkeeper.

It is a shame regarding Morris as his versatility down the left could have been useful. Linganzi I have seen a couple of times(I think one was a friendly and one in the cup, not 100% sure) and he looked very assured and very strong, so it would be good if he could fill in as a squad player and fulfill some of his promise.

I think it's fair to say we all know Bruno and Anderson will never make it, Blackman has always looked poor to me but I'm disappointed that Slew looks poor as didn't we pay a seven figure amount for him?

I wonder if O'Connell will be our fourth choice centre back, assuming Dann, Givet and Hanley are all still here. Wasn't he given a squad number near the end of last season?

I think a big part of this summer was keeping some of our better players. I would say that Paul Robinson and Steven Nzonzi are both replaceable; we have Bunn and Kean as 2 competent goalkeepers, whilst Murphy, hopefully Silva, Petrovic, Lowe, Dunn and Pedersen could be enough.

I think we can allow Vukcevic OR Formica to go, with the other playing on the right, and I suspect that Martin Olsson will be off, and I don't think we can get away without bringing in another left back.

I would say we would be stupid not to bring in a loan or two, although I believe we can bring in 3 month loans throughout the season.

[Guest Rovers4Good]

The only person that stood out for me was Henley and the rest looked average to say the least.

I got the feeling that the ongoings at the club spread further than the 1st team so who knows if there's a change in fortune then maybe some of these lads may up their game.

[Majiball]

Perhaps Majiball should get his boots out of the cupboard.

[bennyboyt11]

Alan Judge didn't do too bad in the Championship, neither did our Burnley chum Keith Treacy so I think there is hope for these youth players that never set the first team on fire.

[Hughesy]

Henley is the stand out one at the moment.

The centre backs didnt look bad either....

[hesfromburn]

Fernandez and Henley for me and and the other Hanley has looked good and very physical defender.

[Oklahoma]

For me, Henley, Cotton, Morris, Jake Kean, Slew and Fernandez should all be included in the team. They are young and can still improve and we must remember that the Championship is not the Premier League. They are more than capable of being second choices

[Guest Rovers4Good]

For me, Henley, Cotton, Morris, Jake Kean, Slew and Fernandez should all be included in the team. They are young and can still improve and we must remember that the Championship is not the Premier League. They are more than capable of being second choices

Maybe give them a chance in the cup games or break a couple into the squad gradually but some of them need to progress more at the reserve level as they're not good enough to replace what we've got as it stands.

[Oklahoma]

For me it all depends on the players that are going to leave. For example, Morris and Slew should be in the reserve team or loaned out, if we keep the same number of players in the midfield or attack.

But if someone is needed to be a back up for the first team players, I think they can be a good alternative.

[Lhrover]

filip pivkovski, hes been on loan to get experience and I think now is the time he should get a chance, hes a pacey winger who can beat his man and his finishing is not to shebby either.

[OzFootball]

Can anyone give me some insight into the Aussie pair, Jamie Mclaren (striker) and Seb Usai (GK)?

Seb kind of came out of nowhere after briefly being a backup in the Aussie domestic league and Jamie has spent most of his youth football at Rovers yet has made an impact for the Young Socceroos.

I actually had an opportunity to catch up with for my blog (http://osaussies.com/jamie-has-big-goals-and-scores-a-lot-of-them-too/ and http://osaussies.com/theres-no-going-past-seb/) but I would love to hear from fans too.

Much appreciated

[John]

Strange that we can't come up with too many young players who we think are currently good enough.

All we hear from those in charge of the club (and Danny Murphy) is that we have the best young players in the land....

[Fraserkirky]

What about that Tim Payne laddie? I thought he was suppose to be good?

[OJRovers]

Anyone know why the likes of Hugo Fernandez, Henley, O'connor haven't gone on the pre-season tour, yet Myles Anderson has?

[Kelbo]

Anyone know why the likes of Hugo Fernandez, Henley, O'connor haven't gone on the pre-season tour, yet Myles Anderson has?

Defeats me too OJ, Myles Anderson is a very poor player, how on earth he has a contract at this level of football amazes me!!

[Majiball]

Defeats me too OJ, Myles Anderson is a very poor player, how on earth he has a contract at this level of football amazes me!!

Come on mate he's a late developer and will blossom one day. How did he get a contract???

He got it based on his talent, which he obviously inherited from his father.

[Guest Rovers4Good]

I wouldn't go that far. No idea he's sort of dried up a bit. I remember a lot of people on here really rated him but I guess you only have to consider the likes of Marlon Broomes and co to realise that sometimes things don't turn out as expected.

Yeh we've had a few who've made the grade like Broomes, Beattie, Dunn, Jones, Duff, Martin Taylor, Damien Johnson and so on so at least we know that the backroom staff are doing their job

[Guest Rovers4Good]

Who's the best to come through the ranks in your eyes?

[Kelbo]

Who's the best to come through the ranks in your eyes?

For me, it has to be Damien Duff over the past 20 years, a real talent with bags of ability, prior to that, we had some better, Douglas, Clayton, Newton, Pickering and England, all Internationals and three from the same youth team!!

[bennyboyt11]

Duff, but I think Phil Jones will go beyond him when he becomes a starter for United.

[Kelbo]

Anyone know why the likes of Hugo Fernandez, Henley, O'connor haven't gone on the pre-season tour, yet Myles Anderson has?

Initial reports suggested they hadnt but can confirm both Henley and O'Connell have gone on the tour!!

[RibbleValleyRover]

As it stands right now it’s Duffer, but Jones could end up surpassing him if United stop moving him around different positions and he gets a run at CB. Jones has huge talent but it's up to United if they want him to be the next John O'Shea or the next world class CB.

[hesfromburn]

As it stands right now it’s Duffer, but Jones could end up surpassing him if United stop moving him around different positions and he gets a run at CB. Jones has huge talent but it's up to United if they want him to be the next John O'Shea or the next world class CB.

THIS! I find it annoying that the talent jones has could be wasted with the way united are using him. He is only young and it was not a suprise he got injured with the way they kept moving him about, he looked burnt out at times.

Without doubt he is cb and IF played there consistantly he will be world class, but he could end up as one who never made it if united arnt careful