Academy & U21s

[JacknOry]

43 minutes ago, Lucimo said:

Think this could end up badly for us. All this recognition before he's has a chance to sign pro terms 😟

Yep. He is making such an impression, I'm wondering how far away he is from the first team squad despite being 16. 

Edited September 7, 2021 by JacknOry

[bluebruce]

7 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

Yep. He is making such an impression, I'm wondering how far away he is from the first team squad despite being 16. 

I'm guessing he will have made his debut by the end of the season. Already travelled with a first team squad. Once Wharton is fit there will be a lot of bodies in the way though. Matter of time before Ayala is injured and Lenihan suspended, but still. You then have the Van Hecke, Carter, Wharton when fit, and potentially Magloire who might be considered to be ahead of him. We do sometimes play three at the back though.

Edited September 7, 2021 by bluebruce

[Tom]

Jack Vale has bagged a hat trick on his Wales u21 debut 

[Ulrich]

9 minutes ago, Tom said:

Jack Vale has bagged a hat trick on his Wales u21 debut 

I reckon you could bag a hat trick against Bulgaria 😉

[Guest]

Perfect hat-trick for Jack Vale. Love that. Injuries the issue as per though.

[bluebruce]

5 minutes ago, JoeH said:

Perfect hat-trick for Jack Vale. Love that. Injuries the issue as per though.

You mean he picked one up tonight?

[BRFC4EVA]

3 hours ago, JacknOry said:

Yep. He is making such an impression, I'm wondering how far away he is from the first team squad despite being 16. 

I was looking at his bio the other day and the interesting part is that he's only just turned 16 in the close season. So we're talking about a guy who 3 months ago was just 15!

[inflikted]

Louie did appear to get a slight knock against Norway, eventually subbed off due to it with 10 mins left. Did an admirable job against a Norwegian team out to prove a point after a lacklustre 3-0 display in their last meeting. Ended up with Norway having 43 attempts on goal, of which 14 were on target, 16 were off target, and 13 were blocked (so a lot of respect has to be put on the Gibraltar defensive line), ending 5-1.

[RV Blue]

It’s clear to me that the club is bigging Phillips up in order to maximise the compensation we’ll receive when he signs a pro contract elsewhere. 

[47er]

3 minutes ago, RV Blue said:

It’s clear to me that the club is bigging Phillips up in order to maximise the compensation we’ll receive when he signs a pro contract elsewhere. 

If true what on earth is the point? What hope do we have?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, RV Blue said:

It’s clear to me that the club is bigging Phillips up in order to maximise the compensation we’ll receive when he signs a pro contract elsewhere. 

That's just a complete stab in the dark though...

[arbitro]

45 minutes ago, JoeH said:

That's just a complete stab in the dark though...

How many other 16 year olds has he gone public about? Phillips is undoubtedly a player with huge potential but I don't think it's right that Mowbray is already bigging him up to the world and his wife. In my view the lad needs to be able to develop without the pressure of the first team manager heaping huge praise on him.

[RV Blue]

2 minutes ago, arbitro said:

How many other 16 year olds has he gone public about? Phillips is undoubtedly a player with huge potential but I don't think it's right that Mowbray is already bigging him up to the world and his wife. In my view the lad needs to be able to develop without the pressure of the first team manager heaping huge praise on him.

That’s it. The way he’s gone about praising Phillips is a complete anomaly. If he signs a pro contract elsewhere I believe it will go to a tribunal, where we’ll be able to say ‘look how highly we rated him’, pointing at Mowbray’s comments etc.

[RV Blue]

58 minutes ago, JoeH said:

That's just a complete stab in the dark though...

Well I’m not claiming to be itk but I think what we’re doing is pretty obvious.

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

How many other 16 year olds has he gone public about? Phillips is undoubtedly a player with huge potential but I don't think it's right that Mowbray is already bigging him up to the world and his wife. In my view the lad needs to be able to develop without the pressure of the first team manager heaping huge praise on him.

It is odd contrasted with how he usually talks about players 3, 4 years older. "We need to be patient, he's only young, has lots to learn" etc.

[riverholmes]

Strikes me as mostly a PR exercise, possibly, for the consumption of fans and for the owners. Hopefully, other defenders step up and Phillips can be 'forgotten' as he quietly learn his trade in the U23s.

We need to be focusing on developing our U23 crop, either for first team duty or for potential transfer fees, not hyping a 16 year old centre back.

Edited September 10, 2021 by riverholmes

[rigger]

7 minutes ago, riverholmes said:

Strikes me as mostly a PR exercise, possibly, for the consumption of fans and for the owners. Hopefully, other defenders step up and Phillips can be 'forgotten' as he quietly learn his trade in the U23s. 

The other defenders at U23/18 level are not as good as Phillips they won't be stepping up above him. We should be making the Rovers, the most attractive club for him. If we fail, so be it, but at least try. Quietly learning his trade is the last thing he needs. 

[chaddyrovers]

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, riverholmes said:

Strikes me as mostly a PR exercise, possibly, for the consumption of fans and for the owners. Hopefully, other defenders step up and Phillips can be 'forgotten' as he quietly learn his trade in the U23s.

We need to be focusing on developing our U23 crop, either for first team duty or for potential transfer fees, not hyping a 16 year old centre back.

This "PR" excersise will be all part of the plan to keep the lad here. If I'm 16, just signed my scholarship and the 1st team managers waxing lyrical about me... at a Cat 1, PL2 Div 1 side.. why would I leave?

[Ulrich]

On 08/09/2021 at 13:23, bluebruce said:

It is odd contrasted with how he usually talks about players 3, 4 years older. "We need to be patient, he's only young, has lots to learn" etc.

Bingo, the man just makes it up as he goes along.

[Ulrich]

31 minutes ago, JoeH said:

This "PR" excersise will be all part of the plan to keep the lad here. If I'm 16, just signed my scholarship and the 1st team managers waxing lyrical about me... at a Cat 1, PL2 Div 1 side.. why would I leave?

Cause Liverpool come along and offer you 10k a week and a route to their first team, with loans back to the championship to gain experience prior.

[BlackburnEnd75]

On 08/09/2021 at 13:23, bluebruce said:

It is odd contrasted with how he usually talks about players 3, 4 years older. "We need to be patient, he's only young, has lots to learn" etc.

I've seen mowbray talk about 23/24 year old like they've just come straight out of the womb.

[bluebruce]

47 minutes ago, BlackburnEnd75 said:

I've seen mowbray talk about 23/24 year old like they've just come straight out of the womb.

🤣🤣🤣

"Aye well he's barely more than a glint in his daddy's eye right now. We're gonna have to be patient and wait until he at least has a heartbeat, maybe even learnt to walk. Then he'll have to learn how to play right-back from Sam Gallagher. Should be ready for the first team in 2040 when he's 43. Oh aye nay worry, I'll still be the gaffer.

Anyway, on another note, Ash Phillips is starting next week."

Edited September 10, 2021 by bluebruce

[rigger]

20 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

🤣🤣🤣

"Aye well he's barely more than a glint in his daddy's eye right now. We're gonna have to be patient and wait until he at least has a heartbeat, maybe even learnt to walk. Then he'll have to learn how to play right-back from Sam Gallagher. Should be ready for the first team in 2040 when he's 43. Oh aye nay worry, I'll still be the gaffer.

Anyway, on another note, Ash Phillips is starting next week."

Against Spurs

[briansol]

Looks like the Brighton game is streamed live on Youtube for those interested: