Academy & U21s

[Forever Blue]

 Charlie Olson has signed a new 2 year deal with a year option. 

[rigger]

Not many , if any of the youngsters stand out.

[arbitro]

12 hours ago, Forever Blue said:

 Charlie Olson has signed a new 2 year deal with a year option. 

That is a surprise for me particularly the length of the deal. He has never really impressed me and he plays a position where we have a lot of youngsters coming through.

[KentExile]

14 minutes ago, arbitro said:

That is a surprise for me particularly the length of the deal. He has never really impressed me and he plays a position where we have a lot of youngsters coming through.

Whilst I definitely agree with the point that I highlighted in bold, He is 19, so his deal basically covers his time with the U21s, probably whilst those in a younger age group who may have a higher ceiling (Atchison, Davies, Litherland and Rhys Doherty)  are promoted over him to challenge for the first team (in years to come).  I see it as a deal that gives him security and does not leave the U21s short in a year or 2 if some players progress as is anticipated.

Or maybe he is seen as someone who may be able to take up a squad place at league 1 level when operation managed decline takes us there, and those with higher aspirations have moved on?

Edited July 13, 2024 by KentExile

[arbitro]

12 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Whilst I definitely agree with the point that I highlighted in bold, He is 19, so his deal basically covers his time with the U21s, probably whilst those in a younger age group who may have a higher ceiling (Atchison, Davies, Litherland and Rhys Doherty)  are promoted over him to challenge for the first team (in years to come).  I see it as a deal that gives him security and does not leave the U21s short in a year or 2 if some players progress as is anticipated.

Or maybe he is seen as someone who may be able to take up a squad place at league 1 level when operation managed decline takes us there, and those with higher aspirations have moved on?

There is also Pat Gamble and Saadi (although he is more versatile) to throw into the mix. Who knows really though what the reasons are for giving him a potential three year deal. Fundamentally I don't agree with a deal of that length unless there is real potential there. If he doesn't progress is he going to hold up the development of someone like Litherland who I really rate. But most likely under pinning the points we both make is that he will be cheap.

[KentExile]

17 minutes ago, arbitro said:

There is also Pat Gamble and Saadi (although he is more versatile) to throw into the mix. Who knows really though what the reasons are for giving him a potential three year deal. Fundamentally I don't agree with a deal of that length unless there is real potential there. If he doesn't progress is he going to hold up the development of someone like Litherland who I really rate. But most likely under pinning the points we both make is that he will be cheap.

Gamble is 21 withinin 3 months so will not qualify for U21s after this coming season (same applies to Pratt), Saadi is already 22, and is more of a holding midfielder than a defender for me

Edited July 13, 2024 by KentExile

[arbitro]

1 minute ago, KentExile said:

Gamble is 21 before xmas so will not qualify for U21s after this coming season, Saadi is already 22, and is more of a holding midfielder than a defender for me

I was thinking more of a pathway to the first team with those two.

[KentExile]

8 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I was thinking more of a pathway to the first team with those two.

Lets all hope that Saadi turns out to be the second coming of N'Zonzi 🙂 

Edited July 13, 2024 by KentExile

[rigger]

1 hour ago, KentExile said:

Lets all hope that Saadi turns out to be the second coming of N'Zonzi 🙂 

From what I have seen of him, Saadi is nowhere-near a first team player.

Edited July 13, 2024 by rigger

[KentExile]

1 minute ago, rigger said:

In my opinion Saadi is nowhere-near a first team player.

Hope is a long way away from expectation

[rigger]

2 minutes ago, KentExile said:

Hope is a long way away from expectation

Which is about as far as Saadi should be from our first team.

[RoversClitheroe]

Where is the Comms coming out around under 21s.

Not one mention of Whitehall?

[KentExile]

Lineup this afternoon vs Macclesfield

                 Barrett (trial)

Houghton Doherty Litherland Powell

               Saadi    Willis

  Bell               Strich              Biniek

                   Boggan

No sign of Whitehall or Baker

 

 

 

[riverholmes]

Trialist, Jack Barrett - a 22 year-old goalkeeper released by Everton who went on loan to Canadian club last season? Could mean that Hilton is now the regular No.2, with Eastham and a newcomer serving as a back-up.

Would be interesting to know if Rovers have made a decision on NI striker Jack Hastings who has been on trial. He seems to be promoted in the media and reportedly has interested several clubs.

Edit: 2-0 defeat to Macclesfield, who had former player, Tre Pemberton playing. Two second half goals. Trialist goalie conceded a pen. Not a great start to pre-season for the U23s.

Edited July 13, 2024 by riverholmes

[chaddyrovers]

19 minutes ago, riverholmes said:

Trialist, Jack Barrett - a 22 year-old goalkeeper released by Everton who went on loan to Canadian club last season? Could mean that Hilton is now the regular No.2, with Eastham and a newcomer serving as a back-up.

Would be interesting to know if Rovers have made a decision on NI striker Jack Hastings who has been on trial. He seems to be promoted in the media and reportedly has interested several clubs.

I think Hilton will leave when we bring in a senior keeper 

[MarkBRFC]

Guessing Whitehall and Baker have decided to move on, fair enough really both over 21 and nowhere near the first team.

Need to get on with there careers rather than hanging on here another year.

[hollowsr]

I could have sworn I'd seen Whitehall on some of the training pics 

[RoversClitheroe]

4 minutes ago, hollowsr said:

I could have sworn I'd seen Whitehall on some of the training pics 

Yeah you'd be correct.

[arbitro]

I was at Macclesfield today and got talking to a man in front of me and he told me he represents Zac Gilsenan. He told me that he picked up a serious thigh injury in training this week after only starting back on Monday. He said he will be out for a while.

It was a really young Rovers team who generally acquitted themselves well but lost 2-0. I wasn't too impressed with Barrett the new keeper though although it's unfair to pass judgement after one game. Does anybody know if he has signed a deal with us?

[chaddyrovers]

14 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I was at Macclesfield today and got talking to a man in front of me and he told me he represents Zac Gilsenan. He told me that he picked up a serious thigh injury in training this week after only starting back on Monday. He said he will be out for a while.

It was a really young Rovers team who generally acquitted themselves well but lost 2-0. I wasn't too impressed with Barrett the new keeper though although it's unfair to pass judgement after one game. Does anybody know if he has signed a deal with us?

Did anyone stand out today? 

No deal has been announce with Barrett yet. 

[unleaded]

Barret was poor gave away the penalty & looked nervous even at this level ….

Jack Hastings who played for an hour in his trial game last week has Ipswich on his Tail as well as Rovers ..He looks the real deal …He also scored for Ipswich on his trial game ….

Hastings  played for Larne today. Scored 4 in a 6-1 win …. 

36 odd goals last year & he’s going strength to Strength … Rovers need to press the button on him before someone else does …. We just don’t have anyone currently like him in the whole Academy Set up ….. 

 

[arbitro]

55 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Did anyone stand out today? 

No deal has been announce with Barrett yet. 

I didn't think there was any particular stand out performance although there weren't too many who played the full match. If pushed I'd say Brandon Powell.

[chaddyrovers]

15 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I didn't think there was any particular stand out performance although there weren't too many who played the full match. If pushed I'd say Brandon Powell.

Thanks for the reply

[Exiled_Rover]

6 hours ago, arbitro said:

I was at Macclesfield today and got talking to a man in front of me and he told me he represents Zac Gilsenan. He told me that he picked up a serious thigh injury in training this week after only starting back on Monday. He said he will be out for a while.

It was a really young Rovers team who generally acquitted themselves well but lost 2-0. I wasn't too impressed with Barrett the new keeper though although it's unfair to pass judgement after one game. Does anybody know if he has signed a deal with us?

Seems to be very injury prone this Gilsenan. 

[KentExile]

6 hours ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Seems to be very injury prone this Gilsenan. 

The reason why he is not still on the books at either Barcelona or Liverpool

Below copied from his Wikipedia

Despite captaining the Barcelona youth teams, his parents relocated to England after two years in Spain, and Gilsenan again went on trial, this time with Liverpool.^[7] He signed for Liverpool in 2014.^[9] He suffered a run of injuries, which eventually ended his spell in Merseyside, and despite interest from Premier League sides, he signed for Blackburn Rovers at the age of sixteen.^[7]

Youth career
	Carramar Cougars
–2012	Sorrento
2011–2012	Perth Glory
2012–2014	Barcelona
2014–2019	Liverpool
2019–2023	Blackburn Rovers