Loan Watch 2012-2013

[Terminal Boardom]

Compaing Antonio to Bertrand is a bit obscure. Bertrand came through the ranks of a PL Academy; Antonio certainly did not have that luxury so is very much a late learner / developer. No-one on here can possibly know if he can cut it in the Prem but what we all know is that a spell on loan to a Championship club will give a good indication as to whether he has it in him. I trust BMcD and Co to find the right club for him to develop further and to then decide which way to go.

[Simon's Church]

I like him but I think we'll sell him this summer.

[Hoop Blah]

4 years? It's 3.5 max.

It's the best part of 4 years. I don't tend to worry too much about whether it's 3.36 or 3.72 years to be honest, but suffice to say that he's been on our radar for all that time and he's had plenty of opportunity to impress and stake his claim.

I agree there needs to be a great deal of patience with young players, and I'd have no real problem with the club keeping him on if they see fit. I don't really see the point though as, like Henry and Cox before him, he probably needs to make his own way now in order to progress further and fulfil whatever potential he has.

The player he reminds me most of is Trevor Benjamin. All pace and power and with a decent record at times but not quite the savvy or technique to play at the highest level. He can improve those over time, but if he does that here I'd be surprised and a little disappointed as I think we have better prospects to concetrate on.

[JimmytheJim]

What about Ian Wright, Kevin Doyle, Grant Holt, any number of players whose careers bloom ever so slightly later?

Fans are so impatient with players. What's the risk in keeping an eye on Antonio for another year before making a judgement on whether or not to offload him? It's not like there's going to be a shortage of suitors...

The max 25 player squad rule?

If we loan him out (which is what I suggested in my previous post and which would be the most sensible thing to do with him if he does stay) then this would not matter at all.

[Platypuss]

Surely that's only realistic if we get him to sign another (improved?) contract now that lasts beyond the end of next season. Is that likely/prudent?

[JimmytheJim]

Surely that's only realistic if we get him to sign another (improved?) contract now that lasts beyond the end of next season. Is that likely/prudent?

I don't think it's necessarily imprudent given the strong likelihood that he will be in demand if we do decide to sell at the end of the year.

I suspect that you are right and that he will be allowed to leave this summer, but if we were able to tie him down to another year or two on similar terms to his current deal, then it would be an inexpensive and potentially rewarding gamble. Lot of ifs there, though.

[Ian Royal]

Antonio = Long = not Academy-trained so extra-raw and a (relatively) late developer.


Take note how many goals the STRIKER Shane Long had got after 4 seasons and 5 seasons.

How much did he end up being worth?


Mark my words, Antonio is better than a lot of you think.

This would be the Shane Long that had a lot more Championship and also Premier League experience at a younger age correct?

[SCIAG]

Song was 19 when he played for Premiership Charlton.

Bertrand was 17 when he first played in the FL and 19 in the Championship.

Antonio is 22.

Loans are a great way to develop young talent, but Antonio isn't that young any more. Clinging on and hoping he develops to a level where we can use him doesn't seem right, given he was fifth choice before promotion.

Fair point.

What about Ian Wright, Kevin Doyle, Grant Holt, any number of players whose careers bloom ever so slightly later?

Kevin Doyle was our (joint) top scorer aged 21/22. Ian Wright was second top scorer for Palace at the same age.

Grant Holt and Dave Kitson are better examples, but they only got to the position they did because they played regular football. Antonio will not get regular football with us any time soon as he's behind Kebe, McAnuff, HRK and Obita in the pecking order before we bring in any new players. Give the lad a transfer and the opportunity to become the best footballer he can be. We'll get an excellent fee if the £750k bid is accurate. Paul Anderson is probably the outstanding example of the PL winger loaned to a Championship club of late, and he went for £250k.

We could loan him, but that strikes me as a bigger risk. He could get injured or continue his current level of performance at Championship level, and then we wouldn't be able to sell him for as much. He'll also have less time on his contract. Furthermore, if he appears to be further from the first team than he currently is, then it will look like we're prepared to accept less for him. He could get annoyed that we won't allow him to settle down at a club and request a transfer.

I only think we should cling onto him if we're really worried that we'll get relegated and have to sell Kebe and McAnuff, because it will take more than a year to turn him into a Premiership player if we want to send him on loan.

[Snowball]

Antonio = Long = not Academy-trained so extra-raw and a (relatively) late developer.


Take note how many goals the STRIKER Shane Long had got after 4 seasons and 5 seasons.

How much did he end up being worth?


Mark my words, Antonio is better than a lot of you think.

This would be the Shane Long that had a lot more Championship and also Premier League experience at a younger age correct?

And your point is? I seem to remember people saying Long wouldn't go out on loan and should have gone out on loan.


The point is, at the age Antonio is now he HADN'T broken through and had scored less goals, despite being a striker rather than a winger.

[Snowball]

Antonio's strike rate is very very decent for a winger, and he's a KID

He also compares very well with Jimmy (I know, mostly, it's a league different)
but Antonio has six years of improvement in him.

If he plays for Wednesday for a full season I'd expect him to get 10 goals and 10 assists next season


152 Appearances 11,705 Minutes 24 Goals 42 Assists 488 Minutes per Goal 28.47 Years Old Kebe
104 Appearances 04,782 Minutes 13 Goals 07 Assists 353 Minutes per Goal 22.15 Years Old Antonio

[FiNeRaIn]

Antonio's strike rate is very very decent for a winger, and he's a KID

Umm...no. Sorry, you stop being a kid once you turn 18, you're over 4 years off with that one.

[KDRF]

Why would any of you ever take 750k for him now over letting him go on loan again and gaining more experience? If we loan him out and he does well at maybe a championship club, then it can only increase his price tag or make him more likely to play for us the season after. We can lose nothing from this. Also, you have to take into account Mcanuff isn't exactly young, and because of the style of football we play, we rely on fast wingers that can break quickly, and in 2-3 years Mcanuff will no doubt lose some of this play, and with this I can see him adopting more of a giggs like role and move inwards, which in some games this season he has done, to varied effect.

[Platypuss]

Why would any of you ever take 750k for him now over letting him go on loan again and gaining more experience? If we loan him out and he does well at maybe a championship club, then it can only increase his price tag or make him more likely to play for us the season after. We can lose nothing from this..

As said above - we'd have to offer him a new long-term contract for starters.

[Ian Royal]

Why would any of you ever take 750k for him now over letting him go on loan again and gaining more experience? If we loan him out and he does well at maybe a championship club, then it can only increase his price tag or make him more likely to play for us the season after. We can lose nothing from this. Also, you have to take into account Mcanuff isn't exactly young, and because of the style of football we play, we rely on fast wingers that can break quickly, and in 2-3 years Mcanuff will no doubt lose some of this play, and with this I can see him adopting more of a giggs like role and move inwards, which in some games this season he has done, to varied effect.

Another loan to Wednesday doesn't seem a very realistic prospect to me, personally I don't think they'd want another loan, perm or someone else. As Platy says, to make it worth it we'd have to give him a new longer contract - which may be a waste if he doesn't make the step up, or we'd just end up losing him for peanuts at the end of next season.

[winchester_royal]

Morrison very impressive for Huddersfield.

Will provide good cover next season.

[robinsfriday]

Morrison very impressive for Huddersfield.

Will provide good cover next season.

He did play well. However if the Terriers don't go up then I'd like to see him on loan at a Championship club at the start of next season. Some more experience but at a higher level will be the ideal situation. Then we'll know if he can make the leap to the first team and at the highest level. What is he, 21? 22 years old?

[winchester_royal]

21. I see what you're saying, but I'd rather we keep him than spend £1mill on an average player as back up for next season. For a start Morrison is probably at a similar level to anyone who'd be willing to come to us as back-up, and the money would be better off being spent improving other areas of the team.

[Ian Royal]

21. I see what you're saying, but I'd rather we keep him than spend £1mill on an average player as back up for next season. For a start Morrison is probably at a similar level to anyone who'd be willing to come to us as back-up, and the money would be better off being spent improving other areas of the team.

I'd rather take Davies / Marriapa and Connolly and either let Morrison go or have another loan. All more experienced than him at a higher level and none likely to be demanding guaranteed 1st team football after a step up and willing to compete with Gorkss / Pearce to win a place.

[winchester_royal]

21. I see what you're saying, but I'd rather we keep him than spend £1mill on an average player as back up for next season. For a start Morrison is probably at a similar level to anyone who'd be willing to come to us as back-up, and the money would be better off being spent improving other areas of the team.

I'd rather take Davies / Marriapa and Connolly and either let Morrison go or have another loan. All more experienced than him at a higher level and none likely to be demanding guaranteed 1st team football after a step up and willing to compete with Gorkss / Pearce to win a place.

Mariappa + Connolly will cost around 4 million though. I'd rather just bring in Mariappa and keep Morrison. Connolly didn't show that he was massively >> Morrison while he was here, and Sean would also benefit from being in and around the squad, training with better players etc.

Either way, he's clearly a very bright prospect that seems to have slipped below the HNA radar a bit over the last 6 months.

[Ian Royal]

I thought Connolly looked a pretty good player tbh. And he covers the whole back four. This is a player who made 37 appearance for a Championship winning side. Compared to a player who is yet to play in the Championship. And we're talking about a Premier League side now.

But fair enough, you've obviously seen more in him than I have and think he's readier than I do.