On a positive note - Uche Ikpeazu

[maffff]

cryptic lack of reasons

What do you mean, reasons for the hype?

It was Tshibola that went with Cooper on tour with United, not Ikpeazu.

[andrew1957]

cryptic lack of reasons

What do you mean, reasons for the hype?

It was Tshibola that went with Cooper on tour with United, not Ikpeazu.

My mistake - your are right - it was Tshibola.

[melonhead]

Have RFC made any significant missteps with letting young players go in the last 10 years? I suppose Simon Cox was looking like a mistake for a while but not sure now.

never ever looked anyway near to a mistake.

[melonhead]

cryptic lack of reasons

What do you mean, reasons for the hype?

.

no, where he says he isnt giving any reasons for th emove on his tweet

[ZacNaloen]

I have a feeling it's because he's got himself a pro-contract based on his U18 reputation and Reading would only offer him a "development" contract. The wages would be on a different level I suspect.


He needs a lot of work if he's to make it in the adult game, he relies too much on his strength at U18 level and against adults or more developed (and smarter) players, he has been anonymous.

[Wimb]

Disappointing but not gutting, he's still just a prospect and far from the finished product. Scoring goals at youth level is one thing but the Championship is another, just ask Paul Brayson....

[loyalroyal4life]

He was never going to play for our senior team this season so not a big loss really.

[winchester_royal]

Why was he not contracted at a younger age? The likes of Tishbola and Tanner were. He went off to play a tournament with Man Unt a year or so ago with Cooper if I recall rightly so was obviously highly rated.

That was Tshibola

How many times have you seen Ikpeazu play Andrew? Just wondering..

[andrew1957]

Why was he not contracted at a younger age? The likes of Tishbola and Tanner were. He went off to play a tournament with Man Unt a year or so ago with Cooper if I recall rightly so was obviously highly rated.

That was Tshibola

How many times have you seen Ikpeazu play Andrew? Just wondering..

I already posted above that I had got the Man Unt issue wrong.

I have seen him play twice. I thought he was raw and needed time to develop but that he had potential. At 18 all you can see is "potential". He may or may not make it - who knows at this stage but the issue is why he was not already contracted.

[winchester_royal]

Fair enough, apologies on the first point.

As for why he was not contracted, it's probably because his form last season came completely out of the blue. The season before he was playing second fiddle to Samuel, making the odd substitute appearance and not being particularly effective in his cameos. He doesn't posses a huge amount of technical ability (which is what you're looking for in an academy player) and has only really come to the fore because of his physical stature. If you look at the majority of his goals this season they have come from good balls into the box that he has got to because he was able to bully opposition defenders. If he'll be able to do that at senior level then yes it will be a big loss, but as others have pointed out he's been disappointing against those of a similar size to him which doesn't bode particularly well for the future.

In hindsight it was a mistake not getting him signed up earlier, but 12 months ago he wasn't considered to be a top prospect so giving him a 3-year deal would have been daft.

[ZacNaloen]

Perhaps he hadn't really shown them much until last year?

[maffff]

cryptic lack of reasons

What do you mean, reasons for the hype?

no, where he says he isnt giving any reasons for th emove on his tweet

Yeah, fair point. Let's see if that comes out in time....

[maffff]

Fair enough, apologies on the first point.

As for why he was not contracted, it's probably because his form last season came completely out of the blue. The season before he was playing second fiddle to Samuel, making the odd substitute appearance and not being particularly effective in his cameos. He doesn't posses a huge amount of technical ability (which is what you're looking for in an academy player) and has only really come to the fore because of his physical stature. If you look at the majority of his goals this season they have come from good balls into the box that he has got to because he was able to bully opposition defenders. If he'll be able to do that at senior level then yes it will be a big loss, but as others have pointed out he's been disappointing against those of a similar size to him which doesn't bode particularly well for the future.

In hindsight it was a mistake not getting him signed up earlier, but 12 months ago he wasn't considered to be a top prospect so giving him a 3-year deal would have been daft.

It'll be interesting to see how he does against stronger/bigger defenders.

Also, Tshibola and Tanner are huge prospects for us, how much of his form came down to them hitting form?

[winchester_royal]

Tanner seemed to be behind pretty much all of Uche's goals tbh.

In terms of prospects from last year's U18's I had it down as:

Tanner=Kuhl>>>>Fosu>>>>Ikpeazu=Cooper>Griffin>>>>>>bar

So tbh, I'd have been more upset if we'd lost the first 3

[maffff]

Tanner=Kuhl>>>>Fosu
I'd have been more upset if we'd lost the first 3

There's still time.

So many of our young players look like they could make it in the professional game, whether with us or elsewhere -

Tanner and Kuhl must be the most exciting prospects. Fosu and not far behind Tshibola too.

There are a few that I just can't place in my mind where / how much the club rate them
- Michael Hector's been mooted about for years but Cooper seems to be the one being pushed now and we have Sweeney who was hyped, Partridge who has been solid at youth level etc etc.
- Ryan Edwards seems to be there or thereabouts but far enough away from the first team that he won't be troubling it, similarly D'Ath and Taylor. If he's extended his contract the club never publicised it, despite him initially signing being public.
- Jordan Obita's been on the fringes of the squad but with some of the players coming in opportunities will be even more limited, and likewise if his contract has been extended why have the club not announced that too?

Interesting when you see how many youth players we have of varying potential [if those that are out of contract re-sign]. Plus how little we actually have up top coming through the ranks:

Goalkeepers
Aleksandar Gogic, Jon Henly, Dan Lincoln, Stuart Moore, Lewis Ward, Luke Southwood

Defenders
Nick Arnold, Jake Cooper, Robert Dickie, Samúel Friðjónsson, Shane Griffin, Michael Hector, Dominic Hyam, Niall Keown, Sean Long, George McLennan, Nana Owusu, Matt Partridge, Pierce Sweeney

Midfielders
Lewis Collins, Lawson D’Ath*, Ryan Edwards, Tariqe Fosu-Henry, Shpat Ismajli, Jack Jeffrey, Liam Kelly,, Aaron Kuhl, Shepherd Murombedzi, Jordan Obita, Conor Shaughnessy, Jack Stacey, Jake Taylor, Aaron Tshibola, Tomas Urbancic

Strikers
Germaine Ofori, Craig Tanner, De'Juane Taylor-Crossdale, Gozie Ugwu

[is there anyone I've missed?]

Plus all the new scholars.....

[LightwaterRoyal]

Dominic Samuel?

[maffff]

Dominic Samuel?

I've put him with the first team, since he's made his debut.

[LightwaterRoyal]

So have D'Ath (against Stevenage) and Taylor (against Northampton or Torquay - Cant remember)

[maffff]

Apols - league debut (although Taylor has too - those three are a bit blurred as to where they lay).

[Norfolk Royal]

This sounds poor to me. If he has shown promise why aren't we hanging onto him? Is there some sort of statement from the club on this?