cambridgeshire canary 7,555 Posted January 4 Hope he does well. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duncan Edwards 2,371 Posted January 4 Hopefully gets some valuable experience and plenty of minutes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellow and Green 348 Posted January 5 It will be interesting to see how the CB situation develops over the next couple of years. We have a set of ageing centre backs in Hanley, Duffy, Gibson and Batth, and a clutch of highly rated lads coming through the youth ranks, including Adegboyega, Warner, Tomkinson and Brad Hills. With Batth and Gibson's contracts expiring in the summer, it will be interest to see if we invest in this area of the pitch or give these guys a chance. Whilst we won't want to block their progress / pathway to the first team, the CB position is obviously important and experience is needed in that area of the pitch. Loaning in a left-sided CB for a season might be a decent shout. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dog 27 Posted January 5 26 minutes ago, Yellow and Green said: It will be interesting to see how the CB situation develops over the next couple of years. We have a set of ageing centre backs in Hanley, Duffy, Gibson and Batth, and a clutch of highly rated lads coming through the youth ranks, including Adegboyega, Warner, Tomkinson and Brad Hills. With Batth and Gibson's contracts expiring in the summer, it will be interest to see if we invest in this area of the pitch or give these guys a chance. Whilst we won't want to block their progress / pathway to the first team, the CB position is obviously important and experience is needed in that area of the pitch. Loaning in a left-sided CB for a season might be a decent shout. Tomkinson is finished at the club, two very poor loans in League 2 where he has struggled to get game time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rottingdean canary 133 Posted January 5 21 minutes ago, The Dog said: Tomkinson is finished at the club, two very poor loans in League 2 where he has struggled to get game time. @sonyc was keeping an eye on him at Bradford. I think he's a regular there now and they've hardly conceded a goal since he came into the side. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shefcanary 2,854 Posted January 5 2 minutes ago, Rottingdean canary said: @sonyc was keeping an eye on him at Bradford. I think he's a regular there now and they've hardly conceded a goal since he came into the side. Yeah, it is my understanding that Tomkinson didn't fit the previous manager's MO, however the new one has no such hang-ups and played him as soon as he took over. It does question what our loans manager was doing when Tomkinson was not playing - usually we are very quick to recall players in such situations. For once playing a waiting game appears to have paid off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
For the future 84 Posted January 5 Another bad decision Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
repman 691 Posted January 5 1 hour ago, shefcanary said: Yeah, it is my understanding that Tomkinson didn't fit the previous manager's MO, however the new one has no such hang-ups and played him as soon as he took over. It does question what our loans manager was doing when Tomkinson was not playing - usually we are very quick to recall players in such situations. For once playing a waiting game appears to have paid off. I don't know if Hughes is still in charge but I remember he did an interview on the club channel about it and the thing that bugged me most was him emphasising how going on loan is about the character building and not necessarily playing games. While I think it's a good thing that no young players is guaranteed a place in any side, there's no point sending them out on loan if they're not playing games. They might as well stay here to play in training games as at least the quality will be higher. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon Bennett 864 Posted January 6 16 hours ago, For the future said: Another bad decision What is? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim Smith 2,498 Posted January 6 Interested to see how Adegboyega gets on. From what I’ve seen he is one who has the physical attributes to be a top, top player. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coneys Knee 1,036 Posted January 6 I’d like to see some of those youngsters do stint abroad like Cantwell did. We’re always led to believe that coaches on the continent are far more technical than their league 1/2 counterparts. True or not I don’t know but I think it’s an area potentially worth reigniting especially for the British youngsters. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellow and Green 348 Posted January 6 (edited) 4 hours ago, Coneys Knee said: I’d like to see some of those youngsters do stint abroad like Cantwell did. We’re always led to believe that coaches on the continent are far more technical than their league 1/2 counterparts. True or not I don’t know but I think it’s an area potentially worth reigniting especially for the British youngsters. Cantwell was sent to Holland because they didn't think he could take getting lumps kicked out of him every week. It was an excellent call by Adams, if memory serves correctly. Whilst I get the logic, sending youngsters abroad is quite bold and won't work for everyone. As for the young centre backs, it is very much part of their game to be physical, battle it out and dominate their opponent. Edited January 6 by Yellow and Green Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yellow and Green 348 Posted January 6 19 hours ago, repman said: I don't know if Hughes is still in charge but I remember he did an interview on the club channel about it and the thing that bugged me most was him emphasising how going on loan is about the character building and not necessarily playing games. While I think it's a good thing that no young players is guaranteed a place in any side, there's no point sending them out on loan if they're not playing games. They might as well stay here to play in training games as at least the quality will be higher. When you think about how a typical squad will consist of 25 players, over half of them won't get in the starting eleven. The youth players, having previously been in purposefully small youth teams, mentally won't be used to not pick picked automatically. They then need to go through the process of either a) working super hard in training to impress the manager, b) taking your chance when you come on as a sub or c) waiting for an injury. Ideally, they would be playing week-in, week-out but it's simply not the reality. If you listen to James Milner's appearance on the High Performance podcast then you'll see the attitude and determination that these kids need to learn. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rottingdean canary 133 Posted January 8 On 05/01/2024 at 17:29, repman said: I don't know if Hughes is still in charge but I remember he did an interview on the club channel about it and the thing that bugged me most was him emphasising how going on loan is about the character building and not necessarily playing games. While I think it's a good thing that no young players is guaranteed a place in any side, there's no point sending them out on loan if they're not playing games. They might as well stay here to play in training games as at least the quality will be higher. https://www.pinkun.com/sport/norwich-city/24034016.norwich-city-jonathan-tomkinson-bradford-loan-experience/ Jonathan Tomkinson aims to stay put at Bradford for the rest of the season to boost his Norwich City prospects. The 21-year-old has started the Bantams last six League Two games, after having to bide his time following a planned season long loan, and the Canaries now have no plans to recall him this month. Tomkinson is part of a young group of centre backs looking for regular minutes in the Football League over coming months to push their claims to be part of the City senior set up next season. The US youth international was initially a bit-part player at Valley Parade, after being recruited by former boss Mark Hughes, but is now a fixture in the starting line up under Graham Alexander. “I want to play every game for the rest of the season if I can,” said Tomkinson. “There’s always going to be times when you are in and out with injuries and stuff. But I want to do all I can to keep playing every week and at my best. “We’ve always stuck together as a team, even when things were difficult. We maybe just weren’t figuring out the solution to all of our problems, which is why we struggled. “The atmosphere is definitely quite high right now. We’re winning lots of games, keeping more clean sheets and it feels that everything is starting to go right at the moment.” Alexander feels Norwich will reap the longer term benefits. “He’s getting the experience they wanted him to get and JT is really enjoying it,” he said, quoted by the Bradford Telegraph and Argus. “Now he’s in the team, the challenge for him is to keep the shirt. He’s playing exceptionally well.” Tomkinson is in the frame to be part of the US Under-23s Olympic football squad at this summer’s Paris games, after being part of training camps last October and November. But the Texan is also looking towards the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada. “That’s a huge goal for me,” said Tomkinson, who could be back in action on Tuesday in Bradford’s Football League Trophy tie at Derby. “That’s what you dream about. Obviously it’s a long way off but I do feel that if I can be successful here, that gives me a better chance to have those opportunities down the line. “It’s a really proud feeling being able to represent your country and as well as that we’re building towards something huge (2024 Olympics). It’s an exciting time.” Share this post Link to post Share on other sites