Young British Talent... Are we an attractive proposition?

[Bristol Canary 152]

Everyone seems in favour of the continental route after the success of Garrido and Tettey, but do we really need to cast our net as far with potential players on our doorstep?Nathan Redmond - 18 - Birmingham City   Can play on both wings, very quick and a good dribbler... possibly lacking the final ball but definitely has the potential to improve. Would increase the competition of places on the wings and ultimately improve the squad. With Birmingham''s now well publicised financial difficulties and Chris Hughton''s links to the club he may be available at a respectable price.Max Clayton - 18 - Crewe   Fast, Pacey striker in the Michael Owen mould, hasn''t quite done the business this year but showing enough potential that he can develop in to a top striker. Definitely see him as the player to replace Simeon (if he leaves) in the squad. Apparently available for 2-3m like Powell but maybe a bit too steep to warrant a squad player with potential, more likely to end up in a top 6 teams reserve squad. I think he could improve us and we could offer him more playing time than some of the bigger clubs.Connor Wickham - 19 - Sunderland   Big, powerful striker with a bit of pace. The ex-binner hasn''t really lived up to expectations at Sunderland but then not many players have, been a bit part player for most of his time there but still looking back at his time at Ipswich he has the potential to be a good player. Not really sure if he would be available, depends on who they bring in during the January window. Really see him as an ideal replacement for Moro at this stage but with his potential and Grant as an ideal person to learn the game off he could develop into a quality player and perhaps THE player to fill Holty''s boots eventually.Will Hughes - 17 - Derby   Creative and technically sound attacking midfielder with that special touch of flair, really looks like the stand out young player in the football league at the moment along with Zaha. Seems able to play in the middle in the Hoolahan role or out wide to drift in to space and link the midfield, at the moment Fulham seem to be heading the queue for his signature... are we in a position to be able to compete with them at the moment? Maybe, maybe not. Definitely looks like a star for the future.I admit this all seems very FM/FIFA... but are we in a position now where we can compete for these kind of players, bed them in to our squad and develop them? The last few windows have seen us look for promising young players that can come in and compete with the first 11 without the pressure of first team football week in week out. So I''d be very happy to continue that tradition and avoid us spending extravagantly on players that might demand first team football and disrupt our current team.

[ZLF 335]

I really rate Hughes - 17yo an ever present in centre midfield  and controlling games is impressive

 

we should be an attractive proposition,  but the problem with young british talent is the price tag,  tettey for a couple of million or hughes for £5m+? 

 

At the mo  we need to have value for money,   as liverpool have found buying talented british youngsters is costly and hit and miss as to whether it works! 

[GenerationA47 864]

Post up a photo, i''ll ask my wife for her verdict and let you know

(Groan...sorry)

[Baracouda 47]

yes, we should be an attractive proposition.

at the moment, we haven''t sold any players to any of the bigger teams yet. However, if we continue our form and mid table position. It will only be a matter of time before we are a ''selling club'' again....

Which in my eyes is a good thing, our more successful period came whilst being a selling club, and if the management team can buy "young and hungry" or "progressive" types. Then you hope long term to progress as a club with a better quality player going through the side.

[Militant Canary 0]

The short answer to the initial question: Yes, we are a very attractive proposition to young British talent. Of course we are! How could you think otherwise?

I do understand why you may think we are focusing on foreign talent. There has been a lot of talk about shopping in foreign markets and there have been names mentioned. However, at no point will our club stop looking for domestic footballers who fit the bill. Its just that, though: they need to fit the bill. In other words, they need to be the right person, the right player for the right price- and price inflation for British footballers of all types is well-known.

Concerning the individual footballers you pointed out, I would not touch Conner Wickham with a 6ft cattle prod. That is not because of the Ipswich connection, its because he simply isn''t any good. While he is young and may develop in order to prove me wrong, I just don''t think he will. Once the sheen of a big price tag has faded from memory, I''m sure people will start to see the same as me.

Will Hughes is a superb footballer. He is inconsistent, but that is to be expected from one so young. However, there is just too much press, too much hype around him now. If/when he leaves Derby, he will go for a price tag that he is not worth (yet!) and, despite the fact that it would actually be detrimental to his development as he won''t play that often, he will go to one of the giants (prob. Man Utd). Love to be proven wrong, of course.

Nathan Redmond has the potential to be excellent. Coincidentally, without the presence of our great manager, he hasn''t repeated the form of last season. Strangely, this is the case for other precocious youth that Hughton has managed (ie Andy Carroll, Jack Butland, Nile Ranger). And some people think Hughton doesn''t know how to handle and get the best out of young players!?

Two names I''d like to add to the Young British talent conversation is Gavin Gunning (centre-back, 21) and Johnny Russell (centre-forward, 22), both from Dundee United. They''re good!

[ZLF 335]

Now Johnny russell is a good shout - with mulengo would make an interesting January!

[Dubai Mark 0]

This is a really good question, and one that gets you thinking, the sort of question that deserves good feedback.

For me, I dont see this window as the time for signing such young players, all of whom would probably be over priced, and probably not ready for regular starts, maybe more sensible to sign a couple for the future in the summer.

Right now I feel that a couple of players who can hit the ground running with decent experience at the highest level here or abroad would be more appropriate or, even one or two more experienced signings from the Championship even...I personally rate Mackail-Smith highly, many I know disagree.

But one I do like from your list, even though he is an ex Binner, is Wickham.....thought he looked class when he came on for them second half against us and I could see him doing an execllent job for us from the bench or even starting when Holt has a problem.....again, that wont be popular and it wont happen anyway.     

 

[Lavanche 0]

Well I have quite simple answer for this one. I personaly hope we start to product our own youth more and more in future, but I see no reason to buy expensive youthplayers, if they are nowhere near of starting place.

Also you have to only check how well british youth teams are doing in competitions and compare that success to their price tags.

It is quite safe to say that if you dont get british player cheap there is no reason to not turn for foreign players.

I personaly would try to get someone a bit under 25 as they would give their best years for us.

At the moment we are not enough big to compete for real talents without spending more than we have.

[Chunky Norwich 0]

Yes we very much are because a) we''re in the Premiership and b) everyone has been able to see how Pilks, Johnson, Snoddy, McMartin et al have flourished under us. Lambert''s again going for the same policy at Villa and Hughton has tried the same approach slightly with Butterfield and Kane but possibly isn''t as ''brave'' as Lambert at throwing people into the mix.The OP''s list is pretty good although by all accounts Hughes is being watched by Real Madrid, Man Citeh and Arsenal to name but a few. The problem with young British talent is, as someone else has said, that they cost about four times more than any other nationality. When Butland goes it''ll be for something utterly ridiculous, likewise with Zaha.To that list I''d throw in Charlie Austin, Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn clearly don''t know what they''re doing!), Tom Ince, Matty Phillips, Tom Lees and Jacob Mellis.

[smooth 114]

Yes and we have brought, butterfield, snoddy, Howson, the two Bennett here etc.

But this window we do need a few gems that are a little unknown from Europe. We need players who are playing week in week out at the highest level in their respective country.

I am true believer in that Europe can be rightly looked at in this window. We have seen young british talent brought together at spurs and with some European help things have been achieved.

I think you need a mix to be at the top. I think this is where we pick up a couple of strikers and maybe that one winger ( but that could wait till the summer)

[Canary Wundaboy 1,423]

Would love to see Rhodes here.

[Bristol Canary 152]

I have to admit Europe has thrown up some gems you just need to look at Michu, Tettey and the success Newcastle enjoyed last season (to an extent Arsenal over the years as well) but for every success there are flops that effect the club negatively. Personally I feel going for players in this current window to take the place of first team players that are currently playing well doesn''t seem to send the right message. From recent memory I remember Blackpool and Hull dipping into the European market at this stage to sign some unknown players to keep them in the league and all it did was derail their previous good work/disrupt the squad and the rest is history. Although on the flipside direct competition might do the players a world of good and improve performances, it''s a delicate predicament.Buying British doesn''t come with it''s own risk Liverpool being an example, I guess this where the scouting department come into their own. Minus Hughes I do think the three other players mentioned would be available at reasonable prices (3m mark) and despite being very young I think they could do a job for us for the rest of season while gaining experience to take us forward next season.

[Baracouda 47]

that''s true for every Michu there is a Findi George.

However, this holds true, for the English players. Just because you''ve been the best in championship don''t make you a premiership hit. (Andy Reid, amazing in championship)

But I guess a lot depends on the due diligence process.