GoldstoneVintage
Well-known member
I honestly have no idea. In the past I've made predictions and been completely wrong. I thought Jayson Molumby and Mark Leonard (at different times) were future Albion mainstays. Interested what others think...
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[Albion] Which (if any) U21s will eventually make it to be first team regulars?
- Thread starter GoldstoneVintage
- Start date
Mackenzie
Old Brightonian
Andrew Moran
Difficult to predict. PL2 is very different, and players can shine there but not kick on. The gap is clearly shown in that Football League Trophy thing - top U21 sides struggle to get through to the knock out stages even though the EFL clubs, who don't like the competition much, put out pretty weakened teams, nothing like their full first team.
Many have, over the years: Connolly, Tolaj (now mainly a bench warmer in League 2 at Port Vale, was a goal machine in PL2), Zac Emmerson, now in the National League, for a few examples.
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Taybha
Whalewhine
I'd wager Slater plays in the FA Cup gets a decent loan in the summer and becomes a top player within 4 years and will probably drive a Audi and get a dog named Solly.
The young CBs look promising but far too early to tell. Likewise Harry Howell has top class potential, but a lot can happen. One day you're the next Ronaldinho, the next day you're in rehab with your ripped ACL. You never can tell.
Didn't notice McConville a lot last season but seen enough now to understand where the "hype comes from", and among the slightly older U21s, he's probably the main candidate. Would expect him to go on loan in January and then we might get a clearer picture.
Didn't notice McConville a lot last season but seen enough now to understand where the "hype comes from", and among the slightly older U21s, he's probably the main candidate. Would expect him to go on loan in January and then we might get a clearer picture.
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Similarly, I really rated Alex Cochrane who's now plodding along in the 3rd tier. Howell and Simmonds are the obvious two to my mind (which means they'll probably be playing for MK Dons and Swindon in five years time)
Marshy
Well-known member
Howell looks very promising, scoring goals for fun from midfield in the u21s and is 16....
boik
Well-known member
I had high hopes for Andrew Moran, always looked great when I saw him. Think he could be better than Ayari given a chance, but will he get that chance?
Gabbiano
Well-known member
Moran really needs to push on this season if he's ever to make it with us. I can see him reaching the heights elsewhere if it all clicks, just like Gyokeres. But he's competing with a lot of players for that advanced midfield role.
Beadle is the obvious one for me. Been Wednesday's starting keeper in the Championship for nearly a season now, he's got a lot of potential, I'd expect him to come in when Verbruggen is eventually sold.
A bit younger, Howell and Simmonds are the ones with the hype, but still very young. They won't even go on loan for another year or two.
Beadle is the obvious one for me. Been Wednesday's starting keeper in the Championship for nearly a season now, he's got a lot of potential, I'd expect him to come in when Verbruggen is eventually sold.
A bit younger, Howell and Simmonds are the ones with the hype, but still very young. They won't even go on loan for another year or two.
jackalbion
Well-known member
- Aug 30, 2011
- 5,048
Freddie Simmons
Nobby Cybergoat
Well-known member
- Jul 19, 2021
- 8,754
It's best not to speculate on this.
Youth development is far from linear. I saw a lot of Gyokerers in the u21's and he looked far from a world star. Equally if you look at the various lists of top 100 prospects, 5 years later, very few achieve the potential it was though they had.
There's no point bigging these kids up or knocking them down. Go watch them. Cheer them on. But keep the wonderkid moniker's off them. They do more harm than good.
Youth development is far from linear. I saw a lot of Gyokerers in the u21's and he looked far from a world star. Equally if you look at the various lists of top 100 prospects, 5 years later, very few achieve the potential it was though they had.
There's no point bigging these kids up or knocking them down. Go watch them. Cheer them on. But keep the wonderkid moniker's off them. They do more harm than good.
brighton_tom
Well-known member
- Jul 23, 2008
- 5,593
A Sheff Wed fan I work with is amazed at how good Beadle is given his age. Certain for Prem football he thinks.
Agree - quite likely it’ll be one or two of the U21s or 18s that no-one has mentioned. Freddie Simmonds, though, looks to have all the right characteristics at this stage - interesting to see what happens with him in the next season or two as we don’t tend to see ‘young‘ CBs in the PL.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
While agreeing with the recent posts stating that progress isn't linear (and I also rated Connolly more highly than Gyokeres when they were both playing for the u23s), ability at a young age is as good a determinant as any. And on that basis, I'll name three that have already been mentioned: Beadle (over the older Rushworth), Simmonds and Howell.
The Wookiee
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Thought goal aside he struggled at Shrewsbury and we looked better when him and Cox were replaced. He did score a good goal early against Shrewsbury but as a team we struggled until the double half time substitution of Magennis and Aitcheson coming on as you say. They combined for the second...
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