[Albion] Evan Ferguson

[Wardy's twin]

[tweet]1569800739773374467[/tweet]

I know people question his age but sometimes it really does not matter and he really looks like someone who can progress at the top level. I know people compare his record to Connolly but they are very different characters as far as I can see. I think we need to keep him so that any new manager can assess him, going out now does not make sense re-review in January maybe.

 

[GT49er]

I know people question his age but sometimes it really does not matter and he really looks like someone who can progress at the top level. I know people compare his record to Connolly but they are very different characters as far as I can see. I think we need to keep him so that any new manager can assess him, going out now does not make sense re-review in January maybe.

Going out on loan now is not an option. End of.

 

[dazzer6666]

I know people question his age but sometimes it really does not matter and he really looks like someone who can progress at the top level. I know people compare his record to Connolly but they are very different characters as far as I can see. I think we need to keep him so that any new manager can assess him, going out now does not make sense re-review in January maybe.

Can only go out during the respective windows.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

A personal and maybe controversial view, but I thought Graham Potter was a bit too conservative about putting teenagers in the team. I reckon there's a good chance that a new manager will be less squeamish about it.

The last week's events are likely to be good news for Evan.

 

[Marshy]

A personal and maybe controversial view, but I thought Graham Potter was a bit too conservative about putting teenagers in the team. I reckon there's a good chance that a new manager will be less squeamish about it.

The last week's events are likely to be good news for Evan.

jees, seriously Potter was conservative about putting young players in ?.... ive not heard that one before

 

[nwgull]

jees, seriously Potter was conservative about putting young players in ?.... ive not heard that one before

Certainly an interesting opinion on a man that gave Premier League debuts to: Connolly, Alzate, Lamptey, Sanchez, Caicedo, Mac Allister, Khadra, Sarmiento and van Hecke. And he also gave Ferguson himself his first-team debut in cup competitions.

 

[Bakero]

This season with the u21s, next season a League Two loan I would assume.

League 2? Surely, not.

 

[brighton_tom]

League 2? Surely, not.

Well League One maybe. I'd like to think we could send him to a Championship club but its more about where he'll get game time. We loaned his u21 striker partner Lorent Tolaj to League One Cambridge last season, a young player who scored loads at u21 level, but spent most of that loan on the bench. This season's he's dropped down to League Two for a loan with Salford, so far 3 appearances 0 goals, the last game 6 minutes from off the bench. In an ideal world we loan Evan to a Championship side, he starts every week, and scores a load. But for his first loan out I think thats a stretch. We might think about loaning him to someone of a lesser standard to guarantee more minutes, and also to provide a steady level of education up through the leagues likes we did with Ben White, a League Two or One loan next season, a Championship one the year after. Remember he is only 17.

 

[Bakero]

Well League One maybe. I'd like to think we could send him to a Championship club but its more about where he'll get game time. We loaned his u21 striker partner Lorent Tolaj to League One Cambridge last season, a young player who scored loads at u21 level, but spent most of that loan on the bench. This season's he's dropped down to League Two for a loan with Salford, so far 3 appearances 0 goals, the last game 6 minutes from off the bench. In an ideal world we loan Evan to a Championship side, he starts every week, and scores a load. But for his first loan out I think thats a stretch. We might think about loaning him to someone of a lesser standard to guarantee more minutes, and also to provide a steady level of education up through the leagues likes we did with Ben White, a League Two or One loan next season, a Championship one the year after. Remember he is only 17.

I'd be hoping for a decent League 1 side if we don't feel he's ready for the Championship. I think for Ben White it was different; due to his relatively slight stature, a year in L2 made sense to toughen him up. Not so sure that's the case with Ferguson.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

jees, seriously Potter was conservative about putting young players in ?.... ive not heard that one before

I said teenagers.

Yes young players came in, but sometimes I think he waited too long. MacAllister, Caicedo, Bissouma all could have been trusted more from a younger age. I'm pretty sure Potter admitted as much in one or two of those examples.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Certainly an interesting opinion on a man that gave Premier League debuts to: Connolly, Alzate, Lamptey, Sanchez, Caicedo, Mac Allister, Khadra, Sarmiento and van Hecke. And he also gave Ferguson himself his first-team debut in cup competitions.

Potter didn't give Lamptey his PL debut, he had already made it when he was with Chelsea coming off the bench in a win away to Arsenal and having a brilliant game, I remember watching it and thinking this kid looks great, so was made up when we signed him.

Ferguson made his PL debut last season, 20 mins off the bench in the home defeat against Burnley (I know most people have tried to block that game out of their minds).

I said teenagers.

Yes young players came in, but sometimes I think he waited too long. MacAllister, Caicedo, Bissouma all could have been trusted more from a younger age. I'm pretty sure Potter admitted as much in one or two of those examples.

It would have been impossible for Potter trust Mac Allister and Bissouma as teenagers, Mac Allister was already 21 when he finally got his work permit and Bissouma was 21 when he signed for us under Hughton. Potter has already admitted he should have used Caicedo earlier than he did.

 

[Marshy]

I said teenagers.

Yes young players came in, but sometimes I think he waited too long. MacAllister, Caicedo, Bissouma all could have been trusted more from a younger age. I'm pretty sure Potter admitted as much in one or two of those examples.

How many "teenagers" are actually playing on a regular basis in the prem ?... we play a lot of young players, way more than most

You just cant throw anything like that his way, its like we are looking for reasons to have a pop at him

 

[Swansman]

How many "teenagers" are actually playing on a regular basis in the prem ?... we play a lot of young players, way more than most

You just cant throw anything like that his way, its like we are looking for reasons to have a pop at him

Two teenagers in the PL played more than 90 minutes in total this season, so that'd be the answer I guess.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Two teenagers in the PL played more than 90 minutes in total this season, so that'd be the answer I guess.

Fabio Carvalho at Liverpool has (in August, before his 20th birthday!).

Trying to think of the other one...

 

[Swansman]

Fabio Carvalho at Liverpool has (in August, before his 20th birthday!).

Trying to think of the other one...

Oh missed out on his birthday. So three then.

One of the others is also a Liverpool player and then there's another bloke... not going to spoil the fun by naming him - but I can tell you it is someone I frankly never heard of.

 

[Badger Boy]

Romeo Lavia at Southampton?

 

[Swansman]

Romeo Lavia at Southampton?

Yes. Bloke escaped my radar. Haven't watched Southampton yet this season.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Oh missed out on his birthday. So three then.

One of the others is also a Liverpool player and then there's another bloke... not going to spoil the fun by naming him - but I can tell you it is someone I frankly never heard of.

Of course - Harvey Elliott

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Yes. Bloke escaped my radar. Haven't watched Southampton yet this season.

You'll be seeing more of him, he's quite a special talent but injured for the next couple of months. Signed from City, annoyingly Saints have signed a few really promising youngsters from them as they appointed City's head of academy as their head of recruitment in the summer.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

How many "teenagers" are actually playing on a regular basis in the prem ?... we play a lot of young players, way more than most

You just cant throw anything like that his way, its like we are looking for reasons to have a pop at him

We're just not culturally attuned to it in this country. Yet, we see top sides on the continent, Dortmund, Ajax, Barca, Bayern, plus more progressive European national sides, happy to entrust enormous games to players aged 17 or 18.

Part of it is the physicality thing, but that's insulting to other leagues. More likely it's inate conservatism, a national aversion to something untried, an unhealthy love of short termism.

Graham Potter was far from the worst. But Caicedo came out again in an interview recently with a comment that he felt he waited too long and I think there are one or two others who were held back too long.

My post was less an opinion I have about Potter, it's a guess I have for the future. We'll recruit a new head coach on the basis of someone who can show they can develop players and that coach, if we're on a run like we were last season where we couldn't score for months on end, won't be nearly as shy of playing Evan or any other young player who's scoring regularly at u23 rather than continually rely on the senior players who aren't repaying his faith.