[Albion] Marc Leonard - 16yr old from Hearts

[Badger Boy]

NSC’s resident expert has been somewhat out of commission recently, combining a vacation with Albion’s second-ever US tour (and currently trying to catch a breeze on the extremities of the Red Bull Arena concourse in this horrible New York/Jersey heat) - and I think the question has been answered in this thread anyway - but I’ll be reporting back for duty next week (assuming I don’t melt back in Phoenix).

Really pleased you've been able to see the game in person, did you go to the other fixtures as well?

 

[AZ Gull]

Really pleased you've been able to see the game in person, did you go to the other fixtures as well?

I did indeed.

 

[Machiavelli]

Thanks..will do. Also sounds as if Turns is going back to Orient on a season loan.

My niece's fella is an AFC Wimbledon supporter, and said that Turns was widely regarded as one of the L2 players of last season.

 

[Cordwainer]

My niece's fella is an AFC Wimbledon supporter, and said that Turns was widely regarded as one of the L2 players of last season.

He was and so was Leonard, in my slightly biased opinion! Think they should both do well in L1.

 

[Hiheidi]

 

[GT49er]

Preston, Plymouth and Swansea, eh? I wonder if - or when - we'll move up to the level of lending youngsters to lower level PL teams. Leonard from League1 to the PL might be too big a jump, but what about our two Championship GKs? - PL loans for them next (unless we want them back home to replace Steele and/or Verbruggen)?

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Preston, Plymouth and Swansea, eh? I wonder if - or when - we'll move up to the level of lending youngsters to lower level PL teams. Leonard from League1 to the PL might be too big a jump, but what about our two Championship GKs? - PL loans for them next (unless we want them back home to replace Steele and/or Verbruggen)?

I assume they might be interested in a permanent transfer rather than loan.

 

[Mancgull]

Expect we may sell but insist on a large sell on clause.

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

Expect we may sell but insist on a large sell on clause.

Sounds fair, can't say I have seen him play, I hear he is doing well, but is too low down in the pecking order to probably ever make it to the first team?

 

[GT49er]

I assume they might be interested in a permanent transfer rather than loan.

They might be - but would we be? Rushworth, maybe, he's a bit older, about the same age as Verbruggen - but a 19 year old with a 50% clean sheet rate for a relegation-fighting team in the Championship? I'd be very disappointed if we sold Beadle.

Edit: Yes, realise you were talking about Leonard - I was still thinking GKs from my previous post.

 

[GT49er]

Sounds fair, can't say I have seen him play, I hear he is doing well, but is too low down in the pecking order to probably ever make it to the first team?

Closest stats to Caicedo's stats when Caicedo was playing for Brighton..................

 

[The Fits]

They might be - but would we be? Rushworth, maybe, he's a bit older, about the same age as Verbruggen - but a 19 year old with a 50% clean sheet rate for a relegation-fighting team in the Championship? I'd be very disappointed if we sold Beadle.

Good stats that for a central midfielder

 

[GT49er]

Good stats that for a central midfielder

No, I was referring to Beadle (one of our GKs on loan).

 

[DJ NOBO]

He puts in a fizzing free kick
Understudy / successor to Gross?

 

[Stumpy Tim]

A friend of mine is a regular at Northampton and says he's definitely NOT shithouse. Their best player and way too good for League 1. I suspect he'll get some game time in pre-season with us.

 

[Jimmy Come Lately]

Its rare but the last teenager, i think, to feature in a first team squad was U23s captain; Max Sanders, 19, when he was named in the 18 for the Man United FA cup game.
The last to have a run of league game apps was Tomori , then 19, at tail end of 16/17 season but he was of course on loan from Chelsea.
According to this, Albion had the oldest average age of any Premier League squad last season - 28.8 years.
https://talksport.com/football/3404...rage-age-ranked-youngest-oldest-180207271564/

Sorry, totally off-topic for the Marc Leonard thread now he's in his twenties, but: how things have changed since July 2018!

 

[dazzer6666]

Leonard and Bowie

Leonard and Bowie

www.smfserver.com

Sample comment :

Premier league level is now unrecognisable from back in 2010 or whenever it was when Johnson was playing there. So much more competition. You only have to look at the squad sizes of the teams in it to realise that becoming a regular is harder than it ever was before due to there being so much more competition.

That all said, Leonard is one of the finest footballers (technicians) to play for us during the last 30-40 years. Probably much longer than that. He's also physically (so far at least) very tough to break. These last 14 games will go along way in determining what his next move will be. Brighton will no doubt be stalking his progress. Id be VERY surprised if he ends up at Pompey who will most likely struggle in the championship next season assuming they get promoted. They could of course 'do an Ipswich' but the odds would suggest they will more likely be nearer the bottom than the top. I think there will be better options for him if a loan is the way forward for him.

I reckon he will get his chance at Brighton early doors next season and they will keep him until at least January and see how he gets on. Play him in their cup games etc to start off with. I really hope he 'makes it' at the top level, a top player and a top lad.

 

[brighton_tom]

He has been getting brilliant reviews all season. I suspect we'll see a Championship loan for him next season, and see how that goes before any decision is made on a permanent sale.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

A friend of mine is a regular at Northampton and says he's definitely NOT shithouse. Their best player and way too good for League 1. I suspect he'll get some game time in pre-season with us.

Exactly what I think.

I don't think it's unrealistic he wins a squad place next season. We at least need to have a look at him. If it's a not quite then we need to speak to the lad about whether he's happy for another year loan in the Champ. At some point he'll have to go off on his own and that contract will start to dwindle down

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Id be VERY surprised if he ends up at Pompey who will most likely struggle in the championship next season assuming they get promoted.

Well, whatever we do. Not f******* Portsmouth. On principle, not them