Open question to The Other Bob Wilson

[thornhillblue]

TOTB
You watch the Academy players on a regular basis.

Are there not any of these players who could make a better fist of playing for us than some of our first team misfits at the moment?

I ask this question in the light of how poor and disinterested some of our players looked in that debacle of a performance against Leeds yesterday?

Some players like Gunnars looked totally knackered by half time.

Surely there must be one or two good enough who could show more desire and effort than some that shower yesterday?

[the other bob wilson]

I thought Rhys Healey could have been given a chance pre season because he is different to the type of strikers we have.

Given the way our central defenders are playing, Semi Ajayi may have a chance, but he's just not playing games at the moment because he's not featured for the Development team yet, while David Tutonda, who certainly does have pace, is injured currently I believe.

I don't see any other members of the current Development team being that close to a first team call up because I can't help thinking that the chance has gone now for players like O'Sullivan and Wharton at this club.

As for the Under 18s, I think it would be asking a lot for for anyone from there to come into a side which is struggling so much - there are a few I can think of who have a chance of becoming first team players and I really like what I've seen from our Under 16s this season, but I wouldn't say there's anyone from our current Academy scholars who could go into the first team and make a positive difference to it.

[Since62]

I thought Rhys Healey could have been given a chance pre season because he is different to the type of strikers we have.

Given the way our central defenders are playing, Semi Ajayi may have a chance, but he's just not playing games at the moment because he's not featured for the Development team yet, while David Tutonda, who certainly does have pace, is injured currently I believe.

I don't see any other members of the current Development team being that close to a first team call up because I can't help thinking that the chance has gone now for players like O'Sullivan and Wharton at this club.

As for the Under 18s, I think it would be asking a lot for for anyone from there to come into a side which is struggling so much - there are a few I can think of who have a chance of becoming first team players and I really like what I've seen from our Under 16s this season, but I wouldn't say there's anyone from our current Academy scholars who could go into the first team and make a positive difference to it.

Paul, as you know I was able to catch a number of Development games last season ( nowhere near as many as you mind) and saw no-one that I thought was close to pressing for a first team start. I feel that we are going to have to be patient as fans, as hard as that might be, before enjoying the benefit of the talent in the lower age groups.

Are there any Development team home games in the next few weeks?

[Elysium]

I really think Jamie Bird could offer more than anything in the first team squad playing off Lambert. Jamie is just 18 but good enough to get a chance in the squad given the dire position we are in with the desperate scoring record.

[Loramski]

I thought Rhys Healey could have been given a chance pre season because he is different to the type of strikers we have.

Given the way our central defenders are playing, Semi Ajayi may have a chance, but he's just not playing games at the moment because he's not featured for the Development team yet, while David Tutonda, who certainly does have pace, is injured currently I believe.

I don't see any other members of the current Development team being that close to a first team call up because I can't help thinking that the chance has gone now for players like O'Sullivan and Wharton at this club.

As for the Under 18s, I think it would be asking a lot for for anyone from there to come into a side which is struggling so much - there are a few I can think of who have a chance of becoming first team players and I really like what I've seen from our Under 16s this season, but I wouldn't say there's anyone from our current Academy scholars who could go into the first team and make a positive difference to it.

Tutonda played the 90 minutes at Hull on Monday but I haven't seen Ajayi's name for a while. These two seemed to part of a brave new world here, until the loan window shut. Then we decided they weren't needed after all but it was too late to send them out. Oshilaja and Healey managed to escape but while Deji is playing regularly for an inconsistent Gillingham, Healey still hasn't started for Newport. A lively cameo as sub yesterday may see him get his chance soon but with Newport playing a 4-5-1 with Jon Parkin up front, Rhys may be wondering where he's going to fit in. Trollope seems no keener on Kennedy than Slade was which strikes me as a shame. Where do you feel Patten is at present? A lot of competition in centre-midfield but in the country of the blind the one-eyed man is king, do you reckon he's got a future here?

[the other bob wilson]

Paul, as you know I was able to catch a number of Development games last season ( nowhere near as many as you mind) and saw no-one that I thought was close to pressing for a first team start. I feel that we are going to have to be patient as fans, as hard as that might be, before enjoying the benefit of the talent in the lower age groups.

Are there any Development team home games in the next few weeks?

There's a match at the Vale today Keith, kick off 2 pm.

[the other bob wilson]

I really think Jamie Bird could offer more than anything in the first team squad playing off Lambert. Jamie is just 18 but good enough to get a chance in the squad given the dire position we are in with the desperate scoring record.

I'm not convinced Bird is ready for the first team yet, but that may be because I'm still not recognising the reality of our current situation. I was looking at him as someone who could be given a chance towards the end of the season if we were in mid table, but, with that not looking likely to happen now, I think the fact that we cannot bring in players for nearly four months should mean that, more than in previous years, games like this afternoon's should be seen as a chance for our younger players to stake a proper claim for a first team place.

If Bird was to do something which matches his brilliant goal against Colchester a fortnight ago, then, yes, serious consideration should be given to including him in the squad at Rotherham. The same sort of thing should apply to the whole Development team - there's been a perception that no matter what players did in these games, it was very unlikely to get them into the senior squad, but that needs to change because the way this club has worked when it comes to progression into the first team in recent years has to be reconsidered at a club where the first team looks so bereft of ability and confidence.

[the other bob wilson]

Tutonda played the 90 minutes at Hull on Monday but I haven't seen Ajayi's name for a while. These two seemed to part of a brave new world here, until the loan window shut. Then we decided they weren't needed after all but it was too late to send them out. Oshilaja and Healey managed to escape but while Deji is playing regularly for an inconsistent Gillingham, Healey still hasn't started for Newport. A lively cameo as sub yesterday may see him get his chance soon but with Newport playing a 4-5-1 with Jon Parkin up front, Rhys may be wondering where he's going to fit in. Trollope seems no keener on Kennedy than Slade was which strikes me as a shame. Where do you feel Patten is at present? A lot of competition in centre-midfield but in the country of the blind the one-eyed man is king, do you reckon he's got a future here?

All the "gossip" I hear about Kennedy always seems to come back to questions about his attitude.

Regarding Robbie Patten, what he would provide is somebody who knows all about the defensive midfield role because it's the job he's done in just about every match I've seen him play. This goes back to the point Gringo made last week about having players who specialise in something as opposed to the current central midfield where you feel we have plenty who are a bit jack of all trades and master of noneish.

I also don't think Patten would be intimidated at all by a first team call up, but my priority if I was picking our first team would be to try and bring some pace and mobility into our midfield and I don't feel that the area Robbie would operate in is as big a problem as others we have in the middle of the park.