Academy Players (1 Viewer)

[Legia Sky Blue]

With sales of Wilson, Maddison and Stevenson in recent years, together with important players like Bayliss and Willis the Academy has obviously been coming up trumps, but I feel we might be missing a trick with the likes of Camwell and Ponticelli particularly.

In respect of Ponticelli, in a team severely lacking goals he seems further than ever from starting a game and when he does play it's in a cameo role, often out wide. I appreciate that his all round game might be lacking a little but natural goal scorers are precious, so it seems crazy to not try him out for a few games. Of course to get the best out of him we would probably need to change formation and play two up front, but if we carry on like we are we might as well give it a go, but will Robins change?

As for Camwell, I think Robins has handled him quite badly. He had an impressive debut in our last League 1 game in the relegation season, and as a result we got him signed on a long term contract only to then recall Haynes from loan, so that with Stokes too he became 3rd in line left back. When he wasn't then included for the pre season trip with the 1st team it was obviously a let down for him and Robins got the hump with his father's comments on social media, and decided to treat him with the big stick rather than arm around the shoulder. Camwell has since let himself down too, but that potential is still there, and given the mediocre starts made by Mason and Brown he should be much closer to the first team than it seems. He is much taller than both, and his set piece ability would offer us something the other two don't have, so could have a positive impact on the team.

 

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[Magwitch]

Ponticelli was not an Acadamy player.

 

[shmmeee]

Evening Mr Camwell...

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Ponticelli was an academy player, albeit just for one year rather than two.

It's very difficult to judge how the youngsters would cope, having not seen them play in men's football. I've only seen a couple of academy games but definitely the three standouts for me Bayliss, Ponticelli and Thompson, with Finn and Stedman having a bit about them but more luxury players.

However, you would definitely argue that had we got them in on loan they'd get more of a chance than as an academy product. I don't think any of our crop are any worse than the likes of Barrett, Maguire-Drew or Sterling thus far.

 

[Magwitch]

Ponticelli was an academy player, albeit just for one year rather than two.

It's very difficult to judge how the youngsters would cope, having not seen them play in men's football. I've only seen a couple of academy games but definitely the three standouts for me Bayliss, Ponticelli and Thompson, with Finn and Stedman having a bit about them but more luxury players.

However, you would definitely argue that had we got them in on loan they'd get more of a chance than as an academy product. I don't think any of our crop are any worse than the likes of Barrett, Maguire-Drew or Sterling thus far.

At what age ?

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Do you mean what age was Ponticelli signed?

He was 17, and spent his first year in the U18 Academy team with Bayliss etc, when he scored 28 goals. However, I think he was signed similarly to McCallum, in that he got a two year deal so was in effect given a pro deal whilst in the academy.