Daniel Ballard

[EddieColquhoun]

Interesting. Reputable journalists report we're in for a player and it's not considered evidence, but a "ITKer" on the shoutbox says the opposite and it's gospel.

Roger

 

[CaptainMorgans]

I don't think, as 'reputable' as he is he gets any more inside information on transfers than you or I...

 

[Yogi]

Thought that might be the case Eddie in terms of us hyper focusing on Anel thankfully it seems there’s movement in that regard

 

[Weasel]

Part of me is pleased that we haven't signed anyone of it means that we can have a good look at the younger lads we already have on the books. Let's see what we have exactly, who is starting to shape up and who can possibly challenge.

Of course, we need reinforcements and new signings but I unless we were desperate to sign a particular player who became available (not sure there is one this pre season) then I don't get the general panic and kerfuffle. We will sign decent players this pre season and we will be a dangerous team next season. I'm confident of that. I also want to see as many home grown talents as possible make it at the Lane and so I will be pleased if we we take a good few of them along to a warm weather camp so that we can have a decent look at them all. Some may have fallen off a bit, but I bet some will have come on leaps and bounds and will be ready to challenge. What's the point of an academy of we aren't brave enough to chuck the best of the young lads in and see if they can swim?

 

[Grizzly blade]

If we don’t know what the lads who’ve been here years are capable of now then someone really needs a rocket up their arse.
Many of them have already been training with the first team in a regular basis, others having made first team appearances while others have been out on loan to league and non league clubs!!

I get there being pride in what our academy has done over the years, but the truth is we do t have many wonder kids who can come into a first team side and dominate games.
Ndiye appears to be the closest we have had in a very long time and even then he can be described as very hit and miss.
These kids are still 3-4 years away from being ready IMHO.

 

[brownblade]

And?

And we might sign players that nobody has thought. In fact it's pretty likely.

But that's very obvious. It's just not ideal for negative Nigels to remember... Like a lot of facts.

 

[LewishamBlade]

And we might sign players that nobody has thought. In fact it's pretty likely.

But that's very obvious. It's just not ideal for negative Nigels to remember... Like a lot of facts.

And if my auntie had wheels she’d be a bike.

What is a fact is we haven’t signed a single player yet and pre season starts next week.

 

[Snowflake]

If we don’t know what the lads who’ve been here years are capable of now then someone really needs a rocket up their arse.
Many of them have already been training with the first team in a regular basis, others having made first team appearances while others have been out on loan to league and non league clubs!!

I get there being pride in what our academy has done over the years, but the truth is we do t have many wonder kids who can come into a first team side and dominate games.
Ndiye appears to be the closest we have had in a very long time and even then he can be described as very hit and miss.
These kids are still 3-4 years away from being ready IMHO.

Remember a young lad called Brooks ? He was nowhere until pre season when he blossomed.
Teenagers grow quickly and if training correctly can be better equipped for the new season than they were during the last.
I think there are 3 or 4 who can step up during this season.

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

Having no new players in time for this stupid bastard foreign training camp we routinely insist on is undoubtedly a big failure and will have implications. Again

 

[Yogi]

Remember a young lad called Brooks ? He was nowhere until pre season when he blossomed.
Teenagers grow quickly and if training correctly can be better equipped for the new season than they were during the last.
I think there are 3 or 4 who can step up during this season.

Brooks was incredible for the academy sides well before that preseason. What he did over that summer was make it impossible for the manager to overlook him but he’d shown he had ability by the bucket load before then.