Do you think so Woody? I've not followed him at U23 level tbh, but I think I've seen every game that Whiteman has played in for the first team and he's made no big impression on me tbh. I'm not saying he's a bad player, but just very ordinary and I really don't think he's up to Championship standard.
Just forget our own midfield players for a moment... Did you go to the opening game v Brentford? Or maybe you saw the recent game v Bristol City? What did you think of their midfield players? Did you notice how quick and accurate they moved the ball around the pitch? From what you've seen of Whiteman, do you think he's that kind of standard? Because I don't. Not in a million years. And we are striving to be better than both those teams.
I think he'll probably make a decent lower league midfielder, but that's not where we are now and it's not where we are going. So, I really do think it's best for him and us that he moves on - and fortunately it sounds like we've got a potential buyer. So, GLTTL but his future is not here.
(I said the same about Scougall and Done btw - I wonder if anyone on here would like either of those two back? Probably not. Time moves on. Our club is looking for a whole different standard of player now to 18 months ago).
As a club we've moved on even in that short time since my post.
The signings of Leonard and Evans upgrade our midfield. They are 25 and 23 respectively.
The midfield you refer to v Brentford ( a game we were slightly fortunate to win) was Coutts (29) Fleck (26) and Duffy (32).
Whiteman is 21 years old and yes I see a player worth £700k in 2 or 3 years time. That is the comparison.
In actual fact there is no chance of him gaining playing time in our first team this season. We have upgraded and the lad will go back to Donny I should think.
In League 1 Whiteman has 6 goals 1 assist. Evans 3 goals 7 assists playing for league leaders and taking set pieces. Leonard 4 goals 1 assist. I do not wish to detract from the two excellent new signings but Whiteman is a player make no mistake, he is joint league leading scorer at Donny with the highly rated Marquis, striker.
Wilder has prioritised midfield to upgrade last summer. The midfield we saw v Brentford will be unrecognisable before too long. I would imagine our midfield will be tall, athletic and powerful, box to box big-engined midfielders who 'do everything' as Wilder once said he liked, for 90 minutes too.
I do accept that when a club upgrades it gets harder for young lads to break through. Whiteman in 2 years time will be easily good enough at this level but where will he be and where will we be?
Referring to the Scougall and Done you picture is like going back to the dark ages, only 4 years ago mind you. Hail Wilder.
