Match Day Thread Sporting CP v Sunderland AFC - Monday 21st July 2025 - KO 20:00

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Your Prediction:

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Smug in Boots said:
Seriously mate, Mayenda had to spend an entire season doing nothing but either sitting on the bench or not even sitting on the bench.

During that time Hibs had two or three managers, I can't remember tbh, and weren't very good.

I seriously doubt that what he learned there made any difference to what he became once he had decent coaches around him.

People, on here, were saying he was a donkey who needed shooting ...

... to be fair that doesn't narrow things down too much.
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Mayenda was there for half a season, with 1 manager. Mayenda went on loan and came back a better player, it's not always about getting loads of minutes its about the experience and learning what it takes to be a pro - he did that so it was 100% wroth it. Who knows if he would have broken through last season without that loan move.

He went on loan and after that he kicked on as a player for us, that's a good thing for me

We can't just keep players around the squad just because we have good coaches, it gets to a stage that players need to play senior football
 
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Scout73 said:
Mayenda was there for half a season, with 1 manager. Mayenda went on loan and came back a better player, it's not always about getting loads of minutes its about the experience and learning what it takes to be a pro - he did that so it was 100% wroth it. Who knows if he would have broken through last season without that loan move.

He went on loan and after that he kicked on as a player for us, that's a good thing for me

We can't just keep players around the squad just because we have good coaches, it gets to a stage that players need to play senior football
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It's also life experience. Moving away to new, unfamiliar areas, with different approaches and ways of living, training and playing, brings about maturity. It's vital for our younger / fringe players.
 
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Prehab26 said:
It's also life experience. Moving away to new, unfamiliar areas, with different approaches and ways of living, training and playing, brings about maturity. It's vital for our younger / fringe players.
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Spot on

I think once players get into their 20s they need to play 1st team football. Yes they'll learn alot from our coaches on the training ground but they need matchday experiences. I really like the look of Harrison jones at the minute but if he doesn't feature much for us again this season he will be 22 with little to no senior minutes.

Players need to play minutes, our 2 most successful academy players in henderson and Pickford, both went out on loan and got valuable experience which massively helped them kick on.

I totally agree that a bad loan can massive impact a player as well, but that comes now with knowing the person and knowing how they'd deal with that. I use Mayenda as an example as hes clearly got the personality that a loan would have definitely helped him when he went to Hibs. He didn't get the minutes he or us would have wanted in his few months there but he came back a better professional by all accounts and it gave him a platform to kick on with us. Would he of done that without the loan, maybe but the facts are he went on loan and when he came back he massively kicked on
 
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My final point on loaning players out, as don't want to derail the match thread further. Loaning players out isn't guaranteed to help them but neither is keeping that at the club when they get dont minutes plus a coach will not want a huge squad to keep happy or have to big of a squad for training drills etc

It's about knowing the player and doing what is best for them and their careers. I would hate to keep a player for too long and it impacts their next move, as teams are always wary of signing players of a certain age that haven't played much senior football

I do think quite a few of our players will go out on loan to get the exposure I think they need to have long successful careers either with us or in the game itself

Time will tell if those moves help them or not

Great team performance last night tho and I look forward to Saturday
 
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Ive never been sold on Seelt, particularly given his high price tag (remember when 2 million was a lot?) but I am becoming a convert. I think he might have a higher ceiling than Ballard. He has impressed me with his technical skills in pre season, passing and dribbling seem excellent. He’s bulked up an already tall frame, without seeming to lose his speed. I think he’s a dark horse to start against West Ham instead of Ballard alongside a new signing at centre half. Nevertheless I expect Ballard to start instead, because experience matters and it is a big game. What a cracking loan signing someone will get if we do let Seelt go out.
 
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Prehab26 said:
It's also life experience. Moving away to new, unfamiliar areas, with different approaches and ways of living, training and playing, brings about maturity. It's vital for our younger / fringe players.
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He's Spanish and had already played league games in France ...

... I doubt he really learned much about from being up the road in Edinburgh tbh.

By all means send our young players out on loan but they have to be much better than that.

You said it yourself to be fair and didn't seem too impressed at the time,

"Loans are great but for me , we are becoming a team that's buying and spending money, to then loan players out. Not improving the immediate first 11 so progress seems to slow or halt. When I say zero chance, I mean zero chance to impress here, in our first 11. I mean Mayenda looked canny, then just loaned out. Then we go and buy a player in the exact same position, similar age with nearly zero mens experience for another million.

If this pattern continues , Mundle will probably be out on loan in the summer."
 
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CR17 said:
Yeah I think we will manage to get what we need. I love mayenda he had a few missed chances today but I think we could really benefit from a good finisher up there with the amount of crosses coming in from Adingra and Talbi
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I'm coming round to the idea of a nasty little 'Vardy style' goal poaching 6 yard finisher tbh ...

... as things stand I could see our wingers scoring more than our CFs.

That's fair enough providing the goals are shared out and our interplay results in chances being created.
 
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Game of two halves, both exciting for very different reasons, the new signings all look oven ready, and what prospects we have comming through in Zak, the Jones boys and Lavery they all, as expected shone brightly last night.
As did Seelt, again , and how people can say Roberts played well I do not know , also maybe big dan is missing O/9 plugging the gaps now that little dan seems to have lost his way somewhat.
 
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TopClub said:
Thats what I told Luke yesterday at the visit to training, he said Jenson Jones is like a whippet!
Was even better tonight against what looked like a much better player.
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Seen him play for the u21s a few times and he looks like a really good footballer. Bit lightweight at the moment but once he "grows" a bit I think we have another top prospect ready to play.
 
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So far most things are positive and everyone should be very looking forward to the season ahead.
The progress made in 5 years has been fantastic and those making the key decisions deserve a lot of credit.

Going forward, who can play premier league and who is a level short are the big decisions for RLB. Personally I would hope that those players who have delivered and are still young will at least get an opportunity. It seems that for most just because a player arrives with a big fee he is better than what we have. Lets show a bit of loyalty and give those who shed blood sweat and tears an opportunity also, and equally important, although the signs are positive, let the new boys earn the shirt. Let the change over be done with respect to our loyal servants. Most were very quick to lambast young Tommy for making a decision he thought best for himself, yet some of the same people are equally quick to throw loyalty out the door to those who remained. Lets get the balance right. Rigg, 09, Cirkin, Patto, Ballard, Roberts and Neil hopefully will all get a chance and if leaving do so on good terms.

Midfield boys are lightning and an exciting style of play lies ahead. Midfield keeps a team in the game but ultimately points are won and lost by the strikers and key defenders. Mayenda is full of potential but hopefully we can find someone proven at this level to allow Mayenda the time to develop without too much pressure. We have quality defenders but again another proven CB will be vital to allow those who are good enough to remain to adjust to this new level and also time to replace those not able to make the step up.

With the season a few weeks away, it is just fantastic to be full of optimism and looking forward with a sensible manager who the boys appreciate, coaches who seem to be making everyone a better player and owners who seem to get the fans. Long may it continue.

Can I be greedy and ask that we put our best team out in at least one of the cups. We are due an FA CUP run and hopefully someday soon we will be playing in Europe. The future is bright, The future is Red & White.
 
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