With Nextgen, Europa League and some loan moves last season we've seen quite a lot of our youngsters so, who would you keep at the club for next season and who would you loan out? It might be contraversial but I'd only keep Carroll and Caulker. That means sending out Smith, Fryers, Townsend, Kane, Lancaster and Falque to get more experience. I wasn't impressed by Naughton on Saturday but as interest in him has cooled down, I think it's more beneficial to Smith's career to let him go out on loan. I'm not a fan of defenders being shifted about in to different positions but with Gallas likely to stay I'd use Vertonghen as cover for left back along with Rose and Naughton as backups, leaving Fryers redundant. I really don't see what everyone else seems to see in Falque, Townsend and (to an extent) Kane, they're all decent but they all look way off the level we need and I'm not sure fielding them in a weak youth team for the Europa League last year was particularly beneficial so get them back out to the Championship. With Vertonghen being potentially used in two positions, this should increase Caulker's chances and I'd also like to see him picked ahead of Gallas as he needs as a many games as we can give him this season. Carroll would have a lot of competition and probably struggle to get games early on but I feel we do need a bit of extra back up in midfield for creatvity with Hudd and VDV injury prone. Carroll also looks good enough to begin to make the step up to the first team, I'd certainly keep him for the first half of the season and let him go on loan if he's not getting any games. Ultimately it probably depends on the transfers we make but I'm bored of talking about that too much
i wouldn't send Kane out on loan as the squad stands. He could be in the starting XI unless we pick up some forwards.
Depends upon who we can keep and who else we sign. I doubt that Fryers will be allowed to go out, as he could've just done that at Utd. He'll probably be used as cover at centre-half and left-back, though there might be some competition for those places, depending upon who else goes out. I'd actually loan out most of them though, including Rose. Sign someone like Figueroa, who's out of contract and see whether the youngster can develop properly as a Premier League player, as he's not getting enough games for us.
I would probably keep hold of Smith, along with Carroll and (obviously) Caulker. Didn't see enough of Naughton v Pool to say one way or the other, but he had a good season out on loan last season and might also now be worth keeping closer to hand.
I probably should've listed those I'd keep, shouldn't I? Caulker, Fryers (assuming he signs), Naughton, Carroll, possibly Townsend. If we end up keeping Gallas and Bassong though, then I'd let Caulker go back out again. I'd love to see him getting a good number of games at Spurs, but if we're overloaded with centre-halves, then I'd be happy to see him having another season of progression elsewhere. As long as Dawson can stay fit this season, then we'd probably be ok.
You're probably right about Fryers not being loaned out but I think he's going to have to accept only getting opportunities at left back. I think Bassong will be at a new club next season one way or another and if he's not I still wouldn't consider him for a role in defence.
I'd pick Bassong as a centre-half YV, but only if he can sort his head out and work on his fitness and concentration. He played the majority of the season in which we finished 4th, mainly alongside Dawson. If we can't move him on, then the same pairing could conceivably do a decent job for us in the Europa League and domestic cups. I think that Redknapp severely damaged his confidence and progress by freezing him out after he'd had a good season for us. He's done himself no favours since and he's never a left-back in a million years, but I think the right manager and some focused coaching might get him back to a decent level. Might not be at WHL, though.
Keep: Caulker Naughton (can provide cover at RB & LB) Carroll Kane (unless two new strikers arrive) Townsend Loan: Rose Smith Falque Fredericks Lancaster Parrett Nicholson Ceballos Bostock
Presuming that Caulker and Naughton are in the first team squad, Coulibaly and Ekong are in the reserves, Button doesn't qualify as a youngster, and leaving off Hall and Fryers until they're confirmed... Keep Kane Carroll Townsend Coulibaly Falque Smith Loan Lancaster Fredericks Byrne Parrett Ekong Archer Ceballos Sell Obika Mason
Fryers may not have been officially confirmed, but he has already played for Spurs. He played for Sherwood's team last week against Middlesbrough.
I suspect there will be one or two surprises as to who will remain at the club and who will go away on loan. What I can be more definite about, is that the young goalkeepers will be given every opportunity to get regular football and experience by being sent on loan, indeed Johnathan Miles has gone for the season already (Bishops Stortford). Tony Parks and Sherwood, feel quite strongly that the shabby keeper policy of recent seasons, is in part, down to the players not getting enough competitive football.
Nit picking but we've finished 4th twice now, even if it doesn't feel like it! Yeah, I used to always bring up that season because he was excellent in several big games and had a very good season overall. His weakness even then was a fast forward with a few tricks in him but when up against a big striker looking to throw their weight around he handled them excellently which is suprising for someone who's not the biggest. I remember Fulham coming to visit when Zamora was in his best form, Zamora thought he was going to walk all over Seb but the more he backed into him, the more Seb ran around him and nicked it and as he continued to try and use his strength, Bassong remained composed resulting in Zamora throwing a wobbler by the end. Seeing him play in the last season or so he's just looked a mess, I can't see any benefit in using a confidence player as back up even if we can't get rid of him.
This, but with Fryers staying at whl. Vert and Kab cb's Coulker and Daws back up Gallas for Euro's Walker and BAE Naughton and Fryers back up Should be ok.
I think its a poor thing to say anyway this 'he played when we finished 4th'...so what?, how many years ago now, and all the teams then have moved on, particularly City. Seb isn't particulary quick either, so him and Daws playing together today, as we intend to, is ridiculous. Poor attitude when not playing (not everyone can) and was ****e for Wolves, if PNP wants to play him, lets hope its on the XBox! He's not better than YK, nor JV nor Daws and Caulkers attitude is something Seb could learn from, two of these will also be sitting down, so where's is he going to get confidence building regular games?...not here, get rid.
I get the feeling Fryers will be straight into the first team squad this season, whilst Hall (who played against Stevenage a couple of weeks back) is more likely to be loaned out.
Have you ever seen Fryers play out of interest? I hadn't heard his name mentioned much until we were interested in him.
Be sensible on this. How many of the kids are legible for another Nextgen outing etc ?? With the usual Spurs seniors injury plague to come, who are the best kids to have around to help us out ?? When you think Carroll was a pleasant surprise in the Europa last year, be careful when you start thinking of farming out one and all.
The majority of our NexGen team came from the Academy side rather than the reserves, so in that respect there are some of the youngsters on the books we can use in the first team or loan out with an eye on using them in the future (which we've already done with Luongo)
Another reason to keep Carroll around next season - he won the squad's FIFA championship, defeating Kyle Naughton in the final. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
