Josh Pritchard is being lined up to go out on loan again. Along with six or seven others, as Jol explains another facet of his youth policy. ”Martin Jol wants to send Josh Pritchard and Fulham's other young guns on loan before the emergency window closes later this week. The 21-year-old midfielder has spent the majority of the year over in Norway with Tromso, featuring in 28 games, including the Europa League defeat against Spurs. Pritchard returned to Craven Cottage earlier this month as he bids to break into the Fulham first-team, but is well down the pecking order. Jol is hopeful there will be takers for Pritchard and more of his talented bunch of youngsters in the next few days. He said: "Josh is back. Hopefully he will get the opportunity to go on loan and get games under his belt. The structure in the club is that once they’ve played in the Under-21s for six months to a year they have to go on loan. The only trouble is there’s not a lot of clubs who will take youngsters who are 18, 19, 20. There are six or seven players still here who should be on loan. If they get the opportunity I’ll look to do it.” Source: http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/spor...fulham-midfielder-made-available-loan-6336019
Presumably he is well down the pecking order because he is young and talented and we are only interested in playing old and disinterested players in the first team squad.
High praise for Ryan Williams from team mate: " Oxford United strikers Ryan Williams and Sean Rigg are in "unplayable" form, according to U's defender John Mullins. Both wide men scored in the 3-0 win over Morecambe that took Oxford to the top of League Two on Saturday. Mullins told BBC Radio Oxford, "It was a brilliant performance, we moved the ball quickly and sharply, and the boys up top were unplayable. I don't think it would have mattered who we were playing or how they played, we imposed ourselves on the game." All three goals came in the first half, allowing Chris Wilder's side to close the game down after the break. “Players like Ryan Williams and Sean Rigg are match-winners, they stretch the game, and allow others to get on the ball and play”, Mullins enthused. "Ryan is really on fire at the minute, he's a dangerous player and he had their left-back in all sorts of bother. He's got that ability, he can come inside and outside, and he was brilliant in this game." "Players like him and Sean are match-winners, they stretch the game, and allow other players like Dave Kitson, Asa Hall and Danny Rose to get on the ball and play."
Tonight's loan round-up: Marcello Trotta played for anhour as Brentford got a late equaliser to beat struggling Peterborough 3-2. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24996875 Crew Alex disastrously conceded two goals in the last minute of the first half at Carlisle. Despite a spirited fight back in the second period, Neil Etheridge’s side nonetheless went down 2-1. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24996625 Despite being held 0-0 at home to Newport County, Oxford United stay top of League 2. Ryan Willliams played the full 90 minutes. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24996912 A great night for Marcus Bettinelli as he kept a clean sheet in Accrington Stanley’s 2-0 home win ove Fleetwood Town. Accrington have now taken 18 points during their unbeaten sequence of 8 games without defeat. Having collected only two points from their first 10 league fixtures. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24996904 Not such a great night for Cauley Woodrow. He came off the bench on the hour and within 5 minutes got a straight red card (for using his elbow in a scuffle). Ten man Southend however scored two goals in the last quarter of an hour to win 2-1 against Portsmouth. They go in to third place only 1 point behind Oxford. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24996907
Wouldn't it be interesting to see how we'd do with these guys playing in the first team. Are they good enough?
Williams certainly isn't. My Oxford United supporting colleague thinks he's great at League 2, but would be Championship at best. Certainly has some sell on value though.
This is something that I can't get my head around. Ryan's contract ends next summer, he's not going to get into the first team so most likely we'll simply release him then and get nowt. We did exactly that with quite a few last summer (Alex Smith, Corey Gameiro for instance). And there's a whole wodge of youngsters with contracts, like Ryan, ending next summer. We seem to allow them to float around the U21 team and/or put them out to loan then release them for nowt. Why? If they're not going to make it, sell them and get some sort of return - the transfer coffers could do with even a modest boost!! Another side of this (my) argument is that it would free up places in the U21 side to bring on the real talent currently in the U18s quicker.
I remember when we signed Ryan from Portsmouth we had a couple of Pompey fans on our board complaining about how the club took advantage of their financial situation by pinching Williams for "a measly 500k". Letting him go for nothing would be a bitter disappointment.
Quite agree Cottager, while you cannot have a club within a club,a modest amount of money received in transfers for these youngsters wouuld be better pumped straight into the youth structure. Wilst floating around MP today i asked the question to several insiders do they think Khan intends spending in the window.the answer (and its only their opinion) the clubs hierarchy are supposedly not enamered with jols past acquisitions, bought ,or borrowed.
Lots of loans went through today including our own Mesca who has gone to struggling Crew Alexandra. "Fulham winger Buomesca Tue Na Bangna has joined Crewe Alexandra on loan until January. The youngster has signed for the League One strugglers where he will team up with a familiar face in the form of Whites goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, which is also on loan with the Railwaymen. The former Chelsea winger made his first-team debut against his old club at Stamford Bridge in September, but hasn’t featured since. Boss Martin Jol said last month he wanted to send Na Bangna out on loan for some much-needed first team experience and he has got his wish. Na Bangna will stay at Gresty Road until January 7 along with QPR striker Tom Hitchcock, who has also joined on loan." Source: http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-winger-links-up-crewe-6352470 Don't know how beneficial this will be but Mesca has been fairly lacklustre with U21s of late so hopefully a change will do him good.
A mixed day for the lads this week: Birmingham City got their first back-to-back away win in eight months with a 3-0 win against bottom club Barnsley. The win helped them climb out of the relegation positions in the Championship. Dan Burn played the full game. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25063244 In League 1, Mesca went straight into the Crewe Alex team and celebrated three points with Neil Etheridge as Crewe beat Crawley Town 1-0 at home. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25063251 Marcello Trotta was an unused sub as Brentford scored on the stroke of half time to take a 1-0 win away to Notts County. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25063511 Oxford United stayed at the top of League 2 thanks to a last gasp equaliser in a 1-1 draw away to Fleetwood. Ryan Williams played the full 90, picking up another yellow card on the way - he got one last weekend. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25063860 Marcus Bettinelli kept Accrington Stanley in the game away to Northampton Town with a penalty save. However, he had no chance with the only goal of the game as Stanley’s tremendous run ended in a 1-0 defeat. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25063620 Charlie Banya’s Woking climbed out of the relegation zone with a great 3-0 win away to Hereford. [Cauley Woodrow was of course sidelined because of his midweek red card]
Neil Etheridge has been sent for a scan to assess the full extent of a thigh injury sustained during his loan spell at Crewe Alexandra. The Philippines international has featured three times for the Railwaymen since his switch to Gresty Road last month, but picked up the problem in the latter stages of Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crawley Town. And Alex boss Steve Davis is keeping his fingers crossed the injury isn't serious. He told Crewe's official site: “Neil has had a scan after suffering a strain in his quad muscle. He sustained it by making the final kick of the game." “We are waiting for the scan results but if he has suffered that type of injury it could be 3-5 weeks maximum. We will know more today." “We will have to see but if he is ruled and his loan deal had to come to a premature end then that would be a blow for us, because he was playing well and improving with every appearance. “Neil was making some great saves and had a real presence in the goal for us. He is a terrific lad and it would be a big loss.” Source: http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-keeper-sent-for-scan-6365774
Doncaster Rovers who shocked QPR at the weekend, held Dan Burn’s Birmingham to a 1-1 draw tonight. Dan was unlucky with a header which went just wide in the middle of the second half. This would have put City two nil up and probably would have sealed the match. As it was, Rovers got their equaliser 10 minutes from the end thanks to a cracking shot from outside the box by Dave Cotterill. The point nonetheless helps Birmingham nose up the table, jumping ahead of Bolton and Bournemouth who both lost. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25098380
Charlie Banya's loan to Woking has been extended: "Woking Football Club are pleased to announce that agreement has been reached with Fulham for the continuation of Charles Banya's loan deal." Source: http://www.wokingfc.co.uk/news/article/4281/charles-banya-s-loan-extended/
Oxford United got throught their FA Cup replay 1-0 at Gateshead tonight. The goal came in the 116th minute from the penalty spot after Ryan Williams had been brought down in the box. Oxford are now away to Wrexham in the second round. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24922009
Dan Burn update: “Dan Burn is back on song for Birmingham City. But the centre-half admitted that his confidence had taken a knock a little over a month ago. Burn, in his first season at Championship level, was axed by Lee Clark after uncertain performances against Bolton Wanderersand Leeds United. Clark kept faith with him for three matches after those fixtures, but decided to take him out of the firing line following the home loss to Charlton Athletic. Burn took it hard – but didn’t let it destroy him. Instead he refocused and since returning to the side has been sharp, decisive and strong – in excellent form. “I am playing with a bit more confidence now,” said Burn, 21. “I had a few bad games and it really did knock me quite a bit. I’d say the Bolton game and the Leeds game, it really drained the confidence out of me. So to be told I wasn’t playing, I was gutted, obviously, because you want to play, but I understood.” Kyle Bartley replaced Burn alongside Paul Robinson and looked set for an extended run in the team. But Bartley’s crazy red card at Huddersfield Town turned things on their head again. Burn was sent on for the last nine minutes plus added-time for 10-man Blues to ensure they saw things through – and he made important contributions as Huddersfield threw everything at Clark’s side. “That last 10 minutes against Huddersfield helped,” Burn admitted. “Obviously Barts getting sent-off was not brilliant for him. But it helped me massively because we won the game and it gave me confidence to push on.” The shirt now appears Burn’s to lose again. “I am hoping so,” he commented. "Barts is injured but when he comes back there is competition for places. “When I was at Yeovil last season there was only me and another lad who were playing at the back. There wasn’t any pressure, we knew we would be playing every week. “When someone is snapping at your heels it lifts you, it lifts all the lads, it’s good for the team.” Burn is gaining valuable experience on a season-long loan from parent club Fulham. He spent the previous campaign at Yeovil, scoring in their League One play-off final win over Brentford. In recent times, when Blues were not in such a financial mire, he was the sort of young loanee they would take and then buy. But that’s not an option and 6ft 7in Burn is relishing the challenge of stepping up a level and trying to respond to the responsibility thrust upon him by Clark on a consistent basis." Source: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spo...s/birmingham-city-interview-dan-burns-6379145
A number of our lads didn’t play today for one reason or another. Here’s how the rest got on: In a thrilling FA Cup game, managerless Brentford went out 3-2 away from home. Marcllo Trotta was subbed in the 68th minute by scorer of Brentford’s second goal, El Alagui. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25163297 Southend, still without the suspended Cauley Woodrow, eased their way into the third round draw with a 3-1 win away to Chesterfield. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25163294 In th championship Birmingham City scored an equaliser in the 4th minute of injury time, to draw 2-2 with Middlesborough. Dan Burn, playing the full game, had quiet but steady game. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25163294 Charlie Banya was subbed 5 minutes before half time with an injury. At the time Woking were 3-1 up against Halifax. They went further ahead 15 minutes from time but then conceded two goals and only just hung on to win 4-3 and end Halifax’s unbeaten record. Match report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25163294 Neil Etheridge is still recovering from injury, but team mate Mesca also had a day off as Crew Alex had a blank in their fixtures. As did Ryan Williams (Oxford United) and Marcus Bettinelli (Accrington Stanley).
Could the reason for the few lads not playing be down to the club not wanting them to be cup tied in case we need to call them back?
Ryan Williams Winner please log in to view this image Ryan got the winning goal tonight for Oxford as they beat Wrexham 2-1 away. Not entirely unusual, this one was with his head into the bottom left hand corner of the net. Oxford now face Charlton in the third round. Matche report:http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25250463
Just stumbled across a video that highlights Ryan Williams' form and importance to Oxford United. Their November goal of the month competition, out of 5 Williams scores 2, assists 2 and had a hand in the build up of the other. One of his goals was a lovely cheeky chip over the 'keeper. [video=youtube;oudus4Lxy3Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oudus4Lxy3Q[/video]
