So with all of the doom and gloom surrounding the club at the moment a rare highspot is Calaum Jahraldo-Martin's development and the potential for him to stake a claim in the first team this season. I have tried to keep an eye on his development since we signed him and always saw him as being a decent prospect. Recently he seems to be coming of age and he seems to be one of the very few that are managing to break through to Bruce's reckoning. I also think he has been helped by his international involvements. Should he preform then it would be like a brand new signing at no cost and with low wages. Martin managed to score tonight against Chesterfield and it may not be a massive achievement but it is still a step in the right direction and he has featured in both friendlies so far. Interested on what others thoughts are on him?
Hasn't impressed me that much. He's fast, but seems a bit too lightweight. Think a season loan in league 1 could be beneficial Although tonight he did put in an excellent cross to Lenihan who shot over.
I agree with you mate. I know quite a few on here thought he played well at Ferriby, personally I thought Greg Luer was far more impressive.
Have to agree with both of you on this, I thought against Ferriby he was just ok, didn't really do anything to make me take note and like you was more impressed with Greg Luer. Thought his movement in the box wasn't bad and wouldn't be against him seeing some action from the bench this season.
Not good enough by a distance.. Good luck to him but he is miles away from been a championship player.
Biggest problem weve had is that our reserves have played at such a poor standard that the difference between reserve team football and the championship is massive making it very difficult to judge players and wether they will make the step up. Sending them out on loan is the other option but when you have a small squad not ideal. The news regarding the reseves upgrade should be a big help.
I'm with City on this, I don't think he looks anywhere near good enough at the minute, I think some people are forgetting how good this league actually is. He couldn't break into a struggling Tranmere Rovers team or a part time Alloa side. He looks promising, but I honestly can't see any part of his game that makes him better than Snodgrass, Aluko or Brady. I think the League Cup game would be a genuinely good opportunity to see how far some of these young lads have come; a game against a league side in competitive conditions would be a good indicator of their progression and might also put them in the shop window for any potential loan clubs. Lenihan, Townsend and maybe Clark aside, the youngsters still have a fair way to go. It'd be nice to see Tombides play in a game, anybody know why he hasn't featured yet? Presumably it's visa related?
I didn't say they had. But they're the most likely candidates for wide roles (assuming they stay) and as far as I'm aware he can't play WB, so why would he feature at all if he isn't good enough?
Brady goes, Aluko gets injured regularly. There you go. Only you and City saying he isnt good enough. I'm saying give him a chance. Bruce may have to use Dixon and CJM to bolster his squad.
If Brady leaves and Aluko gets injured, we'd just loan in another winger. I'm not saying he's crap, just that he doesn't look ready for the Championship. He's featuring now because we have a thin squad, but I don't expect him to be anywhere near the first team unless he suddenly progresses well or, as you said, we're so low on numbers that we need him. He signed for Alloa Atheltic, a part time club in the Scottish Championship (not the SPL, the Championship) from January 27th till the end of their season. He managed 2 appearances in that time and he wasn't injured. For him to go from that to playing in the Championship is an enormous step and a risk I don't think Bruce will be willing to make.
You're talking as if he's going be a key figure in the starting 11. If that was the case you may have a point. I see absolutely no harm in keeping him around the first team squad and a few minutes on the pitch here and there whenever it's feasible. It can only be good for him. He was plucked from whatever level not very long ago, whenever it was, it's a short time to learn a lot about the professional game he probably wouldn't have learned prior to his arrival. It may be that he's reached a proper level in his footballing education and can now have a proper crack at making a player of himself.
Isn't Tombides a central midfielder? Given our lack of players in that position, if have thought he would have been with the first team.
