Grebis Out

[Mally]

Just heard that Grebis has packed his bags and returned from whence he came. The optimist in me would like to think that this means Jim Smith has another striker lined up to take his place but there's this nagging voice in the back of my head telling me that its all a big cock-up resulting from bringing in a player on the say so of his agent when you've never seen him play before.

[Pe├▒a Oxford United]

Is Ali Dia available as a replacement?

[Mooro]

No, but his brother Marvin is!

I too would hope that this means someone new is due to join us before the weekend - any spare strikers in the Man U reserves?

Anyway, why would we need to bring anyone else in when we have a perfectly competent young bright prospect from the youth setup waiting in the wings for his chance - erm sorry what am I saying - ...when we have a midfielder in form just waiting to be moved out of position up front in order to become suitably ineffectual.

I would take a stab that we'll see Burgess moved forward to play behind a lone striker before we see Beechers.....

[Shoobedoo]

I would take a stab that we'll see Burgess moved forward to play behind a lone striker before we see Beechers.....

I'd go so far as to say we're more likely to see Turley up front than Beechers.

[neilw]

The Grebis debacle is somewhat embarrassing, akin to three successive foul throws.

Mooro, have you considered that our youth players might not be good enough? Do you watch them? Do you go to first team games? It's not as though Smith is afraid to bring in and use young inexperienced players - Rose, Corcoran, Eddie.

[Mally]

No, but his brother Marvin is!

I too would hope that this means someone new is due to join us before the weekend - any spare strikers in the Man U reserves?

What's the position on bringing in new players outside the transfer window? Are we still allowed to take players on loan or have we reached some limit. I know you can sign out of contract players bit there can't be that many out of contract strikers who are any good or match fit.

[GodalmingYellow]

Just heard that Grebis has packed his bags and returned from whence he came. The optimist in me would like to think that this means Jim Smith has another striker lined up to take his place but there's this nagging voice in the back of my head telling me that its all a big cock-up resulting from bringing in a player on the say so of his agent when you've never seen him play before.

Its difficult to come to any other realistic conclusion really.

[Zeke]

Is it possible he got home sick because I assume the Latvian community in Oxford is largely non existant? Not being able to speak the local language, no friends, injured pretty quickly so he sits around a lot...

From the reports, he seemed like a decent, if unspectacular, player.

[Mooro]

The Grebis debacle is somewhat embarrassing, akin to three successive foul throws.

Mooro, have you considered that our youth players might not be good enough? Do you watch them? Do you go to first team games? It's not as though Smith is afraid to bring in and use young inexperienced players - Rose, Corcoran, Eddie.

I've just written an essay on this, but will put that aside and instead try to be concise.

I have seen our young players a number of times and consider Gunn and Beechers good enough to play their part now and be with us next season, and would also like to see up to half a dozen of the graduating scholars given a year as well to give them chance to prove whether they can step up to the mark (Franklin, Tucker, Weedon for starters, maybe Meade, Younie, Anderson too). I fear however that we will not see more than 2 or 3 of those 8.

To me, developing youth is not about deciding whether 18 years olds are ready to play 20 first team games in a season and casting all that arent onto the scrapheap. It is about being confident and brave enough as a club to give them the time and opportunity to develop into a first team player, then reaping the benefits. Merry believes this, Patto believes this, Les Taylor believes this, which leaves only one barrier.....

Oh and quoting Rose et al as proof that he does use young players is a red herring as far as I'm concerned. All three you mention have played regular reserve team football for one of the top 30 clubs in England, the standard of which is far higher than the Conference, so they do not constitute a risk. Instead, just like Atkins a few years ago, Smith shys away from our unproven youngsters because he's too scared to take a risk and give them that chance TO prove themselves.

[Zeke]

Is it feasible (possible?) to sign some of these graduating scholars and loan them out to other local teams for a season to see how they develop? That way they wont count against the wage cap (or not much) and we can retain their rights for a further year to see if they are worthy of further investment.

Just a thought

[Baboo]

I too would hope that this means someone new is due to join us before the weekend - any spare strikers in the Man U reserves?

Rad Ox reported that now we have freed up KG's wages we are hoping to sign a young striker on loan from a Premiership club. Well we can always hope. And then hope that if he does join us he gets some decent service.

[Shoobedoo]

And then hope that if he does join us he gets some decent service.

That's the key isn't it. One of the great glories of the team Jim built in the 80's was the wing play of Brock, Rhoades-Brown and to a lesser extent Langan up in support. Even I could probably have got on the end of some of their crosses.

This time - difference in league position and therefore difference in player quality notwithstanding - he seems to think that we can play 4-4-2 with no wingers at all. No disrespect to messrs Anaclet, Odubade, Rose and Burgess, but they ain't wingers (Slightly Fast Eddie being the closest to resembling one).

I actually miss Chris Hackett you know. For all his faults (particularly the frequent &quotbeat a player on the outside, then cut inside and give the ball away&quot manoevre), he was a winger. And boy do we need one of them now.

[Mooro]

Is it feasible (possible?) to sign some of these graduating scholars and loan them out to other local teams for a season to see how they develop? That way they wont count against the wage cap (or not much) and we can retain their rights for a further year to see if they are worthy of further investment.

Just a thought

..and a decent one at that. It is something I would like to see as well, though it may not get round the wage cap issue completely as we will probably still have to pay them (as I cannot see the receiving club paying much if anything).
I would see it as initially from August to the start of December, then reviewed monthly to give us the chance to either recall them for first team duty, allow them to stay out on loan, or give the host club first option on taking them permanently.

BTW - I have no objection to another loan player coming in to start if they are good enough, my issue is with BB potentially being ignored in the mean time.
This would work as long as i) they still train with us as well, ii) someone watches them semi-regularly when they play to monitor progress.

[ty cobb]

Is it feasible (possible?) to sign some of these graduating scholars and loan them out to other local teams for a season to see how they develop? That way they wont count against the wage cap (or not much) and we can retain their rights for a further year to see if they are worthy of further investment.

Just a thought

..and a decent one at that. It is something I would like to see as well, though it may not get round the wage cap issue completely as we will probably still have to pay them (as I cannot see the receiving club paying much if anything).
I would see it as initially from August to the start of December, then reviewed monthly to give us the chance to either recall them for first team duty, allow them to stay out on loan, or give the host club first option on taking them permanently.

BTW - I have no objection to another loan player coming in to start if they are good enough, my issue is with BB potentially being ignored in the mean time.
This would work as long as i) they still train with us as well, ii) someone watches them semi-regularly when they play to monitor progress.

Just out of interest how many goals has BB got in the reserves this season?

[Mooro]

The reserves have not had a great season, through a combination of sporadic fixtures and the variability of the standard of the XI put out from both sides.

However in the 9 games played upto the end of January, BB played in 6 and scored three of the eight goals we scored (Younie 2, Spilman, Yemi and a trialist got the others. Seem to remember he scored both goals against Ardley in the OSC too.

He was also very well received on loan at Oxford City, but again I have not got the actual figures for while he was there.