incoing players rumours

[OUFC4eva]

Oxford United sign powerful Norwich City youngster Carlton Morris,18, on loan until January 2015.

[joepoolman]

I suppose today's signings combined with that of Joe Riley shows the policy of playing our own young players rather than someone else's has been put on the back burner then.

[Old Abingdonian]

Not sure that is quite fair. It seems rather that Appleton has recruited two high quality (on paper) players on loan rather than scrape the barrel at this stage in the summer looking for L2 stalwarts who can 'do a job at this level'. His comments about looking to January would suggest that he believes he wants longer to identify permanent signings, or that he was unable to persuade those he sought to come.

[Boogie]

Good signings looking at the clips of these players. Well done to the management.

Cue Morris Oxford headlines.

Annoyed that I can't make it on Saturday now.

Feeling positive but it's that time of the season...

[joepoolman]

Not sure that is quite fair. It seems rather that Appleton has recruited two high quality (on paper) players on loan rather than scrape the barrel at this stage in the summer looking for L2 stalwarts who can 'do a job at this level'. His comments about looking to January would suggest that he believes he wants longer to identify permanent signings, or that he was unable to persuade those he sought to come.

I've got nothing against Riley or Morris specifically, for all I know they could end up being the best two players in L2 this season, but I'm confident that they will reduce the amount of playing time for Bevans, Marsh and Roberts this season, despite not really being any more qualified. You could possibly throw the Long/Crocombe situation in there but Long has played significantly more first team football, and we definitely needed to sign a goalkeeper, whereas I don't really think we needed a right-back or inexperienced striker. I really hope I look stupid by the end of the season but I'm quite concerned that we're going into the season with 4 strikers with a total of 54 professional goals between them (Hylton: 53, Marsh: 1, Roberts and Morris: 0).

[JoeyBeauchamp]

I suppose today's signings combined with that of Joe Riley shows the policy of playing our own young players rather than someone else's has been put on the back burner then.

Wow. That must be the most negative reaction ever to (on paper) two very exciting signings.

[theox]

My only concern is that we could lose all of these loan players in January which, if they have played well, will put a massive hole in an 'established' first XI.

However, I guess I should probably concern myself with August - December before worrying about January...........

[SmileyMan]

However, I guess I should probably concern myself with August - December before worrying about January...........

No need to worry, we'll be top by Christmas. And then go on a massive losing streak. And then just as the playoffs become mathematically impossible, become amazing again.

[joepoolman]

I suppose today's signings combined with that of Joe Riley shows the policy of playing our own young players rather than someone else's has been put on the back burner then.

Wow. That must be the most negative reaction ever to (on paper) two very exciting signings.

Whether I'm reacting negatively or not a couple of seasons ago the club got a lot of stick for playing other teams young players rather than developing our own. Last season this policy was reversed with a very positive outcome. We've recently signed two young players and have now sent one of our young players out on loan (Marsh) with another (Bevans) seeming set to follow him. I have absolutely nothing whatsoever against Joe Riley or Carlton Morris and I hope their spells with the club are as successful as Ryan William's was last season, but I am disappointed that Marsh and Bevans especially don't seem like they'll be in an Oxford shirt for a little while.

Also I personally can't really get excited about signings "on paper", I can only be excited about signing players I can recall having seen played in the past. I very much hope that come Saturday I'll be very excited about the signing's of Morris and Riley.

[SmileyMan]

I think the core of the problem was Wilder's apparent distrust of our own youth players, such that they wouldn't get in the side no matter what, and we ended up with a combination of other people's youngsters and aging journeymen, which does not a future make.

If the development squad are used as impact subs in league games, or in the paint tin trophy etc, that would be fantastic. In the end, last season we reached the point where Ruffels and Bevan were first team regulars, and while it was a nice change from the past, it was probably a bit too much of a good thing.

[JoeyBeauchamp]

I think we have to accept that three managers have taken looks at Marsh and not trusted him (yet) to be good enough. I certainly wouldn't be happy if he was our 3rd/4th choice.

I get pretty excited when I see we've signed a young, raw, ex-Eng youth international.

[Kernow Yellow]

Marsh has never really looked up to it when I've seen him. I've no problem with him being sent out on loan, and I don't see how bringing in a similar age player who's represented England at age level and won the FA Youth Cup can be seen as anything but a positive for OUFC.

Bevans/Riley is not so clear cut, but I wonder whether there's something going on behind the scenes with Bevans. He rejected our new contract offer and is only here because we triggered the extension clause on his old deal - a decision taken by the old regime rather than Appleton...

[Kairdiff Exile]

I suppose today's signings combined with that of Joe Riley shows the policy of playing our own young players rather than someone else's has been put on the back burner then.

Wow. That must be the most negative reaction ever to (on paper) two very exciting signings.

I think it's an eminently fair reaction. We've seen enough times over the years that signing 'promising' kids from teams higher up the leagues can unearth the odd gem - Ryan Williams, Jake Forster-Caskey et al - but we've had plenty of poor experiences of kids dragged in to give us a short-term 'body' in the squad and they've not been up to the job.

Most of us, I think, admired Lenagan's stated ambition to give our home-grown youngsters a chance. Even if the quality wasn't much better, at least they had a better understanding of what the club's about and a longer-term outlook on their career here. Moreover, if they succeeded, we could sell them on for a profit rather than just see them whisked back to a parent club.

As others have said, players like Marsh and Bevans (plus all the new scholars) must be wondering whether they'll realistically get a look-in at Oxford United.

[JoeyBeauchamp]

I suppose today's signings combined with that of Joe Riley shows the policy of playing our own young players rather than someone else's has been put on the back burner then.

Wow. That must be the most negative reaction ever to (on paper) two very exciting signings.

but we've had plenty of poor experiences of kids dragged in to give us a short-term 'body' in the squad and they've not been up to the job.

Have we? On long-term loans (full season or until January)? Can't think of too many. As far as I can remember the last long-term loans of youngsters we have had have been Williams, Rob Hall and JFC. The issue came when CW started bringing in all sorts of players, young and old, on short-term loan deals. I have advocated for years the benefits of getting raw, hungry youngsters from the higher leagues on long-term loans to play alongside experienced pros. Let's hope it pays off this season. If our youngsters are good enough they should get some chances - I would expect COD, Ruffels and Roberts (possibly Long) all to feature in the first team at various points.

[GodalmingYellow]

I suppose today's signings combined with that of Joe Riley shows the policy of playing our own young players rather than someone else's has been put on the back burner then.

Wow. That must be the most negative reaction ever to (on paper) two very exciting signings.

I think it's an eminently fair reaction. We've seen enough times over the years that signing 'promising' kids from teams higher up the leagues can unearth the odd gem - Ryan Williams, Jake Forster-Caskey et al - but we've had plenty of poor experiences of kids dragged in to give us a short-term 'body' in the squad and they've not been up to the job.

Most of us, I think, admired Lenagan's stated ambition to give our home-grown youngsters a chance. Even if the quality wasn't much better, at least they had a better understanding of what the club's about and a longer-term outlook on their career here. Moreover, if they succeeded, we could sell them on for a profit rather than just see them whisked back to a parent club.

As others have said, players like Marsh and Bevans (plus all the new scholars) must be wondering whether they'll realistically get a look-in at Oxford United.

I agree with that pretty much word for word.