The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by SCIAG » 26 Aug 2019 10:46

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windermereROYAL Andrija Novakovich is in talks with PEC Zwolle.

He was in the crowd for their 2-2 draw with Sparta today


As much as I feel sorry for him and hoped he would get the opportunity he's been patiently waiting for, I'm glad he's going to be playing a decent level somewhere else. The poor lad has not been given a fair crack here. Assuming the talks go well I hope we have a sell on clause for his transfer.


Whilst I have some sympathy with this view, I've never quite understood. He has had the same crack as any other player who trains at a football club. He was asked to go on loan but the performance he has put in simply haven't impressed multiple managers so he hasn't been selected. He has the ability to score goals but maybe his game is just not set for English football - the Dutch environment may well be the perfect fit for him. I wish him well if this comes off but he IMHO he is just as likely to have an OK career playing for a few mid-table Dutch sides before a move back to the MLS than he is going on to be one that we feel we made a mistake on.

If he was ever going to make it here, he would have been retained when he went to Fortuna - as soon as that loan went through, he was essentially gone.

I don't think you're entirely wrong, but it is fair to say that if he hadn't been sent on those loans then he would have played a fair few games for us. There have been times when we've had no fit strikers, times we've had to use Sam Smith up front, times we had to use Baldock and McNulty together.

Smith is the real injustice - Novakovich is a much better player but Smith got more game time because he wasn't ready to go out on loan.

By no means am I saying that he would definitely have been the Messiah, but you look at how Rinomhota stepped up when he got in the first team, or how much Richards has improved, and it's hard not to think Nova deserved at least the opportunity to make the same impression.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Stranded » 26 Aug 2019 10:55

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As much as I feel sorry for him and hoped he would get the opportunity he's been patiently waiting for, I'm glad he's going to be playing a decent level somewhere else. The poor lad has not been given a fair crack here. Assuming the talks go well I hope we have a sell on clause for his transfer.


Whilst I have some sympathy with this view, I've never quite understood. He has had the same crack as any other player who trains at a football club. He was asked to go on loan but the performance he has put in simply haven't impressed multiple managers so he hasn't been selected. He has the ability to score goals but maybe his game is just not set for English football - the Dutch environment may well be the perfect fit for him. I wish him well if this comes off but he IMHO he is just as likely to have an OK career playing for a few mid-table Dutch sides before a move back to the MLS than he is going on to be one that we feel we made a mistake on.

If he was ever going to make it here, he would have been retained when he went to Fortuna - as soon as that loan went through, he was essentially gone.

I don't think you're entirely wrong, but it is fair to say that if he hadn't been sent on those loans then he would have played a fair few games for us. There have been times when we've had no fit strikers, times we've had to use Sam Smith up front, times we had to use Baldock and McNulty together.

Smith is the real injustice - Novakovich is a much better player but Smith got more game time because he wasn't ready to go out on loan.

By no means am I saying that he would definitely have been the Messiah, but you look at how Rinomhota stepped up when he got in the first team, or how much Richards has improved, and it's hard not to think Nova deserved at least the opportunity to make the same impression.


Well that either shows one of two things:

1. The club rated Smith as the better prospect and that he would be a better fit to the first team at the time Novakovich went on loan for the 2nd season
2. Novakovich himself didn't want to fight for a spot (I would hope not)

If the club really thought that Novakovich was capable of playing for our first team in either of the last 2 seasons, he wouldn't have spent both in the Netherlands - one season yeah, 2 no. The second season was, for me at least, a shop window season hence why we signed him up for 12 more months before he went. Realistically the club were expecting him to go and the Fortuna move was to see if he could do it at the top level over there and likely get a club prepared to make a bid.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Hound » 26 Aug 2019 10:59

He certainly could have played plenty here in the last couple of years, but he’d have been bit part at best - and not had 2 full years of football behind him. So don’t feel sorry for him certainly - he should go onto have a good career in NL

Whilst he didn’t get a chance here, I’m sure he’d have been watched plenty - and trained all summer with a view to being in the first 11 and Gomes and co have decided he isn’t quite up to the mark. So no real complaints

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by windermereROYAL » 26 Aug 2019 11:15

Can`t help thinking we will be looking on with regret when he`s banging them in at a decent level. think we missed a trick there.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Snowflake Royal » 26 Aug 2019 11:47

I do acknowledge Puscas looks a real find and better. But we spend so much money on shit when we could be giving an Academy lad 10 games to see how he does.


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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by NewCorkSeth » 26 Aug 2019 13:56

Snowflake Royal I do acknowledge Puscas looks a real find and better. But we spend so much money on shit when we could be giving an Academy lad 10 games to see how he does.

Still. If we get a decent fee or a decent sell on clause then I'll still qualify him as a success.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by SCIAG » 26 Aug 2019 21:48

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Well that either shows one of two things:

1. The club rated Smith as the better prospect and that he would be a better fit to the first team at the time Novakovich went on loan for the 2nd season
2. Novakovich himself didn't want to fight for a spot (I would hope not)

.

It shows neither of those things. It shows the club didn't think Kermorgant and Bodvarsson would miss huge chunks of time with injuries, so sent their third choice striker (consistently picked ahead of Smith) out on loan for development and were forced to use someone worse through their short sightedness. A clear blunder.

Last season the same thing happened again except Bodvarsson, Baldock, and Meite were all injured and Loader was the beneficiary. Harder to argue that Loader was behind Novakovich as they'd never really competed for a place and brought slightly different things to the table, but I do think the club made a gamble that didn't pay off. I have more sympathy though as Nova fell down the pecking order with the return of Meite and addition of McNulty and Baldock. Sending out your fifth choice striker is reasonable, even when it turns out to be the wrong decision.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Stranded » 27 Aug 2019 08:51

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It shows neither of those things. It shows the club didn't think Kermorgant and Bodvarsson would miss huge chunks of time with injuries, so sent their third choice striker (consistently picked ahead of Smith) out on loan for development and were forced to use someone worse through their short sightedness. A clear blunder.

Last season the same thing happened again except Bodvarsson, Baldock, and Meite were all injured and Loader was the beneficiary. Harder to argue that Loader was behind Novakovich as they'd never really competed for a place and brought slightly different things to the table, but I do think the club made a gamble that didn't pay off. I have more sympathy though as Nova fell down the pecking order with the return of Meite and addition of McNulty and Baldock. Sending out your fifth choice striker is reasonable, even when it turns out to be the wrong decision.


I find it hard to believe that the club would send a striker who is 3rd choice out when only 1 injury puts them on the bench (or they could be on the bench anyway) which leads me to the conclusion that I did - not saying I'm right but it is the most likely to me. They sent him out so they could see him in a competitive environment and see if he would be useful the following season.

Your second paragraph is essentially my point that come the 2nd loan - he was done here and the contract extension was merely to protect our investment. It is reasonable to send out your 5th choice striker but the fact we did and he had gone from apparently 3rd choice down to 5th showed that he was not going to breakthrough here.

According to Courtney Friday yesterday, Novakovich was told at the start of the summer that he could go but (and credit to him here) decided to hang around and try and force Gomes' hand and get into the squad. The fact that Gomes barely used him in any games with the likely first team over the summer shows that he was absolutely done here despite the sub cameo on opening day. He may end up being one we regret leaving but from the moment he left on loan in the summer of 2018 - he was done as a Reading player and I'm not sure anything would have changed that.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Hound » 27 Aug 2019 08:55

I'm sure Gomes was open to using Nova as an option though when he was training with us this summer. If he had impressed him sufficiently in training and on the tour, he would have been kept with the squad. And actually, if Howe hadn't suddenly found x Million down the sofa at the end of the Transfer window, he'd still be in the match day 18.


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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by NewCorkSeth » 27 Aug 2019 08:58

Hound I'm sure Gomes was open to using Nova as an option though when he was training with us this summer. If he had impressed him sufficiently in training and on the tour, he would have been kept with the squad. And actually, if Howe hadn't suddenly found x Million down the sofa at the end of the Transfer window, he'd still be in the match day 18.

Wish I could find x million down my sofa.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Singing Defective » 27 Aug 2019 18:14

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Hound I'm sure Gomes was open to using Nova as an option though when he was training with us this summer. If he had impressed him sufficiently in training and on the tour, he would have been kept with the squad. And actually, if Howe hadn't suddenly found x Million down the sofa at the end of the Transfer window, he'd still be in the match day 18.

Wish I could find x million down my sofa.


It’s overrated. You either hand over most of it to HMRC, or you’re swapping ciggies for a steady broadband at Her Majesty’s Pleasure, sooner or later.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by NewCorkSeth » 27 Aug 2019 18:54

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Hound I'm sure Gomes was open to using Nova as an option though when he was training with us this summer. If he had impressed him sufficiently in training and on the tour, he would have been kept with the squad. And actually, if Howe hadn't suddenly found x Million down the sofa at the end of the Transfer window, he'd still be in the match day 18.

Wish I could find x million down my sofa.


It’s overrated. You either hand over most of it to HMRC, or you’re swapping ciggies for a steady broadband at Her Majesty’s Pleasure, sooner or later.

Do you speak from experience? :?

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Singing Defective » 27 Aug 2019 18:59

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NewCorkSeth Wish I could find x million down my sofa.


It’s overrated. You either hand over most of it to HMRC, or you’re swapping ciggies for a steady broadband at Her Majesty’s Pleasure, sooner or later.

Do you speak from experience? :?

For others, yeah. I try and keep them from the second scenario.


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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by NewCorkSeth » 27 Aug 2019 19:01

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It’s overrated. You either hand over most of it to HMRC, or you’re swapping ciggies for a steady broadband at Her Majesty’s Pleasure, sooner or later.

Do you speak from experience? :?

For others, yeah. I try and keep them from the second scenario.

I'd get so buff in prison though... worth the risk?

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Singing Defective » 27 Aug 2019 19:09

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NewCorkSeth Do you speak from experience? :?

For others, yeah. I try and keep them from the second scenario.

I'd get so buff in prison though... worth the risk?


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Not an issue with the rich relics / clients I deal with. Though always nice meeting their “nieces”

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Royals and Racers » 29 Aug 2019 11:49

1st of the Madejski stadium games for the U23’s next Monday September 2nd against West Brom KO 7pm.
U23’s originally had 3 games in September at the Madstad but the home game against Stoke on Monday September 30th has been switched to Adams Park.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by morganb » 29 Aug 2019 15:15

Royals and Racers 1st of the Madejski stadium games for the U23’s next Monday September 2nd against West Brom KO 7pm.
U23’s originally had 3 games in September at the Madstad but the home game against Stoke on Monday September 30th has been switched to Adams Park.


Does anyone know if the U23s will be playing any matches this season in Woking? They played a number of games in one of the cup competitions there last season.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Royals and Racers » 29 Aug 2019 16:14

morganb
Royals and Racers 1st of the Madejski stadium games for the U23’s next Monday September 2nd against West Brom KO 7pm.
U23’s originally had 3 games in September at the Madstad but the home game against Stoke on Monday September 30th has been switched to Adams Park.


Does anyone know if the U23s will be playing any matches this season in Woking? They played a number of games in one of the cup competitions there last season.

Think the answer is no- they are using Madejski, Adams Park and the training ground for all home matches.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by morganb » 29 Aug 2019 17:47

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Royals and Racers 1st of the Madejski stadium games for the U23’s next Monday September 2nd against West Brom KO 7pm.
U23’s originally had 3 games in September at the Madstad but the home game against Stoke on Monday September 30th has been switched to Adams Park.


Does anyone know if the U23s will be playing any matches this season in Woking? They played a number of games in one of the cup competitions there last season.

Think the answer is no- they are using Madejski, Adams Park and the training ground for all home matches.


Thanks. Wonder why they only used that location for the one season.

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Re: The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2015//16

by Royals and Racers » 29 Aug 2019 21:40

morganb
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Does anyone know if the U23s will be playing any matches this season in Woking? They played a number of games in one of the cup competitions there last season.

Think the answer is no- they are using Madejski, Adams Park and the training ground for all home matches.


Thanks. Wonder why they only used that location for the one season.

It might be because Woking are back in the Vanarama National league this season, and maybe they don`t want the pitch to be over played on- It certainly suffered towards the end of last season.

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