Meanwhile back at the ranch - New contracts for the Kids

[Lighthouse]

New Deals For Young Whites
Wednesday 10 July 2013 13:00
The Club are delighted to announce a number of contract extensions for players from the Under-21 and Under-18 squads.

Having made his bow on the bench for the Fulham First Team away at Stoke City in 2012/13, winger Charles Banya has signed a deal until 30th June 2014, with the option of another year, after he was a fixture in Kit Symons' Under-21 side last season.

German midfielder Ronny Minkwitz has also signed until 30th June 2014, with the option of another year, having risen from captain of the Under-18 side to the Under-21s.

With our Academy Under-18 side becoming back-to-back Barclays Premier League champions last season with a convincing 3-0 win over Reading at Craven Cottage, Fulham also have a number of talented young players who have now committed their futures to the Club.

Striker Cauley Woodrow and American midfielder Emerson Hyndman have both signed until the 30th June 2016, while German goalkeeper Max Oberschmidt has agreed a deal until 30th June 2014.

Defender Cameron Burgess has turned from scholar to professional and put pen to paper on a deal until 30th June 2015, after he impressed in the Scotland Under-20 squad at the ADO Den Haag Youth tournament in Holland this summer, while Tom Richards has signed until the 30th June 2014, with the option of another year

[elgreenio]

pointless deals for Banya and the two Germans.

[Rhys Lightning 63]

Great news about Minkwitz and Woodrow

[cmg]

pointless deals for Banya and the two Germans.

I'd say it shows that neither Banya nor Minkwitz developed as hoped last season and are effectively given a season to prove themselves.

Oberschmidt was at one time being spoken of as a top prospect, but has been eclipsed of late by the emergence of Rodak, who is two years younger. It's a tough gig being a young goalkeeper, at Fulham and elsewhere (one wonders what Blackman at Chelsea is thinking right now), there are loads of them about.

Longer contracts for Woodrow (hopefully we will learn more about him this season) and Hyndman (who had a terrific second-half of the season) reflect their greater potential. I would have thought they might have shown more confidence in Richards (or, perhaps, he didn't want longer).

[MJG]

pointless deals for Banya and the two Germans.

They will just end up like Donegan and a couple of others this season. get loaned out or kicking their heals while others play and then get released.
In reality that first group of young players we went for does not look like working. Heres to better luck with the next lot.

[MasterHaynes]

It would be reassuring to know that we already have the likes of Passley, Arthurworrey, Kavanagh,Richards, Mesca,Sambou, Christensen, Grimmer,Omri, Tankovic and Islamovic all signed up for the next 18 months at leats. I'm guessing Roberts and Dembele are too young to sign pro contracts yet. We have a lot of potential in the Academy, by the end of next season I could see 3-4 of them making a real impact on the first team.

I did think Minkawitz showed signs of what he is capable of in the dallas cup, I think he is worth another year, loan him out to a 2nd tier german team see if he can build physique and confidence as Kaca did at watford.