Josh Pritchard

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

Although perhaps not in the 'elite' group of younger players:  Woodrow, David, Burn, Dembele, Roberts and Williams,
I thought that Pritchard was quite highly rated as a potential squad player.
If so I can't understand why we've sold him to Gillingham.

[Craven Mad]

Probably because we have an "elite" group of youngsters, and he isn't going to get a look-in..

I don't like selling young prospects, but developing him here may hamper the progress of "better" talents. Hopefully we'll have tagged a couple of future-option clauses into the sale, just incase he comes good!

[BarryP]

Any club that runs a successful academy will at best promote only some of their brightest prospects on to the first team and sell others away. If we are lucky Fulham will make the correct choices.

[MasterHaynes]

It's probably better for him to go to a club of his choice and get a chance to develop and show what he can do rather than get shunted from club to club on loans or sit in the wings behind what the academy management regard as brighter prospects for the same position at Fulham.

The Academy staff have put a lot of time in to all the players that get as far Josh has, I'm sure they wish for him to succeed as much as anyone and if there is more chance elsewhere in their opinion then they owe it to him to let him go where he wants to go.There are countless examples of players that dropped down and then came on quickly and returned to the premiership, lets hope it works out for Josh.

[Andy S]

Clubs sign on a lot of potential prospects every season and 99% don't make it. I'm sure that is for a multitude of reasons from bad attitude, Not being a team player to not progressing quickly enough and not being good enough. It is more surprising when a player does make it

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

How nice to get a few good and sensible replies, particularly at the moment when we are all
clutching for news and there are a lot of nonsense postings (including some of mine)
There did seem to be a few good reports about him in Scanda and I thought he was 'called back
from his loan"
However, as someone said, we seem to have been so successful with our academy, but as someone
else said 99% fall by the wayside, which is far more realistic,  Minkovitz, De Bagna and Briggs are 3
that spring to mind.
I guess perhaps there is an air of expectation that all of the 'youth players will succeed

[valdeingruo]

How nice to get a few good and sensible replies, particularly at the moment when we are all
clutching for news and there are a lot of nonsense postings (including some of mine)
There did seem to be a few good reports about him in Scanda and I thought he was 'called back
from his loan"
However, as someone said, we seem to have been so successful with our academy, but as someone
else said 99% fall by the wayside, which is far more realistic,  Minkovitz, De Bagna and Briggs are 3
that spring to mind.
I guess perhaps there is an air of expectation that all of the 'youth players will succeed

Not to mention Dalle Valle who was supposed to be the more promising of the two Liverpool youngsters at the time

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

How nice to get a few good and sensible replies, particularly at the moment when we are all
clutching for news and there are a lot of nonsense postings (including some of mine)
There did seem to be a few good reports about him in Scanda and I thought he was 'called back
from his loan"
However, as someone said, we seem to have been so successful with our academy, but as someone
else said 99% fall by the wayside, which is far more realistic,  Minkovitz, De Bagna and Briggs are 3
that spring to mind.
I guess perhaps there is an air of expectation that all of the 'youth players will succeed

Not to mention Dalle Valle who was supposed to be the more promising of the two Liverpool youngsters at the time

True, plus Plumain and although different circumstances, Tunnicliffe and Cole

[Pluto]

I liked the lad but I feel he has found his level at League 1. Seems like a good guy though and I wish him all the best at Gillingham.

[Craven Mad]

How nice to get a few good and sensible replies, particularly at the moment when we are all
clutching for news and there are a lot of nonsense postings (including some of mine)
There did seem to be a few good reports about him in Scanda and I thought he was 'called back
from his loan"
However, as someone said, we seem to have been so successful with our academy, but as someone
else said 99% fall by the wayside, which is far more realistic,  Minkovitz, De Bagna and Briggs are 3
that spring to mind.
I guess perhaps there is an air of expectation that all of the 'youth players will succeed

Not to mention Dalle Valle who was supposed to be the more promising of the two Liverpool youngsters at the time

True, plus Plumain and although different circumstances, Tunnicliffe and Cole

What's wrong with Plumain, Cole and Tunnicliffe?

Definitely not in the same category (yet) of Dalla Valle, Wes Brown, Briggs etc.

Plumain looked good in the cup this season. Tunni impressed (out of position, at RB) in his league performances for us (the less said about the loan to Wigan, the better). Cole hasn't had an opportunity, but was rated highly by Scholes (who I respect greatly) at Utd.

They deserve more time.