Olaf Koszela

[Dave]

Is there is a difference between regional football and the Junior Premier League? I am lead to believe the boy is ahead of his years in core physical strength, has a footballing brain and technical ability which is why maybe Reading FC and a number of Premiership clubs are showing an interest and closely monitoring his development.

Anyways he will be 17 come next season, that must be old enough for you to accept him playing a game or two of non-league football. I mean if Theo Walcott can win his first full senior England Cap at the age of 17, how hard can it be to play a game of regional non-league football?

The junior premier league isn't a great standard of youth development football. I don't doubt having seeing Olaf play in pre-season that he is physically well developed, and isn't scared to put himself about, you've clearly got good knowledge of football, when we're talking about the likes of Rooney and Walcott, we're talking about players who were elite youngsters, players who were exposed to a quality of coaching, and development light years ahead of we're offering.


If Reading and others are looking at him, fantastic, all the more reason to look after him, and put him no where near our first team. The discussion is how to score more goals, are we really in all seriousness, suggesting we turn to a 16 year old, who's never played an adult match as the answer to the problems, just bizarre, as said earlier, I think we're letting our need to bash Owers, to cloud our judgement.

[Dave]

forevertufc I rarely disagree with you but there are an increasing number of young players at all levels who are breaking into 1st teams under the age of 17.

In the Premier League just check out the Under 17 players who won the World Cup at that age level.Phil Foden made his debut for Manchester City aged 17 in a Champions League Match against Feyenoord in November 2017.



In Golf we are seeing boys and girls playing as Amateurs on the Professional Tours aged under 16.

If you are good enough you are old enough.

It's ok to disagree, as said in my reply to MY. We have to understand, the difference in the standard of coaching, the amount of development time they get, and the elite standard of youth football they play.


Here's a link to an interview with pep-guardiola about Foden, and here's and manager who might know a thing or two, worth a read, because when it comes to one off talented players like the Rooney's and Foden's of this world, fans in this country are stupid, we just want them in, and play, and play, and then wonder why they never fulfil their early potential.

www.skysports.com/football/news/11679/1 ... phil-foden

[Bloggy]

Absolutely! A two-third's of our current squad is made up of them.

What! Rugby players?

[MellowYellow]

What! Rugby players?

Keep up Bloggy. This was a response to a question on football’s biggest issue: the struggle facing young men rejected by football clubs and their academies. Thousands of young players wash through club and academy systems each year and when released many find their level into non-league football or just fade out of the limelight altogether e.g. David Byngs. I was agreeing and highlighting that much of our current squad is made up of rejected academy players.

[Bloggy]

And my response was tongue firmly in cheek as a nod back to Byngs subsequent career as a rugby player. :~D

[MellowYellow]

Touché

[portugull]

Yes forevertufc I absolutely take your point but I still feel GO may be tempted to give Olaf a chance if our goal dearth continues and he cannot get in a suitable loanee.

Maybe bring him on with 20 minutes to go?

[arcadia]

I was invited to watch the youth team last season by Don Ford the 16's manager and he had put together a very good side with several players with a lot of potential. If Olaf was one of Dons strikers I would say he is well worth a shout as he was a breath of fresh air against Plymouth.
Don was a very good player in his day and would know if there is a couple of other players that have potential as well who played last season.
These players need to be kept and played at under 18 level for a couple of seasons then, when they have the strength we may benefit from Dons side.

[Southampton Gull]

Surely each player should be treated on an individual basis? Young players all develop at different rates, not saying Olaf is ready yet but he couldn't do any worse than some of our players. Not so sure I would want him in an Owers side though.

[arcadia]

Surely each player should be treated on an individual basis? Young players all develop at different rates, not saying Olaf is ready yet but he couldn't do any worse than some of our players. Not so sure I would want him in an Owers side though.

Olaf is a good player and would be a good substitute better than a few. It's about time this club produced a player for the first team. As you say it's down to the manager to ease him in and give him game time. The team needs a bit of a tweak up front perhaps Garry Owers could consider this. I would and have done in the past.

[nickbrod]

I was interested to read that Hungerford's on loan goalkeeper from Reading who went off injured in their mid-week fixture is 16 years old. Because he had concussion he's not allowed to play for 21 days. Hungerford now have another on loan keeper from Reading.

[OllieGull]

Olaf is a good player and would be a good substitute better than a few. It's about time this club produced a player for the first team. As you say it's down to the manager to ease him in and give him game time. The team needs a bit of a tweak up front perhaps Garry Owers could consider this. I would and have done in the past.

I would argue that we've produced players for the first team before. Regardless of your opinion of Hargreaves, he put faith in Dan Lavercombe and Levi Ives who both did reasonably well for us before being sold to higher levels. I think there are quite a few youth players who could play in general for their club's first team but the manager's never believe in this and want to stick with the tried and tested players, I think giving Olaf a run out in some of the so-called easier games (low table sides at home) would not do any harm.

[Dave]

Totally agree with SG, players do develop at different rates, see myself many times over the ten years I spent in youth development football. But I will bang the drum every time, at all levels in English domestic football, we've seen one bright young thing after another, come and go, because they've not been looked after properly in many, but of course not all cases, and I'm not just talking about technical development, I'm referring also to physical and mental development, not just avoiding over use injuries, but helping them to cope with a lifestyle that brings them fame fortune, and fast cars at a very young age.

We've seen this all before, especially in our recent history. Who remembers Ashley Yeoman (now playing for Salcombe Town sdl div 1) Nial Thompson another bright young thing who was going to fill our bank account full of money, with a huge transfer fee as he made big in football ( didn't end well there either ) and not forgetting Saul Halpin, another teenage superstar at TUFC that went no where.

We have to remember Olaf has not played a minute of adult football, 5 minutes in a P.S.F v Plymouth doesn't count for much. Please lets give this lad a break. Does he need massive pressure and expectation chucked at him right now, does he need putting in a potentially lethal, toxic atmosphere at Torquay, nope.

He needs game time of course, but under a more phased, gradual and controlled manner. I would suggest sending him somewhere, like Plymouth Parkway, or at a like club, see how he gets on and take from there.


Yes our lack of goals needs sorting, but the answer/answers to coin a phrase could be already in the building, there's an on his way to fitness Andre Wright, and there is a Martin Ling style change in set up and formation that could be, should be tried, before we potentially wreck another young players career.

[Kingsgull83]

I have never seen the lad play but the old saying goes ‘if your good enough your old enough’ if things don’t improve it would be worth giving him a try.

If big clubs have been having a look he should be able to do a job at this level. He might score a few goals and get a big money move.

[Swatcat]

Just MHO but as Olaf does have promise - bring him on late for 10-15 minute spells, maybe if a game is won, (rue the day), and keep him on the bench to get the feel of it all. I agree with the 'good enough old enough idea'. Go for it Ollie.