Quote: MDF "While anything is possible, I fail to see why you would suspect this. Leaving Crookes out of the equation, there were plenty of opportunities to play Platt at full back and Halley on the wing in the latter part of the season. Rightly, they were not taken, and Platt did not start at FB even when Halley was injured.
'"
I didn't say I thought it was a good idea, just that I suspected it is something that might happen! I do take the point that he didn't move Platt from centre, even when he could have done - but, of course, he did play Sykes there - which then begs other questions about who to play at 6...
The core point is still valid - we desperately need lots more bodies to bolster up the squad
Quote: MDF " I really dislike the tendency of Bradford supporters to assume that because something hasn't happened, it never will. If the coaches thought Crossley and Hyde were not ready this season, I see no reason to assume that they won't be ready next season. We had this with Horton, too, and Medley explicitly said he didn't think his defence was good enough yet. You may agree or disagree with the coaches' assessments of specific young players, but juniors by definition need to reach a point when they are ready, the coaches are in the best position to assess this, and if they are not deemed to have done so yet, there's no reason simply to assume that they don't want to play them '"
...except that I distinctly remember that it was stated at the beginning of the season that Crossley would be in contention and was likely to get some game time. Those who have seen the Reserves mention that he appears to have gone backwards this year, as well as putting some excess midriff - so clearly something, somewhere isn't progressing as was hoped.
Crossley and Hyde are now 20 - they aren't exactly fresh-faced Academy prospects anymore. If they haven't played a single minute in SL yet - even despite all our injuries and woes last season, you have to wonder if and when they ever will....
