Quote jacques="jacques"I think we have to be realistic.
If anyone had told me just after administration that in just over a year we would have ex England players ie Fox ,Mathers,Lee Smith and Sykes in the team combined with Ali and Tim Smith I would have thought they were having me on.
We cannot expect,yet, to be attracting top tier players , but those players who, for whatever reason are not fitting in at their present club.
Players still young enough and hopefully with something to prove.
Yes I appreciate the argument about bringing in the youngsters, but it has to be gradual.
Agar has , after all given opportunities Walshaw and Trout.
If they are good enough they will come through.'"
I agree.
Trout is a good example of this. He looked ok when he started but also looked raw and a bit small. Playing him, then dropping him has actually helped him get used to the play without being mashed all the time. I quite like the look of him now and think he is getting better all the time.
I am convinced that if we'd just thrown him in and kept him in he would be battered by now.
Walshaw is the same. He has holes in his play but is getting there. Personally I thought he owuld have been better at centre but clearly Agar sees more of him than I do and has made his decision.
If we'd thrown them in with other kids, reducing their protection and the competitiveness of the team, they would have all been demoralised by now.
I'd like to see more players come through from the academy but only when they are ready and only when the team is ready for them.