Colby Donovan

Young laddie needs his own thread.

I think he's been excellent so far in pre-season, especially a big gangly 17 year old who looks like his body is still trying to work out what shape it wants to be!

His attitude's been excellent, his passing has looked far more experienced than his years, and at one point last night v Man City he showed fantastic defensive awareness and positioning to make a goal-saving block.

Yeah, well impressed with the big laddie...

 

Been very impressed by him.

Looks unorthodox because he’s lanky but he’s barely put a foot wrong. Hopefully gets loaned out.

 

Another who needs to have a good loan. At 17 years old, we could do with the someone like him getting regular game time. Build him up a bit, plenty of experience and give him the best chance of coming back here and making an impact on the first team.

Apart from that? Going out and playing well in a competitive environment just creates confidence.

 

Send him to Austria like we did with Anderson last year.

 

Too young for a loan, keep and develop and maybe next season, consider a loan.

 

Why is he too young for a loan?

 

I'm assuming they mean because of the limited loan spots we have. There is a proviso for younger players that means they don't use up a spot, but they must have been at the club for 3 years from the age of 15, so if he's 17 that rules him out, meaning he'd use up one of the 6 professional slots which may potentially be better used elsewhere.

 

Ah fair enough, I didn't know that. I thought youth players were exempt from the limit but didn't know it was after they had been with us for 3 years.

We have Tilio and Bernabei out on loan at the minute. So, that means we have 4 positions available. I'm assuming the likes of Johnston and Welsh, if we loaned them out, would also be exempt from the limit as they were part of the youth team originally?

 

Sounds like a upmarket brand of kitchen utensils.

 

Unfortunately not, they need to be under 21 as well to be exempt.

 

Is he quick?

 

Have these rules just come into play this window?

I actually think it's a good rule because you see teams like Chelsea/Manchester City hoarding youth players and doing nothing with them. Never playing a game for the first team but ending up making millions in profit for players who never get a kick.

 

2022 I think, the number of slots dropped this year to 6. City are probably crafty enough, or at least plan ahead enough, that they get the players at 16 and loan them out at 19 and 20 not using up slots.

 

They don't even really need to do that now. They just buy young players using teams like Troyes or Lommel and loan them out to better teams, then make the move to the bigger clubs within the city group, i.e Savinho.

 

He actually looks quite slow but very controlled and reads the game well. Takes it in under pressure well out wide and can drive forward. I actually didn’t like the look of him first time I saw him but thought he was very good against DC and city

 

Never seen any of the games. What position does he play ?

 

Right back

 

He's been playing RB.

The size and shape of him would suggest he's a big daft * winger, but he's honestly been really good the last few games.

Very gangly and strange looking, but yeah attitude seems spot on and technical-wise looks a lot better than his age would suggest.

 

Id like us to be braver with a slimed down squad in certain positions. We all want better than Taylor on left but I can't see it happening. Rather than clog the squad with bernabei types id have Anderson back up to Taylor/an other, frame at admira for the season , then id cash in on Ralston (apparent sheffield interest) and have this lad as back up to AJ...

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Good to see him on the bench today