Josh Walker

[Guest sackrobson]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_5513207,00.html

 

What's this about? We are desperately short of midfielders yet are wanting to get rid of another promising youngster???? Is this another example of Southgate falling out with players and being too much of a wuss to actually deal with it rather than just giving them away. I was just asking this morning why he hasn't featured this season, guess this is the answer.

[VectorBoro 75]

It just doesnt make sense.Whilst Williams has been impressive playing in midfield that is not his natural position.When I have seen Walker play Ive been impressed so like you say Robbo is it something to do with Southgate not being able to handle him or his ambitions?

 

If we are looking to sell some fringe players then how come Shawky or Arca are not been offered about?

[HolgateHero 601]

craziness.

 

keep shawky who couldn't give two sh11tes and let a budding star go.

 

Don't know about not being able to offload the players - we should just sack them. If not, give them away for free. Surely we are better without the burden of their wages if it means we are shooting ourselves in the balls by waving goodbye to the future.

[starbuy 35]

I do wonder what happened to him. One minute he was in contention last season then he just disappeared. Southgate said in pre-season that our young players have to earn the chance to play in the first team and won't automatically be picked just because they came through our ranks and we have dropped down a league.

I do wonder whether this was a particular challenge to some of those players to get their finger out and work harder.

 

However, this sounds like Cattermole again, asked to leave because he wanted first team football.

 

Williams has played midfield before and only moved to a defensive position in recent years so I'm not surprised he has done well in midfield. Having watched him a few times I think his game is more suited to midfield anyway.

 

But I am surprised that Walker hasn't managed to push on and would be ultimately disappointed if he was allowed to leave since we are low in the midfield ranks.

 

As far as I am concerned Williams got into that midfield slot by taking his chances and impressing in pre-season and if Walker wants first team football he needs to be knocking on the door with impressive performances whenever he gets the chance. With both Digard and O'neil out injured he should be looking at this as the ideal time to challenge.

[Guest Tuncay]

How come Southgate can persist with playing certain players who are either desperately out of form (Downing early last season, Alves) or just not up to a first team place (Arca, Euell, LDG, etc), but when it comes to the academy, he throws them out like yesterdays news paper.

Why goes Gibson invest so heavily in the Academy if we can’t utilize what comes through. I would have hoped Walker would have played tonight and maybe made a claim for some regular footy.

 

You also have to question the business savvy of the club. They state he can go, what sort of offers do they expect to receive now ₤250-₤500K ?

At least loan him out until January to show case his talents, then you might attract some interest/value.

 

Every Boro fan in the land would rather see Arca & Shawkey leave before Walker, why do the club have such divided opinions to the paying fans, who watch every week. Lets continue to pay Shawkey (probably double Walkers wage) to hide in the reserves or off in Egypt “recovering” from an unknown injury.

 

I’m confident Walker will have a similar rise to fame as Cattermole since he left. Oh well another chapter in the Southgate era, I’m getting used to these f**king ridiculous decisions.

[Guest stocktonman]

When I saw Walker play alongside Digard against Sunderland I was impressed.When he came on in games after that he looked totally out of his depth.Presumably they dont think he's going to make the grade.If he is sold please insert a sell on fee Mr Lamb.

[thepassenger 16]

I have to say I'm very surprised by this... Sky Sports have known to be well wide of the mark with past stories, I hope it's the same with this one!

[Guest sackrobson]

What is starting to really annoy me is the number of players who seem to fall out with Southgate for apparently small things, then we ship them out on a terrible deal for the club just because southgate has got the hump with them. Its literally costing us millions. Has the man got no man management skills at all. He only seems to be able to have a good relationship with the sort of players described as "model professionals", anyone else and he can't cope and gets rid. Not the sign of a good manager to me, all the top managers seem able to cope with different personalities.

[Guest stocktonman]

Who said there has been a falling out????

[Guest sackrobson]

Can there be any other reason for suddenly selling him? He's done pretty well when he's played for us, he's done very well for Aberdeen and he's only 20 years old so time is on his side. We're also desperately short of central midfielders. I really can't think of any good reason to sell him. Its not like we're likely to get a really good offer for him as he's not played enough to justify it so I just see no other explanation.

 

It reminds me of when we suddenly sold Morrison out of the blue for no reason too, then he said a few things about southgate afterwards in the press which suggested they'd had a falling out.

[Guest Smithy2008]

Im not a big admirer of the lad - some ppl say hes as good of better than cattermole, since he has a diff style (btw im still reeling of his departure, esp in a scumderland shirt, when he loved boro)

 

However we are desperatly short of mids and that still hasnt been adressed and doesnt look like its going to be, but hes still a decent player so i wouldnt be looking to get rid of him.

 

Next its going to be jonno out the door, since SG didnt play him for two seasons even after his performances at watford, so its abit like Liverpools alonso situation he wont feel as wanted.

 

boros youth going down the pan, the management of the club for players such as these ie johnson, cattermole is extrodinarily bad.

[thepassenger 16]

Didn't he sign a new 2 year contract earlier on in the year?

 

I've not seen a huge amount of him but I've been impressed with the bits I have seen. For a lad that has captained England at most of the junior levels he must have something about him.

He's only been out on brief loan spells, surely he should be given some regular competitive games somewhere before we decide he's not good enough?

[Birdie 83]

Who's decided he's not good enough? The last sentence of the skysports report says "If Walker does become available at the Riverside......" Someone has heard he's not happy with not getting a start. Well, he has to earn it! As they say about investing in shares "past performance is not a guide to future performance". We don't see them in training and the decision so far appears to be that there are better performers in his position at present, not that he is not good enough. Of course if he has a different opinion of his abilities and has become disgruntled with his situation then perhaps he will become available.

 

We shouldn't assume that every player in the Boro Academy is going to make it big time. Some will shine briefly and then fade away. The clever bit is knowing which ones will get brighter.

[Guest sackrobson]

Last night we started with Williams and Arca in midfield, one a right back and one signed as a left back. We subbed arca with Bennet and played him, another defender in midfield then subbed Aliadiere for McMahon and pushed Hoyte, another defender into midflield. I make that 4 defenders in midfield in 1 game. Surely its obvious for all to see we need some midfielders at the club. It just makes this Walker story all the more strange.

[Guest Pearcey]

this is getting a bit silly now. The youths don't get a first team game at the riverside, get loaned out to other clubs, get their first team experience, come back and still dont get a place get scouted and snatched up for pitiful transfer fee's and end up in premiere league first teams.

southgate really needs to take more chances on academy youngsters in the first team instead of relying on purchases. Granted some people can't handle the game yet but if you don't let them try they'll never get the experience they need to adapt to it. Fail.