Re: Oliver Holmes promoted : Fri Dec 11, 2009 12:42 pm  

mdean wrote:

Interesting point that - I have long wondered when people say "why doesn't he play local younger lads and blood them" how people would ACTUALLY feel about that if we did exactly that this season and had 2 or 3 of the JETS players in the squad every week at the expense of some of our more veteran campaigners how long support for that would last?

Not having a pop at you Legionited, just asking in general. I often say I would be happy to get beat if we were preparing ourselves and benefitting in the longer term - but I am not sure that come Easter with 2 wins and 1 draw maybe I could stick to my principles; the terraces would be full of booing and the boards would be full of criticism for TM playing people who have too little experience and calling for some senior signings. Even though the experience would stand those guys in great stead for the 2011 season with all that experience under their belt - it is a tricky balance I suppose given we can't, on our operating turnover run a squad like Leeds for example and choose games to introduce a specific youngster in a specific position largely safe in the knowledge we will win anyway.

Dont think people are shortsighted enough to think that we MUST play the young players EVERY week or even have more than one on the bench. but to even give them the chance will be a start, our squad is as thread bare as ive seen for a long long time and if some of our players more prone to layoffs than others kick in then we WILL have to use them, but really the position we should have is where we arnt using the kids as backed into a corner last throw of the dice players, but just what they are inexperianced players, given a chance and some game time to develop, and see where they are and where they need to be, but they need that chance without the probable pressure they will be under when they are used.

Re: Oliver Holmes promoted : Fri Dec 11, 2009 1:44 pm  

mdean wrote:

Interesting point that - I have long wondered when people say "why doesn't he play local younger lads and blood them" how people would ACTUALLY feel about that if we did exactly that this season and had 2 or 3 of the JETS players in the squad every week at the expense of some of our more veteran campaigners how long support for that would last?

Not having a pop at you Legionited, just asking in general. I often say I would be happy to get beat if we were preparing ourselves and benefitting in the longer term - but I am not sure that come Easter with 2 wins and 1 draw maybe I could stick to my principles; the terraces would be full of booing and the boards would be full of criticism for TM playing people who have too little experience and calling for some senior signings. Even though the experience would stand those guys in great stead for the 2011 season with all that experience under their belt - it is a tricky balance I suppose given we can't, on our operating turnover run a squad like Leeds for example and choose games to introduce a specific youngster in a specific position largely safe in the knowledge we will win anyway.

The key is balance, and having the youngsters in getting hammered every week won't help their development. But once injuries inevitably start coming, I'd like to see TM use one or two of the youngsters playing in their natural positions rather than playing senior players out of position.

Re: Oliver Holmes promoted : Fri Dec 11, 2009 1:59 pm  

We have to remember that there are a number of criteria to satisfy in the licences. We all know that the stadium is without a doubt imperative, but alongside that we have to blood our juniors. And as always, people will put Cas and Wakefield together to scrap it out for a licence, so which would the RFL choose? The club that is promoting youngsters and giving them first team action or the route our neighbours claim to be taking which is have a large squad supplemented with six/seven youngsters alongside their 10/11 'overseas' stars on their books.

Aside from that, we can't rely on overseas stars forever. Remember the quota is coming down year on year so any signing we do make is going to have to be for a year.

Re: Oliver Holmes promoted : Fri Dec 11, 2009 2:08 pm  

tigerman1+1 wrote:

While i will not condone the behaviour that got us the fine, would 25k bought us a quality player

20k on it's own wouldn't, but as we're looking for another player at the moment another 20k added onto what is currently available would allow us to bring in a player that little bit better.

Re: Oliver Holmes promoted : Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:59 am  

Best of luck to lad.