Britt Assombalonga

[Beefy]

I'd use Dan Bentley as my counter-argument really. He is a product of Arsenal's youth system, not ours. They sign a lot of kids and the numbers get trimmed as they go through the age groups. Bentley (and Luke Chambers a year later) got cut and were recommended to us. We've now taken on two young, talented keepers and continued their development and at least one of them look like he'll go on to have a great career.

Who knows but I wonder if Bentley would be in this position if he hadn't had the opportunity to train and learn at Arsenal for as long as he did.

 

[LCBB72]

Well I think that's slightly unfair to the lower league teams (and non-league teams) who can provide excellent coaching along with first team opportunities. Are you saying that someone like Daniel Bentley would be a better keeper now than he would have been if he'd be snapped up by Spurs aged 13 and received brilliant coaching but had to go on loan to get games - a tough ask for a young keeper?

I think there are (and should continue to be) coaching and facilities available for all professional clubs. A separate issue - but we need more community football facilities which can be used by clubs and local teams e.g. PlayFootball is used by SUFC, as is Gloucester Park.

Fewer clubs are persisting with a youth setup which IMO is a real shame, mainly due to the expenses involved, but also because it's hard to get a decent return on a player, tribunals pay out small amounts and players leave as a prospect at 16/17 and don't become the next Britt, Bentley who (potentially) leave for big bucks.

Someone like Daniel Bentley is a local lad and fan and has been able to develop to almost England U21 level here. He has a real connection with the club and fans. I think that's important. He's been able to bed in as a proper member of the squad and club, unlike a loanee - and he's had to work hard to get his chance rather than being air-dropped into a club where he's pretty much guaranteed to play. To me, that's the better approach to player development and perhaps the league should incentivise the system to make sure that clubs are rewarded when they develop young (english) players, whether their own or a loanee.

I also think it's important that youngsters aren't hoovered up with big clubs (there is a draw with big clubs and that's fine, who wouldn't want to be on the book of a prem club) and then 99% of them are chucked out. They give up football before even playing a competitive match. They've spent hours every week travelling and training, rather than playing and training locally and continuing to maintain effort at school.

The England team that should of won the world cup in Italy in 1990 ,I think that only 3 of the team had started playing in the top division , the rest had learnt there trade in the lower divisions and non league teams , which proves that you do not have to start at a top club to get to the top .

 

[Jam_Man]

Id throw Anthony Grant into the mix, a player we got via the loan system who we ended up sigining for free, so we end up with a very good permanent player.

Just to then prove the point permanent players often not any more benefit, he leaves on a free anyway.

 

[Pubey]

I'd use Dan Bentley as my counter-argument really. He is a product of Arsenal's youth system, not ours. They sign a lot of kids and the numbers get trimmed as they go through the age groups. Bentley (and Luke Chambers a year later) got cut and were recommended to us. We've now taken on two young, talented keepers and continued their development and at least one of them look like he'll go on to have a great career.

Who knows but I wonder if Bentley would be in this position if he hadn't had the opportunity to train and learn at Arsenal for as long as he did.

I didn't realise he'd been at Arsenal before. That's a valid point.

 

[chapperzUK]

To those that think we should get financially rewarded for the development on a loan player, should we also be forced to pay a release fee if the player doesn't develop during his time with us?

When we loan a player, we play little if anything towards their wages and get the chance to have a quality player that may have never considered joining us or us even be able to afford to buy. If the player is good enough then we extend the loan and on the other hand if he isn't considered good enough then send him back, nothing lost.

Of course it would be nice if we got a slice of the pie from any transfer, but the risk our end is minimal and a lot less compared to the parent clubs. I'd say we have benefited a lot from the loan system from plugging gaps due to injuries (Williams in for Coker), signing a player who is unaffordable (Assombalonga, Dervite and many more) or even those that we end up signing permanently (Grant, Timlin to name a couple). Nothing is perfect and if the only downside is that we don't get any money from future transfers then the system is pretty good.

Obviously there are clubs that can afford to sign players and loan them out to gain development, but with the new FFP rules this may now slow down. I don't see a problem with top clubs loaning out a bunch of young players and don't see it as "abusing" the system, if there were 'B' teams then there would be 20-odd players moving temporarily to another team.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

. I'd say we have benefited a lot from the loan system from plugging gaps due to injuries (Williams in for Coker), signing a player who is unaffordable (Assombalonga, Dervite and many more) or even those that we end up signing permanently (Grant, Timlin to name a couple). Nothing is perfect and if the only downside is that we don't get any money from future transfers then the system is pretty good.

Getting a player to cover a gap seems to me to be a valid reason for a loan and the loan system. No problem with that really - although I would point out that just as we have benefited so have many of the clubs we play against each week ..... and you only have to watch the Football League round up to hear mention of a constant number of loan players in the action.

It is the season long loan that is the worst example of what I see as "abuse" of the system.

And I wonder if the loan system is not helping some players overall with the length of their contracts. When you know you can get a loan player it takes a little bit of pressure of the manager of receiving club to have every position covered with your own contracted players.

 

[Beefy]

When you know you can get a loan player it takes a little bit of pressure of the manager of receiving club to have every position covered with your own contracted players.

Which is another major reason why it so benefits clubs like ours.

 

[Pubey]

Scores another...

 

[johnlattimerssponge]

Scored another two so far tonight with one being a spot kick.

 

[LCBB72]

England squad next year .

 

[wakes123]

England squad next year .

I certainly hope so - most exciting English young striker at the moment.

 

[RobM]

Hat trick now!

 

[RobB11]

**** me he is class. Will go to the very top imho

 

[Pubey]

**** me he is class. Will go to the very top imho

Definitely getting that feeling. His attitude matches his talent - class act all around.

 

[bishmania]

The way Britt's going, it really wouldn't be surprising to see him with a couple of caps for England at least by the time the next World Cup rolls round.

Loan discussion has been brilliant and some good points made.

I wonder, seeing as transfer fees and contracts have become more and more complicated over the years, whether a club will see fit to try and negotiate a sell-on fee in the event of that player moving immediately (even if it's just one or two per cent).

In a lot of cases (Assombalonga with us and Hooper with his loan spells) the selling club wouldn't have got anywhere near as much without the player proving themselves at a senior club.

As an example, maybe when Britt came to us we could have agreed a sell-on fee of 5% of the profit over an agreed value of the player between the two clubs at the time (let's say £500,000) as long as that player is sold within six/12 months of the loan spell ending.

If this would have been the case we would have been entitled to 5% of £1m (£1.5m fee minus £500,000 agreed at start of loan) so would have picked up £50,000.

Not earth shattering, but fair for us giving him the stage to perform on.

Of course, it's still better to see the benefits of a loan player on the pitch like we did with Britt.

 

[Pubey]

Forests top goal scorer last season got a grand total of 9 goals! Britt is already on 8:smile:

 

[buffalowolf]

Is Britt Assombolonga eligible to play for England u/21s, not sure of his age, if so surely the powers that be would be seriously looking at him now.

 

[Pubey]

Is Britt Assombolonga eligible to play for England u/21s, not sure of his age, if so surely the powers that be would be seriously looking at him now.

Yeah you have to be under 21 at the start of the 2 year European U21 championship campaign. Britt is eligible up until next year's championship in the Czech Republic, and then after that championship he'll be too old.

There's an U21's match (big game against Croatia) in October. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't get a call up because he's still eligible for the Congo and so The FA might want to tie him down. Berahino and Harry Kane are probably going to the main picks , and Danny Ings is currently playing for Burnley in the prem - but Britt is much better than Woodrow who is the current fourth choice striker (and even he hasn't done much wrong IMO).

It's Britts all around game which is attractive. He's bring and strong, very quick, a good dribbler, great in the air, good at holding the ball up and can finish (and take a pen). He's got the complete package and I bet Gareth Southgate has his eye on him. The Under 21's is a very strong squad to be honest, but Britt definitely deserves to be seriously considered.

 

[southendkid]

Knew he'd be good but I'm suprised how quickly he is rising, looking at the Forest forum a few people were speculating if he'd go back on loan before the season started, few people thought he'd be the first name on the teamsheet.

 

[amsemp]

So Britt has now scored the same amount of goals in the Championship as our whole team have in League Two :stunned::hilarious:

Classy player, will be in the prem next year for sure. My brother was lucky enough to meet him at his girlfriends family BBQ a few weeks back and said he's a top lad too. Really chuffed for him.