Teddy Smith - What to do?

[RHB]

This post from Magnum PI in another thread has got me thinking about young Smith, he was talking to Paul Smith by the way:

Chatted to him the other day. Enjoying working with the young academy keepers now. Says Ted will be the dogs danglies and be as good as Bentley and once he gets a run in the team we wont look back.

I've got no reason to doubt what Smith Senior was saying, but with Oxley now starting to show some decent 1st team form, how do Southend help Teddy achieve his potential? The only way I can see him playing first team football is out on loan. If that happens then who picks up the back-up keeper role? Recruit another older man out of contract? Wait till January? All possibilities.

Of course Phil could just junk Oxley and stick Ted back in, but I somehow don't think that is going to happen.

Views anyone?

 

[Polish_Blues]

He must go out on loan to a struggling League 2 or a full time conference side, to gain experience!

 

[South Bank Hank]

For me, it has to be first team or out on loan. He's gaining nothing from not playing. With Oxley seemingly in possession of the jersey, it should be on loan.

I'd only be worried about getting a new back up in if we're no longer allowed to offer Ted on loan with instant recall should Oxley get injured or banned.

Is there anything in the new loan rules that should affect our thinking on this?

 

[rigsby]

He must go out on loan to a struggling League 2 or a full time conference side, to gain experience!

Not sure that would do him any good. Besides we would need another keeper if Ted went out.

If Ted went to a conference side his day to day training would be nowhere near as good. At the moment he is stopping shots from the likes of Cox and Ranger etc. He is coming for crosses against the likes of Innis and we now have a full time keeping coach.

The keepers are a close bunch, they were when Bentley was here. Ted trains with Oxley every day they warm down together etc. If Oxley gets injured its much better that Ted has been very much part of the set up, including match days.

 

[South Bank Hank]

Not sure that would do him any good. Besides we would need another keeper if Ted went out.

If Ted went to a conference side his day to day training would be nowhere near as good. At the moment he is stopping shots from the likes of Cox and Ranger etc. He is coming for crosses against the likes of Innis and we now have a full time keeping coach.

The keepers are a close bunch, they were when Bentley was here. Ted trains with Oxley every day they warm down together etc. If Oxley gets injured its much better that Ted has been very much part of the set up, including match days.

I definitely get where you're coming from on this one Rigsby but what's your view on how we bridge the gap between tame training sessions and the real world rough and tumble that only comes from 1st team football?

As an analogy, I'd point to learning to drive. You learn what to do in the lessons but you only really learn to drive when some **** cuts you up on the roundabout meaning you have to negotiate a tight turn with one hand while giving the middle finger to the guy on the left while also winking at the cute blonde in the car on your right. It's an experience and skills under pressure thing and for me that's the one thing where Ted is demonstrably lacking.

With all the respect in the world to him, we need to get him into positions where he might get a little beaten up and distracted.

 

[amsemp]

The answer would have been to play Smith in the cup games to get him bedded in. He should have played against Orient in my opinion. I do question whether Brown is desperate for Oxley to not look like a bad signing so he's persevering with him at Ted's expense.

 

[southendkid]

The answer would have been to play Smith in the cup games to get him bedded in. He should have played against Orient in my opinion. I do question whether Brown is desperate for Oxley to not look like a bad signing so he's persevering with him at Ted's expense.

Well it's worked, aside from one fumble Oxley's been a completely different player the past couple of games, he's a lot more confident and is making good saves, Oxley should definitely be our number 1, Smith doesn't look ready yet and weakening our defence just to include him doesn't make sense.

 

[amsemp]

Well it's worked, aside from one fumble Oxley's been a completely different player the past couple of games, he's a lot more confident and is making good saves, Oxley should definitely be our number 1, Smith doesn't look ready yet and weakening our defence just to include him doesn't make sense.

I disagree. I still lack confidence with Oxley in goal and I feel that Smith would come on leaps and bounds if given the chance of an extended run in the team. Smith has had huge potential for a long time now. I could deal with Bentley keeping him out the side as he was immense. But now I see no reason why Smith shouldn't be given his chance.

 

[IloveShrimp]

I voted for him to go on loan as I think that he needs to get rough and tumble experience. However it also means that we would need to find an 'out of contract' experienced keeper to be our no.2, which could cause a problem financially and so I don't think Ted on loan would happen.

 

[RHB]

I definitely get where you're coming from on this one Rigsby but what's your view on how we bridge the gap between tame training sessions and the real world rough and tumble that only comes from 1st team football?

As an analogy, I'd point to learning to drive. You learn what to do in the lessons but you only really learn to drive when some **** cuts you up on the roundabout meaning you have to negotiate a tight turn with one hand while giving the middle finger to the guy on the left while also winking at the cute blonde in the car on your right. It's an experience and skills under pressure thing and for me that's the one thing where Ted is demonstrably lacking.

With all the respect in the world to him, we need to get him into positions where he might get a little beaten up and distracted.

So you mean by demonstrably lacking right now he's 'steering with no hands, winking at the guy on the left and offering the finger to the cute blonde on the right' sort of not ready?

 

[southendkid]

I disagree. I still lack confidence with Oxley in goal and I feel that Smith would come on leaps and bounds if given the chance of an extended run in the team. Smith has had huge potential for a long time now. I could deal with Bentley keeping him out the side as he was immense. But now I see no reason why Smith shouldn't be given his chance.

Why does Smith give you any more confidence? His blunder cost us 2 points at Bolton and a couple of the goals he let in against Scunthorpe were saveable. Maybe Smith would improve like Oxley has if he had a run in the squad but I see no reason in destroying the confidence of Oxley now that he's playing better by dropping him just for the off chance Smith would show a similar improvement in form. Smith will get his chance, Bentley was a rare case, most keepers don't get first team football at 20.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Out on loan with emergency call back clauses. L2 or top Conference level.

 

[South Bank Hank]

So you mean by demonstrably lacking right now he's 'steering with no hands, winking at the guy on the left and offering the finger to the cute blonde on the right' sort of not ready?

Not quite RHB my good friend, but close.

 

[amsemp]

Why does Smith give you any more confidence? His blunder cost us 2 points at Bolton and a couple of the goals he let in against Scunthorpe were saveable. Maybe Smith would improve like Oxley has if he had a run in the squad but I see no reason in destroying the confidence of Oxley now that he's playing better by dropping him just for the off chance Smith would show a similar improvement in form. Smith will get his chance, Bentley was a rare case, most keepers don't get first team football at 20.

Because the way I see it, Oxley with improvement could be an average League One keeper. Ted with improvement could be a Premier League keeper. I've heard many people connected with the club say what a huge talent Smith is and he's been tipped by many to be better than Bentley.

I'm not saying let's drop Oxley after his decent run of form, but I was under the impression that both keepers would start on an even keel and do battle for the jersey. From what I've seen so far, it looks like Ted was the immediate understudy and hasn't had much of a chance to compete. Brown has persevered with Oxley despite the howlers he's made (Northampton away for example) and even started him ahead of Ted in the cup game against Orient. Why?

It doesn't sit well with me that Oxley appears to be getting favouritism over Smith because he's a Brown signing.

 

[manor15]

We all seem to be forgetting something here... Most League 2 and even Conference clubs already have comfortable, established first choice goalkeepers. If they don't, which is very very few clubs, it is often because of injury or because their first choice isn't good enough, and they're unlikely to agree to all sorts of emergency recall clauses that would leave them stranded.

Yes he is good and has huge potential, but that doesn't mean someone will take him. He's not a striker you can take on loan and start from the bench and see how he does and he'll earn a first team spot.

This situation needed to be assessed and dealt with in the summer, not now.

 

[Floval Flyer]

The kid isn't ready for the 1st team, the few times I've seen him play he looks very nervy. Not sure if it's his age, or not used to playing in front of a crowd?

He must be a decent prospect considering his progression through the England youth set up, but you don't get big crowds at many of these games, but putting him the 1st team is going to be a risk...

IMHO I'd put him out on loan to give him match time in front of a stadium crowd, but I'd wait until January as we will need to bring in cover or even a replacement for the Ox (pending performances). Regardless of the Ox playing well or not Ted isn't quite ready. Next season may be a different kettle of fish though.

 

[silentshrimper]

Unfortunately Smith didn't take his chance when he got it this season. Oxley has taken his second chance in my opinion (great double save yesterday). Now we seem to have a more settled back line, Smith might find it easier to fit in, if we need to call upon him again.

As Manor15 says....It isn't always an easy task to find a club who need a keeper on loan.

 

[southendkid]

Because the way I see it, Oxley with improvement could be an average League One keeper. Ted with improvement could be a Premier League keeper. I've heard many people connected with the club say what a huge talent Smith is and he's been tipped by many to be better than Bentley.

I'm not saying let's drop Oxley after his decent run of form, but I was under the impression that both keepers would start on an even keel and do battle for the jersey. From what I've seen so far, it looks like Ted was the immediate understudy and hasn't had much of a chance to compete. Brown has persevered with Oxley despite the howlers he's made (Northampton away for example) and even started him ahead of Ted in the cup game against Orient. Why?

It doesn't sit well with me that Oxley appears to be getting favouritism over Smith because he's a Brown signing.

Brown gave Smith a run of 3 games, including Bolton and Scunthorpe where he was poor, which is when Oxley got a second chance, obviously he was rubbish against Northampton but he's been good aside from that and switching keeper every match wouldn't help anyone, had Oxley continued to be poor I expect Smith would have got another chance.

 

[mrsblue]

Loan him for the season,Ted needs experience and plenty of it.

 

[flangejackrabbit]

Out on loan with emergency call back clauses. L2 or top Conference level.

Believe these clauses aren't allowed under the new rules. Players can now only be recalled in a transfer window AFAIK. As well, I'm not sure we can loan him anywhere above conference south until January under the new rules.