Cox's future

Coppelled Streets · by **Coppelled Streets** » 16 Apr 2007 16:43

The 19-year-old Reading forward has been a big hit since arriving on loan last month and grabbed his second goal in three games at Blackpool on Saturday.

He told the club's official website: "After Saturday's game against Chesterfield my loan will be up.

"I've spoken to the gaffer and he wants me to stay here but that is a conversation I have got to have with my family and the management staff at Reading.

"I've enjoyed my time here and playing league football is great experience for me.

"Nobody wants to be known as a player who has scored umpteen goals for the reserves."

Would it be best for the lad to move to Northampton?

Personally I would rather he returned to Reading and went out on a season long loan to a Championship club next season.

By all accounts, he has played very well since joining them and his signing would be quite a coo.

Alan Partridge · by **Alan Partridge** » 16 Apr 2007 16:44

Cox will be gone in the summer

League 1 is probably his level at the minute.

Through no fault of his own, the club (RFC) has progressed so much so soon that good young players like Cox just can't quite make the grade.

Coppelled Streets · by **Coppelled Streets** » 16 Apr 2007 16:48

Alan Partridge Cox will be gone in the summer

League 1 is probably his level at the minute.

Through no fault of his own, the club (RFC) has progressed so much so soon that good young players like Cox just can't quite make the grade.

Same for Pearce? I hope not.
He really has come on bundles this season!

Alan Partridge · by **Alan Partridge** » 16 Apr 2007 16:52

Coppelled Streets
Alan Partridge Cox will be gone in the summer

League 1 is probably his level at the minute.

Through no fault of his own, the club (RFC) has progressed so much so soon that good young players like Cox just can't quite make the grade.

Same for Pearce? I hope not.
He really has come on bundles this season!

Pearce is an outstanding prospect, has a genuine chance to 'make it'. Cox's chance has passed now.

Huntley & Palmer · by **Huntley & Palmer** » 16 Apr 2007 16:54

It doesn't help that the reserves level of football is poor as well. There has been many a young player that have proved their worth at that level to then fail to make the grade at league standard. Neil Mellor for example

Henleyensian · by **Henleyensian** » 16 Apr 2007 16:59

What makes you think that the reserves standard is so bad? The reserve team is in prime position to win the reserves league and for most of this season it has been comprised of our young players.

papereyes · by **papereyes** » 16 Apr 2007 16:59

I think that's often down to the growth of the player between 18 and 22, rather than any innate ability. Its at that point when you discover things like real mental strength.

Mellor's an odd one, imo, as when he truly looked awful (vs Arsenal) he then scored a fabulous goal.

Huntley & Palmer · by **Huntley & Palmer** » 16 Apr 2007 17:02

He also broke Owen's goal scoring record in the reserves. The main problem with the reserves league is that apart from us, everyone else plays their academy guys bar the odd player. You gain infinitely more experience and the ability to assess a player on loan in league football, not at reserves level.

Yellowcoat · by **Yellowcoat** » 16 Apr 2007 17:15

H&P - Do you ever actually go to reserve matches because you really do spout some nonsense on here about comparative strengths. Yes all clubs might need to play a number of academy players sometimes (as we do) but most clubs also field more experience when they can. Judging by the attendances as the last few reserve games many see as a good night out. You should try it!

Huntley & Palmer · by **Huntley & Palmer** » 16 Apr 2007 17:20

I have already watched many a reserve game this season, namely the Cup games and Charlton away. I also have a life outside of RFC and could think of nothing worse than paying to watch our reserves play football on a week night

Ian Royal · by **Ian Royal** » 16 Apr 2007 17:23

Huntley & Palmer I have already watched many a reserve game this season, namely the Cup games and Charlton away. I also have a life outside of RFC and could think of nothing worse than paying to watch our reserves play football on a week night

So you don't neccesarily know what your talking about then?

Huntley & Palmer · by **Huntley & Palmer** » 16 Apr 2007 17:26

Look at the amount of first teamers in the reserve teams we have played in comparison to us, then tell me that we aren't one of the few teams that play a lot of our fringe players over academy players. I'm not saying this is wrong, they need some sort of match fitness but other teams use it to play their academy players in more than us.

Yellowcoat · by **Yellowcoat** » 16 Apr 2007 17:33

How do you know if you never go?

Top Flight · by **Top Flight** » 16 Apr 2007 17:34

Despite the fact that Cox's time with Reading may well be up, I don't believe we should let the player go just like that.

Reading has invested alot of time and resources to develop young players like Cox and it would be a big waste of that investment if we let the lad go to a league club now before he has had a chance to prove himself.

We made the mistake with Tyson where we gave him to Wycombe on the cheap and they benefitted financially when Forest came in throwing money around.

Had we sent Tyson to Wycombe on loan for a season then Forest would have been stuffing there notes into our wallet and not Wycombes.

I say we should loan Cox out on a season loan deal and then we will get a better chance to realise his true value in a years time if we decide to sell him.

Lets not just give our players away.

SpaceCruiser · by **SpaceCruiser** » 16 Apr 2007 17:37

Top Flight We made the mistake with Tyson where we gave him to Wycombe on the cheap and they benefitted financially when Forest came in throwing money around.

Had we sent Tyson to Wycombe on loan for a season then Forest would have been stuffing there notes into our wallet and not Wycombes.

Oh don't be so stupid. We didn't have much choice when Tyson wanted to go for first team football. And you seem to have forgotten that we got some money out of his move from Wycombe to Nottingham Forest - there was a sell on clause.

Yorkshire Royal · by **Yorkshire Royal** » 16 Apr 2007 17:38

Yellowcoat How do you know if you never go?

I don't go to any first team matches anymore, but I still know the lineups. Same with reserve matches. Not always I accept, but more often than not, there are no recognisable names in the other teams. Lots of kids. Who we have tended to beat.

For example Chelsea's squad is big enough to play a very good reserve team. But they don't usually.

shaka's shorts · by **shaka's shorts** » 16 Apr 2007 18:33

Personally as a season ticket holder and reserves regular, I think Cox could make it and we should keep him. I think we should try to get Long out on loan for half a season to a champ club and Cox for the other half. I don't see much between them. Long has more pace, which is key, but Cox has a better football brain - could make a success of playing as the 2nd striker / in the hole. We must hold onto Pearce as he is the one most likely to make it, with James Henry a close second. Hopefully, Coppell will take some of these lads on the pre-season tour this year and see what they can do. Also, I'd giev Jem Karacan a taste of prem football in one game this season - just 20 mins to give him some encouragement and to see how he copes

When Hicks went up... · by **When Hicks went up...** » 16 Apr 2007 18:34

Yorkshire Royal
Yellowcoat How do you know if you never go?

I don't go to any first team matches anymore, but I still know the lineups. Same with reserve matches. Not always I accept, but more often than not, there are no recognisable names in the other teams. Lots of kids. Who we have tended to beat.

For example Chelsea's squad is big enough to play a very good reserve team. But they don't usually.

Chelsea have the smallest squad in the Premiership, but please dont let the facts spoil a good post!

cmonurz · by **cmonurz** » 16 Apr 2007 20:17

Well here's the evidence - names taken from recent reserve game of each of the clubs listed.

'Well-known', i.e. formerly or normally first-teamers, or first XVI players:

Arsenal - Poom, Hoyte, Djourou (3)
Chelsea - Sahar (1)
Watford - (0)
Tottenham - Ifil (1)
West Ham - Walker, Dailly, Spector, Cole (4)
Charlton - Kishishev, Fortune, Diawara, Lisbie (4)
Portsmouth - Kiely, Pamarot, Hughes (3)

Compare these to Villa (4 - Samuel, Gardner, Angel, Moore) and Reading in our recent reserve fixture (6 - Bikey, DLC, Long, Seol, Oster, Doyle) and it goes some way to proving H&P's point.

Yellowcoat · by **Yellowcoat** » 16 Apr 2007 20:37

Not really as there is some selective choice of other clubs first teamers. For example off the top of my head Denilson played for Arsenal and is not mentioned. Usually we only play 3 or 4 (as in the last few games) who could be classed as regular first teamers but as our own squad is more familiar to us we are thought to play more. That sort of number is much in line with with the figures shown for the other clubs. Why do some fans seem to delight in not recognising success when it occurs and look for reasons to deride it?

Cox's future

Cox's future

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