Joshua Harrop

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Dec 6, 2011
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Why does this guy not have his own thread? I think he's been one of the better u18s this year but is probably one of the oldest in the group too.

I remember watching him nearly 2 years ago in the FAYC with a 20 minute cameo and he seemed amazing but hasn't actually made the step up to the academy until this year so I'm not sure if he's classed as a second year scholar or third year?

What do you guys think of his prospects for next season? With the likes of Daehli gone, Januzaj being promoted to the first team and Cole and co being yet another year older, do you think he'll become a permanent fixture for u21s next season?

I'd hate for his development to stagnate by him being held back by those who have already been in reserves for 2+ years.
 
Only seen him a few times but he has been brilliant every time. One of the things I'm looking forward most to this season is seeing more of him. Need to make sure we get the likes of Lingard, Lawrence etc. into the first team or out on loan so he isn't just sitting around the first half of the season.
 
Joyce seems to really rate him though.Was starting most of the pre-season games.

Can see Barnsley going for him after this performance so we shouldn't be worry about him not getting game times ;)
 
Well, I can tell you that in 2012-13 he had 9 starts and 7 subs for the U18s (academy) and scored 6 goals, which was only bettered by Wilson (19), Byrne (12), Daehli (8), Gorre (8) and Andreas Pereira (8).

But Wilson had 29 appearances, Byrne 31, Pereira 27 and Daehli 29. Only Gorre with 13 appearances (3 starts 10 subs) had more goals with fewer appearances, and Gorre was a forward.

Gorre also scored like 5 goals in a Milk Cup game or some such, and is no longer with us.

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/under-18s-statistics.359454/
 
He's definitely the standout from his little age group, although there are a number of other talented lads in there too.
 
Brightonian said:
He's definitely the standout from his little age group, although there are a number of other talented lads in there too.
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Tough call while you (theoretically) have two Pereiras,Wilson,Janko and Goss in the same age group with him.
 
khoazany said:
Tough call while you (theoretically) have two Pereiras,Wilson,Janko and Goss in the same age group with him.
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I guess 'age group' isn't really what I meant. Wilson and Pereira have both generally stayed a team ahead of Harrop for a season or two now, with some overlap. I rate him ahead of Goss, Willock, Fletcher etc.
 
He is a pretty complete player, imo. When he is song completely runs games at times.

Needs to improve consistency but have always liked him since i first saw him.


CM will be a interesting role for him.
 
Will be interesting to know what we plan to do with Pearson,Rothwell,him,Goss and Willock this season.All good enough to start.
 
khoazany said:
Will be interesting to know what we plan to do with Pearson,Rothwell,him,Goss and Willock this season.All good enough to start.
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Harrop can play out wide or as AM too.

When Lawrence inevitably goes out on loan he'll start there.


Goss and Willock can be rotated with Rothwell/Pearson for the first half. Don't think they are pushing as much as Harrop.
 
khoazany said:
Will be interesting to know what we plan to do with Pearson,Rothwell,him,Goss and Willock this season.All good enough to start.
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Indeed. I'd lie if I said I wasn't slightly concerned after the clusterfcuk that was the first half of last season. We're not exactly known for being proactive regarding such matters.
 
If they can get a good loan definitely should. But won't be that harmful staying at this level and training with the first team either till Winters.
 
FromTheBench said:
If they can get a good loan definitely should. But won't be that harmful staying at this level and training with the first team either till Winters.
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I think it'd be a waste of time. They'll be 20 making their debuts in senior football when players like James McCarthy had near 150 appearances by then.
 
Yep, Harrop definitely needs a loan spell now. That slightly silly 'Koeman in for Mitchell' article was nonetheless really tantalising because I feel like Southampton could take two or three of our kids and do really well with and for them if someone there just had the balls to take that plunge. It's obvious that they're not going to get much of the money to spend (the lads at SaintsWeb think Katharina Liebherr is prepping the club for sale, which means buying off the entirety of their (£60m-ish) debt in one go). Clever loan spells are surely their best bet at survival.

As for Pearson, I was saying earlier in the summer that I thought he needed another year, but to be honest I'd happily see him just replace Cleverley in our squad right now. Why not? He'd hardly be any less of a reliable contributor than Clevs.
 
You think Harrop needs a loan spell?
Personally think it'd be better for him to get some regular reserve football under his belt. Has he even started a reserve game yet? No real need to rush into a loan seeing as this is his first season being properly part of the reserve squad.
 
Conrad said:
You think Harrop needs a loan spell?
Personally think it'd be better for him to get some regular reserve football under his belt. Has he even started a reserve game yet? No real need to rush into a loan seeing as this is his first season being properly part of the reserve squad.
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He's been introduced to U21s football without becoming a regular yet, but only because he's one of those who's been allowed to really take his time in the U18s. He's effectively where Pogba was when he left us, in terms of his developmental stage - undeniably superb in the U18s for a few years, late to be introduced to U21 football but clearly more than comfortable at that level already. He's 20 now, and ready for a loan spell. Lingard and Lawrence are both ahead of him in the pecking order for first team chances so it really is vital.
 
Brightonian said:
He's been introduced to U21s football without becoming a regular yet, but only because he's one of those who's been allowed to really take his time in the U18s. He's effectively where Pogba was when he left us, in terms of his developmental stage - undeniably superb in the U18s for a few years, late to be introduced to U21 football but clearly more than comfortable at that level already. He's 20 now, and ready for a loan spell. Lingard and Lawrence are both ahead of him in the pecking order for first team chances so it really is vital.
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Harrop is only 18, turns 19 in December. I think he'd be best off in the reserves for the first half of the season at least. Lawrence likely to go on loan and Lingard in the first team or on loan he should be made a regular in the reserves. There is some older players there that need a loan more so he should be looked at as one of the star men for the reserves.
 
Brightonian said:
He's been introduced to U21s football without becoming a regular yet, but only because he's one of those who's been allowed to really take his time in the U18s. He's effectively where Pogba was when he left us, in terms of his developmental stage - undeniably superb in the U18s for a few years, late to be introduced to U21 football but clearly more than comfortable at that level already. He's 20 now, and ready for a loan spell. Lingard and Lawrence are both ahead of him in the pecking order for first team chances so it really is vital.
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Harrop isn't 20. He's only just stopped playing for the academy. He's 18 not even 19 till December with time very much on his side in terms of needing a loan. I think you're rushing things a bit here with Harrop. I genuinely don't think he's started a game at U21 level so to say he's at the level pogba, may not have been at his best but he had played a hell of a lot more games, was and that he's comfortable at this level is amazingly premature for me.

I doubt he could even attract a suitable loan club at this point with only a few sub appearances as proof of his quality at a higher level. I don't doubt that given 6 or so months all the things you're saying will be undoubtedly true but I think it's best to give him that time.
 
Bah, wrote 20 meant 19, sorry. Got it in my head he was a summer birthday, too. All round fail.

In which case you're right, he's good without a loan spell for another season. But we need to be making room for him to be a regular in the reserves by either promoting or loaning Lingard and Lawrence.
 
If someone comes knocking for him then he should be sent out. I'm fully behind getting our players through faster. Jack Grealish is 3 months older and has a year of League 1 under his belt. Josh Harrop should be looking to be on Jack's level if not better.
 
limerickcitykid said:
I think it'd be a waste of time. They'll be 20 making their debuts in senior football when players like James McCarthy had near 150 appearances by then.
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This is a fundamental problem with our - and I'm sure others' - youth system, and it needs sorting out. Too many players loiter about playing once every week against kids, when they should be playing regular, competitive football against hardened professionals. Ben Pearson has been mentioned above, just loan the lad. Give him an experience elsewhere. He's played U21 football now, what good does it do by giving him another year at a level he's proved he's more than capable of playing at and bettering?
 
Problem with loans these days is that with the amount of money at risk with promotion/relegation, there arent many clubs ready to take a risk with youngsters if they dont settle in quickly, the problem is even worse with the number of managerial changes that happen over the course of the season. If the kids dont hit the ground running, they'll be spending most of the loan spell warming the bench
 
I don't have any problem with the England youth system but I think they underrated some of our youngsters.How on earth talents like Harrop,Goss and James aren't capped is beyond me (understandable in James's case though).The likes of Rothwell and Rashford deserve more caps as well.
 
Rothwell and Goss have been setback by Long term injuries plus there's lots of midfield competition for England at that level.

Rashford and Harrop seem to be caught between 2 age groups always due to birthdates though both should have more caps.

James was a late developer so easy to understand that one.
 
FromTheBench said:
Rothwell and Goss have been setback by Long term injuries plus there's lots of midfield competition for England at that level.

Rashford and Harrop seem to be caught between 2 age groups always due to birthdates though both should have more caps.

James was a late developer so easy to understand that one.
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That's my point.This seems to happen with Goss as well.They should have been aware with what you said but I can't help but imagine that they're so obsessed with those youngsters who "play U21s football at 16" or similarly.You don't see many of that at United though even Pogba didn't play much U21s football in his U18s years.Tuanzebe is another one who I think is good enough for England but it's too early to judge.
 
I'm a bit surprised that the England youth sides don't call up more players overall just to mix it up a bit. Putting all your eggs in one basket at that age seems pretty pointless as it's impossible to predict how they'll all progress. Might as well call up 2 or 3 'different' players in every squad IMO just to give them a go, even if it's only one time.
 
TwoSheds said:
I'm a bit surprised that the England youth sides don't call up more players overall just to mix it up a bit. Putting all your eggs in one basket at that age seems pretty pointless as it's impossible to predict how they'll all progress. Might as well call up 2 or 3 'different' players in every squad IMO just to give them a go, even if it's only one time.
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Previously the limited match programme didn't allow them to do that.Recently they tried to expand the amount of games played throughout the season.I can see more youngsters involved with the setup in the near future.
 
khoazany said:
Previously the limited match programme didn't allow them to do that.Recently they tried to expand the amount of games played throughout the season.I can see more youngsters involved with the setup in the near future.
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I don't know about that. If they weren't so concerned about results, even in the U16s, U17s etc, they would definitely be able to throw a few players in occasionally just to see how they take to it and give hem the experience.

Still, good to hear they might be expanding the match programme!
 
Bloody hell. Lovely goal. Harrop, Pearson and Rothwell all superb talents at CM.

Although I thought Harrop usually plays a bit further forward? Or have I got that wrong...
 
Nickosaur said:
Although I thought Harrop usually plays a bit further forward? Or have I got that wrong...
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Seen him a handful of times for the U21s and U19s and I've mainly seen him out left of a 4231 and a couple times at AM and CM. I think he is just a good footballer who can play anywhere really. A bit like Andreas. Transfermarkt has him playing at RB in one of the U19 matches too although I don't really remember that myself and he played at the back in the Mercedes Benz 6-aside tourney last year. Haven't seen enough of him myself to know which is his best position.
 
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