Ubik
Nothing happens until something moves!
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2010
- Messages
- 19,348
Yeah the Clinton one does seem excessively cautious, though at least we can be glad her loans have gone about as well as possible (touch wood), and if Skinner gives a World Cup winner less than a half of game-time all season you'd have to say it's probably better she was away. I'm not sure if Alyssa Aherne and Keira Barry got injured this season, but Aherne got 1 appearance before returning from Everton in January, and Barry doesn't seem to have played at all at Palace, unfortunately mirroring the men's team loan success rate.I think most are kind of borderline pro and still in education - school/college. So not full-time. In fact they can't sign pro papers until they're 18. That means basically they get signed by the first team squad at 18/19 (or don't) and some will stay a bit longer as part-timers going to college.
The U21 to WSL is too big a leap for most players.
The frustration comes when a young player or incoming player doesn't get playing time even when they do have pro experience. Grace Clinton for example had a few matches for Everton before she came to us and then did half a season from us with Bristol in the Championship - which ought to count. But she had zero first team minutes for us before going to Spurs on loan and becoming a full international for England. It doesn't make me think we're good at integrating new talent.
Though this seems to be happening next year, which would be good experience for them
Edit -ignore that, somehow completely misread it earlier and thought it was for the women's game
![LOL :lol: :lol:](/img/smilies/lol.gif)
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