But, we've never even included him in a first team squad. If he's so highly rated, then Watford should have given him a taste of the first team before now. Have we even taken him to Austria, for example, in pre-season? No problem having him on the bench in the cup tie at Woking or one of the Carabao cup matches. Small things like that, which seem insignificant, go a long way in the mind of a young player.
Both have signed the professional contracts they were offered. Bennetts for 1 year with an option for another, Phillips for 2 years. Will be interesting to see how it pans out for Cassidy. Everton would be my bet, although he would be wiser moving to a Championship team. Shame he hasn't backed himself to make it here though.
I would have thought the upcoming season was where he could start to expect opportunities like that to come up. Places on the bench should be given to youngsters the coaching staff genuinely think could make a difference if called upon in that match, not just as work experience for those we think might be able to make a difference in a couple of years. That said, it probably didn't help his chances the club went deep into both the senior and youth versions of the FA Cup. I notice he's not been involved with the U23s so far in pre season. I think @DrewH is right to suspect the influence of Silva and Everton here.
I may be doing him and his family a complete disservice but ever since he played at Anfield in the FA Youth Cup semi-final last season it's been obvious where he wants to play. Even before that he didn't hide the fact they're Liverpool fans - no problem with that - but after scoring the goal in front of the Kop End he pretty much put a 'Come & Get Me' sign on himself. His current bio pic is of him and his dad in the Anfield tunnel. So I fully expect he'll end up signing for Southampton! Other than a 'pinned' tweet (it stays at the top of your viewable tweets, a bit like a stickied thread on here) saying how proud he is of his first professional contract at WFC, you'd never know what club he was actually with at the moment. Last season it was obvious where he played with his profile pic & bio all very pro-Watford. As for actual playing time... yes he scored 49(?) over the past two seasons for the u23s & u18s but on the few occasions I saw him his all round game was distinctly average. Poor first touch, average passing, rarely won a headed ball outside the area, not particularly quick and no obvious skills to go by a defender. He did make good runs and often found space in the area BUT despite scoring well he also missed A LOT. Very petulant too. The club have signed 3 young forwards in this window - Thompson (scholar from Chelsea), Dalby (2yr deal from Leeds) & Crichlow (2yr deal from Wimbledon) with the latter in Austria with the first team squad. This isn't a surprise to any one at the club and I've been asking the question myself a lot lately on social media as to where Cassidy was. I'll have my answer soon it seems.
Admittedly based on very little personal knowledge, but this has a Sancho feeling about it to me and I fear could come back to haunt us. While he’s very young, he could have been put on the bench a couple of times last season as a reward for good form in the U23’s. Especially towards the end when Success was offering absolutely nothing. And if Okaka has no future here, I’d like to have seen Cassidy sent to Austria instead.
I disagree. You have 7 players on the bench, you can easily include a youngster for certain games or even the friendlies, pre-season training camps etc. You have to nurture young talents, and the ones who clearly have big potential, have to be given a sniff that there is a door open to them. As far as I'm aware, Cassidy has been shown none of this, so is it any surprise that he's looking for an opportunity at another club? You can't blame players for thinking that.
We are happy to start a geriatric goalkeeper in a Cup Final for sentimental reasons so I would be okay with Cassidy on the bench in cup matches.
Mmm. It seems that if someone on social media says he's the next big thing, the usual suspects will jump on it and treat it as fact. It is funny that those who will back Gracia all the way when it comes to first team members suddenly don't agree when it comes to young players of which there has not been one successful journey from the youth team to the first team in the entirety of the Pozzo ownership. Lack of trust, lack of ability, lack of luck? Or just clueless in that department?
Given that Gomes played, I think we should have given Cassidy his debut and played Gibbs at RB to make up for his 2 missed Wembley opportunites.
The argument of having him around the first team last season is relevant but going back to what I saw, I don't think he warranted it. He never stood out in a single game I saw and only my own expectations, due to his reputation of scoring, made me watch him rather than him actually doing something exceptional. I honestly think last season he would have been eaten up by most pro defenders in the top 2 or 3 leagues. Put that into context of Daniel Phillips who I'd never heard of and it was a different story. This lad stood out head and shoulders above anybody on the pitch each time I saw him play. Still made mistakes but never hid afterwards. Physically strong enough already I'd say and I'd like to see him on the bench for cup games if possible. The only problem for him right now is he's a centre midfielder... But he is very very good.
I agree about Gomes but it's a bit of a leap to connect the two sets of circumstances. Cassidy only turned 18 in March. I've not seen him play live but from the vids he looks pretty slight. And I don't know what his attitude is like (although I suppose he wouldn't captain the U18s if it was outright terrible). As I said, this is the season where he should have some expectation of involvement on the distant fringes of the first team. If he's off because it didn't materialise last year I've little sympathy.
The stall was set out when the Pozzo’s deemed Harefield a waste of time and downgraded the academy. Bringing through our own players has never been seen as viable under their ownership. Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if none of our managers since the Pozzo’s arrived don’t know a single youth player’s name. Someone above has said why doesn’t he choose to go on loan instead because any other PL team will be just as bad, it not harder, to get a game. I think if you look throughout the PL, regardless of club size, they have all blooded more of their own youth players than we have in the past 5 years. Cassidy choosing to leave likely has little to do with the fact that he hasn’t been involved yet in the First XI - it’s much more likely to be because he doesn’t see Watford as a club that will give him chances in the next 2/3 seasons and the club want him to sign one of their standard 5 year deals to even get that far.
Are you Oxhey 67 ?? Serious Q. Very worried about what might have happened to him and would be good to know he was ok.
I agree with you - whenever I've watched the youth games or highlights with him in I've been very underwhelmed.
But he'd proved himself in the limited games I saw him play for the first team. Admittedly slightly easier breaking through then.
Really have to disagree on that. I thought it was a big blow when Sancho left for City - at the time I'd heard (and gathered from limited highlights ) that he was generally considered comfortably our best youth product since Young; and some on here still weren't even that bothered about him/sold on him as he was leaving for Dortmund. Cassidy has never really stood out to me whenever I've seen him. We included Forster on the tour who is a year older and signed a pro deal at a similar time, and he looked completely out of his depth, I'm sure Cassidy would have done the same. - there's a reason he's not been near the first team yet. We'll have JP arriving soon, who seems clearly a better prospect, and I wouldn't be surprised if Cucho is either, and you know how little I rate Cucho. Cassidy might have a decent career, but I don't think he'll ever be a regular goalscorer in the PL. Heck, I wouldn't even be surprised if the lad Dalby we signed from Leeds turns out to be a better player. Obviously I'd rather if he didn't leave the club for a pittance from a financial perspective, but at a first-team level him leaving will make little or no difference.
Agree he proved himself, but he always thought he was a lit better than he was and certainly too good for us, had a decent career but left us under a Bosman for nothing when he owed us for giving him the chance in the first place! admitted later he was wrongly advised!
Agree with all of that, the problem (if you can call it that) is that we are in the Premier League, players have to be exceptional to be given a starting place, the difference between under 23 and the P.L. is massive the only way one of these type of players can play for us is to go on loan first gain real experience playing against seasoned pros, then they may get a chance in our first team! When we aren't interested in giving Dodi Lukebakio a chance in our team it shows the standard we are at!
As I said, my post was based on very little personal knowledge so I’m accepting of opinions that carry more weight than my own.
I have no problem with the attitude of being better than others, as long as he produces on the field. I believe he did. Shame he was advised wrongly. But he's not the first and certainly not the last.
I suspect the lad is upset about his state of affairs and his agent is dropping hints to newspapers to stir up interest.
I'm acquainted with a friend on Ryan Cassidys Dad Sean (His Dad is his Agent) For months now he's been telling me that Ryan wants to leave but it's more his dad than the player himself . The specific clubs that have shown interest in him were Manchester City and Everton (probably others now too). Ryan said that he didn't want to go to Man City because they had Aguero.... He's a die hard Liverpool fan so really can't see him going to Everton either - unless it's purely for money. As an Irish Watford fan - I'd like nothing more than Ryan to succeed in football and specifically with us. He's had disputes with some of the Ireland under age coaches because he wanted guarantees of starting. Hence he hasn't been involved that much on the youth internationals. I've heard a few other small things but can't validate them so would be unfair to mention them. The other young lad that we signed earlier in the summer from Bohemians/St Kevins Ryan's Dad Sean was present there so I assumed that he was involved in the deal in some way and figured that would help us keep him happy. If Ryan leaves it's purely for Money - he should cop him self on - knuckle down, train hard and break his way into the squad.
This summer he has been with the Ireland team so won't yet be back with us. Last season he played both u18 & 23's so the club stepped him up a level and growing him towards the first team. The next step would be for him to go out on loan to a league 1 side that will give him minutes. It may coincide with a new contract.
I don't think that he has been - Ireland U-18s were last playing in March. He's not been involved with the u-19s at the European Championships. Wasn't included in the u-20s in June either. Obviously, I could be wrong but I don't think he's been playing football this summer.
On a slight tangent (well, also young Irish strikers that have spent time at St Kevins) - do you have any idea what's going on with Mipo Odubeko now that he's left Utd?
I'm not sure - I expect that he'll end up in a European team as premiership teams will need to pay compensation. Hopefully Udinese are looking to sign him - he looks a real talent. I also think Jonathan Afolabi that has left Southampton is decent and might be worth a punt for the u23s. Also with Nigerian parents born in Ireland.
Loan him to an English side (championship preferably or League 1). See what he's made of. Offer him a new deal in January or sell him. If any of what's been hinted at here (e.g. entitlement, petulance) that will come immediately to light in an English team. If he man's up.. so much the better for everyone.
Both clubs have given more opportunities to youth team players than us in the last 5 years. Not hard considering we have given none beyond Mazzarri bringing on a couple against City on the last day of the season when already 4/5-0 down.
If the lad is worth a fee, you take it now. Allowing him to run down his deal a year out is not good business sense. If he goes to said club on loan and scores regularly, the interest will only increase and he will be in a position of power. If that happens, he will see he’s never been in a first team squad for us, we didn’t offer him a contract in the summer and he has clubs willing to offer better financial and footballing terms than we are - it’s either sign a deal now and loan, or sell.
He probably desires a belief he can get first team games at all. I don’t blame him for thinking that won’t happen with us. Some are saying he’s petulant/arrogant. A by-product of that is that he likely backs himself to take an opportunity when given. If we won’t give the opportunity.... If Cassidy isn’t good enough, I understand. The club has to act. But I also can’t help think that strikers (be it our own youngsters, or external transfers) see Deeney and think ‘what’s the point? Watford will always pick him regardless’
