[SIGNED perm] Toby Stevenson

Discussion in 'The Transfer List' started by simpleMASH, Aug 29, 2020.

  1. Carpster

    Carpster Squad Player

    Funny how so many people on here want us to look at the lower leagues for a bargain. When we do he's instantly chastised. No he may not be what's instantly needed first team wise but Jesus going give him an opportunity.
     
  2. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    A bit surprised to see the Charlton fans really didn't rate him, he looked fine against Oxford. Obviously I'm not expecting him to play anything more than cup games against lower league or non-league opposition for us, but I think he'll have a career in the Football League for someone one day
     
  3. Carpster

    Carpster Squad Player

    I prefer making my own opinions on players, if they're right or wrong it doesn't really matter. As I said he put some excellent balls into the box. I didn't see the game live so can't give an opinion on his defensive side. But from what I witnessed there was some promise at only 20 in his first start for the club.
     
  4. barely1egal

    barely1egal Reservist

    I watched the game and agree he has a good cross on him given time and space, but he didn't look particularly quick or to have a great level of technical skill. I think he would be very easy to defend against.

    As a unit we looked pretty poor defensively, but I don't really remember him doing too much wrong.

    He looked capable of having a career in the football league, but I would suspect towards the lower end rather than the upper end. I could well be proved wrong though and that is just my opinion based on very limited time watching him.
     
    PowerJugs likes this.
  5. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    TBF I expect people wanted our scouts to look at up and coming promising players in L1 & 2, not players who have been released by L1&2 teams as a result of being to **** to play for them
     
  6. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    His delivery looked pretty good tbf
     
  7. MIlton Dammers

    MIlton Dammers Reservist

    He left Charlton after his contract expired. Was he offered a new contract but turned it down, or did he not get offered one as a result of being too ****?

    Genuine question.
     
  8. Carpster

    Carpster Squad Player

    But we don't know his qualities yet so making assumptions that he's to **** to play for Charlton are odd. It's not like we've got rid of young players who were supposedly not good enough .
     
  9. nornironhorn

    nornironhorn Administrator Staff Member

    I don't think he was offered something as you'd have expected we'd have heard a few stories about a tribunal down the line, etc.
     
    MIlton Dammers likes this.
  10. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    No. We just know he was deemed not to be good enough for Charlton and released. You saw their fans comments posted above ?
    Yes we release lots of young players each year - not many come back and make a career for a team in a league above us.
     
  11. Carpster

    Carpster Squad Player

    I understand that. But I use my own eyes to judge players, not a random list of supporters.
     
  12. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    I presume we will sign a left back and he will be mainly used in the Under 23s.

    GT and other brought a few players from the lower leagues that didn't turn out so badly.

    Let's wait and see if anything useful comes out of him.
     
  13. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    So on that basis we can sign a 40 year old from non-league football but wait until you’ve seen him before writing him off?

    Whilst it’s a noble trait to have, in football it’s quite idealistic too. They are the opinions of fans who have seen quite a bit of the player after all...
     
    Carpster likes this.
  14. Steve Leo Beleck

    Steve Leo Beleck Squad Player

    Amazing what a couple of semi decent crosses put in under no pressure at all will do for a reputation.

    Same thing happened with Brandon Mason because he made a tackle.
     
    luke_golden, UEA_Hornet and Burnsy like this.
  15. The Recluse

    The Recluse Reservist

    A conversation I had with a Charlton watcher suggested Stevenson would have found it difficult displacing their current left-back Alfie Doughty, also 20-yrs old. Doughty is now subject to interest from Celtic with offers of £800,000 being floated around in the past couple of days so it would seem he has something about him.

    Obviously Stevenson wasn't seen by Charlton as being good enough so one would have to presume they have a player younger or of a similar age who they think will develop further than Stevenson as well as possibly providing better cover for the 1st-team now. Who knows (or cares) what would have happened with Stevenson there had Doughty been sold before now.

    It seems to me he has been signed by Watford for the U23s and given a year to prove his worth. If he shows signs of improving the extra year option on his contract will be taken up. Other than the club currently not having a fit first choice left-back I don't think the vast majority of us would have seen Stevenson in pre-season let alone turn out against Oxford.

    He's one of hundreds of young players either trialled or trialling for clubs up & down the country to see if they can fill a space in an U23/B side and who have some pedigree in terms of professional development at a league club. He isn't and wasn't signed as a first team player despite appearing for the side this week, so to write him off after one professional game seems premature.

    In recent times we've had head coaches who have been given players of a decent standard but who have generally stayed at the level they arrived at. We now have someone in charge who supposedly likes to develop younger players so while the likes of Stevenson, Phillips, Agyakwa etc., look rough around the edges right now, if all the hype Ivic came with is to be believed then these players will hopefully develop into better footballers. That's all that can be asked of them really. Come, train hard and get better. If they're still not good enough for whatever division the club is in 1, 2 or 3 years time then so be it. They'll be sold or released and the next batch will get their chance.

    Hopefully another left-(wing)back will be signed soon and Stevenson can learn and grow in the U23s for now. What I will say is he wasn't torn to shreds by a competent passing side in Oxford and, generally, held his own defensively while producing an outlet going forward. No, I wouldn't want to rely on him week after week at the moment but it's obvious that isn't the short term plan for him. Let's see where he is in 6 months time before attempting any kind of rounded judgement.
     
  16. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    That leads to the question......why the hell didn't we sign Alfie Doughty!!
     
    Hairyfrog and Spoad like this.
  17. Carpster

    Carpster Squad Player

    Not even worth answering the question about a 40 year old non league player is it. Different end of the spectrum really.
    As I mentioned I've seen highlights of the Oxford game and he put some decent deliveries in. As for what @Steve Leo Beleck commented on a reputation for putting in a few decent crosses under no pressure. A little childish wouldn't you say. How many corners and free kicks were wasted just last season? Are these not as you say under no pressure crosses?
     
  18. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Yes. I agree. But while I won’t write Stevenson off, it’s fair to say given where we have come from as a club and where Stevenson he come from, there’s a fairly wide spectrum between those two things as well - so when looking at that, it’s very much worth noting what people who have seen him far more than us have to say. Their opinions aren’t worth writing off on the basis that he put a few decent crosses in against a L1 reserve team.
     
    folkestone orn likes this.
  19. Steve Leo Beleck

    Steve Leo Beleck Squad Player

    Oh well, as long as you've seen the highlights. Having watched the full game, I'd be very worried if we ever had to play him in a meaningful game, and I'm not surprised by the comments of the Charlton fans that were posted.

    Also, surely you realise that it's much harder to hit a static ball into a packed penalty area, where the defence is already set, than it is to hit one in open play, under no pressure whatsoever, into a box with only a handful of players?

    He's got a good left foot, sure. But that's only one very small part of being a footballer.
     
  20. Carpster

    Carpster Squad Player

    Congratulations you should be a scout.
     
  21. Carpster

    Carpster Squad Player

    Well the spectrum is a league below. So it's not really is it. I haven't debated whether people should read what others write about said players. That's their choice. My choice is to witness a player bought in by Watford with my own eyes and then give an opinion. I'm not saying this is right either it's my choice. I'm old enough to make my own opinions.
     
  22. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Because he'd have cost almost £1m obviously. £1m for a defender ? Duh! Give your head a shake.
     
    Hairyfrog and Carpster like this.

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