An interesting fact, but this season Watford have fielded 8 home grown players, which is the second most in the Championship. What would the media do if they found out this FACT? Holloway would implode and god only knows what would happen to the Daily Mail.....oh and Palace have only played 3 home grown players all season!! http://www.watford.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=318631
They'd probably say in how many games TBF...Bond and Murray haven't really played that mich have they for example? EDIT: That is only an example of what they might argue. Ofcourse we had 2 of our "own" in goal yesterday. One got injured and the other is now taking a battering probably from the same sort of media outlets than demand young players are given a chance. :doh:
The fact they haven't played much is irrelevant. Young players shouldn't be playing much; they should be playing just enough to aid their development, not damage it.
I disagree. I think they should be playing as much as possible, but at a suitable level. That's why Bonham should probably have gone out on loan but ah well, he didn't, and we get three more games to look forward to this season.
Then you don't disagree at all, since I was talking with regards to games played for our first team. Games played for other teams hardly count towards homegrown players we play in a season, after all.
It was the part about 'young players shouldn't be playing much' that I disagreed with, rather than the face they haven't played much being irrelevant. I'm starting to think I've completely lost this conversation, though! Do you? He was fit for a lot more than 7 games this season yet only played that many times. Also, Battochio was hardly considered until mid-season, which would have put him further down the pecking order. I doubt he would've doubled his appearance count, in all honesty, but what do I know?
Some of ours haven't played much, but then other sides should've/ could've done the same, in terms of giving them some time on the pitch. Especially sides with nowt to play for.
Somebody email this to hollowhead please. Hoban would of been one of our best players this season if he hadnt of got injured, massive talent.
I meant "shouldn't be playing much *for us*", if that helped. The Championship is a tough league to bring in young players who are not yet fully physically developed and play them on a regular basis. I think many of our promising youngsters have suffered over the last decade due to too much, too soon.
Ah okay, yeah I understand now. It's been a long few weeks for me! Yeah, you're definitely right. Hodson, Whichelow and Loach to name but a few.
This loophole should be outright fixed and Watford punished for following the youth system better then most.
Can we count Fessi as home grown too please? He cares too much about this club to not be practically born on the pitch.
Chalobah is younger than a lot of our 'promising youngsters' and his playing regularly doesn't seem to have done him any harm.
