Nathan Collins

I'll start it, We're fecked if we're signing him for the first team.


Over to the rest............
 
https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/spo...ews/nathan-collins-ireland-stoke-city-2741177

Article is from April.

If you were a neutral watching Stoke City under-23s this season you might have been forgiven for not realising that Nathan Collins was only 17.

The Republic of Ireland youth captain, who actually turns 18 at the end of this month, has a cool head belying his age.

Collins was making his first start for Nathan Jones's first team squad at Middlesbrough this afternoon after an injury to skipper Ryan Shawcross.

The centre-half joined Stoke in 2017 from Cherry Orchard and, as predicted by his coaches, has stepped from the under-18s to the under-23s with no problems over the last few months.

He’s a classy operator who has a bit of everything, including being able to bring the ball out of defence. His dad, Dave Collins, played at Oxford United under Denis Smith.

Under-23s coach Kevin Russell said earlier this season: “He’s a good footballer. He’s doing well at the moment and he’s got to keep his feet on the floor. He’s certainly getting the attention of people, definitely.”


Academy director Gareth Jennings had said at the start of the campaign:“He’s been doing well in that under-23s environment and I don’t think it’s beyond him to get around the first team. I look at clubs in League One and League Two and he is already better than some defenders at that level.”


Also, 1.93 metres tall.
 
Maybe we are building an u23’s to compete in the Championship.
 
sxow38.jpg


Fair to say Stoke fans aren't happy at Fletch :lol:
 
Definite squad signing for me I've seen him a couple of times. Big potential. To be honest I wouldn't mind us getting rid of the deadwood and replacing a dozen of the squad members with signings like this.
 
Yeah looks a real talent. Made his debut at 17 and didn’t look out of place. He’s fecking massive too for his age. I seriously doubt we’re in for him, though.
 
I know nothing about this kid so can't really judge, but we're not in a position to be taking punts on unknown quantities.
 
James. Longstaff. Collins.

It’s happening. :drool:

Rice, James and Sessegnon too.

Fact is, we’re going to be linked with any half decent British / Irish prospect. The papers are just going to keep churning out name after name. I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t sign a single one of these players.
 
I'm a huge fan of this type of signing. Low risk but big potential.
 
Yeah looks a real talent. Made his debut at 17 and didn’t look out of place. He’s fecking massive too for his age. I seriously doubt we’re in for him, though.

Does that mean if his dad is chubby we wont be in for him?
 
I know nothing about this kid so can't really judge, but we're not in a position to be taking punts on unknown quantities.
Why not? If he’s highly rated and attainable then our current state isn’t relevant.
 
I'm a huge fan of this type of signing. Low risk but big potential.

How is this low risk? If we screw up by buying all the championship players, it's another season of not being able to play Champions League football. We need to be intelligent about this. I can understand one or two players that we get to provide us with some depth on the bench but to rely heavily on these Championship players for the first 11 is not only foolish but a scary thought as well. And I can't understand some of the fans actually buying into this bull crap. We've been marking around with the defense way too long by using has been wingers to play as our full backs or by relying on Fergie's Old Farts to be our CBs.
 
I'll start it, We're fecked if we're signing him for the first team.


Over to the rest............

He's a 17yo CB. How often is a 17yo signed to slot straight into the first team, never mind a CB? Is there anything wrong with signing young players for the future?

This forum is misery personified these days.
 
He will be signed for the reserves of course if it happens. He barely played for their first team. Ole also doesnt seem the type to throw in youth players and see if the swim
 
How is this low risk? If we screw up by buying all the championship players, it's another season of not being able to play Champions League football. We need to be intelligent about this. I can understand one or two players that we get to provide us with some depth on the bench but to rely heavily on these Championship players for the first 11 is not only foolish but a scary thought as well. And I can't understand some of the fans actually buying into this bull crap. We've been marking around with the defense way too long but using has been wingers to play as our full backs or by relying on Fergie's Old Farts to be our CBs.
Do you really think this kid is being signed to go straight into the first team :lol: but by all means, keep ranting.
 
How is this low risk? If we screw up by buying all the championship players, it's another season of not being able to play Champions League football. We need to be intelligent about this. I can understand one or two players that we get to provide us with some depth on the bench but to rely heavily on these Championship players for the first 11 is not only foolish but a scary thought as well. And I can't understand some of the fans actually buying into this bull crap. We've been marking around with the defense way too long by using has been wingers to play as our full backs or by relying on Fergie's Old Farts to be our CBs.

Collins, Sessegnon, Rice, Longstaff & James.

That’s our business nearly done and dusted well before June. Can’t accuse Ed of playing around this summer.
 
https://punditarena.com/football/oi...athan-collins-impresses-in-first-stoke-start/
Stoke Manager Nathan Jones seems to like him from this article, from last month and said this after his debut
"I’d have no problem with starting Nathan,”

“I wouldn’t have put him on the bench if he wasn’t ready. We have enough senior pros here we could have played without a problem, but I have no problem with picking him because he’s been in that vein of form.”

“He’s trained with us and we were always looking to give him a game before the end of the season because he’s earned that.

“He’s been excellent in training and how he’s done stuff and when he came on at Swansea he didn’t look out of place in any way, shape or form. That’s the confidence of the lad.

“There are certain things he still has to learn and do well, but the future is bright for the boy. He’s only 17 and that’s wonderful for us. Age is not an issue.”
 
He's a 17yo CB. How often is a 17yo signed to slot straight into the first team, never mind a CB? Is there anything wrong with signing young players for the future?

This forum is misery personified these days.
Funny... as I read that (and the other early post) as tongue in cheek.... taking the mick of the pessimistic crap in the Daniel James thread.
 
He will be signed for the reserves of course if it happens. He barely played for their first team. Ole also doesnt seem the type to throw in youth players and see if the swim

United's u23s finished one place and 2 points above Stoke this season. It's a bit of a sideways move for him!
 
Anyone who thought we wouldn’t win the championship might change their minds now as we’re signing the best of the league. :D
 
Why not? If he’s highly rated and attainable then our current state isn’t relevant.
We should not be prioritising this type of signing, we need players who can improve the first team immediately. We already have our own talented young CB in Tuanzebe anyway so I don't see the need for this.
 
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Nah, let him sign for a mid table club instead. That way, if he shows he's top class, we can lose out on him to City for 50m.
 
Funny... as I read that (and the other early post) as tongue in cheek.... taking the mick of the pessimistic crap in the Daniel James thread.

I don’t know what’s worse in the James thread: The pessimistic crap or the posters pretending to be experts on a player they probably only heard of when the thread was started. It’s hard to say which ones are worse.