Toby Collyer

NYAS

Full Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
4,323
That’s weird. Has he been featuring for the U21s at all this season?
Doesn’t seem too weird when you consider how ravaged our midfield is. Iqbal and Mainoo have already been training with the first team for a while. That’s still only 5 players available for 6 positions.
 

Pogue Mahone

The caf's Camus.
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
133,856
Location
"like a man in silk pyjamas shooting pigeons
Doesn’t seem too weird when you consider how ravaged our midfield is. Iqbal and Mainoo have already been training with the first team for a while. That’s still only 5 players available for 6 positions.
Weird as in why him and not players getting picked ahead of him for the u21s. Someone like Oyedele or Gore? I haven’t been watching them that much this season but don’t think he’s featured at all?
 

Prodigal7

Full Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2015
Messages
2,258
Location
Daenerys' pants
Weird as in why him and not players getting picked ahead of him for the u21s. Someone like Oyedele or Gore? I haven’t been watching them that much this season but don’t think he’s featured at all?
Oyedele has gone on loan and Gore plays a different role in midfield. Collyer is an out and out DM. Collyer came to us very highly rated as an England U17 captain, I’m surprised he hasn’t been playing more at U23 level tbh.
 

Sid234

Full Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
3,748
Location
Infinity
Hasn't Collyer trained with the first team multiple times this season? Could've sworn I read about it a few months ago.

Anyway with Savage out on loan, makes sense that he is the next man up
 

Bondi77

Full Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Messages
7,308
Don’t wanna burst the weird hype on here but he’s like our 5th choice CM at U21s level so I think you guys do need to manage your expectation.

He has qualities to build on and I would love to see him play more but I would rate Oyedele higher before talking about the likes of Mainoo.
I wouldn't worry about it.
There will be posters on here calling for him to play in front of McTominay before you know it.
 

limerickcitykid

There once was a kid from Toronto...
Joined
Oct 3, 2012
Messages
14,059
Location
East end / Oot and aboot
Training with the first team means very little, they all do at some point. They just don’t necessarily get their pictures published.

Charlie Wellens was training with the first team at 16 and he’s nowhere near a top talent. Dan Gore trained at 16 too. There is constantly a handful of u21/18s being brought in for first team training and often times it is solely position related and to just fill a hole for a specific training routine.

It means nothing from the outside really, every single u21 player will have trained with the first team this season.
 

Sid234

Full Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
3,748
Location
Infinity
Surprised to see him make the bench.. how has he been doing this season w U21s?
 

We need an rvn

Full Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2015
Messages
3,871
Location
Down south...somewhere
Must be doing something right to be in the bench.

not jumping ahead but if he turns out as we hope then thats two young central midfielders with him and mainoo that could form our midfield for some time!
 

top1whoisman

Meet the press(conference)
Scout
Joined
May 18, 2016
Messages
19,099
Location
Helsinki
Must be doing something right to be in the bench.

not jumping ahead but if he turns out as we hope then thats two young central midfielders with him and mainoo that could form our midfield for some time!
Yeah that's not going to happen.
 

Cassidy

No longer at risk of being mistaken for a Scouser
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
31,433
Hannibal, Mainoo or Gore. Either Fletcher or Fitzgerald for the 18s.
Mainoo is already in the first team. So I guess Gore, Fletcher and Fitzgerald
 

Cassidy

No longer at risk of being mistaken for a Scouser
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
31,433
Doesn’t really have any standout abilities. A bigish lad who’s a decent passer, that’s pretty much it based on what I’ve seen.
Fair enough. Havent seen him play much myself
 

We need an rvn

Full Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2015
Messages
3,871
Location
Down south...somewhere
Doesn’t really have any standout abilities. A bigish lad who’s a decent passer, that’s pretty much it based on what I’ve seen.
If you've seen him and that's your assessment that's fair. I haven't seen anything of him to be fair and only read about him (captained England U16/17 level etc) so had assumed, given his age and he was on the bench that there must be a decent prospect in there.

We'll have to wait and see I guess
 

top1whoisman

Meet the press(conference)
Scout
Joined
May 18, 2016
Messages
19,099
Location
Helsinki
If you've seen him and that's your assessment that's fair. I haven't seen anything of him to be fair and only read about him (captained England U16/17 level etc) so had assumed, given his age and he was on the bench that there must be a decent prospect in there.

We'll have to wait and see I guess
Yeah Brighton's Head of Academy praised him to heavens, but I haven't seen anything special so far. A decent, solid player who might go on to have a future in the game.
 

Bertie Wooster

Full Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
2,942
Yeah Brighton's Head of Academy praised him to heavens, but I haven't seen anything special so far. A decent, solid player who might go on to have a future in the game.
Yeah, for what it's worth, I'd agree with that assessment as well.

He sounded promising when he arrived, but hasn't shown much at all with the U21's beyond, as you say, just a decent level. Certainly hasn't stood out in any way and suggested he's first team level.
 

KevinJoh

Full Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2016
Messages
459
yeah, from what I have seen nothing special at all, even the worst in terms of potential of anything we have at the position. Clean player, but nothing else. To be honest, I can give a benefit of doubt cause he had a period without football I think when he did not want to sign for Brighton while waiting to join us, so probably not in the best form when I watched him, but really could not see anything on top level. All midfielders from U18 that get playing time in his position are above him in terms of talent (Fitzgerald, McAllister, Fletcher, Deveney), Oyedelle from U21, and certainly Hannibal and Gore.
 

Borninthe80ts

Full Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2021
Messages
661
I thought he was a good pick up at the time as he was an England youth captain who had a good range of passing and seemed to be able to set the tempo from deep. Not as dynamic as some other players in the youth team but contrasting styles make teams.

Anyway I think injury definitely curtailed development at a crucial stage and others took over. A smart and tidy player.