Simmonds heading back

This lad was also an attacking midfielder in the mould of McAtee/Richardson, given it was only until Jan, I think he was always a short term McAtee replacement. With McAtee back fit, you only need him and Ricco for that role.

With BK likely going back, from the sounds of it, that at least frees up a couple of loan spots in the squad. Although, I'd much prefer a few longish permanent signings it at least gives us more wriggle room.

They need game time and a club that can give them that. Probably an injury crisis as a catalyst. Ultimately, it’s too risky for us to pick them a lot and if they don’t absolutely capitalise on the snippets of game time they get, probably by scoring a few, then their opportunities are very limited. The young lads are up against it at ambitious L2 clubs. Does make me chuckle when a few posters just write these lads off and declare glibly they’re ‘not up to it’ and ‘not good enough’. They’re at championship or prem clubs folks - there are professionals who know plenty about such things who know if they’re good enough. Certainly by the age of 20/21.
Ultimately, a loan of this type can’t really work if a young player like this gets 10 minutes every 3 weeks, or who doesn’t force his way into the league starting 11 despite scoring and doing ok in a minor cup game.  We need something different and so do they.

Quoted from chaos33

They need game time and a club that can give them that. Probably an injury crisis as a catalyst. Ultimately, it’s too risky for us to pick them a lot and if they don’t absolutely capitalise on the snippets of game time they get, probably by scoring a few, then their opportunities are very limited. The young lads are up against it at ambitious L2 clubs. Does make me chuckle when a few posters just write these lads off and declare glibly they’re ‘not up to it’ and ‘not good enough’. They’re at championship or prem clubs folks - there are professionals who know plenty about such things who know if they’re good enough. Certainly by the age of 20/21.
Ultimately, a loan of this type can’t really work if a young player like this gets 10 minutes every 3 weeks, or who doesn’t force his way into the league starting 11 despite scoring and doing ok in a minor cup game.  We need something different and so do they.

Don’t disagree that they get written off by some without really getting a chance to develop, but I do disagree that the prem or championship clubs necessarily know they are good enough.
One problem in the game at the moment is that those clubs have so much money they can afford to hoover up all and any youngsters who show a glimmer of talent, and just rely on the law of averages that a percentage of them will make the grade.
All you can really say is that if they are contracted to a big club they have the potential to be good enough, even at the age of 20/21.

Quoted from Mikey_345

Strange one, think he's potentially got quite abit about him but, .

I saw him in the Man city game for the first time and thought he looked a live wire.  Would have liked him to stay longer at Grimsby.

Though he looked good in his debut but hasn't had the game time to really show what he can do. If we aren't interested in using him beyond 5 minute cameos then better they sort out something else for him. Hurst seems to have settled on what his best midfield is now and with his aversion to using his bench unless he has to, a lot of midfielders we bought in have not had a sniff. Didn't we pay a fee for Hunt? He's just sat on the bench as an unused sub with a handful of appearances off the bench since he came in.

Richardson definitely looks tbe best prospect out of the 3 young loanees - not scared to run and put himself about for a young 'un and likes a tackle and battle, hence his recent booking. If he fine tunes his back side, he could be in double figures at Harry's expense by season end !

Quoted from AussieMariner

Don’t disagree that they get written off by some without really getting a chance to develop, but I do disagree that the prem or championship clubs necessarily know they are good enough.
One problem in the game at the moment is that those clubs have so much money they can afford to hoover up all and any youngsters who show a glimmer of talent, and just rely on the law of averages that a percentage of them will make the grade.
All you can really say is that if they are contracted to a big club they have the potential to be good enough, even at the age of 20/21.

Well, the staff at these clubs watch players over scores of games and analysis is rigorous. Probably trumps some old git on here going ‘he’s not good enough’. I’d trust the professional judgement.

I repeat that, for their development, these young players need competitive games against players older and better than themselves. In this instance, we can’t offer Simmonds that. Somebody else might be able to.

Looks to have real quality but an utter lack of heart.

Quoted from chaos33

Well, the staff at these clubs watch players over scores of games and analysis is rigorous. Probably trumps some old git on here going ‘he’s not good enough’. I’d trust the professional judgement.

I repeat that, for their development, these young players need competitive games against players older and better than themselves. In this instance, we can’t offer Simmonds that. Somebody else might be able to.

This old git says he isn’t good enough.

There’s a huge difference between the safe and protected environment of a Premier League U23’s, and the much more physical competitive men’s football. I’d imagine it comes as quite a shock to many of them and takes time to adjust to. (I do realise that Birmingham are in the second tier).

Whilst Simmonds hasn’t been afforded much game time, he hasn’t shown enough during his time here to warrant any more. As such, it’s no surprise that he’s heading back to his parent club.

Sometimes loans work, and sometimes they don’t. Either way, he will probably be better for the experience when the next opportunity arises.