31 Jul 2025 16:56:36
Hey Ed001 wanted to get your opinion on Rio Ngumoha expectations this season coming up. He has certainly impressed this pre-season. Only reason I ask is I spoke with someone well versed in academy players coming through and he said Rio and the Max Dowman kid coming through at Arsenal are one of the best young players coming through who are leagues ahead of their peers. Is Rio well though of at the club and someone who can be fast tracked?
{Ed001's Note - he is just a kid, there is no need to pile expectations on him, just let him develop at his own pace. He has grown up a lot over the past year, but he is still growing, he just needs to keep his head down and keep working.}
31 Jul 2025 19:51:27
and stay healthy! There will be some lunkhead in the reserve league who will have it out for him with a bad tackle.
31 Jul 2025 23:57:39
So keep him in the academy, with the odd senior match for 1st team then, maybe a cup game or 2, Ed?
{Ed001's Note - it would really depend on how his body develops mate. You have to play it by ear with these kids. If he has a growth spurt, for example, he will probably need a few weeks to sort out his body. That is often the problem, teams make plans and just put them in to cup games where they have a disaster because they are in the midst of refiguring out their body after a growth spell. That can affect their future badly as, if they don't make it with you, they will be remembered by other clubs for that disaster and finding a new club later is more difficult than it should be. Changes can happen over night, especially at that age.}