Rico Lewis | Set to sign a new 5-year contract (pg33)

[St.Pauli support]

English. In an honest moment, imagine he'd be Polish, French or German. I know how he'd be rated on here... ;)

Surely it's difficult to evaluate a player on what he does and NOT on his passport. It makes more sense though.

If we debate his strengths to benefit our beloved City - and that's what Hugo seems to do - we wouldn't read too much on here.

Still we can love him as a Blue and a top bloke, just not on a squad spot for us. What's so difficult?

 

[foggy1974]

British fans, generally speaking, place pace and physicality high on the priority list. This poll is no surprise to me, but I find it deeply disappointing, both in my view of his potential, as well as his current skills, and our lack of patience in allowing young talent to develop.

Should Rico leave, then he will go with my absolute best wishes. I hope he has a long, successful career, and I believe he will. I would hope that he, like James Trafford, earns his spot back in the team. We may not reach the point of him going, but the sources have a decent reputation, and I am saddened by the prospect. Nevertheless, City are my team and I will support whomever his replacement is going to be, if indeed there is going to be one.

We have a clutch of young players coming through who have the potential, IMO, to be serious players in the game: Mukasa, Mfuni, McAidoo, and Gorman, just as four examples. I do hope that we can offer the patience needed for those players to develop with us. Luckily for O'Reilly, he has the physicality so revered, as do Mukasa and Mfuni, so they may get an easier ride from some. Gorman is a different player, but so, so technical - patience my friends.

Rico is archetypal Pep player who has the feet to play quick passes, but for me he doesn't have a set position & being short in statue doesn't help his cause.

O'Reilly would probably have been sold as well had he not turned the FA cup tie at Bournemouth because Pep only played him out of position v Salford & Leyton Orient.

Similar with McAtee, Rico has to decide whats best for his career & although they're both blues, getting regular game-time away from their boyhood clubs might be the best for them.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

It's a cut throat business winning trophies and we don't have the time or the patience to let good young talents progress with us (Phil being the exception). As the dippers have done this season.
I think all the big teams do it. It's a shame, but it's just the way it is.
Go and have a great career, guys. I hope to see you back in one form or another. I always get emotional and moist when they fly the nest.

But then we spend huge amounts of money on players like Khusanov or Reis - completely unproven youngsters. Then again even they can’t get game time either.

We’ve won countless trophies with players like Rico playing their part. So we clearly can be successful with young players.

It’s seemingly impossible for young players to develop at city. Other top teams manage to do it somehow, but we seem to just want ready made players.

 

[foggy1974]

If you want to mix with the big boys at the top, players like Lewis and Mcatee don’t cut it I’m afraid. If we can get good money for both then it’s good business imo.

Lewis was a massive part of the treble & 4 in a row & although Macca & Lewis might not be starters, bringing these type of players when the games won after 70 minutes gives other players a breather

 

[mexico1970]

It’s seemingly impossible for young players to develop at city. Other top teams manage to do it somehow, but we seem to just want ready made players.

Some of this is due to the club desperately wanting to push the global brand, and some of it dare I say it is the club not recognising the football fans joy at seeing a local lad come through?

What we are seeing is a business in action, no room for movement just a juggernaut making money and stretching the earning potential as far as it can go, they will eventually IMHO not just cut off local players but local fans too.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

If you want to mix with the big boys at the top, players like Lewis and Mcatee don’t cut it I’m afraid. If we can get good money for both then it’s good business imo.

We won a treble and the league the year after, with Lewis playing a big part in that, especially in the league.

Not every player needs to be ready made or world class instantly.

 

[Marvin.]

If you want to mix with the big boys at the top, players like Lewis and Mcatee don’t cut it I’m afraid. If we can get good money for both then it’s good business imo.

It is very difficult to assess a young player playing out of position. O'Reilly impressed very much at left back and we are told that he is an attacking midfielder but that doesn't mean that all players should be able to do that. I think Rico is a no. 8 and I think he will get better and may develop into a top class player. I don't remember KDB as a 21 year old at Chelsea but they say he wasn't very good.

If there are pragmatic reasons to sell Rico, then so be it. He is currently a squad player aged 20. Squad players are important. His base-line value to Manchester City is already high. I like Rico a lot. He has a great attitude and I think he can improve still further. He will do so faster at Forest because they will play him, but if he stays and plays the longer game at City, perhaps he will reach a higher level.

 

[Semper aggressus]

If you want to mix with the big boys at the top, players like Lewis and Mcatee don’t cut it I’m afraid. If we can get good money for both then it’s good business imo.

100% agree.

Ideally my fantasy City team would be a squad of players with Haaland’s physique, David Silva’s skill and Walker’s pace.

 

[inchy14]

Imagine being a City fan, living through one of the greatest periods any side has ever had in the history of football and having this opinion about one of our players.

The sense on entitlement is off the scale. To actually state that he should receive no praise, simply criticism when he came through our academy, was placed in an unfamiliar position at RB and played a role in our recent success is crazy to me.

I personally don’t rate him that highly, he’s one of those decent players who doesn’t suit a specific role as he doesn’t have the attributes to be a traditional full back nor a midfielder. He’s a great asset as a squad player to fill roles at times but that’s it. Always find him to be too safety conscious and not willing to pass forward enough.

I say all of the above as being in a top side going for titles, he will be a great signing for a team in that tier below.

Good luck to him regardless.

 

[Marvin.]

But then we spend huge amounts of money on players like Khusanov or Reis - completely unproven youngsters. Then again even they can’t get game time either.

We’ve won countless trophies with players like Rico playing their part. So we clearly can be successful with young players.

It’s seemingly impossible for young players to develop at city. Other top teams manage to do it somehow, but we seem to just want ready made players.

I think that's Pep. He could have played O'Reilly a lot more, and a lot earlier. He did eventually use O'Reilly but it took him ages to do so.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Some of this is due to the club desperately wanting to push the global brand, and some of it dare I say it is the club not recognising the football fans joy at seeing a local lad come through?

What we are seeing is a business in action, no room for movement just a juggernaut making money and stretching the earning potential as far as it can go, they will eventually IMHO not just cut off local players but local fans too.

I agree. I’m finding it so disheartening seeing basically all of our academy players sold off. Obviously they have to be good enough, but nothing beats that connection seeing a local lad in the side.

The club and some posters on here seemingly have no interest or patience in developing our own young players, who are often just as talented if not more than the players we bring in - for huge amounts of money. We could have saved ourselves fortunes.

Some of these transfer links are making me feel like I’m watching Madrid or some galactico side. Whilst we might win something, I feel like I have no connection with a lot of these players. As you suggest it feels very corporate.

We’ve just had our most successful era ever with young players involved, so clearly it can be done.

 

[foggy1974]

But then we spend huge amounts of money on players like Khusanov or Reis - completely unproven youngsters. Then again even they can’t get game time either.

We’ve won countless trophies with players like Rico playing their part. So we clearly can be successful with young players.

It’s seemingly impossible for young players to develop at city. Other top teams manage to do it somehow, but we seem to just want ready made players.

Players do develop at City, its just that they get limited chances in the 1st team It's the way that PSR works that make the academy profitable.

 

[Rammy Blue]

No, it's come from Romano so it's legit.

What doesn't make sense about it?

He is hardly a key component of the team, whatever the fee is pure profit for PSR enabling us to spend more money and if his heads been turned by more wages and a starting spot at Forest then Pep will never stand in his way.

I like that we/Viana aren’t sanctioning offering over inflated new deals to players that aren’t justified, that’s what gets us into a pickle numerous times.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I think that's Pep. He could have played O'Reilly a lot more, and a lot earlier. He did eventually use O'Reilly but it took him ages to do so.

I think it is. I think O’reily was close to leaving as well. He’s so risk averse and cautious at times. Oreily has been brilliant, so why not give him a chance. It took injury and terrible form just for a few games.

Look at other top clubs like PSG, they can develop academy players, even Madrid now are producing players and keeping them in the squad.

As I said they have to be good enough, but some of them clearly have the talent to make a difference - as Lewis did

 

[mexico1970]

I agree. I’m finding it so disheartening seeing basically all of our academy players sold off. Obviously they have to be good enough, but nothing beats that connection seeing a local lad in the side.

The club and some posters on here seemingly have no interest or patience in developing our own young players, who are often just as talented if not more than the players we bring in - for huge amounts of money. We could have saved ourselves fortunes.

Some of these transfer links are making me feel like I’m watching Madrid or some galactico side. Whilst we might win something, I feel like I have no connection with a lot of these players. As you suggest it feels very corporate.

We’ve just had our most successful era ever with young players involved, so clearly it can be done.

It starts with fans supporting the club before their fellow fans, the club only exists because of the fans not the other way around.

Once fans start accepting everything the club (Let's face it that's whoever owns it at the time) then the club which is a business can then do anything they want, like...

Putting up face scanners
Not fighting against authorities using DNA sprays
Give Barcelona fans away tickets to big games and allow those Barcelona fans to wear Barcelona shirts in the away end.
Act surprised that people thought that prices were too high and they never realised
Take your season ticket off you for not being able to attend
Accept £35 per season of fans expectant of a ticket every now and then without it really being available because there are many more Citizen members than there are seats in the stadium.

In short look at the person next to you, if he hasn't got a phone on a 12 foot pole and isn't clapping when the away team scores then support them not the club who genuinely don't care what you or they think.

 

[Rammy Blue]

I personally don’t rate him that highly, he’s one of those decent players who doesn’t suit a specific role as he doesn’t have the attributes to be a traditional full back nor a midfielder. He’s a great asset as a squad player to fill roles at times but that’s it. Always find him to be too safety conscious and not willing to pass forward enough.

I say all of the above as being in a top side going for titles, he will be a great signing for a team in that tier below.

Good luck to him regardless.

Sums my feelings up too mate, tidy enough player that had a dip in form last season which is fair enough, but equally imo would be never be good enough to be top drawer so may as well clear the space and get some value.

 

[doobyedoobye]

Is it any wonder players have decreasing loyalty to clubs and fans...

 

[WRicko]

No, it's come from Romano so it's legit.

What doesn't make sense about it?

He is hardly a key component of the team, whatever the fee is pure profit for PSR enabling us to spend more money and if his heads been turned by more wages and a starting spot at Forest then Pep will never stand in his way.

You really asking that ?

We don’t have a proper right back

We don’t need the money

He is a typical pep player

He is young

He plays plenty of games

He is home grown

He can play multiple positions

 

[chesterbells]

Lewis was a massive part of the treble & 4 in a row & although Macca & Lewis might not be starters, bringing these type of players when the games won after 70 minutes gives other players a breather

Was he? “Massive” in what sense? I’m honestly not sure coming on towards the end of games we were already winning/in control of, counts as that. I think it was peripheral, but I’d agree it was useful.

 

[Marvin.]

Some of this is due to the club desperately wanting to push the global brand, and some of it dare I say it is the club not recognising the football fans joy at seeing a local lad come through?

What we are seeing is a business in action, no room for movement just a juggernaut making money and stretching the earning potential as far as it can go, they will eventually IMHO not just cut off local players but local fans too.

A bigger ground, cheaper tickets, and more TV fixtures should lead to more local fans.