Centre-back

[Neville Kneville]

How can he block the progress of Rekik when Rekik is playing for PSV? Unless you think we should cancell his loan spell.

Rekik will be back next year and if he keeps this form up, in the first team squad. What do we do with this new 'lefty' then, flog him after one year? It's easy to say they can compete, but you're not going to get three players competing for one position when all three of them are young and hungry for games - one of them would be the odd man out and seldom playing.

I don't get this idea that people have that we can only have 1 prospect in the club. That somehow they won't be able to develope if they have to compete with each other.

We have dozens of prospects at the club, but Rekik is at that stage where he is one step away from becoming the first player from City's youth system to properly break through in years, which will be a major step forward in the 'holistic' self-sustainable vision this club has.

Right now we have Nastasic and Lescott as left-footers in the first team squad and Rekik in his major development year. The natural progression is to promote Rekik next year when Lescott's contract expires, rather than spend a few more million on someone who, as I've said, we'll unlikely get a work permit for as he is uncapped and doesn't hold dual nationality. If we didn't have a MAJOR youth prospect just called up for the Netherlands aged 18, then I'd be all for adding another young prospect in that position. But sometimes it's just buying for the sake of buying and I think this would be it, a bit like adding a third first team right-back. It's right-footed central defenders we're desperately short on right now.

It would be absolute madness to gamble everything on Rekik. He is a medium build, not very pacy kid, who struggled to get a game at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship. Their fans thought he was useless. He played for us pre season & he was useless. Now he is doing ok in the Dutch league & that makes him a nailed on certainty for City next season ? Nonsense.

Guidetti has come back from being a star in the Dutch league & is by no means certain to make the grade here. Rekik is nowhere near that level yet & we base our future on him ? With absolutely no evidence he will make it over here ?

Even if Rekik does make the grade, he will not be a replacement for Lescott at 19, he is miles away from that level, it will be several years before he is ready. I recon his most likely position next season will be centre back for PSV, possibly as part of a deal for us to sign Zakaria Bakkali.

 

[Cobwebcat]

Being picked for the Dutch National squad at 18 shows considerable promise.

I like his chances.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Being picked for the Dutch National squad at 18 shows considerable promise.

I like his chances.

Can you name the current pair & do they play for a top European club ?

 

[ono]

Jaap Stam and Frank De Boer.

 

[Anonymous]

can we recall rekik?

 

[cmdub]

How can he block the progress of Rekik when Rekik is playing for PSV? Unless you think we should cancell his loan spell.

Rekik will be back next year and if he keeps this form up, in the first team squad. What do we do with this new 'lefty' then, flog him after one year? It's easy to say they can compete, but you're not going to get three players competing for one position when all three of them are young and hungry for games - one of them would be the odd man out and seldom playing.

I don't get this idea that people have that we can only have 1 prospect in the club. That somehow they won't be able to develope if they have to compete with each other.

We have dozens of prospects at the club, but Rekik is at that stage where he is one step away from becoming the first player from City's youth system to properly break through in years, which will be a major step forward in the 'holistic' self-sustainable vision this club has.

Right now we have Nastasic and Lescott as left-footers in the first team squad and Rekik in his major development year. The natural progression is to promote Rekik next year when Lescott's contract expires, rather than spend a few more million on someone who, as I've said, we'll unlikely get a work permit for as he is uncapped and doesn't hold dual nationality. If we didn't have a MAJOR youth prospect just called up for the Netherlands aged 18, then I'd be all for adding another young prospect in that position. But sometimes it's just buying for the sake of buying and I think this would be it, a bit like adding a third first team right-back. It's right-footed central defenders we're desperately short on right now.

It would be absolute madness to gamble everything on Rekik. He is a medium build, not very pacy kid, who struggled to get a game at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship. Their fans thought he was useless. He played for us pre season & he was useless. Now he is doing ok in the Dutch league & that makes him a nailed on certainty for City next season ? Nonsense.

Guidetti has come back from being a star in the Dutch league & is by no means certain to make the grade here. Rekik is nowhere near that level yet & we base our future on him ? With absolutely no evidence he will make it over here ?

Even if Rekik does make the grade, he will not be a replacement for Lescott at 19, he is miles away from that level, it will be several years before he is ready. I recon his most likely position next season will be centre back for PSV, possibly as part of a deal for us to sign Zakaria Bakkali.

This is an ill informed post on so many levels I don't know where to begin

 

[dachoosen1]

I would have any of the centre backs in the Dutch team here Mathijsen and Vlaar are both experienced top defenders and Bruma and de Vrij both look very promising players as does Indi and van Rhijn who can both play cb. Rekik is in great company in the Dutch squad and to get called up after so few top flight games is very impressive. He was called up instead of Hetinga and Boulahrouz. He is captain of the Dutch under 19s and in my opinion has a big future in the game but he should definitely stay out on loan for the rest of the season and next season return as a replacement of Lescott and anyone that says he is too young look at Nastasic!

 

[Neville Kneville]

Rekik will be back next year and if he keeps this form up, in the first team squad. What do we do with this new 'lefty' then, flog him after one year? It's easy to say they can compete, but you're not going to get three players competing for one position when all three of them are young and hungry for games - one of them would be the odd man out and seldom playing.



We have dozens of prospects at the club, but Rekik is at that stage where he is one step away from becoming the first player from City's youth system to properly break through in years, which will be a major step forward in the 'holistic' self-sustainable vision this club has.

Right now we have Nastasic and Lescott as left-footers in the first team squad and Rekik in his major development year. The natural progression is to promote Rekik next year when Lescott's contract expires, rather than spend a few more million on someone who, as I've said, we'll unlikely get a work permit for as he is uncapped and doesn't hold dual nationality. If we didn't have a MAJOR youth prospect just called up for the Netherlands aged 18, then I'd be all for adding another young prospect in that position. But sometimes it's just buying for the sake of buying and I think this would be it, a bit like adding a third first team right-back. It's right-footed central defenders we're desperately short on right now.

It would be absolute madness to gamble everything on Rekik. He is a medium build, not very pacy kid, who struggled to get a game at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship. Their fans thought he was useless. He played for us pre season & he was useless. Now he is doing ok in the Dutch league & that makes him a nailed on certainty for City next season ? Nonsense.

Guidetti has come back from being a star in the Dutch league & is by no means certain to make the grade here. Rekik is nowhere near that level yet & we base our future on him ? With absolutely no evidence he will make it over here ?

Even if Rekik does make the grade, he will not be a replacement for Lescott at 19, he is miles away from that level, it will be several years before he is ready. I recon his most likely position next season will be centre back for PSV, possibly as part of a deal for us to sign Zakaria Bakkali.

This is an ill informed post on so many levels I don't know where to begin

Well seeing as you obviously rate Rekik, what would you say are his s strongest attributes which make you believe he will be our central defender & sets him apart from other young defenders then ?

Compared to say, Boyata, for instance, what particular things do you think Rekik has to his game which Boyata lacks ? In which particular areas do you think he excels compared to say, Smalling or Phil Jones when they were the same age ?

 

[Neville Kneville]

I would have any of the centre backs in the Dutch team here Mathijsen and Vlaar are both experienced top defenders and Bruma and de Vrij both look very promising players as does Indi and van Rhijn who can both play cb. Rekik is in great company in the Dutch squad and to get called up after so few top flight games is very impressive. He was called up instead of Hetinga and Boulahrouz. He is captain of the Dutch under 19s and in my opinion has a big future in the game but he should definitely stay out on loan for the rest of the season and next season return as a replacement of Lescott and anyone that says he is too young look at Nastasic!

You would have Mathijsen and Vlaar at City ? Or Bruma ?

Jesus.

 

[dachoosen1]

As squad players of course!lol Both have a wealth of experience and are very capable defenders. Vlaar would be a excellent sign he is everything a centre back should be. Why wouldn't you have him?!