By all accounts, James pushed for this himself.Being shot in both knees would have done more for his development as a player than going to Sheffield United this season. Whoever your agent is kid, sack the fucker!
Hope he doesn't become another Patrick Roberts.
If he’d have gone to Leicester all that would have been said, was that he doesn’t have premier league experience, therefore he needs a loan to a prem side.By all accounts, James pushed for this himself.
He should have gone to Leicester. Maresca would have provided him with some continuity, he would be in a dominant team in the same image as his parent club and still only just down the road from family and friends
November the 1st and Rico Lewis has still played more minutes than McAtee, and played full games, too. Different positions and players, granted, but I’d wager Lewis has learned more and developed more from his experience.
I did add caveats, clearly not enough, but I don't think we can assume that he wouldn't have played at all. I doubt any of us would have predicted that Lewis would have played 180 minutes of Champions League football.I don’t think you can compare them. Completely different positions and Mcatee would have had way more competition in his role. If he’d have stayed he wouldn’t have played.
Playing every game for Sheffield to not playing at all wouldn’t have been good for his development in my opinion.
Being kicked from pillar to post in the Premier league is irrelevant "premier league experience" in my opinion.If he’d have gone to Leicester all that would have been said, was that he doesn’t have premier league experience, therefore he needs a loan to a prem side.
He was already part of a very good Sheffield United side in the championship and couldn’t get a chance, so for me this was the right loan move.
The chances are that very few of "our youngsters" can cut it in the Premier division and probably need to play a bit of championship level football for a couple of seasons.Being kicked from pillar to post in the Premier league is irrelevant "premier league experience" in my opinion
I did add caveats, clearly not enough, but I don't think we can assume that he wouldn't have played at all. I doubt any of us would have predicted that Lewis would have played 180 minutes of Champions League football.
At this stage of career, I think McAtee needed to develop his footballing brain more than his lungs, and I just worry now that his decision will now prevent him reaching his full potential.
I agree that it's terribly difficult to predict, but quite a few of our players were injured in the opening months and other players played through injury; we also had players who had just arrived playing when they were clearly not yet up to speed. All of that makes me think McAtee might just have had more opportunities and that had he stayed he could have staked his claim this season. After all, Cole Palmer largely earned his move on the back of what he had shown he could do with us, which is another reason why McAtee's decision appears ill-judged. I do wish young players were better advised and encouraged to adopt a more far-sighted perspective when viewing their development and advised not to prioritise game time over game knowledge.Fair enough mate. I don’t think he’d have played. He’d have foden, grealish, Doku, Bernardo ahead of him on the wings and I don’t think he starts in the middle.
He might have played the odd cup game, but I don’t think that’s enough. Lewis is playing in a defensive midfield role and has had less completion for his place, with stones out and Philips not fancied.
For me he’s had enough training with the first team, it’s game time he needs. He’s probably looking at Cole palmer and thinking he can develop somewhere else. Sheffield United might not be the answer, but i think others will come in for him.