Patrick Roberts

[Neville Kneville]

Whats there to trust? If he goes to SOTON, its better for his career, he does well, he might have a chance with us or City could sell him to SOTON or another club in the PL. His value increases a lot if he has a good season in the PL.

The only reason I could see him preferring Celtic is he lacks ambition, is low on confidence, or doesn't yet feel hes ready for the PL.

Or he knows how good he is & that he can prove it, every week, in front of 60k fans, in a winning team, play in the Champs Lg & get a free transfer to a Prem club or Spain, Italy etc at the end of it rather than being subject to the whim of under pressure Prem managers who are more concerned about protecting their own arse.

If City convince him he has a future here starting right now I don't believe there is a cat in Hell's chance he would go to Celtic.

But if we loan him again, anywhere, he isn't coming back. His time to break through at City is now.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Maybe. Personally doubt he was ready for premier league football when he joined. I don't think the last two years have been bad for his development at all.

FWIW I think we've got a lot of inprovement in how we work with the loan system. Too many poor choices of club, and sometimes it seems like theres no real direction or long term plan.

I just see with Roberts that this is a pretty good path through to our senior team. Development at Celtic, premier league test, prove yourself.

If he wasn't ready we shouldn't have lied to him that he was.

 

[moomba]

If he wasn't ready we shouldn't have lied to him that he was.

If we did that we definitely shouldnt have. I doubt even he thought he was ready when he joined. He struggled to get in Celtics team early on.

 

[Neville Kneville]

If we did that we definitely shouldnt have. I doubt even he thought he was ready when he joined. He struggled to get in Celtics team early on.

Like many of our kids, he was outstanding then suddenly tailed off.

Imo that is when they realise they are nowhere near getting a first team chance irrespective of what they do.

Their performances in the EDS are worthless. Nothing they do, week in week out, matters a shit.
As proven by Pellegrini selecting Pozo & Manu Garcia for (brief) first team promotion when neither was a first choice at EDS level.

Roberts should be tested, right now, with our first team, along with Diaz & Foden & if he's not as good by comparison, sell him.

 

[Gingers Dad]

Or he knows how good he is & that he can prove it, every week, in front of 60k fans, in a winning team, play in the Champs Lg & get a free transfer to a Prem club or Spain, Italy etc at the end of it rather than being subject to the whim of under pressure Prem managers who are more concerned about protecting their own arse.

If City convince him he has a future here starting right now I don't believe there is a cat in Hell's chance he would go to Celtic.

But if we loan him again, anywhere, he isn't coming back. His time to break through at City is now.

No way City should be trying to convince him he has a future at the club in the short term. That would be just lying. Foden made the bench on Saturday because there was a spare slot. That puts him ahead of Roberts in the managers opinion. Foden only made the bench because Gundogan and Mendy weren't available. If everybody is available then City can't put any youngsters on the bench unless they do it at the expense of senior pro's.
Roberts has to leave or go on loan for this season at least. It doesn't mean City have ruined his career. Possibly the opposite because they may have opened doors for him that might not have happened at Fulham.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Or he knows how good he is & that he can prove it, every week, in front of 60k fans, in a winning team, play in the Champs Lg & get a free transfer to a Prem club or Spain, Italy etc at the end of it rather than being subject to the whim of under pressure Prem managers who are more concerned about protecting their own arse.

If City convince him he has a future here starting right now I don't believe there is a cat in Hell's chance he would go to Celtic.

But if we loan him again, anywhere, he isn't coming back. His time to break through at City is now.

We had Sterling, Sane and Silva on the bench on Saturday plus Foden and Brahim who will be in and around the first. Can't really see Roberts getting enough game time here. See no reason why he cant get a season long loan at a prem or at the very least a ligue 1 club. If he does well then stick him in the squad next season, if he fails to perform sell. Look at Asensio for Madrid, had two loan moves to mid table Spanish clubs, proved himself and is now one of the main players in Madrids squad. Personally I think we fucked up last season, he should have been given a squad role last season instead of bloody Navas. Same with denayer the season before.

I see literally no benefit for us in letting him go back to Scotland.

 

[Easy]

Or he knows how good he is & that he can prove it, every week, in front of 60k fans, in a winning team, play in the Champs Lg & get a free transfer to a Prem club or Spain, Italy etc at the end of it rather than being subject to the whim of under pressure Prem managers who are more concerned about protecting their own arse.

If City convince him he has a future here starting right now I don't believe there is a cat in Hell's chance he would go to Celtic.

But if we loan him again, anywhere, he isn't coming back. His time to break through at City is now.

Free transfer? He has a contract with City until 2020. If he gets sold to Celtic he will probably sign a 5 year deal. If wants to leave Celtic, they'll demand a large fee.

He is 20 years old, some players develop later than others. If Pep thinks that he's not ready or doesn't have enough quality than I would prefer to trust his opinion.

 

[Neville Kneville]

We had Sterling, Sane and Silva on the bench on Saturday plus Foden and Brahim who will be in and around the first. Can't really see Roberts getting enough game time here. See no reason why he cant get a season long loan at a prem or at the very least a ligue 1 club. If he does well then stick him in the squad next season, if he fails to perform sell. Look at Asensio for Madrid, had two loan moves to mid table Spanish clubs, proved himself and is now one of the main players in Madrids squad.

I see literally no benefit for us in letting him go back to Scotland.

Nor do I but if we promised him all kinds of chances & failed to deliver & have no intention of givinv him a chance now, he is not going to come back to City from a loan as a future player, he is going to come back as a disgruntled employee who wants out.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Free transfer? He has a contract with City until 2020. If he gets sold to Celtic he will probably sign a 5 year deal. If wants to leave Celtic, they'll demand a large fee.

He is 20 years old, some players develop later than others. If Pep thinks that he's not ready or doesn't have enough quality than I would prefer to trust his opinion.

Maybe you would.

But Pat Roberts wouldn't. If he goes, he is not coming back.

It's just whether we act honestly or end up with an acrimonious split which again is terrible for our reputation.

 

[117 M34]

Southampton just got new owners - 80% sale of the club for £210m.

Maybe they will put the money up for Roberts