Rony Lopes

[Matty]

Denayer signed a 5 year contract with City this summer. Lopes could have signed also had he wanted. He obviously didn't want to. There is very unlikely to be a buyback clause based on the figure Monaco paid.

Denayer did sign a 5 year deal, however we allowed his current deal to reach the 12 months left point so there was the same risk that Denayer could have said he wanted to leave.

 

[eversince 76]

NevKev, I think so far from our recent youth-policy Lopes, Denayer and Ihaenacho were three outstanding players good enough to have earned at least a few chances in the 1st team to show what they are about. I thought Rekik would get therer as well. Unfortunately he clearly had a standstill in his development, even after being a regular at PSV for 2 years, and Denayer surpassed him.

Denayer is still very young for a CB, despite doing well in the Belgium-team I'm sure he won't be starting from the off in the upcoming games. But his progression as a CB is exciting. I like to believe it's best for him to gain more experience in another league and be the natural successor to Demichelis who will have his final year with us as a player. The only thing that confused me was that according to the players' agent he would be one of the 4 CB's up until the moment we signed Otamendi. Clearly a change of plans that Denayer and his agent were not aware of. Even without including stories of Mangala going to Valencia, it was all a bit strange to say the least.

Now if this was to be an incident, apperently it was not. Lopes, another one I really rate, was supposed to be loaned out again, according to Pellegrini, only to find out he was sold. I'm sure we have a buy-back clause on this one, but it was again strange. No matter if the player would have wanted to extend or not.
Lopes already had a few games in the 1st team and he did great (esp. the two semi's vs WHU back in januari 2014). At Lille he had injuryproblems, probably needed to settle as well, but finished the season in high hopes. Playing the EC with Portugal U21 (or was it U20?) unfortunately he didn't make an impact at all and wasn't a regular starter. In preseason Garcia was picked before him, albeit some saying it was because Lopes played a summer tournament. I'm sure though that didn't do his chances any favours and I'm not sure how the City-staff evaluated his progress over the last year. I think they wanted him to extend his contract; the player seemingly refused. Why? I can only guess but players and their agents calculate the chances of a break-through. And maybe they know what is coming (Garcia) or who we would sign (De Bruyne). Seems fair on both acounts tbh.

Anyway, Ihaenacho seems to make the grade and he needs to try and prove himself in the very few minutes he's gonna get. And be patient, like we have to be as well to see a few academyproducts coming through. I'm convinced it will happen. For now I understand you're having reservations about it. I have them as well. I just can't imagine the people who decide (Pellegrini, Viera, Txiki and Marwood I guess) have it wrong all together. Time will tell.

 

[Neville Kneville]

NevKev, I think so far from our recent youth-policy Lopes, Denayer and Ihaenacho were three outstanding players good enough to have earned at least a few chances in the 1st team to show what they are about. I thought Rekik would get therer as well. Unfortunately he clearly had a standstill in his development, even after being a regular at PSV for 2 years, and Denayer surpassed him.

Denayer is still very young for a CB, despite doing well in the Belgium-team I'm sure he won't be starting from the off in the upcoming games. But his progression as a CB is exciting. I like to believe it's best for him to gain more experience in another league and be the natural successor to Demichelis who will have his final year with us as a player. The only thing that confused me was that according to the players' agent he would be one of the 4 CB's up until the moment we signed Otamendi. Clearly a change of plans that Denayer and his agent were not aware of. Even without including stories of Mangala going to Valencia, it was all a bit strange to say the least.

Now if this was to be an incident, apperently it was not. Lopes, another one I really rate, was supposed to be loaned out again, according to Pellegrini, only to find out he was sold. I'm sure we have a buy-back clause on this one, but it was again strange. No matter if the player would have wanted to extend or not.
Lopes already had a few games in the 1st team and he did great (esp. the two semi's vs WHU back in januari 2014). At Lille he had injuryproblems, probably needed to settle as well, but finished the season in high hopes. Playing the EC with Portugal U21 (or was it U20?) unfortunately he didn't make an impact at all and wasn't a regular starter. In preseason Garcia was picked before him, albeit some saying it was because Lopes played a summer tournament. I'm sure though that didn't do his chances any favours and I'm not sure how the City-staff evaluated his progress over the last year. I think they wanted him to extend his contract; the player seemingly refused. Why? I can only guess but players and their agents calculate the chances of a break-through. And maybe they know what is coming (Garcia) or who we would sign (De Bruyne). Seems fair on both acounts tbh.

Anyway, Ihaenacho seems to make the grade and he needs to try and prove himself in the very few minutes he's gonna get. And be patient, like we have to be as well to see a few academyproducts coming through. I'm convinced it will happen. For now I understand you're having reservations about it. I have them as well. I just can't imagine the people who decide (Pellegrini, Viera, Txiki and Marwood I guess) have it wrong all together. Time will tell.

I'm sure we will see kids from our academy coming through but the natural progression I was expecting/hoping for, where for instance Denayer Lopes Barker Ambrose etc would start to get time off the bench for our first team then, if they took to the job, replace some of the fringe players like Navas etc as the season progressed, seems further away now than it did last year.

I personally don't see the point in going to watch these kids anymore, & getting enthusiastic about their progression, if they are then just going to disappear for two or three years, or perhaps forever. Might as well just watch the ones that come back into the first team squad if/when it happens or the loan games on tv, but in the case of Lopes & Denayer, even watching the loans on tv has been a waste of time.

Of course if this changes then it does become worthwhile but I think I'll just wait & see what happens rather than watch a bunch of potential loanees every week.

 

[K10&S21]

think it is easier for defenders and strikers to break into the firsts team. at the moment we are stacked in the middle hopefully manu garcia becomes our first world class midfielder.

 

[MadchesterCity]

I'm sure we will see kids from our academy coming through but the natural progression I was expecting/hoping for, where for instance Denayer Lopes Barker Ambrose etc would start to get time off the bench for our first team then, if they took to the job, replace some of the fringe players like Navas etc as the season progressed, seems further away now than it did last year.

I personally don't see the point in going to watch these kids anymore, & getting enthusiastic about their progression, if they are then just going to disappear for two or three years, or perhaps forever. Might as well just watch the ones that come back into the first team squad if/when it happens or the loan games on tv, but in the case of Lopes & Denayer, even watching the loans on tv has been a waste of time.

Of course if this changes then it does become worthwhile but I think I'll just wait & see what happens rather than watch a bunch of potential loanees every week.

I disagree I love watching the kids play

 

[Neville Kneville]

I disagree I love watching the kids play

I always have but I always watch it from a point of view of seeing future City players develop & lmprove on their strengths & weaknesses rather than watching a game. I have also particularly enjoyed watching the teams develop the passing/pressing game in recent years, but again, if most of the kids are going to be moved out on loan, then that doesn't really appeal to me anymore either.

 

[BringBackSwales]

think it is easier for defenders and strikers to break into the firsts team. at the moment we are stacked in the middle hopefully manu garcia becomes our first world class midfielder.

I take it that you mean are first world class midfielder DEVElOPED IN OUR ACADEMY

 

[I'm no cynic but...]

We have high standards now and it is increasingly difficult for young players to get any sort of chance but at least if there are borderline cases then we can always sell them with add-ons such as buy back clauses or percentages of future sales. At the very least, it will go towards the cost of running the academy and a bonus will be that these players will have improved the standard of the leagues generally by receiving high standard coaching at a centre of excellence rather than on a mudheap at Oldham or Rochdale or other clubs where the coaching staff will likely be part timers. We will not get any praise from improving the game in this way, more likely that Collymore and friends will continue to slag us off for not giving them a chance but hey, get used to it, there's nothing new in that! Maybe the penny will drop with them in another ten years time or so.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I take it that you mean are first world class midfielder DEVElOPED IN OUR ACADEMY

Tbf if he does make it then a fair amount of his development will have come through our academy. He's a talented kid but he's nowhere near his potential yet.

 

[BringBackSwales]

Tbf if he does make it then a fair amount of his development will have come through our academy. He's a talented kid but he's nowhere near his potential yet.

My point to the other poster NK was that he said our first world class midfielder, but I assume he meant our first developed world class midfielder (as King Colin, David and Yaya are definitely world class)