Rory Wilson

[Smirker]

He only turned 19 in January, so he'll be 21 when the 2yr deal comes to an end.
Not sure who has the option to excercise the 1 yr extension - Villa or Wilson

Anyway, we need to ensure that we don't end up in the same situation/stand-off in 2 years time. Train him hard from now until August and then integarate him into the first team - match day squad, 15 mins in Carabao Cup games? 

If he's showing promise  - loan him out in Jan and review his progress next summer.

I like him as a player, but not too sure of his character - after all, he gave Rangers the run around before joining us.

You say that like it's something to be concerned about, rather than a sign of excellent character.

TBF, being a pro footballer is a short life and I don't blame anybody for wanting to get the best deal that they can for themselves - after all most of us would consider a job change for more money.

However, whilst I don't give a monkeys about him messing Rangers around, I take great exception to anybody who tries it on with my club.

We aren't millionaires with the choice to not work at all. Not even close to being comparable. Hate it when people say this.

[PeterWithesShin]

It's true though. Doesn't matter if we like it or not. Reality is we can't relate to it. Throw in signing on bonuses etc and they can be moving for ridiculous amounts of extra money and more often than not we'd do the same in their position.

[eamonn]

How can they view Rory Wilson as a "late developer" like Watkins when he's just turned 20 today and on the books of a top PL club who are paying him a premium cos they rate him? He's not rattling around on-loan at Weston-Super -Mare hoping to catch a break.

[PeterWithesShin]

Probably because he's made 0 senior appearances which is unusual for a 20 year old at a PL club.

[Villa Lew]

I thought Unai might have put him on the bench by now, he's put players on the bench, who are younger than Rory.

[lovejoy]

How can they view Rory Wilson as a "late developer" like Watkins when he's just turned 20 today and on the books of a top PL club who are paying him a premium cos they rate him? He's not rattling around on-loan at Weston-Super -Mare hoping to catch a break.

To be fair they are having a good season.

[oldhill_avfc]

Only seen him once a couple of years ago vs Spurs on that final.  Unfortunately he was totally non descript.

Players who’ve make the grade tend to play in these games a couple of years early.

He could be a late developer I suppose, but I suspect a loan is the last throw of the dice for him.

[eamonn]

Probably because he's made 0 senior appearances which is unusual for a 20 year old at a PL club.

Maybe at mid-table fodder but it's tough at the top three.

[PeterWithesShin]

That's why they get loaned out. Seems strange we haven't with him yet.

[eamonn]

Unai might feel he's on the cusp of making our bench.

[cdbearsfan]

That's why they get loaned out. Seems strange we haven't with him yet.

Probably because he has been in contract dispute and/or injured quite a lot.

[Smithy]

Forwards do tend to break through more quickly than other positions, so it's a bit surprising we haven't seen anything of him yet.

The week of his 20th birthday, Gabby was scoring the winner away at Leicester in the Premier League, having become a first-team regular.  Darius Vassell was playing in our first-team at 18.   Yes, this is a very good squad to break into, but as we've seen with the likes of Louie Barry, a promising youth career doesn't always translate into appearances for our first team.  They're competing with established internationals these days.

Hopefully the stuttering start to his senior career is down to the contract shenanigans and a few unfortunate injuries, and we might see him flourish on loan in the second half of the season.   But if he doesn't have any senior football under his belt by the summer, you might start to wonder?

[Drummond]

It's so important that players get game time. I think over time that the weakening of reserve team football hasn't helped. It's all well and good playing U21, but that isn't the same level of test that playing hardened pro's is, and loans to lower leagues can be good or it can really go against a player.

Barry at Sheffield United has been a disaster, let's hope this next few months results in him getting a decent side and him getting minutes. Same for Wilson, either play him or find a decent loan. There's plenty of examples of top players going to lower leagues on loan, not scoring etc. but coming back much stronger and better as a result, because it isn't necessarily the goals that matter.

[eamonn]

Forwards do tend to break through more quickly than other positions, so it's a bit surprising we haven't seen anything of him yet.

The week of his 20th birthday, Gabby was scoring the winner away at Leicester in the Premier League, having become a first-team regular.  Darius Vassell was playing in our first-team at 18.   Yes, this is a very good squad to break into, but as we've seen with the likes of Louie Barry, a promising youth career doesn't always translate into appearances for our first team.  They're competing with established internationals these days.

Hopefully the stuttering start to his senior career is down to the contract shenanigans and a few unfortunate injuries, and we might see him flourish on loan in the second half of the season.   But if he doesn't have any senior football under his belt by the summer, you might start to wonder?

True re Gabby but we're the best we've been now over a 3 year period for the first time since... I don't know when (if we manage to finish in the top 5 for the third season in a row, when will the last time be that we managed that?), its going to be difficult for any youngster to break through.

[DennisHodgetts]

I get the difficulty in breaking through, yet we have players in the first team squad who are hardly pulling up trees...Guessand, Sancho ?? So there should be opportunities created for the better youngsters.