Le Tallec and Pongolle

[Big E]

How frustrating that these are exactly two of they type of players we need: A pacy striker and a creative playmaker in the Bergkamp mould. These guys could save us £20m.

 

Such a pity they have never fulfilled their potential. Will they contribute next season?

Edited April 14, 2006 by Big E

[Maldini]

Don't think they'll ever be first team regulars. They'll probably move on in the summer

[monkey puzzle]

I'd have Anderson in the squad ahead of Le Tallec now, better awareness and better footballing brain, more pace.

 

I don't have much hope of Pongolle staying. There'll be another striker or even 2 coming in in the summer so how is the kid going to get games for us ? We have younger prospects developing rapidly in the reserves.

 

Time for them both to move on I reckon. Shame they didn't live up to their early promise.

 

 

You're only as good as your last game......

Edited April 14, 2006 by monkey puzzle

[owenthomas]

why didn't they live up to their potential??

[Falconhoof]

You're only as good as your last game......

 

 

Not just based on last night though, he's been doing it all season hasn't he.

 

Would you have le Tallec on the bench or Anderson for next years European matches ?

[Maldini]

why didn't they live up to their potential??

I think we left them in France too long and then when they got here we left them rot in the reserves for too long. The most important stage of a young players development is between 18 and 20 and they weren't playing enough to progress as they should've.

[galés rojo]

I think we left them in France too long and then when they got here we left them rot in the reserves for too long. The most important stage of a young players development is between 18 and 20 and they weren't playing enough to progress as they should've.

 

Having a terrible attitude, Le Tallec in particular hasn't exactly helped them.

[Armin_Tamzarian]

Last year someone who speaks to the manager on a regular basis told me that Rafa was unhappy with Pongolle's attitude. I was surprised and a bit gutted because he's someone I like as both a player and a person. Rafa's criticism was that Pongolle felt that he knew it all and he wasn't as interested in learning as he should be.

 

It was round about the time that Cisse, Baros and Mellor were all unavailable and Pongolle had a shot at leading the line. He didn't really impress but no-one who saw his Olympiakos performance would be in any doubt that he's a player capable of changing a game. After that I thought he would figure more and more in the Liverpool side and if it hadn't been for his injury perhaps he would.

 

Unfortunately what has transpired since then suggests he has no future with us. Perhaps if a buyer had come in for Cisse Pongolle would've had been tried in the right wing slot, he's better suited to it than Djibril. Sending him out on loan suggests to me that he doesn't have a future with us, likewise with Le Tallec.

 

Perhaps as another managers proteges there was always little chance of them succeeding under Rafa. They've both got real talent but I don't think Le Tallec is suited to out league, Pongolle could be a good player but I think he'll move on at the end of the season. As to price, I doubt we'd get a lot more than 2m simply due to his lack of appearances. One good season for Blackburn and he'd be worth 3 times that.

[monkey puzzle]

Not just based on last night though, he's been doing it all season hasn't he.

 

Would you have le Tallec on the bench or Anderson for next years European matches ?

 

 

No I understand what you're saying. I suppose I'm just playing a bit of Devil's Advocate but Anderson has been doing it all season for the U18 and ressies which a big difference from doing it in the Prem/CL

[Guest Les Howard]

I think we left them in France too long and then when they got here we left them rot in the reserves for too long. The most important stage of a young players development is between 18 and 20 and they weren't playing enough to progress as they should've.

 

John Welsh probably suffered the same way. The talent was there - but it was never developed. Probably too late for him at the top level now.

[jimmylibel]

neither of them has quite set the world alight at their current loan clubs. le tallec isn't even a first team regular at sunderland.

 

In fairness I think that's more to do with their tactics than anything else.

 

Hadn't seen this anywhere else...

 

Flo expects Reds return

By Patrick Haond - Created on 14 Apr 2006

 

Florent Sinama-Pongolle has admitted he is likely to return to Liverpool at the end of his loan spell at Blackburn.

 

The young Frenchman is enjoying his stay at Ewood Park and Rovers have indicated they would like to keep him permanently.

 

However, Pongolle insists that looks unlikely with Liverpool planning to bring him back to Anfield.

 

Pongolle revealed Manchester City were keen on signing him before he joined Blackburn and he is big fan of Rovers boss Mark Hughes.

 

"A lot of clubs, notably Manchester City, were attracted by my arrival, but I don't regret to have joined Blackburn," Pongolle told France Football.

 

"I am in the perfect atmosphere to improve. There is no French speaker at Blackburn, but the very British atmosphere suits me.

 

"Mark Hughes, who is Welsh, is not really the kind of man that mothers us. When I just arrived, he made me play against West Bromwich, even if I was ill, and I just had one training session in two weeks.

 

"It is really pleasant to be managed by a coach that trust the players, and pushes them to sort things out themselves.

 

"Here, I feel my education has been useful. I don't want to say I wasted my time at Liverpool, because you also learn on the bench, but I am very happy with my choice.

 

"The Liverpool officials are keen to get me back because they refused an option to buy that Blackburn wanted in the loan contract."

 

Link

[Guest Scot]

John Welsh probably suffered the same way. The talent was there - but it was never developed. Probably too late for him at the top level now.

 

On this one I have no doubt: Welsh wasn't good enough.

 

Anyway, people talk about other clubs being willing to chuck in the youngsters if they're good enough. What about our own Carra, Owen, Fowler, McManaman and Gerrard?

 

Those that were not good enough didn't make it.

[Guest Joaquin]

I still think they can be useful for us. If they are willing to knuckle down and work hard in the Reserves next season, then why not take them back. I don't think Ramon Calliste is ever going to play for us in the first team.

[floyd]

Le Tallec still looks class, when he plays for the French U21's. Reckon he'd be picked up by someone in France still.

Pongolle, still like to try and give one more season here. His performance for Blackburn against Spurs a few weeks ago still suggests that there is still talent at this level capable.

[Magic8Ball]

If we take them back and loan them out ( not sure they would accept that) it should be for 6months ( with the option to renew) to a "local" team

that plays attacking football is cash poorn AND THEREFORE WILL USE THEM

 

Best option is Wigan IMHO

Doubt Sheffield wednesday would them anygood

 

the only other option IMHO ( breaks the above rule ) and is Reading

 

However I believe Rafa doesnt like French and will try to offload them, perhaps as a compromise a year in spain would make the lads more acceptable ( same club Gonzales is at)

[_00_deathscar]

 

 

However I believe Rafa doesnt like French

 

So according to you, if Rafa had the option of buying Henry he would reject him on the basis of his nationality?

[Magic8Ball]

So according to you, if Rafa had the option of buying Henry he would reject him on the basis of his nationality?

there's a wink at the end of that statement

[Guest Joaquin]

If we take them back and loan them out ( not sure they would accept that) it should be for 6months ( with the option to renew) to a "local" team

that plays attacking football is cash poorn AND THEREFORE WILL USE THEM

 

Best option is Wigan IMHO

Doubt Sheffield wednesday would them anygood

 

the only other option IMHO ( breaks the above rule ) and is Reading

 

However I believe Rafa doesnt like French and will try to offload them, perhaps as a compromise a year in spain would make the lads more acceptable ( same club Gonzales is at)

 

Wigan is not cash poor at all.

Just that famous names don't want to join em.

[Magic8Ball]

Wigan is not cash poor at all.

Just that famous names don't want to join em.

OK fair point about wigan, but the way I see it is this way - send our defenders to relegation teams and our creative players to football playing teams

that way they get used according to their strengths

 

Pongolle and Le Tallec need to be in attacking teams to get experience ( sure some have made their minds up already re those 2 )

but while they are on our books they need games and attacking teams suit their talents better than say Sunderland

[Earl Hafler]

On this one I have no doubt: Welsh wasn't good enough.

 

Anyway, people talk about other clubs being willing to chuck in the youngsters if they're good enough. What about our own Carra, Owen, Fowler, McManaman and Gerrard?

 

Those that were not good enough didn't make it.

 

I don't recall any of them being bought from abroad and loaned back out ?

[Magic8Ball]

I don't recall any of them being bought from abroad and loaned back out ?

ABSOLUTELY

 

this is why I normally say we BOOBED by leaving Le Tallec and Pongolle in France for another 12- 18 months ; we made the same mistake with Cisse

IMHO in GENERAL when buying Foreigners you either buy VERY young so they are effectively "home grown" or your buy the best

 

it takes a long time to adjust to a new league unless of course you are world class, and it gets worse the older you get

Le Tallec and Pongolle should have been brought straight over and spent the season playing in the reserves and training with the first team

 

 

Cisse imho spent too long in France too, in fact I often wonder what Guy Roux was actually teaching him, for example Owen was 1 footed but Houllier worked on that with him

 

Guy Roux seems to have done nothing at all with Cisse for the last 2 seasons, when he could have been here learning from Owen

 

 

I guess buried in there is closet praise for the way Benitez is buying youngsters these days

[aka Dus]

They weren't over-hyped, they were exceptional when we signed them, we didn't get the most out of them though.

 

They fooking well were on here Maldini!!

 

Jesus it was ridiculous the amount of threads devoted to "where will they play next year" etc etc on here.