Ethan Ampadu

[STURTZ]

When Watkins was 19 (as Ampadu is now), he was on loan at Weston Super Mare.

Who was learning more about playing football?

 

[Avening Posse]

TBF I could be sitting on the bench for the best team in the world without doing too much harm to their chances!

I'm sure his time will come. They must rate him to have him on their bench. Shows a lot of character to be settled in another country with a different language at such a young age. When I was his age I was getting lost walking home from the South Devon Inn in Dawlish

 

[spanky]

I genuinely can't believe that anyone is suggesting that Ollie Watkins would have chosen a loan at W-S-M, over a loan at RB Leipzig, because it would "give him more football".

 

[Ian Russon]

Who was learning more about playing football?

Ampadu, he is learning about world football, his training facilities, medical facilities and the sports scientists who will be working with him will provide a tremendous wealth of knowledge about the sport.

At Weston Super Mare you probably still have to bring your own water bottle.

 

[edwin_price]

I genuinely can't believe that anyone is suggesting that Ollie Watkins would have chosen a loan at W-S-M, over a loan at RB Leipzig, because it would "give him more football".

Circular Venn diagram with those who are still angry we weren't cavalier enough at Anfield.

 

[IndoMike]

Matt Taylor says it's very useful sending our lads to teams like Weymouth to toughen them up, and many of our players have benefitted from that kind of experience.
But Amps is being exposed to top coaching and will learn much at Leipzig.
i bet if Leipzig offered to take on 2 of our lads for a season's coaching Matt would jump at the idea, and so would the lads

 

[Jason H]

I think one key difference is that we see the likes of Randall, Hartridge, Dean etc. as being future first team players at City (with a possibility of moving on up at some point). Ollie would have fit this category, but his trajectory went a bit steeper than we possibly thought when he was a teenager.

Amps was always spoken of in very different terms in that he was always "bigger" than City, so shipping him out (even if we could as a 15/16 year old) to "toughen him up" would have been counter-productive.

 

[Ian Russon]

According to Wiki Ethan has only played 11 first team games. That's actually alarming for a player of the age of 19. Now this may cause a riff but I honestly do not think he is half as good as people think, most 19 year old players with real genuine potential are playing week in week out, Mason Greenwood has played 30 games this season and he is a year younger.

I'm sorry but I can see Ethan staying in Germany struggling for first team football.

 

[Rosencrantz]

According to Wiki Ethan has only played 11 first team games. That's actually alarming for a player of the age of 19. Now this may cause a riff but I honestly do not think he is half as good as people think, most 19 year old players with real genuine potential are playing week in week out, Mason Greenwood has played 30 games this season and he is a year younger.

I'm sorry but I can see Ethan staying in Germany struggling for first team football.

How many teenagers are currently playing regular first XI football in the Premier League? Not sitting on the bench or rotated like Foden and Greenwood, but actually first choice for their clubs.

 

[John William]

Mason Greenwood has started 3 PM games and made 18 sub appearances, mostly brief cameos. But back on topic, IMO Ampadu does now need to play games despite all the coaching and personal development he is assumed to be getting at Leipzig.

He'd be better playing in a top half Championship side for the remainder of this season.