Ryan Harley

[grecIAN Harris]

I think its way too early to write Harley off yet. I think some people were expecting way too much from him, way too soon. He was never going to come back and instantly be the player he was.
He's barely played in the 3 years since he left us and I expect his confidence is rock bottom, which is understandable when you think about it.

When he left we were a league 1 side having our equal best season ever (or since the introduction of div 4), he left us for a team destined for the premier league and no doubt saw his career on a steep upward trajectory. So how do you think he feels three years later, back at the club he left but in a division lower with the crowd getting on the teams back. The team he left us for who'd just reached the premiership sold him to a club in the championship without him ever playing a game, he plays a handful of games for the new club before being dropped and eventually loaned out to a league 1 side the following season. He doesn't cut it there either, goes back to his parent club who never play him again (?) and eventually release him. He signs for another league 1 side and again fails to make his mark ending in him having his contract paid up to get rid of him early and then he's back to square one, or even -1. I don't know about anyone else, but if that was me, I'd feel like an absolute failure, and it would take me a while to pick myself up again!

He was rubbish against Cambridge except for one small glimpse of the old Harley when he had the ball on the edge of the box and got off a nice curling shot, not the best but it was a glimpse. He wasn't great against Pompey but again there were a couple of moments where I saw a glimpse, finding space and looking to play a telling ball. He's a long way off yet and maybe I'm clutching at straws, but I don't believe that a player as good as he was could be as bad a he seems to have become. I think he needs time and we could have a really good player back again. After what he did for us before, I think he deserves that.

I think we're on the same sheet Bill. This sounds very similar to what I put on the current 'release' thread, http://www.exeweb.com/forums/showthread.php?55889-Who-would-you-try-to-get-rid-of-in-the-summer/page6

 

[Red Bill]

Personally Hants I'm pretty confident that we'll pick up the 8-10 points needed to stave off relegation fears and I think we've got next to no chance of making the play-offs, so I think its worth giving him a run to try to build up his confidence.

 

[Jason H]

The other key is his style of play, and that lest we forget he generally tended to go missing between around Nov-Feb. He has also had fitness issues (something he didn't have when with us before) so has failed to really gain any momentum.

Once the pitches start to harden he'll come good (hopefully!).

 

[malcolms]

The other key is his style of play, and that lest we forget he generally tended to go missing between around Nov-Feb. He has also had fitness issues (something he didn't have when with us before) so has failed to really gain any momentum.

Once the pitches start to harden he'll come good (hopefully!).

Well, that's reassuring.....now we sign players for different parts of the season....If that's the case then let's give him 3 months off so as not to wear him out for when the sun shines....

 

[Jason H]

Depends on whether you consider having someone who on his day could be a worldbeater is worth having for two thirds of the season. If he is worth twenty points a season then yes, it is worth it. What you then do is have someone in reserve who can play in crap conditions.

 

[neilybags]

I have seen nothing so far to justify his selection.

 

[malcolms]

Depends on whether you consider having someone who on his day could be a worldbeater is worth having for two thirds of the season. If he is worth twenty points a season then yes, it is worth it. What you then do is have someone in reserve who can play in crap conditions.

Worldbeater.....an exaggeration perhaps? :S

 

[Jason H]

Well yes, obviously. Blimey, you are very hard work.

 

[Red Bill]

I have seen nothing so far to justify his selection.

Trouble is unless he gets properly math fit and gets some game time in to shake off the rust you never will.

We all know what he is or at least was capable of, so I think its worth the risk.

 

[manc grecian]

Looks to me like he's scared of taking risks. He's getting plenty of the ball but doing naff all with it other than shuffle it sideways.