Ollie Watkins

[CREDYGRECIAN]

Got no issue with him wanting to use city to move onto bigger things - can't blame the lad

 

[andrew p long]

It's a lesson for a young lad, but he needn't worry, he wants to play for a better team than City - I don't blame him and hope he does, as I do for all of our young players.

and a lesson for the club too. What he said is fair enough, but can be taken out of context. It is better if he just says 'Im concentrating on playing for Exeter and taking one game at a time,not looking too far ahead'. A vague idea that he'd like to play at the highest level possible and emulate Matt Grimes is fine to say last week, but after he's scored again,has 4 in 6, etc etc makes it look as if he might be wanting away and a throw away remark becomes the (slightly mangled) headline to the report.*

Last season these interviews were done by Richard Dorman a club employee. This time it was a journalist who immediately realised he might have a story, commenting straightaway that it was good and unusual for a young player to be allowed to say what he had. If it had been a club interview City might have excluded that exchange or re-shot it with a slightly modified quote. Learning the PR game is so important for young players and someone just turned 20 needs a bit of protection when being interviewed.

* and ,properly read, he makes it quite clear that he's expecting to be around for another season or so at least, referring to the desire to play 50+games for City

 

[Sexton Blake]

Very true I felt at the time that if taken out of context his choice of words were somewhat unfortunate and that it did underline the need for players even at our level to be protected and given some PR guidance.

 

[Number13]

So how did his actual words differ from the article?

Only asking to see what the journo did. As anyone with a brain realises, we are here to get the most out of our players while they are here then sell for a profit. Its one of the few areas business and football go together

 

[flakey pasty]

Having seen the video of the original interview, I can't see any problem. Give the lad a break, he's only a kid ......

 

[GrecianInPerth]

I think the headline twists it as if you actually read the article it mentions the 50+ games ie be here for a season plus.

As stated before I have no problem with him saying what he said as if he wants to play at the highest level lets be honest he isn't going to be doing it at city anytime soon.

Ambition in young players especially will motivate them to play better which helps our team do better overall.

 

[STURTZ]

Ollie's still a raw talent who may go on to be a great player. If he does then good luck to him, money in the bank and move on to the next youth project. Nichols moving on gave Ollie the chance to get into the first team so the conveyer belt of youth talent is a win win situation for us.

If the club were to manage to get promoted then we might be in a position to be able to hang onto players for a bit longer and hopefully one day that will happen, we'll never be premiership though!

 

[edwin_price]

Always confuses me a bit when everyone is happy with what someone's said, but thinks they were naive in saying it because it can be taken the wrong way... Who are the people actually upset by it? If everyone gets where he's coming from, then what's the problem?

 

[Jason H]

Always confuses me a bit when everyone is happy with what someone's said, but thinks they were naive in saying it because it can be taken the wrong way... Who are the people actually upset by it? If everyone gets where he's coming from, then what's the problem?

I have seen people on social media criticising him because it comes across that he doesn't want to be at City and wants out ASAP and therefore shows no COMMITMENT!!!!11!!!

 

[spanky]

I'm assuming some have an issue with a perceived lack of loyalty? If that's the case, how can our stated aim of developing talent to be sold on be deemed any more loyal to the player?