News is breaking today that Ben Chilwell is joining Huddersfield on loan until the new year.
There's a debate around at the moment regarding the best way for young players to develop - whether that be to stay and train with their parent club or whether to go out on loan to a lower league but get playing time and experience. Personally I think it depends on the player. Either way, I hope this will be valuable experience for Chilwell and it's only a month and a half long loan in the first instance anyway.
What is impressive is that he's going out to a Championship club aged only 18. Obviously he hasn't had much first team experience so far, but by all accounts he coped very well away at Hull in the League Cup and he does appear to have a cool and mature head on his shoulders. Perhaps the dogfight nature of the bottom half of the Championship will come as a bit of a shock to the system, but at some point these players have to sink or swim and I think Chilwell stands as good a chance as any there.
For Huddersfield fans, he is regarded as a very hot prospect but it'd be interesting to see what kind of reports come back about his capabilities, both in defence and what he might offer going forward. Either way, it'll be interesting to track his progress.
Chilwell joins Huddersfield
posted on 19/11/15
"The dog fight nature of the bottom half of the championship"
It's just called the championship. Don't forget where you came from.
Hopefully under our new German style of football he'll be a good squad member.
posted on 19/11/15
http://www.examiner.co.uk/sport/football/news/huddersfield-town-complete-loan-signing-10467540
Glad he's a left back. Our current Australian one isshite.
posted on 19/11/15
hydy, it wasn't meant to be an insult. More a reflection that it's tough in the bottom half of the Championship. I've supported Leicester there and I remember what it's like, not quite knowing how your team's going to perform on a given day, seeing disappointing performances around 2 games out of 3 but being given this horrible, horrible hope by the third. Even our time in League 1 was more enjoyable. We're incredibly lucky to be where we are now because we had excellent people come along and buy the club. But it could have been so different. Don't think we don't recognise that.
What I mean by it in this instance is that such a situation can be very draining for a player, particularly a young loanee. The pressure will be immense and crowd frustration is bound to build if he doesn't play well. I'm glad that you're looking for a left back because it suggests that he's being brought in with a view to starting. I hope he does well for you, for your sake and for his.
posted on 19/11/15
Tdm
Hopefully he'll be ok over the Christmas period. Not nice for a young lad to be away from his family at Christmas 🎄.
posted on 19/11/15
Dodoo gone to Bury as well on loan until December 18.
I seem to remember their Manager gushing over him after scoring that hat trick in the Cup.
posted on 19/11/15
Good for him
Couple of loan spells, back to first team for 68 minutes then England call up. Lads' got it nailed.
Joking aside. Good luck
posted on 20/11/15
Great shout for both of them we are going to need them at some point this season
posted on 20/11/15
Call me pedantic, but Town are supposed to be developing their own lads. No disrespect to Leicester or Chilwell.
If he's as talented as suggested, may be Leicester should ease him in to the their first team.
Apart from the top six teams in the Premiership, the rest are not that much better than most Championship teams. It's just money and circumstances forcing the equation.
posted on 20/11/15
LV69 - We signed the Austrian international captain as a new LB over the summer and so far he looks seriously good. (As in "why didn't one of the top 6 teams go for him" good.) We also have an old academy talent called Jeff Schlupp who can play there (there's a debate among Leicester fans about whether he should be a full back or a winger, but this probably isn't the place for that old chestnut). Essentially, Chilwell is going to have limited opportunities in that position unless either Fuchs gets injured or a cup competition comes along and Ranieri wants to rotate.
And you can't guarantee which of your academy lads are going to look like they can step up to the first team - pick one who isn't good enough and it could be disastrous for him and counterproductive to his career. Essentially, if you don't have a promising left back in your academy then I don't see that signing Chilwell on loan would get in anybody's way.
posted on 20/11/15
Be interested to see how he gets on. Sounds like hes the real deal. I always think getting games under your belt is preferable to academy games/training with the first team.