Player Watch Player Watch: Mikey Moore

[Dazzazzad]

I think Rooney and Owen are prime examples of talented young players whose careers ended prematurely because they were thrown into the deep end too soon. A combination of lower expectations and better management of (reduced) playing time during their early seasons of senior football may well have extended both of their careers. Both went from making their senior debut to carrying the weight of expectations for their team (from fans, teammates and their manager), in the space of a few months, then fizzled out during what should have been their prime years.

Messi and Ronaldo were integrated into senior football at a slower pace, peaked at a higher level (so their development was not stunted by reduced senior playing time in their teen years) and are both seeming likely to continue playing into their 40s (Ronaldo is only 6 months off 40). Foden's development has been managed in a very similar way and his career is going pretty well.

Rooney played 19 years. Milner started at a similar age and is still playing.

Not totally dismissing the idea but it can be a case of finding a pattern where there isn't one.

 

[mark87]

 

[Trix]

I Said that a while back.

 

[mark87]

I Said that a while back.

Quote it or it never happened

 

[Trix]

Quote it or it never happened

Can't be arsed to look. I remember having a conversation with someone on here regarding him signing at 17 and the poster saying we waited until Hall was 18 so we could give him a full 5 years. Pretty sure I said he would get 3 years at 17 and a revised one at 18.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

Rooney played 19 years. Milner started at a similar age and is still playing.

Not totally dismissing the idea but it can be a case of finding a pattern where there isn't one.

Rooney was too partial to a drink. Look at him now. Messi has never run about a lot. Teams were just geared to getting him the ball.

 

[TheHodFather]

Rooney was too partial to a drink. Look at him now. Messi has never run about a lot. Teams were just geared to getting him the ball.

In Rooney's case I think some people just have "biological clocks" that run at different speeds. When he was 16/17 he looked like a fully grown man in his mid-twenties. Now at the age of 38 he looks like he's in his fifties.

I don't think he's looked after himself all that well and that certainly won't have helped, but I also suspect he was just never going to be one of those lucky people who look ten years younger than they actually are!

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Rooney played 19 years.

And spent the last 6 years of those 19 as a shadow of his former self, first struggling to impact games against PL opposition and then being rather underwhelming in MLS and the Championship.

Don't get me wrong, I think him and Owen both had a great careers. I just think better management of their early years could have allowed them to perform at their peak for longer. I thought Owen would become England's all-time top scorer. I thought Rooney, due to his technical ability and tactical awareness, could continue to excel at the top level into his mid-30s despite losing his pace.

Milner started at a similar age and is still playing.

That's a really good comparison, because they are both 38 now and made their PL debuts in the same season (2002-03). However, the early years of Milner's career were managed very differently to Rooney's:
In 2002-03, Milner played 18 games / 509 minutes in the PL, as a fringe player, and was consistently left out of the matchday squad at the back end of the season. Rooney played 33 games / 1586 minutes, becoming a regular starter and already having big expectations piled on him.
Rooney made his England debut that same season, at the age of 17, while Milner waited another 6 years to make his England debut at 23.
Over their first three seasons (2002-05), Rooney played 50% more football than Milner.
Following two seasons in the starting XI for Everton, Rooney went to Euro 2004 with the weight of the nation on his shoulders. Milner was sat at home resting.
In his third season, Rooney was a marquee signing and key player in the starting XI for a team competing to win the PL and the CL. Milner was a squad player for a team that finished 14th in the PL.

By 2016, it was clear that Rooney was in decline, along with much of an aging Man Utd squad that achieved their worst league finish in the PL era. Conversely, Milner spent the next few years as a key player for a Liverpool team that was challenging for major titles. Milner won the PL and CL after Rooney had been released on a free transfer, and is still playing in the PL six years (and counting) after Rooney dropped down to a lower league / three years (and counting) after Rooney retired.

It's very possible (perhaps even likely) that Rooney played more during his early years because he was a better player than Milner. It's also very possible that Milner playing less during those years has helped him to continue his career for longer.

Not totally dismissing the idea but it can be a case of finding a pattern where there isn't one.

I didn't say it's a pattern, but pointed out that the OP picked two players who's careers nose-dived prematurely as shining examples of players who went on to fulfil their potential due to playing lots at an early age. It's hardly an endorsement of how best to manage a young player's career.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Interesting article about how Pep has managed Foden's playing time / development at Man City. I wouldn't be complaining if Ange took a similar approach with Moore, but our team might need to become more competitive / successful than it currently is to keep Moore happy with that amount of playing time.

 

[mark87]

 

[Gambler]

And spent the last 6 years of those 19 as a shadow of his former self, first struggling to impact games against PL opposition and then being rather underwhelming in MLS and the Championship.

Don't get me wrong, I think him and Owen both had a great careers. I just think better management of their early years could have allowed them to perform at their peak for longer. I thought Owen would become England's all-time top scorer. I thought Rooney, due to his technical ability and tactical awareness, could continue to excel at the top level into his mid-30s despite losing his pace.


That's a really good comparison, because they are both 38 now and made their PL debuts in the same season (2002-03). However, the early years of Milner's career were managed very differently to Rooney's:
In 2002-03, Milner played 18 games / 509 minutes in the PL, as a fringe player, and was consistently left out of the matchday squad at the back end of the season. Rooney played 33 games / 1586 minutes, becoming a regular starter and already having big expectations piled on him.
Rooney made his England debut that same season, at the age of 17, while Milner waited another 6 years to make his England debut at 23.
Over their first three seasons (2002-05), Rooney played 50% more football than Milner.
Following two seasons in the starting XI for Everton, Rooney went to Euro 2004 with the weight of the nation on his shoulders. Milner was sat at home resting.
In his third season, Rooney was a marquee signing and key player in the starting XI for a team competing to win the PL and the CL. Milner was a squad player for a team that finished 14th in the PL.

By 2016, it was clear that Rooney was in decline, along with much of an aging Man Utd squad that achieved their worst league finish in the PL era. Conversely, Milner spent the next few years as a key player for a Liverpool team that was challenging for major titles. Milner won the PL and CL after Rooney had been released on a free transfer, and is still playing in the PL six years (and counting) after Rooney dropped down to a lower league / three years (and counting) after Rooney retired.

It's very possible (perhaps even likely) that Rooney played more during his early years because he was a better player than Milner. It's also very possible that Milner playing less during those years has helped him to continue his career for longer.


I didn't say it's a pattern, but pointed out that the OP picked two players who's careers nose-dived prematurely as shining examples of players who went on to fulfil their potential due to playing lots at an early age. It's hardly an endorsement of how best to manage a young player's career.

Milner has always looked after himself too, never had a drink.

 

[Goobers]

So excited about watching this young man.

 

[WiganSpur]

He’s 100% ready to play 300/400 minutes this season at a minimum

 

[southlondonyiddo]

He’s 100% ready to play 300/400 minutes this season at a minimum

No chance on todays performance - unless I’ve missed something

Obviously a real unit for his age so has done really well but he ain’t exactly Wayne Rooney!

 

[jondy1]

Looks a promising player for his age but he’s nowhere near first team standard yet

 

[freeeki]

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Looks a promising player for his age but he’s nowhere near first team standard yet

I am not sure anyone really thinks he is.

But, what he has done, is shown he should be training with the 1st team, not the U21s. He should be getting minutes off the bench in Cup games and Europa matches.

Usually the factor that keeps younger players from playing at the senior level is size/strength. But, Moore, while not big, has a strong upper body, and can handle the physicality of the senior game.

He reminds me a lot of a young Foden - same attitude too. City managed Foden's rise from the youth ranks well, and I hope we have a similar plan for Moore.

 

[HildoSpur]

He will get minutes this season and gradually get eased into top level football. I don't think we will see him playing a lot till next season personally but happy to be proven wrong.

 

[alexis]

He’s 100% ready to play 300/400 minutes this season at a minimum

Fill your boots fella

How many minutes will Mikey Moore play? Post your guesses

There’s been much Dustin how many minutes Mikey Moore will play next season, so post your guesses as to how many minutes Mikey will play: A: In the Premier League B: In other competitive First XI games. And if there’s enough answers I’ll post the best guesses at the end of the season.

spurscommunity.co.uk

 

[Blake Griffin]

bear in mind he's not a rw and hasn't even really played there before.