Harry Pritchard

Exactly. I thought one of the quotes from T&S, following the close of our January shopping spree, was that with the number of games we had coming up that everyone would get a crack at the starting 11?

 

Hard for him and I feel for him, but would I have been gutted if he left in the summer anyway ? No.

 

Fair enough but him playing in the middle with FGR got him his move to Leeds, I can see your point though.

 

Did he play as a 2 or a 3 though and if it was a 3, did he play in front of two holders like Cooke does for us?

CM is a pretty varied role and nothing I've seen so far from Stevens suggests he could be the type of CM we're looking for.

 

Bahamboula....

Unlikely though, unless we go up. Thats the type we need though.

 

Commented on it when we played them but that lad has ability.

 

He certainly does.

If we're still in L2, an alternative might be Yann Songoo, who I've been impressed with when I've seen him play. The sort of powerful midfielder we lack.

 

To be honest, I've seen nothing in Pritchard that says he could replace either Watt or Sutton either. He can play in the role that any two of Evans, Vernam, Crankshaft, Evans, Stevens can but not as a defensive Centre Mid, which is where we are short. I tell you who would go well there (as cover for Sutton/ watt) - Tim Dieng.

 

I've read that he's got championship interest so it could be a tough ask but definitely looks the part from the few times I've seen him.

 

Completely agree. I think we'd be more likely to try AOC or FCD as he'd be reluctant to drop Cooke back given his effect on games lately.

 

Looks a real talent and would need to go up to have a chance as you say. Oldham fans seem to think the club have an option in their favour for an extra year and are saying it’ll take 7 figures to get him, fans are often ott as with Wyke and Wells with us. But he would probably be around £400k plus add ons, are the club willing to risk it? I’d hope so because if he does well in league 1 on a long contract then you are talking big money, one team I can imagine sniffing around him are Posh a player right up their street. If we get promoted I hope that sort of talent will be up ours as well, to add to the likes or Vernam, Watt, Staunton, Paudie and Crankshaw.

 

Unlucky for him. He was a good midfield option that could cover a couple of positions in our current formation.

Hope he recovers well.

 

I like Pritchard and its disappointing that his season and city career as probably ended this way . Hopefully his surgery goes well but the question is would he get back in the squad even if fit at present?

 

I speak regularly to two Oldham fans who firmly believe he is the best midfielder in the league even if the rest of the squad is poor and at the very least is championship material

 

And a very left field acquisition too. Fair play to them.

 

It's a shame his career at city seems to be petering out. He's shown some promise in his performances but injuries and inconsistency meant he never really nailed down a spot.

I don't think Pritchard has the slightest bearing on the conversation about cover for Sutton and Watt as think there'd be others far more likely to fill in there if needed. Pritchard is an attacking midfielder and I would play Cooke, Rowe and Clarke ahead of him. So harsh as it sounds I don't think this is a great loss.

Re Sutton and Watt people seem to forget that Sutton was described as a wide midfielder / wing back when he was first signed. So for him to blossom into central midfield general has taken me by surprise. Point is that you can talk about square pegs etc but I'm sure there'll be players who will be able to offer cover in the midfield should we need it. Evans is the one who immediately spring to mind.

 

I disagree on Sutton mate, to my mind he was always a centre mid but one who could also play right back, although that takes nothing away from how good he's been. As per this T+A article from 22nd july last year:
'Sutton played in his natural central midfield role during McCall’s Scunthorpe tenure having previously proved an effective right back under previous boss Graham Alexander.

But McCall hinted there could be scope to use him as a right wing-back after one particularly successful outing.'

 

Agree with all these sentiments - and I hope City continue to support him through the op and his rehab, which I'm sure they will. I've always been impressed by how much T&S particularly, talk about the importance of player welfare. So will they do right by him in the meanwhile? I very much expect they will. Then will they offer him a new contract? I very much expect 'not'. He's a decent lad, but I don't see where he fits into City's future. There are other clubs who'll be keen, so good luck to him.