What next for Rhys Williams?

[mwake]

I'd like to see him go on loan and get some first-team minutes.

I'm not sure of the quality of the Rangers or RB Salzburg CBs but I think those two clubs would be ideal for him to learn. But if that's too lofty then some first-team minutes at a Championship team or even abroad would be nice for him.


Things hell need to work on:

1. He's young, but he looks like he needs a bit of gym work to bulk up.
2. Learning how to deal with the high balls.
3. Developing a bit of pace (if possible).
4. Working on his awareness/positioning (especially with regard to his lack of pace).

If can develop those points then I think there's a class defender in there. Hes been part of a team that's had 5 clean sheets in recent history and performed above and beyond what was expected of him considering his age. Well done!

 

[Dreambeliever]

Great to have these appearances on his cv. Doubt we’ll see him play in the EPL for us again.

 

[Frogfish]

Great to have these appearances on his cv. Doubt we’ll see him play in the EPL for us again.

This.

 

[keniget]

I can't see those types of teams being interested.

Williams could in time become a good player but he looks a ways off and I suspect a loan in the lower leagues is the likliest outcome.

Hopefully his spell in the first team this year has raised his profile to the point where he can get a decent gig somewhere.

 

[dmishra]

He was 19 when the season began. Played non league football last year. Given the circumstances, he's been absolutely brilliant.

I find it very strange that people write him off as someone who won't make it at the top level. Which 19 year old CB anywhere in Europe looks good playing for a top team? It's literally the most difficult position for a youngster to play in.

I don't buy at all that he doesn't good attributes either. He's remarkably calm on the ball for someone his age. That augurs very well. As for his physical ability, he will almost certainly become *much* stronger. He's at least 3 years off his physical prime. Re: pace, he's not very quick, but he's not painfully slow either. And when has searing pace ever been a requirement for a CB. I also think pace is something that will improve once his body improves.

 

[Richey]

We haven't lost a lot of games when he's played and I don't recall him making an awful lot of costly mistakes.

I imagine the plan this season was possibly for him to go on loan again, and so with a new signing and players coming back, he might well revert to that.

Alternatively though, it wouldn't shock me if we kept him for the first half of next season to see the condition of the returners. He's played in a good number of games, the last 5 of them under enormous pressure, and I would feel more confident in him than in Davies, who has played zero games.

 

[Grjt2]

There’s not a chance he makes the grade with us. He runs like he’s pulling a caravan. He’s done brilliantly, and I hope he carves out a career somewhere.

 

[Modo]

He was 19 when the season began. Played non league football last year. Given the circumstances, he's been absolutely brilliant.

I find it very strange that people write him off as someone who won't make it at the top level. Which 19 year old CB anywhere in Europe looks good playing for a top team? It's literally the most difficult position for a youngster to play in.

I don't buy at all that he doesn't good attributes either. He's remarkably calm on the ball for someone his age. That augurs very well. As for his physical ability, he will almost certainly become *much* stronger. He's at least 3 years off his physical prime. Re: pace, he's not very quick, but he's not painfully slow either. And when has searing pace ever been a requirement for a CB. I also think pace is something that will improve once his body improves.

Pace has become a lot more important in football nowadays. Maybe not in the centre of the pitch but it's not like the days of Adams and Keown any more.

I'm holding out some hope that Rhys makes it. Like the OP said, he's still only 19, FFS.
Sepp Van den Berg who I made the mistake of writing off last season has been great for Preston playing as a fullback. Never saw that happening.

There's a few aspects Rhys needs to work on, the obvious ones being pace and strength.
He needs more experience. He hesitates in certain situations on the pitch and doesn't look that comfortable driving the ball forward.

A loan move would be the best thing for him. He just needs to play consistently at a high level.

You know where Van Dijk was at 19?

Probably living with his mother in Holland (the fuck do I know about his youth career).

 

[Brizzle]

I’m torn between him needing a loan for playing minutes or stay in the squad to learn from VVD & play against Mo/Bobby/Sadio in training.

He needs to bulk up and we have a great opportunity to control his full training regime for a year before potentially then blooding him in further.

 

[StevieM]

You know where Van Dijk was at 19?

Probably living with his mother in Holland (the fuck do I know about his youth career).

Playing as a striker for some Dutch second division youth team, I think.

 

[The Nomad]

Pace has become a lot more important in football nowadays. Maybe not in the centre of the pitch but it's not like the days of Adams and Keown any more.

I'm holding out some hope that Rhys makes it. Like the OP said, he's still only 19, FFS.
Sepp Van den Berg who I made the mistake of writing off last season has been great for Preston playing as a fullback. Never saw that happening.

There's a few aspects Rhys needs to work on, the obvious ones being pace and strength.
He needs more experience. He hesitates in certain situations on the pitch and doesn't look that comfortable driving the ball forward.

A loan move would be the best thing for him. He just needs to play consistently at a high level.

You know where Van Dijk was at 19?

Probably living with his mother in Holland (the fuck do I know about his youth career).

Just about to make his debut at the end of the season for Groningen. He turned 20 during the summer.

 

[Modo]

Just about to make his debut at the end of the season for Groningen. He turned 20 during the summer.

In that case, he is technically ahead of Van Dijk in development.

 

[mwake]

He was 19 when the season began. Played non-league football last year. Given the circumstances, he's been absolutely brilliant.

I find it very strange that people write him off as someone who won't make it at the top level. Which 19-year-old CB anywhere in Europe looks good playing for a top team? It's literally the most difficult position for a youngster to play in.

I don't buy at all that he doesn't good attributes either. He's remarkably calm on the ball for someone his age. That augurs very well. As for his physical ability, he will almost certainly become *much* stronger. He's at least 3 years off his physical prime. Re: pace, he's not very quick, but he's not painfully slow either. And when has searing pace ever been a requirement for a CB. I also think the pace is something that will improve once his body improves.

Yeah, I'm actually excited for Rhys! When Woodburn scored that goal for us as 17 year old in a cup game there were many ppl getting excited. But Rhys has not just played a less meaningful cup game, Rhys has played in several important PL games (Spurs @ H and United A, and others ) and been a productive solid member of that defence. As others have said he's only 20 years and has been consistently impressive for someone his age. The right progression path in the next 3 years will hopefully see him blossom into a top defender.

 

[tomasjj]

The gym.

 

[TheRedCrusade]

I remember his game in CL which we won 5-0, I guess it was Atalanta. I cant trust my memory but someone can confirm. That day he played brilliantly, did not make any obvious mistakes as far as I can remember.
Rhys needs to stay at the club or play in another EPL side on loan. Dont loan him again to lower divisions unless we have a proper plan which will help him develop further. I can see us getting 20m or so after 2 seasons, if not probably better deputy to a senior CB in case he develops further. And I think he will develop, you can clearly see with his attitude on the pitch.

 

[bluebell]

Loan him out to a Championship side, let him get games and experience