Apter League 2 Young .....

voyeur said:
They weren't dead rubbers FFS! And how do you know he's failing to develop players? Would Critchley promote anyone if they were good enough? The evidence suggests not. You've no idea how Dobbie is performing in his job. Most of his players are out in loan anyhow. It's a weird job!
Click to expand...
Yeah I know, just sick to death of everyone wanking Dobbie off, it only takes voicing a bit of doubt to trigger someone within two minutes.
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
That's the same Dobbie currently failing to develop anyone for the first team?

He won three dead rubbers out of six, I wouldn't put all your eggs in the Dobbie basket.
Click to expand...
All I was saying is that if he had got the gig Apter would have been a regular starter, I wouldn't go for him now if Critchley was potted, I would look at someone completely new to us although I would consider Wellens if he was interested. Critchley's not the one to progress us.
 
voyeur said:
They weren't dead rubbers FFS! And how do you know he's failing to develop players? Would Critchley promote anyone if they were good enough? The evidence suggests not. You've no idea how Dobbie is performing in his job. Most of his players are out in loan anyhow. It's a weird job!
Click to expand...
Plus all the good young players are out on loan.
 
voyeur said:
I don't agree. He plays on the right for Tranmere. CJ can't defend for toffee, but plays all the time. He's not a wing back either. Needs a defender behind him.
Click to expand...
We'll have to disagree. CJ has got a lot better at tracking back, but has an undeserved reputation for not doing so.

He's better at going forward (apart from yesterday, admittedly). Not a popular view, but that's why Gabriel isn't starting. Has been poor going forward.
 
Apter was an easy win for Critchley this year to get the fans onside, home grown player and all that.
" We have massive hopes for Rob " was quoted to me last season at Blackburn away, by someone who should know and it looks like that person knows his onions.
Let's hope we don't sell him for a profit close season before the fans get a chance to see him in a tangerine shirt.
 
Wellens would be the man to take this job forward without a doubt. Critchley could be in a difficult situation if he doesn’t change the system for next season. He must now know what the failings are in this squad and give us a 433 or equivalent to appease the fan base and improve on the falling season tickets !
 
voyeur said:
"He would only have sat on the bench for us."

🤦🏻
Click to expand...
You win.

He 100% could have contributed to us this season. Probably would have chipped in with 3/4 G/A.

But is that contribution worth the amount he’s been able to develop at Tranmere? Hard to say but im leaning that a decent contribution with us this year would have been worth more than what he did at Tranmere.

If he was Tranmere’s player and we tried to bid for him this Summer he’d be worth north of 500k easily.

If he had stayed here with us he probably would have gotten as good development plus better acclimation to the division for next year.
 
He'd have got game time ahead of CJ IMO.

If I was Critchley and was serious about securing my position for next season I'd start thinking about who was advising me. He could do worse than promote Dobbie to provide a different set of eyes from the current yes men he has sat next to him in the dugout.
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
That's the same Dobbie currently failing to develop anyone for the first team?

He won three dead rubbers out of six, I wouldn't put all your eggs in the Dobbie basket.
Click to expand...
All Dobbie’s best players have been loaned to other clubs. What is he supposed to do?
 
The problem here is Critchley. And I was one of Critchley's staunchest fans, first time round.

Critch is too loyal to his senior players.
The side is stuck in a rut of stale selection and tactics.
It's the opposite of what you'd expect the ex Liverpool U23 coach to do.
His shattered confidence is a big factor in his hugely over cautious approach, I think.
He chose and then stuck with a system heavily reliant on wingbacks but as we come to the end of the season, it still doesn't really work and we still have CJ flapping about, mis controlling the ball and unable to cross to a forward other than make a simple pull back.
Dembele has been expected to play 90 minutes every game. Near as damn it. At the age of 20. Same as Apter. It doesn't make sense.
Apter actually has benefitted from being at Tranmere, but he could have had that same experience for us, in League One, under a different head coach. He had to go out in loan because of who our head coach is. The man who was brought here to develop talent.
We are currently scoring about half a goal a game. Almost completely impotent.
But Apter would be in the bench of course so wouldn't have made any difference.
And he actually would have been on the bench, with this head coach. And I'm sure Apter knows it and won't be keen to play in this set up next season. It's sterile, and it doesn't select on merit.
 
Last edited:
Apter does a pre season plays against Southport in a friendly and doesn't show enough(to our coaches) to be in a League 1 squad and is sent out on loan to a club he started at and where he's from.

He then rarely starts until Tranmere who are in the bottom 3 sack the manager and bring in well experienced Adkins(also from the area)and Rob starts to get game time.
He plays well in a crap side who have never been in the top half all season and are currently 17th losing 3 out of four last games.
RA is levels above his team mates or their poor players which make him stand out more?

January comes flog Dale as we don't play with out and out wingers which Apter role is at Tranmere,probably happy to stay there close to family,getting plenty of game time etc and the club reward him with a new contract.

For me the club have done exactly the right thing to aid RA development with a full season in Lge2 rather than not get into a side who don't play wingers or the odd sub appearance if he's lucky enough to get on the bench.

Next season Apter will come back stronger and hungrier for his time out on loan then hopefully will get game time whoever is in charge, we'll also get to see if he's ready for the next step up.
 
Lytham_fy8 said:
That's the same Dobbie currently failing to develop anyone for the first team?

He won three dead rubbers out of six, I wouldn't put all your eggs in the Dobbie basket.
Click to expand...
Do you have a clue what Dobbie is doing?
PS.
Sorry I responded when I read your wind-up post before seeing that lots of people had beaten me to it.
 
Last edited:
poolseasider said:
Apter does a pre season plays against Southport in a friendly and doesn't show enough(to our coaches) to be in a League 1 squad and is sent out on loan to a club he started at and where he's from.

He then rarely starts until Tranmere who are in the bottom 3 sack the manager and bring in well experienced Adkins(also from the area)and Rob starts to get game time.
He plays well in a crap side who have never been in the top half all season and are currently 17th losing 3 out of four last games.
RA is levels above his team mates or their poor players which make him stand out more?

January comes flog Dale as we don't play with out and out wingers which Apter role is at Tranmere,probably happy to stay there close to family,getting plenty of game time etc and the club reward him with a new contract.

For me the club have done exactly the right thing to aid RA development with a full season in Lge2 rather than not get into a side who don't play wingers or the odd sub appearance if he's lucky enough to get on the bench.

Next season Apter will come back stronger and hungrier for his time out on loan then hopefully will get game time whoever is in charge, we'll also get to see if he's ready for the next step up.
Click to expand...
Yeah i have no problem with him going on loan and as you say we don't play a system to suit him

However my issue is that we will probably sell him in the summer without him really ever having a chance with us, plenty of clubs will be after him now and will probably get him for less than his worth judging by some of our last player sales
 
Remember seeing some of his early games at Bamber Bridge and was immediately struck by how Wes Hoolahan he looked. Absolutely delighted he's kicked on. Maybe one silver lining of not going up this season will be a season of watching Apter continue his progression tearing up League One. Who knows, his progression might now be aligned exactly with the club's and we might go on a journey up the leagues together?
 
Wizaard said:
We'll have to disagree. CJ has got a lot better at tracking back, but has an undeserved reputation for not doing so.

He's better at going forward (apart from yesterday, admittedly). Not a popular view, but that's why Gabriel isn't starting. Has been poor going forward.
Click to expand...
I agree with that and supported CJ last week and Critchley's selection of him ahead of Gabriel.
After Saturday I did consider issuing a retraction.
 
BigHandsOliverKahn said:
Remember seeing some of his early games at Bamber Bridge and was immediately struck by how Wes Hoolahan he looked. Absolutely delighted he's kicked on. Maybe one silver lining of not going up this season will be a season of watching Apter continue his progression tearing up League One. Who knows, his progression might now be aligned exactly with the club's and we might go on a journey up the leagues together?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be too sure, he will be off as soon as the club receives a bid for him
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
CJ shouldn't be played as a right wing back, maybe on the left as a push but not on the right
Click to expand...
I agree he's wasted as a WB.
We've never exploited CJ's talent since Ollie Turton was pinging balls over the top of the opposition for him to run on to.
For me CJ simply doesnt play with any confidence anymore and you could say that about several Blackpool players, most notably Lavery.
Critch might know the coaching manual back to front but he doesn't appear to have the motivational skills to get the best out of the players.
It's the classic situation for another manager with Ollie's skills. He took over a squad, possibly with a similar level of ability as the current squad, played a fairly simple formation but most importantly gave them the confidence to get the best out of themselves.
 
Insider said:
I agree he's wasted as a WB.
We've never exploited CJ's talent since Ollie Turton was pinging balls over the top of the opposition for him to run on to.
For me CJ simply doesnt play with any confidence anymore and you could say that about several Blackpool players, most notably Lavery.
Critch might know the coaching manual back to front but he doesn't appear to have the motivational skills to get the best out of the players.
It's the classic situation for another manager with Ollie's skills. He took over a squad, possibly with a similar level of ability as the current squad, played a fairly simple formation but most importantly gave them the confidence to get the best out of themselves.
Click to expand...
Yeah i agree I'm not one of these are just slags off CJ for the sake of it as he can do some damage if played correctly

Critchley just doesn't play him correctly

He has to play high in a front 3 like he did against Preston at home last season
 
CJ shouldn't be played at all. He isn't good enough for League One football where-ever he's played. Stop turning him into this imaginary incarnation of Arjen Robben. The guy is absolutely shite at football.

Apter plays where "CJ" should play and has played for us often enough and looks to be a far better prospect, better footballer in all aspects than CJ bar maybe speed. That is simply the only attribute that CJ has over anyone else in League Football who has a contract.
 
BigHandsOliverKahn said:
Remember seeing some of his early games at Bamber Bridge and was immediately struck by how Wes Hoolahan he looked. Absolutely delighted he's kicked on. Maybe one silver lining of not going up this season will be a season of watching Apter continue his progression tearing up League One. Who knows, his progression might now be aligned exactly with the club's and we might go on a journey up the leagues together?
Click to expand...
I saw some of those games as well. What really impressed me was his strength in the tackle. Playing against lower league players there was a risk he would be out muscled, but it did not happen. A wasted opportunity this season, however we try to dress it up.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Yeah i have no problem with him going on loan and as you say we don't play a system to suit him

However my issue is that we will probably sell him in the summer without him really ever having a chance with us, plenty of clubs will be after him now and will probably get him for less than his worth judging by some of our last player sales
Click to expand...
Not sure about that Apter has just signed a new deal until summer 2027.
Yates and Bowler where in the last year of their contracts.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Yeah signed a new contract to increase his value

The bottom line is the club needs money and the manager doesn't rate him as he's not a robot
Click to expand...
Every player for virtually every club in the world has his price. If someone comes along offering a alot of money there's every chance they'll be offering Rob a lot more money than we can so for him its just a job and he'll want some of it whilst his stock is high. Who knows how is value will change after a season under Critch. Of course looking at the in reverse Bowler's & Yates values have plummeted since leaving us.
I do think in this instance Simon will want to see a return on Apter before we let him go. All this talk is of course putting a huge burden on Rob's shoulders as there'll be plenty on here slagging him off after one bad pass.
 
Insider said:
Every player for virtually every club in the world has his price. If someone comes along offering a alot of money there's every chance they'll be offering Rob a lot more money than we can so for him its just a job and he'll want some of it whilst his stock is high. Who knows how is value will change after a season under Critch. Of course looking at the in reverse Bowler's & Yates values have plummeted since leaving us.
I do think in this instance Simon will want to see a return on Apter before we let him go. All this talk is of course putting a huge burden on Rob's shoulders as there'll be plenty on here slagging him off after one bad pass.
Click to expand...
I honestly don't believe Critchley will get the best out of Apter
 
Insider said:
Every player for virtually every club in the world has his price. If someone comes along offering a alot of money there's every chance they'll be offering Rob a lot more money than we can so for him its just a job and he'll want some of it whilst his stock is high. Who knows how is value will change after a season under Critch. Of course looking at the in reverse Bowler's & Yates values have plummeted since leaving us.
I do think in this instance Simon will want to see a return on Apter before we let him go. All this talk is of course putting a huge burden on Rob's shoulders as there'll be plenty on here slagging him off after one bad pass.
Click to expand...
If you were Rob Apter, who would you want to play for at the moment? Blackpool or Wrexham. I know who I would choose.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
I honestly don't believe Critchley will get the best out of Apter
Click to expand...
Who knows with that Dembelle has gone from going on a free from Celtic to France,who loan him out to a third division side and now is one of the hottest prospects in the league and will have a ton of interest higher up the pyramid in Summer.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
I honestly don't believe Critchley will get the best out of Apter
Click to expand...
If he couldn't with Owen Dale, who he brought to the club since knowing him as a kid at Crewe, then yep there's no chance. Shoehorn him into a position then have a fall out and justify that as a reason for a sale or loan out.
 
BigHandsOliverKahn said:
He's under contract until 2028 including the 1 year extension so, unless there was another clause put in, it would take a huge amount for any club to buy him in the foreseeable future.
Click to expand...
He's had a great season and a bid of around a million or so from a top league one club or a championship club and he will be off

imo of course
 
Insider said:
I agree he's wasted as a WB.
We've never exploited CJ's talent since Ollie Turton was pinging balls over the top of the opposition for him to run on to.
For me CJ simply doesnt play with any confidence anymore and you could say that about several Blackpool players, most notably Lavery.
Critch might know the coaching manual back to front but he doesn't appear to have the motivational skills to get the best out of the players.
It's the classic situation for another manager with Ollie's skills. He took over a squad, possibly with a similar level of ability as the current squad, played a fairly simple formation but most importantly gave them the confidence to get the best out of themselves.
Click to expand...
Agree on Critchley's lack of motivational nous but we also have to include the Boswells. In the absence of anything exciting happening on the pitch I've taken to watching their excursions from the dugout during games and their drills beforehand. It's pitiful! I bet the players have hit the stage by now where they take the piss behind their backs. It would be the only way you could get through the week as a pro.
 
poolseasider said:
Apter does a pre season plays against Southport in a friendly and doesn't show enough(to our coaches) to be in a League 1 squad and is sent out on loan to a club he started at and where he's from.

He then rarely starts until Tranmere who are in the bottom 3 sack the manager and bring in well experienced Adkins(also from the area)and Rob starts to get game time.
He plays well in a crap side who have never been in the top half all season and are currently 17th losing 3 out of four last games.
RA is levels above his team mates or their poor players which make him stand out more?

January comes flog Dale as we don't play with out and out wingers which Apter role is at Tranmere,probably happy to stay there close to family,getting plenty of game time etc and the club reward him with a new contract.

For me the club have done exactly the right thing to aid RA development with a full season in Lge2 rather than not get into a side who don't play wingers or the odd sub appearance if he's lucky enough to get on the bench.

Next season Apter will come back stronger and hungrier for his time out on loan then hopefully will get game time whoever is in charge, we'll also get to see if he's ready for the next step up.
Click to expand...
And he'll still come back as a winger that doesn't fit the system, all be it a better developed winger that doesn't fit into the system. As I said earlier in the thread I wouldn't be surprised if we sell him in the Summer and cash in.
 
rememberlesshannon said:
And he'll still come back as a winger that doesn't fit the system, all be it a better developed winger that doesn't fit into the system. As I said earlier in the thread I wouldn't be surprised if we sell him in the Summer and cash in.
Click to expand...
Dembelle came as a winger?
When other teams play one up top forwards are moved left or right,Apter will adapt to whatever system we play.

As to selling him who knows if a club comes in for him with a bid it's up to the club what value they have on RA, I don't suppose he's on a huge wage with us so if someone offers him more he'll want off anyway.
 
poolseasider said:
Apter does a pre season plays against Southport in a friendly and doesn't show enough(to our coaches) to be in a League 1 squad and is sent out on loan to a club he started at and where he's from.

He then rarely starts until Tranmere who are in the bottom 3 sack the manager and bring in well experienced Adkins(also from the area)and Rob starts to get game time.
He plays well in a crap side who have never been in the top half all season and are currently 17th losing 3 out of four last games.
RA is levels above his team mates or their poor players which make him stand out more?

January comes flog Dale as we don't play with out and out wingers which Apter role is at Tranmere,probably happy to stay there close to family,getting plenty of game time etc and the club reward him with a new contract.

For me the club have done exactly the right thing to aid RA development with a full season in Lge2 rather than not get into a side who don't play wingers or the odd sub appearance if he's lucky enough to get on the bench.

Next season Apter will come back stronger and hungrier for his time out on loan then hopefully will get game time whoever is in charge, we'll also get to see if he's ready for the next step up.
Click to expand...
In actual fact, Apter had only been at Tranmere a week when the previous manager to Adkins was sacked. Adkins then didn't play him, except as a sub for a month or so. When he came on a sub, he immediately impressed home and away supporters. Adkins finally gave him a game and he transformed Tranmere's fortunes, according to their fans.

Whether we will use him next season is a moot point. If we don't, I give up on Critchley and Saddler. If we get a million for him, will we replace him with anyone as good? I doubt it, as the the recruitment over the last few years, other than loan players, has been much more miss than hit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: no9
poolseasider said:
Dembelle came as a winger?
When other teams play one up top forwards are moved left or right,Apter will adapt to whatever system we play.

As to selling him who knows if a club comes in for him with a bid it's up to the club what value they have on RA, I don't suppose he's on a huge wage with us so if someone offers him more he'll want off anyway.
Click to expand...
We only play one system as the manager stubbornly refuses to change it, so Apter will have to adapt probably as a full back.
After all we signed CJ as an attacking left winger and have given him a 3 year contract seemingly as our first choice right back.
 
rememberlesshannon said:
We only play one system as the manager stubbornly refuses to change it, so Apter will have to adapt probably as a full back.
After all we signed CJ as an attacking left winger and have given him a 3 year contract seemingly as our first choice right back.
Click to expand...
Nope Rob can hopefully play in the Dembelle role.
 
What Rob Apter is a Blackpool player ,once again disrespect from the EFL did we overdo the protest and will they never forget us for that ?.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Yeah i have no problem with him going on loan and as you say we don't play a system to suit him

However my issue is that we will probably sell him in the summer without him really ever having a chance with us, plenty of clubs will be after him now and will probably get him for less than his worth judging by some of our last player sales
Click to expand...
Where is the evidence that we will probably sell him other than childish speculation on here?
 
Wizaard said:
Where is the evidence that we will probably sell him other than childish speculation on here?
Click to expand...
Well if that's the case what a master stroke the club did getting him to sign a new contract and playing regular out on loan not going down in value under Critchley(myth Dembelle case in point).
Kerching.🤑

Or it's total bollocks.😀
 
ForeverTangerine said:
It seems that the players we send out on loan make considerable improvements. Apter, Dale, Casey, to name a few.
Maybe we should loan out our manager to a league 2 club and see if he improves.
Click to expand...
Er Dale we've sold,Casey Marv has started ahead of him and lost his place when Husband came back and Apter is work in progress.
What a pathetic cheap shot at Critchley.
How much is Dembelle worth now. 🤔
 
poolseasider said:
Er Dale we've sold,Casey Marv has started ahead of him and lost his place when Husband came back and Apter is work in progress.
What a pathetic cheap shot at Critchley.
How much is Dembelle worth now. 🤔
Click to expand...
It’s not a cheap shot.
What have you been watching all season ?
Wake up and smell the coffee, Critchley is the reason why we aren’t going back up to the championship. If he was a manager of a construction company he’d have been sacked a long time ago.
 
Wizaard said:
Where is the evidence that we will probably sell him other than childish speculation on here?
Click to expand...
its not childish to suggest that we will probably sell him given that

1. The current manager never plays him
2. The club sells all its best players
3. His stock and value currently is probably the highest its ever been
 
poolseasider said:
Yep I know but without his position in the shop window with us and now he has become one of the most sort out players in this division.
Click to expand...
Like he was when he was 16 you mean

He was worth about 10 million when he first broke through at Celtic, not had much football since so yeah its great that he's had a good loan, but please don't try and make out that Critchley has made him as that's clearly horse sh!te
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top