I think that Duncan should go out on loan to the right championship club until the January window. If we get Jan????? Then I reckon Duncan would get few, if any, opportunities in the first team and the lad needs games. Maybe Leeds or 'boro would be able to give him a weekly run out. Just the same way as we developed Danny Welbeck then I see Duncan can improve his game given regular competitive games in the championship. Coming back from this loan should put him in a stronger position to challenge Defoe and Fletcher.
I wouldn't like to say, I don't know Dick's plans but First half of the season there's a tournament that will suit him down to the ground and I'd expect him to be one of the seniors selected for that.
I'd send him to Boro if they are interested. He should be more than good enough for a first XI place at a team pushing for promotion based on what we have seen. A good club with decent crowds, Sheff Wed, Derby, Forest be a good option too.
Sunderland’s young guns Duncan Watmore and Tom Beadling are in demand after fellow prospect Jordan Pickford headed out on loan. Goalkeeper Pickford joined Preston North End on a season-long loan last week after Sunderland were sufficiently tempted by the prospect of the England Under-20 international getting a chance to play regular first-team football in the Championship. But there is also interest in academy products Beadling and Watmore, who like Pickford, have spent the pre-season campaign training with Dick Advocaat’s first-team squad. There has been an enquiry from an SPL outfit for centre-half Beadling, who is likely to head out on loan at some stage this season to get his first taste of competitive football. Sunderland rate Beadling highly and have been keen for the 19-year-old to be involved during the pre-season programme, yet with John O’Shea, Wes Brown, Sebastian Coates and Younes Kaboul ahead of him in the pecking order, his first-team chances with the Black Cats are likely to be limited. Watmore’s prospects of featuring for Advocaat’s side are far better, yet the forward is facing a pivotal campaign in his Sunderland career. The ex-Altrincham man was crowned Under-21 Premier League Player of the Season last year, yet still hasn’t made his top flight debut for the Black Cats, while he was used sparingly during the pre-season friendlies. It is understood that was due to Sunderland’s coaching staff being wary of leaving Watmore burned out after he featured for England U20s during the summer’s Toulon Tournament. But with only 12 months left to run on his contract, there remain question marks over whether Advocaat will use Watmore in the Premier League after opting against using the 21-year-old in the final nine games of last season. League One pair Oldham and Scunthorpe are both interested in taking Watmore on loan, while Birmingham are also thought to be admirers. Sunderland’s hierarchy are keen to see Watmore involved in the first-team frame, but the player himself can ill-afford another season confined to the U21 squad. However, Watmore does appear to be ahead of fellow winger Will Buckley in Advocaat’s plans after he was preferred in the squad for Sunderland’s final pre-season friendly in Germany last weekend. Meanwhile, Sunderland U21 striker Mikael Mandron is a target for Scottish Premiership Partick Thistle. Mandron has been prolific for the U21s over the last two years, yet he has struggled to make an impression during two loan spells in the Football League - making just three appearances in a stint Shrewsbury last season.
Both Advocaat and the development coaching staff have said he's doing well, but needs work yet. He's not considered a finished product, and I don't think he'll get a lot of games here. I'd be wary of an SPL loan - remember what happened to young 'Anglos' up there with Walmore and Karlsson? Young up-and-coming Scots seemed to take great delight in kicking sh*t out of them. A good Championship club would be better, I think. Beadling looks to me a bit more advanced - he looked very cool and assured in pre-season, particularly at Toronto. I might be prepared to keep him and give him an odd game when Coates or Kaboul are injured/tired etc.
I spoke to his best mate yesterday, Damien Reeves who plays for Altrincham and he told me he still speaks to Duncan and he recently told him he is getting rather frustrated with the lack of 1st team opportunities but he is determined to prove himself.
it was interesting to hear Lens reference Duncan and Defoe, when asked about how good was it playing with Defoe ( he said nowt about Fletch or Graham!). in preseason. So it sounds like he is being fully integrated into training with the first team, at least. the danger is he is over-eager, which ruins his composure, and thats the final bit holding him back. if we loan him out, it has to be no lower than championship and make sure he is signedup beyond the year.
If Dick plans on having him as an option from the bench then keep him if he's further down the pecking order then I'd hope they look to loan the lad out for a couple of months to get some competitive football under his belt at championship sort of level and have another look at him then.
Out until Christmas and re-evaluate his progress seems the no-brainer. The lad needs to play in front of crowds against full pros. Simple as that.
It does my head in when I see clubs like Everton and Southampton just throwing 16 year olds on to the pitch, sink or swim little ****er! With us, we have to be careful with them, make sure they don't burn out, make sure to much pressure doesn't get put on them, loan them out (time and again), give them a taste of pre-season then drop them again when the full season comes round. Then repeat and keep nurturing them until they are about twenty ****ing two. Chuck them in the deep end and if they are good enough, they'll survive
I'm frustrated as a fan with our youngsters never getting a look in, especially when they are in great form and our first team is ****e. God knows how the players themselves must feel about it.
Unknown quantity but has pace. Get him in before Fletch or Graham. Give him six games or so and see how he gets on. I honestly believe neither him or Mandron could be worse than the two I have mentioned.
I hope he gets a chance to play this season. I think watmore only has 12 months left on his contract as well. So if he doesn't I imagine he will be off In January or next summer.