ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Kissock

Sorry to distract from what was a good win last night, despite what the snobs in the media are saying (why is it when the big 3 win ugly its quoted as being a requirement for success?), but last night young JP Kissock was in action for Gretna. Although they lost 4-2, Kissock was apparently at the heart of everything good about Gretna, posing an attacking threat and also earning responsebilty for set pieces.

He also got MOTM in his debut last week against Hearts, on the Gretna website at least. His signing of a first professional contract got a little bit of media attention, so hopefully one youngster who wont slip into the lower league football after a few loans. Just thought his performance was worth a mention.
Ian Kearney, South Shields Posted 14/02/2008 at 11:23:36

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Ed MacDonald
1 Posted 14/02/2008 at 13:08:29

The verdict: - great player, shocking haircut!

http://www.hibs.net/message/showthread.php?t=109258

Nelly Blythe
2 Posted 14/02/2008 at 14:46:10

Ed...Not wishing to piss on your bonfire as it where but I have watched Kissock play in the rezzies on numerous occassions. IMHO and again I say IMHO he is far to lightweight (amongst other things) to get anywhere near the first team at this present time. Playing well for some piss poor team north of the border is one thing but doing it in the Premier League is a totally different ball game ( pardon the pun) altogether. Unfortunately I dont see this lad progressing onto first time regular...could be wrong but I doubt it.

Rob Bentham
3 Posted 14/02/2008 at 15:16:35

Andy Johnson, Leon Osman, Stephen Pienaar! They’re all heavyweights aren’t they?
The lads just turned 18 I think we can say he’s still developing physically.
Both Hibs fans and Hearts fans made a special mention of him on their boards as one to watch out for, for the future. Hearts fans gave him loads of stick which is usually a sign of respect.
"He’s a long haired winger from liverpool" might need a bit of work though.

james arnold
4 Posted 14/02/2008 at 16:53:05

I am led to believe from an ex player that they don’t think he will make it at Everton, the player that they have high hopes of is Jose Baxter

brown owl
5 Posted 14/02/2008 at 16:54:54

Long term replacement for Osmen.

Ed MacDonald
6 Posted 14/02/2008 at 16:58:52

You might be right Nelly. But he had a great delivery and he more than coped in what is a very physical league.

If he was a foot taller. . .

Chris Keightley
7 Posted 14/02/2008 at 17:13:42

James be interested to know who led you to believe that, what the hell does an ex player know ?? the fact hes playing scottish prem football and is holding his own at 18 shows he has the ability to be a first team reg within two seasons, as for jose baxter 16 years old jeffers rings a bell lets just wait and see !!

Bert Howarth
8 Posted 14/02/2008 at 17:38:03

Given Moyes??previous?,I suspect Kissock has done enough to get himself a summer transfer to Gretna. The last locally developed midfielder to break through was Ossie ? six bloody years ago ? so don?t hold your breath, however well he plays out on loan. I firmly believe Moyes uses the system to reduce the wage bill rather than provide experience!

James Arnold
9 Posted 14/02/2008 at 20:09:51

Chris. The ex player works at Everton every weekend and I am only telling you what he has been told from inside the club. It doesn?t matter if he knows anything about football or not, that is what he was told. I haven?t seen either player play so I don?t know, I was just putting someones opinion out there

Adam Doyle
10 Posted 14/02/2008 at 23:19:48

He maybe brilliant, he may not be. However, Man City were (supposedly, anyway) willing to pay £3 million for him. On the contrary, by the time Vaughan, Anichebe and Rooney had already made a few appearences each for Everton by the time they were 18, so who knows?

[Off topic, but if FM is anything to go by, he’s one to keep! - Joke]

Robert Carney
11 Posted 14/02/2008 at 23:33:41

FFS, another article beating up a blue.

Give the lad a chance, whether or not he makes it at Everton, the Scottish leagues or in the semi-pro game. He is young and any footballer worth his salt will tell you what a great life it is.

I hope he does not spend his evenings reading this site.

p.s. the ex-player working inside the clud should be exposed and fucked off. Whatever happened to loyalty?

Robin Ashford
12 Posted 14/02/2008 at 23:59:52

Robert - the article wasn’t "beating up" JPK at all. If anything, Ian was praising the impact he’s been having. There’s actually only one comment that even comes close to having a pop, where Nelly (making it clear that it’s his opinion only, and he may be wrong) says he doesn’t think Kissock’s looked at it for the reserves.

Cool your boots!

Amit Dosani
13 Posted 15/02/2008 at 00:27:43

Bert - sorry, what tosh.

We were recently praised by Sir Alex Ferguson for the strength of young players that Moyes has built up (irrespective of any agenda he may have had, he has a point). We have a number of youth team products in and around the first team, including two 18/19 year old strikers. Just because we currently don’t have midfielders from the youth team coming through, it doesn’t mean that we have a crap youth team/set-up, or that Moyes has a hidden agenda.

That’s like criticising Man U becuase when they had a home grown midfield of Giggs, Scholes and Becks, they went out and bought strikers from the market! Balance please! Not every major club will have talents coming through in all areas of the pitch all the time!

Kieran Fitzgerald
14 Posted 15/02/2008 at 16:57:22

The problem is that recently Ossie is the only one that has gone out on loan and then returned to the club the better for it. Any out going loans now tend to be a precursor to a permenant deal. It?s a pity because all these young players do tend to be highly rated yet never seem to get any kinf of a chance or viewing in the first team.

Didn?t Adrian Heath run the youth for a while to great effect. I could be miles out here but I have it in my head that he was and that the academy did take a dip when he left.

Richard Hare
15 Posted 16/02/2008 at 16:18:32

Jesus Christ. He’s been getting rave reviews aren’t we allowed to just to get excited about him. What would everybody be saying if he was playing crap? Also against the Man Utd reserves him and Rodwell looked a class apart.