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Hope Akpan doing well

It is always good to see an ex-Everton Academy player doing well. I recently watched the Chelsea - Reading match and recognised one of the substitutes, Hope Akpan.

Released by Everton in 2011 he signed with Crawley in League 1 and then was signed by Reading during this January window. It was during this substitute appearance he contributed both assists for Le Fondre's equalising goals. The first a tremendous straight pass between defenders to a cutting Le Fondre.

He would've been a welcome addition to our squad during the current, continual injuries to the midfield.

Best of luck, Hope.

Leon Purton, Australia Posted 01/02/2013 at 07:21:01

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Steavey Buckley
773 Posted 01/02/2013 at 17:36:23

It's a pity Hope was not sent out on loan and then waited for a good reaction, instead of severing all connections by releasing him.

Mick Wrende
796 Posted 01/02/2013 at 18:55:43

And we are left with Anichebe who some on here think did well on Wednesday because he ran around a lot! Give me strength.

Graham Mockford
797 Posted 01/02/2013 at 19:05:20

I would say he has made an overwhelming case that he would have been a useful addition based on the 39 minutes of Premier League football he had made in his career to date.
The one I suspect might have got away is Lukas Jutkiewicz, scoring regularly in the Championship.

Pat Finegan
798 Posted 01/02/2013 at 19:08:55

Anichebe has had a fine season thus far, Mick. His movement and turn got us the penalty which proved decisive.

Ian Allaker
803 Posted 01/02/2013 at 19:30:07

We cant wait forever for every youth player to improve to the level that we need them to be at. It wouldnt be fair on the players to hang onto them and leave them to rot in the reserves when they might be 5th or 6th in line in the pecking order. Even after all this time playing regularily non of the lads released are good enough to break into our first team.

The best of the bunch are still with Everton but on loan but if they cant at least get onto the bench next season it might be time to let the next generation have their chance to earn their place.

Steve Mink
822 Posted 01/02/2013 at 21:10:07

Whatever happened to Stephen Schumacher? Eh? Eh?

Graham Mockford
823 Posted 01/02/2013 at 21:18:23

Steve

You may know this but he's ended up a pretty decent lower league player, he's currently playing at my local club Bury and the fans love him.

Brian Waring
830 Posted 01/02/2013 at 21:29:32

I lice in the south east now, and my 13 yr old lads mates are Reading fans with season tickets (my lad is a blue though) we have been getting him a season ticket for the last couple of seasons now to go with his mates to Reading. Cut a long story short when he got back from the game against Chelsea the other night, him and his mates were raving about the lad who came on as a sub, turns out it was young Hope.

Brian Waring
831 Posted 01/02/2013 at 21:38:11

Meant to say live

Andrew James
846 Posted 01/02/2013 at 21:59:34

Why is it when someone does well at a lower Premiership side or in the Championship, people start to use it as a stick to beat the club with?

To recap, we are a Top 8 Premiership team. To support our squad, we need the personnel to be of that quality or very close (with our budget there are some who are not arguably Top 8) Nevertheless, these aforementioned youngsters plus others like James Wallace or Jose Baxter have found their level more or less and, of course, will shine there. Put them on our level and suddenly their pace or first touch or whatever will get found out.

Good luck to Hope and he might one day play in a Top 8 team and we would rue that. However Moyes clearly didn't think at the time or any time soon, Hope could offer our squad something. He tends to be right given that he pushed Osman out on loan before going into the first team and he's getting England call ups. And Big Vic continues to defy logic by going from injured, to woeful to sometimes doing something sublime or dominating a centre half...there's definitely something in there if only we might see it on a consistent basis.

Brian Waring
226 Posted 02/02/2013 at 19:43:42

My young lad was at the Reading game today, he said Hope started the game and played the full 90 mins. Also, said he had a good game.

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