Updated David Moyes has been mulling over a crucial decision that could drastically affect the career progress and footballing development of one of Everton Academy’s rare top-class talents.
And the decision is that he should go out on loan — to Preston North End in the Championship.
Joe Thomas of The Echo spoke at length with David Moyes about Harrison Armstrong on Friday. They discussed how Moyes sees his potential and his thoughts on whether to loan him out or not. Here are the words of the manager:
On whether to loan him out
“We’ve got a decision to make, we’re not in a hurry, I think that he played really well in midweek. We’ll make a decision, we have got many teams wanting to take him on loan. Our biggest decision is whether he would he be better going and playing 20 Championship games up until January, when we start to lose some players through Afcon, or would he be better here, being in and around the team? That would be a decision we’ll make in the next day or two.”
On his potential
“I think he’s got the potential to be a good Everton player and I think he’s moving along, he’s stepping up when he is asked to step up. We mustn’t get carried away with the game the other night because it’s a different level to get to the Premier League and he’s young, he is a lot younger than, I’m thinking of players who have played at some other clubs and some young midfield players, it takes a bit of time to get that to come through.
“He’s not an England Under-21 player yet, so he’s got a little bit to go. I’m thinking of people, and only because they’re in my head, like Tyler Morton or Hayden Hackney, who were struggling to make it, they’ve not got to the Premier League and they’re England Under 21 players. Tim [Iroegbunam] is just beginning to break through into the first team more often now, so there’s still probably a little to go for Harrison.”
What is influencing the Harrison loan decision?
“I think a lot depends if we maybe get a more experienced midfield player in. It’s very difficult now, is it better he comes [with us] and he sits on the bench and gets little bits of moments, trains with us every day, or is it better that he goes and plays maybe 20 games in the Championship? That’s really the decision we feel as if we’ve got to take.
I think he’s still young, and probably the biggest one that I can think is very similar is Leon Osman. First of all to Carlisle, then I sent him to Derby, and Ozzy took two loans, then came back and just about went right in the team and had an unbelievable career and went on to become an England international at the end as well.
“So I’ve got that in my head as well, but if we don’t get a loan, I would have no problem keeping him because I think he’s got potential.”
An hour after the closure of the transfer window, the move was confirmed: Harrison Armstrong will (hopefully) get plenty of full-on game time in the Championship this season with Preston North End, rather than sitting on the bench watching others play in the hope of getting teh odd cameo here or there at the end of games, when he probably wouldn’t be able to influence the play.