Bowler goes on loan with a new contract

Go get 'em, kid.

Bowler sounds like a good kid with his head screwed on.

Obviously still learning, tremendous dribbling skills, maybe holds on to the ball too much, but makes some great through passes and scores a few.

He frustrated the life out of me in the Premier League Cup final versus Newcastle, wasting two or three passes in the final minutes with mates waiting and in on goal with only the ‘keeper to beat, but he failed to deliver the pass.

This is a good move for Bowler. I wish him well and hope he comes back a better player.

This is also further evidence of the new model with regard Everton's academy and imported younger players (following Robinson's transfer to Wigan and Lookman's pending departure to Leipzig) being implemented by Brands (primarily, I imagine) and Silva.

Plenty on TW down the years bewail the fact that so few make the step up from the academy to the first team, and that too many are retained for too long before eventually being released for free without getting a fee for them.

Offloading Robinson for hard cash; 2-3 times profit on Lookman, this is sending the message to young players that Everton will not continue being a cozy gravy train for marginal players. Step up, or be shipped out.

There is a carrot and stick to the Bowler deal: we've given you an extra year beyond this season in which you can prove your worth in the Championship, so on your return to Everton, if you've done well, you can compete for a first team place. If you don't improve, expect to be sold on so we get some return on you.

I like the model.

Trying to imagine Everton as a lean mean football playing machine is so antithesis to my life as an Everton fan thus far.

He has pace to burn, he looks like he finds it easy going past a player, and he can also finish... so wouldn't it be great if Walcott could put it all together? He'd be one hell of a player if he did!

I also hope Bowler has a good season; this looks like it could be a great move for the kid.

Surely Marco, who seemed to continually pick Walcott, if fit, over anyone in that position, should have seen the same, if he did, that is a bit worrying to me. Model in training and a turkey for the most part on the field of play.

Playing in a rough and tumble league like the Championship will hopefully improve Josh and I wish him well, he has a lot of potential..

My observation was strictly limited to Bowler's own comments on the fellah and how he trains:

"Theo [Walcott], who plays in my position, is always in the gym and works so hard. I am going to try to emulate that and do what he does… that's what you need to do to succeed."

It's not just about doing it (or not!) on match day. It's about dedication and application for the bulk of a professional footballer's working week.

If Josh is in admiration of a soon-to-be-30 full international for his continued dedication and application who could (as labelled by some on TW) opt to coast and pick up his weekly cheque without putting the hard yards in, then I consider that a compliment to both players.

I hope that Hull sell Jarrod Bowen or else I'm not convinced Bowler will get much time in his favoured right-wing slot. If he can get 20-30 games on loan, then it will really help him develop.

It's been a while since an U23 player stepped up to really nail down a first-team run. Is Calvert-Lewin the last one? Or Kenny maybe?

I see another rumour of Zaha coming with his odds slashed on joining the blues after an apparent large bet being placed. I doubt it like... but they might be interested in taking Bolasie back. We should've gone for Zaha in the first place.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, James had plenty of talent, but perhaps he lacked the application. A year at Hull will test Josh's mentality, and be a great challenge. Good luck to the lad.

I agree. McFadden and Bowler have similar qualities.

Was there a lack of application from McFadden? He always seemed to try as far as I could see and I can't recall much off the field distraction.

I think what held McFadden back was a serious lack of pace and him being quite lightweight. He tried to press and close down but he always seemed a bit flimsy in doing so. Maybe he didn't put the hours in down the gym, or perhaps he was never advised to

There is not a huge amount that can be done about a lack of speed but, as you say, there is the question of heart, fight, determination, and then that undefinable factor (nouse?) of whether a player can do the right thing at the right time under pressure.

I have to say I thought Josh lacked that nouse, which is why a season in the Championship will be an excellent test of his mettle.

Thanks Pete. Appreciate you pointing this out as I have not had the chance to see much of Bowler. He came with a big reputation so obviously he has ability. A big step up is required. I hope he can take it.

The championship is a great test I think for young players looking to make their way in the game.

Reece Brown of Chelsea was incredible at Wigan last season. It's a shame about their embargo as I'd have liked us to pusruse this guy. He's versatile having performed brilliantly in centre midfield for Chelsea although I believe he is preferred at right back.

Had we signed him I believe he could've played a lot of football for us in the premier league given Silva wants competition / cover for Coleman and that we are looking to offload several midfield players. Watch out for him.

None of these kids are on substantial wages, unlike the seniors we're stuck with specifically due to their wages. Yes, they can find a club could use them but no chance that club picking up the full salaries.

As Tony @8 said Walcott has all the tools in his locker but rarely uses them to the benefit of the team. In the two seasons he has been with us, I can only recall a couple of decent performances, which is ridiculous considering he is not only one of the more experienced, but one of the top earners.

Another way you can describe your scenario of 'good trainer-bad match day player-wrong message being sent' is this:

I doubt Silva is so blind and dumb that he couldn't see or recognize, as good a trainer as he is, Walcott has not delivered consistently enough on match day. If he had a better alternative to select ahead of him, I'm sure Silva would have picked him.

Indeed he did. In season, he DID drop Walcott and gave Lookman a run. The young man did not do enough to cement his place in the side at Walcott's expense.

In the latter part of the season, Walcott was only getting games from the bench as our starting front three were Bernard-DCL-Richarlison.

Perhaps it is a sadder reflection on the squad players challenging Walcott for his place that they were neither the equals of or better than him, be it at training or on match day.

The (by now) oft-repeated mid-season public comments Silva made about Lookman one day giving his manager hope that finally, he was 'getting it', only to regress the next day was a huge red flag to me that things weren't/aren't 'right' with Lookman.

I can't recall the manager being so publicly critical about any other player in his first year with us as he was that day.

Lookman may well blossom into a very fine player. He will only do so if, like Bowler intends, he follows the example Walcott evidently displays in training and is dedicated and professional in his application outside of actual match day.

I will repeat what I said in my original post in this thread, for me Brands is introducing a healthy new model for our academy and fringe players: the Goodison gravy train is in the shed and no longer offering concessions. Produce and progress to the first team, or be sold so we get hard cash for you.

I like it.

And before anyone asks how else will they get competitive games to show their improvement ask how many of those we have loaned out have actually returned so improved. I don't know but I wouldn't think it was a very high percentage.

It underlines the deepening void between Silva's squad and Unsworth's squad, which I find ironic given the massive efforts in recent years to increase the competitive standard for the U23s, who are now playing a lot more games and competitions — including the controversial Checkatrade Trophy, where they play against first teams out of League One and League Two.

I say 'controversial' because there was some resistance to these games from the Football League sides, apparently. But significantly, we've never progressed out of the group stage, again showing the depth of the gap.

I guess it was a case of having to keep up with the likes of Chelsea, who seem to have created the talent grab and loan model. Although the variant you suggest is pretty much what we did with Shani Tarashaj, and he's gone backwards to oblivion.

I don't think on balance this loan business works, in that there's far more players loaned out, then ultimately released or offloaded, than there are stars who finally make the grade. Whereas, on the very rare occasion when we find real talent, that simply rises to the top through the ranks without the need for a loan. I guess I'm thinking John Stones rather than Ross Barkley... but you can cite examples to fit whatever case you want to make!

To your point, I think the last successful loanee to break into the first team was Coleman. Barkley had a few unsuccessful loans that I don't think helped his first team progression. Holgate had a good loan year AFTER two years of fairly frequent first team appearances.

A lot might point out that it could weaken our 1stXI but I think that if we believe we have a talent then a spot on the bench with the chance of some time on the pitch could be a lot more informative. At the moment I think we're seeing what a lot of new managers do, sign players they know or think may be an improvement rather than showing these superb coaching skills about which we keep hearing. Or perhaps it is me, thinking that the Manager/Head Coach takes an overview of all levels within the club, although it could be the DOF in consultation with the U23s coach.

Ability and Potential yes. Quick football brain and team player not so sure.

Some people seem surprised about Bowler's comments on Walcott. I'm not surprised at all. We sold a player today who on ability alone should have played more games last season, but Walcott wasn't giving Silva any other choice than to pick him. A few TW posters got pouty when it was suggested by some that Lookman's temperament wasn't as it should be at times last season, even though Silva confirmed this was the case when the kid was denied his move. Well maybe instead of saying Lookman had a bad attitude at times it will make them happier to rather say that Walcott was a model pro and worked harder in training and didn't give the manager much choice but to pick him over Lookman