Paul Huntington joins Leeds

[Guest Brewcastle]

Why not a loan? -Paul have enough potential for PL in near future.

But OK. My brother Leeds-fan will love this 

[Guest keego_nufc]

Edgar is much better tbh and will be a premier league defender it has taken a REAL manager to realize that unlike Roeder who somehow thought Huntington and Ramage were ahead of Edgar

[Thespence]

CUMBRIAN teenager Paul Huntington today revealed he had to leave Premiership giants Newcastle United for the sake of his career.

 

The Carlisle-born centre-back signed a three-year deal with League One crisis club Leeds United on Friday in a shock £500,000 deadline-day move.

 

And in an exclusive interview with News & Star Sport, Huntington – who relatives in West Cumbria – today revealed his reasons for turning his back on the Premiership to sign for Leeds who are bottom of League One after a 15-point deduction for breaching Football League insolvency rules.

 

Despite featuring in all the Magpies’ pre-season friendlies, including the 1-1 draw at Brunton Park, ex-Trinity School pupil Huntington wasn’t named in any of Sam Allardyce’s Premiership squads this season. His only involvement was as an unused sub in the Carling Cup win over Barnsley.

 

Huntington says this, coupled with the arrival of four defenders to the Toon squad this summer, meant he felt the time had come to leave the club he has been with since he was 11.

 

The youngster, who turns 20 later this month, said: “I could have said no and stayed at Newcastle but they brought two defenders in on deadline day and that put me further down the pecking order. I need to play first-team football and moving made sense.

 

“The fact that Newcastle accepted the bid suggested I wasn’t wanted there. I didn’t want to sit around and play reserve-team football. I’ve had three seasons of that and it’s not going to benefit my career.”

 

But despite accepting his time was up at Newcastle, Huntington says the timing of his departure from St James’ Park came as a shock.

 

Huntington, who led Trinity School to victory at Brunton Park in the final of the English Schools Cup, added: “I had played a reserve game against Sunderland on the Thursday night and was training on the Friday when Lee Clark, the reserve team manager, called me over.

 

“He told me that there was interest from Hull, Stoke, Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds and that Leeds had made a bid and the manager, Sam Allerdyce, had accepted it.

 

“That was in the afternoon and at 6pm I got the call to say the board had given the move the go-ahead and that I could speak to Leeds and I signed at about 7.30pm,” he added.

 

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/viewarticle.aspx?id=538827

[Newcastle Fan]

Fair enough..Good luck for the lad he played pretty well considring he was thrown in various positions last season at such a young age.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Fair enough..Good luck for the lad he played pretty well considring he was thrown in various positions last season at such a young age.

 

Always struck me as though it was a case of "sink or swim" with him and edgar, he sank and edgar swam.  Anyway good luck to him

[Dragon55544]

Fair enough..Good luck for the lad he played pretty well considring he was thrown in various positions last season at such a young age.

 

Always struck me as though it was a case of "sink or swim" with him and edgar, he sank and edgar swam.  Anyway good luck to him

 

I fail to see how you can say Edgar swam, He he's only played about 2 games. The jury is still out on Edgar imo aleast untill he plays about 10-15 games for us.

[Guest Magic]

I wish Edgar had had more games last season, he seemed to have one of the key skills for a defender, observation; he was always looking around for his man and judging his position well because of it. I seem to remember Huntingdon playing at left back (out of position to be fair), especially against Alkmaar, just being raped constantly because he just ball-watched and never looked around or behind him to see where his man was.

 

He is still young though and was playing out of position To be honest though I've never been a huge fan of his. He had that silly plaster-your-fringe-flat-on-your-head-and-have-the-rest-of-your-hair-spiky hairstyle, just like every other 20 year-old at the moment. Clearly a follower and not a leader, and centre backs should be leaders. Having said that, Leeds will probably be good for him. Some regular footy with a team that if it gets its shit together will progress. I hope he does well.

[Zero]

tbh the possible outcome is Hunty has a better career than Edgar, as the latter one now seems likely to rot in reserves for 2-3 years.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Fair enough..Good luck for the lad he played pretty well considring he was thrown in various positions last season at such a young age.

 

Always struck me as though it was a case of "sink or swim" with him and edgar, he sank and edgar swam.  Anyway good luck to him

 

I fail to see how you can say Edgar swam, He he's only played about 2 games. The jury is still out on Edgar imo aleast untill he plays about 10-15 games for us.

 

Yes but Edgar did well when he did play (out of position) and Huntington didnt.  And the management will see an awful lot more of them then we do day to day, if they think he's not good enough, then chances are he isnt.

[Karjala]

Alrite lads

 

Registered purely to get info on the lad huntington, I'm actually quite fucking excited by his signing..... will he do the business in league 1?

 

Long time since ive actually been this happy about a signing

 

cheers

He'll be a top class player for u, and weve got another few you might be interested in: Ramage, Babayaro, Carr, im sure they could also do a good job in League 1.

[Guest Knightrider]

It is quite sad and symptomatic of the game today that a youngster obviously once considered a potential talent, hasn't made it or has been deemed not good enough based on a few games played out of position. Unless youngsters coming through show real class, I fear we'll lose far more youngsters over the years and even then, there is no guarantee that those with class will make it either. All is not lost for Huntington however, he need look no further than Bentley at Blackburn, discarded by Arsenal, Chopra at the mackems, discarded by us and a whole host of other players once discarded by their clubs. Hopefully he'll get his chance and develop into a decent player. Always sad to see home grown talent discarded.

[ToonTastic]

To be fair though although the player looked a great prospect when younger at the age he is at he needs to start showing more it's no so much a case of foreign players are taking his place. Look at Richards at City and Taylor at ourselves. However as Lee Clark said himself this week, it is important that the club makes sure that any player that leaves can still make a living from the game and doesn't drop into non league football. Huntington can say he has done this and was in fact wanted by Championship teams so could make make his grade there as well.

[Baron von Fat]

I wish Edgar had had more games last season, he seemed to have one of the key skills for a defender, observation; he was always looking around for his man and judging his position well because of it. I seem to remember Huntingdon playing at left back (out of position to be fair), especially against Alkmaar, just being raped constantly because he just ball-watched and never looked around or behind him to see where his man was.

 

He is still young though and was playing out of position To be honest though I've never been a huge fan of his. He had that silly plaster-your-fringe-flat-on-your-head-and-have-the-rest-of-your-hair-spiky hairstyle, just like every other 20 year-old at the moment. Clearly a follower and not a leader, and centre backs should be leaders. Having said that, Leeds will probably be good for him. Some regular footy with a team that if it gets its s*** together will progress. I hope he does well.

 

I want my centre backs to have hairstyles they've invented, to show their leadership qualities.

[NE5]

Quite clear that Sam, correctly, rates Edgar more.

 

is the correct answer

 

 

[Guest Knightrider]

Edgar looks a good player I must admit, more naturally talented than Huntington.

[Karjala]

Huntington starts on the bench today vs Hartlepool, Shola's brother Tomi starts upfront.

 

Noticed that David Prutton is playing for Leeds, how things have changed from a few years ago when Bobby apparently wanted to sign him, then saw Jenarse.

[AlanSkÃrare]

Huntington starts on the bench today vs Hartlepool, Shola's brother Tomi starts upfront.

 

Noticed that David Prutton is playing for Leeds, how things have changed from a few years ago when Bobby apparently wanted to sign him, then saw Jenarse.

 

Prutton was a big, big talent at Southampton, wasn't he? Has a lot of U21-caps to his name I think.

 

Who's playing CD for Leeds when Huntington is on the bench?

[Karjala]

He was a big talent at Forest, went to Southampton, played decently then pushed a ref a few times, and that was that!

[robbo_11]

Huntington came on in the 90th minute and Tomi Ameobi was an unused substitute in a 2-0 win.

[Liam Liam Liam O]

Leeds move onto no points!

[Guest optimistic nit]

It is quite sad and symptomatic of the game today that a youngster obviously once considered a potential talent, hasn't made it or has been deemed not good enough based on a few games played out of position. Unless youngsters coming through show real class, I fear we'll lose far more youngsters over the years and even then, there is no guarantee that those with class will make it either. All is not lost for Huntington however, he need look no further than Bentley at Blackburn, discarded by Arsenal, Chopra at the mackems, discarded by us and a whole host of other players once discarded by their clubs. Hopefully he'll get his chance and develop into a decent player. Always sad to see home grown talent discarded.

 

Chris, he's been in the reserves now for 2-3 years when the likes of ramage, bramble and carr have been in our defence. He's still young but if he had shown the potential to be a premiership player its safe to say he'd have played more by now. he's not a PL player, you can't blame this on the influx of overseas players, because we've had shite homegrown 'talents' in our defence for the past few seasons and he still hasn't played. couldn't make the step up from youth/reserve team to full team

[Guest Knightrider]

It is quite sad and symptomatic of the game today that a youngster obviously once considered a potential talent, hasn't made it or has been deemed not good enough based on a few games played out of position. Unless youngsters coming through show real class, I fear we'll lose far more youngsters over the years and even then, there is no guarantee that those with class will make it either. All is not lost for Huntington however, he need look no further than Bentley at Blackburn, discarded by Arsenal, Chopra at the mackems, discarded by us and a whole host of other players once discarded by their clubs. Hopefully he'll get his chance and develop into a decent player. Always sad to see home grown talent discarded.

 

Chris, he's been in the reserves now for 2-3 years when the likes of ramage, bramble and carr have been in our defence. He's still young but if he had shown the potential to be a premiership player its safe to say he'd have played more by now. he's not a PL player, you can't blame this on the influx of overseas players, because we've had shite homegrown 'talents' in our defence for the past few seasons and he still hasn't played. couldn't make the step up from youth/reserve team to full team

 

Of course, logically speaking, you're probably right but history has shown us that everyone develops at different stages and of the importance that luck or rather chance, has in shaping football and footballers' careers. Therefore I will always remain optimistic for a youngsters chance. Where Huntington is concerned, leaving NUFC reads that he's not good enough. I say, hold on, can we write him off just like that?

 

Anyway, I just find it sad that a young player who at some stage of his academy years was considered a bright young talent, hasn't made it here at Newcastle.

 

As a fan, that is worrying. Does that say that we are bringing in kids who are not that talented? Does that say he was failed by the standard of coaching? Standard of facilities? It's worrying because we know and accept that chances will be limited for youngsters, the pressures and money involved make it very hard to blood in youngsters, so things like mere luck and other things then become vitally important.

 

I think in the UK we all know what it takes to be a footballer and understand all that without a problem, but I don't think we understand the things that can hamper a talented footballer to the point of effectively obstructing that footballer's career, very well at all. We often cite talent, as you have done, as the reason why X didn't make it, but I'm not so sure myself, I think that would be oversimplifying things just as it would be and is recognized as such as saying that if you are talented, you'll make it.

 

The way I see it is if a young kid is snapped up by an academy, he must have ability, out of the normal. It is then mostly up to the academy, coaches and club to make sure that talent doesn't go to waste. Of course everyone has different levels of talent and some will be classed as great players, some will be classed as good players, but I'm with Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson when they say the vast majority of young talented kids all start at the same kind of talent level with the exception of a rare few (kids who go on to become Zidane, players like that) and it is then down to nature vs nature as to which kid's talent grows and develops the most.

 

As an academy it is the club's job to make sure each talent they get, develops and grows to the highest possible level it can, which is to become a star for Newcastle United.

 

Well with every Huntington, it fails. Obviously you have to allow for statistical certainties, but the City itself and towns around Newcastle are producing thousands of talented kids, who Wenger and Fergie would consider all the same, kids with the potential to be superstars, yet in the last decade all we've produced really is Taylor and Ameobi?

 

Not. Good. Enough.

[Alberto2005]

They played him in midfield.

[Delima]

I have 2 issues on this:

 

1. How much potential was Paul Huntington considered to have? It has always been apparent to me that Paul Huntington was one of the better youngsters we had (which doesn't say a lot given the overall standard of the academy), rather than a very good or outstanding prospect in the academy. Although I had always been aware of Paul Huntington and David Edgar, I remembered it was only after our resident Martin Jol mentioned his and Edgar's names that people start to talk about them in the forum. Even then the discussion of them was scant in the forum and I bet the very vast majority of the forumites didn't have a clue who they are up until they were played by Roeder due to the injury crisis.

 

This suggests to me that Huntington wasn't held in high very regards. Compared him with Chopra, most people were aware of Chopra when he was younger. He was hyped and bigged out. Regardless if you did believe that Chopra was actually a talented player, and regardless that if you do think that the current Chopra is a good player, Chopra Was a much bigger loss for us than Huntington. I wish Paul Huntington all the best in his future endeavour but he was never much appreciated in Newcastle. It isn't a big loss. Had he not played for us semi regularly last season due to the injury crisis, no one would have moaned his departure.

 

2. As someone pointed out, why was Huntington constantly ignored by managers while Babayaro and Carr, despite being much older, weren't any much better than him? Why is Ramage kept and Huntington? I could only assume that Ramage is kept due to his seniority, and perhaps due to the fact that none came in for him.

[Guest Knightrider]

I have 2 issues on this:

 

1. How much potential was Paul Huntington considered to have? It has always been apparent to me that Paul Huntington was one of the better youngsters we had (which doesn't say a lot given the overall standard of the academy), rather than a very good or outstanding prospect in the academy. Although I had always been aware of Paul Huntington and David Edgar, I remembered it was only after our resident Martin Jol mentioned his and Edgar's names that people start to talk about them in the forum. Even then the discussion of them was scant in the forum and I bet the very vast majority of the forumites didn't have a clue who they are up until they were played by Roeder due to the injury crisis.

 

This suggests to me that Huntington wasn't held in high very regards. Compared him with Chopra, most people were aware of Chopra when he was younger. He was hyped and bigged out. Regardless if you did believe that Chopra was actually a talented player, and regardless that if you do think that the current Chopra is a good player, Chopra Was a much bigger loss for us than Huntington. I wish Paul Huntington all the best in his future endeavour but he was never much appreciated in Newcastle. It isn't a big loss. Had he not played for us semi regularly last season due to the injury crisis, no one would have moaned his departure.

 

2. As someone pointed out, why was Huntington constantly ignored by managers while Babayaro and Carr, despite being much older, weren't any much better than him? Why is Ramage kept and Huntington? I could only assume that Ramage is kept due to his seniority, and perhaps due to the fact that none came in for him.

 

I don't think we've had one exceptional standout talent come through our doors since Gazza to be honest so I doubt the level of Huntington was too far from any of them really and therefore I doubt our coaches would look at say, Huntington and Taylor and think one was massively more talented than the other at the same age. Chopra wasn't considered a standout talent, but a standout finisher, and the club could do nowt to temper the hype or comparisons that were made with Alan Shearer. Again though I doubt anyone considered Chopra's talent way ahead of say Paul Bracewell, at the same ages.

 

I don't know for sure, but I imagine every kid who comes through our doors is roughly as talented as one another, maybe with one exception every blue moon that really does stand out. I'm told it's Lua Lua with this crop, time will tell, I've never really seen him play.

 

I also know that most academies have a specific template of what they're looking for so as to minimize getting in contradictions in talent, i.e. to make sure the talent is roughly even, after all these kids will one day form a team charged with representing the club at various levels and those teams need to be pretty even for development purposes. Play 5 very good kids with 6 poor ones and that's not going to help any of them, so you play kids of similar ability. Of course they will never turn away a player who doesn't fit the template if that player is too good, but it has been known that academies turn away very talented kids because they lack this or that not on the list. See the thread about Chelsea's academy, they will turn away slow slow kids regardless.

 

Yet many kids' pace can't be truly measured until they are adults, or teens.

 

Newcastle probably do the same (if not with pace other aspects), which may explain why Carrick ended up at West Ham for example (I don't know the full story behind that, mind).

 

What we do know is the following is cast in stone:

 

Youngsters will rarely get a chance at Newcastle, even if they possess bags of talent and this will always be the case. It isn't practical. Managers jobs are on the line, points are at stake, bums on seats are at stake. Clubs can ill afford to blood youngsters in the way that is most conducive to their development. Indeed most youngsters that do get a chance these days do so not based on ability or merit but through injuries to others and suspensions. In days gone by a youngster had all the time in the world to get to grips with the game, to make it. Now fans are more demanding and so is the game.

 

"Hey son, if you don't impress me, our £10m striker is fit in 2 weeks time"

 

Souness was castigated for saying "you won't win anything with 11 James Milner's" but can anyone here say his opinion isn't correct? Of course it is, it wouldn't be allowed for a start, not here at Newcastle or indeed any Premiership club. We expect top players and experienced players. We have a youth team for youngsters.

 

Basically it is impossible for youth, especially at a top flight club with 53,000 fans and big expectations, to make it, even if they do possess talent. Just look at Taylor, he has bags of it but no-one can safely say he will fulfill it here at Newcastle. Indeed he wouldn't even make the starting line up of most fans' XIs because today we only care about today, rightly or wrongly. Taylor needs games, needs time to iron out mistakes and improve on weaker aspects but why should we bare witness to that when we have a player who doesn't need time, who is better today than Taylor is, available (Cacapa or Rozzy). And that's how fans think. Managers more so because their job is always on the line. Higher up, Chairman and owners want CL footy, to see the money coming in.

 

It's absurd. The side that last won us the Championship was made up of mainly youngsters who came through and cheap young talent from the likes of Scotland that was allowed to develop and grow. Couldn't happen today. Man Utd got away with it a few years back, but they were an exception. Just look at how hard Wenger is finding it. His policy, a brave one, has almost certainly cost him trophies and fans on the stands who now question him. Had he not won so many things earlier on, he'd have been sacked by now.

 

Poor Shola, while we all vilify him, he's had the club's and one of the country's greatest ever centre-forwards ahead of him and enough money in the coffers for all the managers he's played under to go out and splash £17m or £10m on strikers. And fans demand that, the game does. You won't win anything with a team of Milner's, remember...

 

There are not many options therfore available to youngsters if they aren't being afforded the chances. We say "produce better footballers then", will that work? Is that the answer? Perhaps we can't, perhaps even if we do, they still won't get the chances at the level they need to be to become top players. How many players turned away have went on to become top top players? The list is becoming smaller and smaller. Bentley went from Arsenal and has done well since, but he's no Shearer. Indeed, that's the mximum average talent we can produce. However, had he been allowed to make it at Arsenal, he'd have played with and learned from the likes of Henry and Wenger, played in huge matches and experienced the kind of things one has to experience to become a top player.

 

So again, saying lets produce better talent then may not be the fix or even an answer.

 

It's a vicious circle and I can't see any way around these issues that will first and foremost benefit the individual and secondly, the club and of course the game itself.