Post by QPR Report on Apr 22, 2010 7:53:19 GMT
He did at Crystal Palace, and supposedly it was very good
-
The Mick Jones Blog
Posted on: Thu 04 Feb 2010
I think there is only one topic that I can start this week's blog with - Victor Moses.
His goal against Plymouth is yet more evidence that he is one of the most special talents around, and while it helped us to all three points it has also proved to be a bit of a double edged sword because it has fuelled the speculation surrounding his departure even further.
There was some thought that he could have left this week but, and unless something happens between me writing this blog and it going live, we are looking at having Victor for our trip to Wolves.
As I said last week, the vultures are on the roof now in terms of our financial situation and I think a few Premier League clubs have now come into the frame a little bit. But while they may be circling it does not mean that we are an easy target, and anyone that decides to try and take advantage is picking on the wrong person in Simon.
Article continues
Advertisement
I know that he will not sell his soul for anybody and Victor most definitely falls into that category. I think people will be looking at our financial plight and be thinking that he is a nick-able player, but he will not go unless the market value is met.
I have spoken to a number of clubs over the past two weeks and the stock answer I have given them is that if they invest in Victor now, and meet the value that we have put on him, then they will have a £20 million player in three years. So their immediate investment will be big but his potential is huge, and they must be aware that we will not accept being insulted by below par offers.
Victor is an example of what Crystal Palace is all about. I went to watch the kids play Leyton Orient in an indoor game at Tottenham's training ground and there are four players there who look promising. Two of them I am certain will play in our first team and the other two are strong possibilities, and that is what this club is all about.
I have also been aware of stories circulating that we are looking to sell him and then loan him back. There is some weight to that rumour. The Chairman has spoken to a club about that very possibility and they have been quite relaxed about it, but I think the initial fee has been a problem in the deal from what I last heard.
Simon is in a determined mood and we are not going to have another Bostock on our hands. Victor is on a long term contract anyway so that in itself is not like Bostock where they can just take him because they can, which is what upset Simon more than anything. It was not about the fee we got, but the fact that they could take him because the rules and regulations allowed them to.
So we have made sure that we secured all of the young players at the club on contracts. Players like Hills, Clyney and Scannell, as well as some of the boys who are underneath who I think are going to be outstanding - they have all be tied up quickly to protect them and us.
In that respect the club is in a fantastic condition, which for someone looking to buy the club would be a huge selling point because it is not only the first team that they are investing in, it is also about what's underneath.
For me the infrastructure at this club is possibly the best in the country, especially when you consider that we have not paid one penny of one kid unlike the top clubs who are paying for all of their youngsters.
We don't do that and yet everybody on the road who I talk to are talking about our kids. They don't know how we do it. Sometimes I even wonder, but there is an awful amount of work that goes on in recruiting these kids and the people who have worked over the years should take a lot of credit for what has happened.
In fact I would like to use this part of the blog to let you in on the work that does go on to give you a feel of the process involved in getting these players.
In my first month at Palace I sat down with Bernie (Head of Academy Recruitment) and Fred Dillon (U15's Coach/Scout) - a father/son duo - and they filled me in on the level of coverage that we have, and I was amazed at the structure already in place.
We have probably the best system I have known in football because we cover so many areas and have so many recruitment officers and scouts we can trust, which has, over the years, optimized our chances of finding the very best talent.
Bernie in particular has a very keen eye for a player, and when he comes to see me he always has a list of players for us to consider. He also keeps me informed on how we are competing with the other big clubs in the area, and I am always pleased to hear that we do very well because of our reputation of giving youth talent a chance.
Since we have been here we have given 14 players their debuts, which is testament not only to Neil's strength in belief in the kids but also to the kids being put there in the first place.
When the new kids arrive at the club they report to Gary Issott and he works with them for two to three years consistently, and then me and Gary have regular meetings to talk about their progress.
We usually sit down three to four times a week because it is important for me to know everything that is going on with the youngsters so that I can say to Neil and Keith which kids can be brought into our first team training.
And it is amazing to see the amount of times that a kid comes to our training and step up to the plate. Putting them into these sort of situations you get to see the best and worst of them and most of the time we are not disappointed.
That is all down to the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes here who don't receive the press and public recognition that players and management get, but without them we would not have the level of player coming through that we are seeing at the moment.
Just returning to what is going on at the training ground at the moment and another player who is looking like moving on very soon is Nick Carle, with his loan deal in China looking imminent.
In my last blog I wrote how a thinning squad is our worst nightmare, and while losing Nick will mean another player leaving it is a case that there has been a good offer made and we have been obliged to listen.
It is not a case of whether we want him to go or not, it is about the finance and how the deal was set up. So Nick will go out there, take a look at the club and the area to see if he could settle there before finalising any sort of deal.
The thing with China is that if you end up at the right place it is fantastic, if you end up at the wrong place then it can be a disaster. But Nick is very concerned about getting into the World Cup squad this summer and the only way he is going to do that is to play first team football, which he will get out in China.
And I think playing there will be good for his chances. Out there football is massive, probably bigger than it is here. For instance there is a player called Hao Haidong who, in China, is bigger than David Beckham is in England, Spain or Italy.
It is just because that it doesn't spread over to England that we are completely unaware of how big it really is. So for a player like Nick, if it is the right club in the right environment with regular football it will give him a very good platform for his bid to get into the World Cup squad.
Some of you reading this may be disappointed that Nick is moving on and are wondering why he never managed to make it here; and the best answer I can give you is balance.
Before we lost Ben I thought we had the best midfield in the league and we brought Nick in to replace him. The balance then wasn't bad but it wasn't as good when Ben was here because we had three players - Tom Soares, Shaun Derry and Ben - who slotted together nicely. They were just a great compliment of three talents in midfield.
Now Nick has tried his hardest to try and make it work here, there is no doubt about that, but with the emergence of Alassane, who I think is going to be a terrific player, Johnny Ertl who has been fantastic since he has been in the team and if there is one guy who is determined to not let go of his shirt it is Johnny; and of course Neil Danns and Darren Ambrose have both been revelations this season.
And then there is Derry who we feel is a great leader and a tremendous professional, so Nick has always had a lot in front of him.
As for Shaun the reports that came out last week that he had rejected a new contract were not accurate. Clint and Shaun haven't rejected new contracts. Instead we have discussed new contracts with them and that will continue. I know the Chairman is keen to get them sorted out, but the bottom line is any player at the moment is vulnerable, we know that.
I wouldn't insult you by glossing over the fact that any player we get an offer for has to be considered. If I was at any club in the Championship I would be after Shaun and Clint.
People talk about their age but they could put two or three seasons on their careers by virtue of their attitude towards work, training and nutrition. Take Shaun for instance, he is in magnificent condition, as is Clint, and that is why they have lasted for so long in this game.
If you look at Neil Warnock's signings the first thing he does, before putting the cherry on the cake is to get sound, solid players that he knows he can build on. Those sort of players will have a big influence on the youngsters and talent around the club - the people like Victor, Sean, Nathaniel and Lee; these lads are the cherry, but without the foundations like Shaun and Clint you won't have a complete cake.
So you have to have the foundations in place first and these lads are the foundations of the club. But if someone came a long and offered money for either one or both of them we would be vulnerable to losing them.
It is no good skirting around the fanciful idea of us not being in trouble because we are, and under the circumstances everyone is doing their best to keep everything right at the club and I don't think recent results can suggest otherwise. Everyone here is doing their best, there is not doubt about that.
And testament to that was our result last weekend against Plymouth. I know that ahead of the game Paul Marriner was looking forward to the match because they were going into it on the back of a 4-1 victory against Reading and a 0-0 draw against Newcastle, both at home.
Personally I never saw us getting beat at Plymouth on that particular day. We had a game plan set out and we stuck to it perfectly, and when Victor scored that magnificent goal it was a great platform for us to go on and win the game.
It was a great three points which have put us in a cracking position just outside the top six, and we have got there without any fuss, quietly going about our job and now I think people are starting to sit up and notice us.
Lester Piggott once said that you should always get yourself in a position where you are challenging in the last two furlongs. Not many horses can go to the front and stay at the front. We are now coming up on the rails, and it is no surprise to be where we are because that is how things work here.
Just to give you an example to explain fully what I mean, on Friday we were in the hotel and it was swarming with Plymouth Argyle playing staff and we didn't want to be around all that. So when Neil went to bed all of the staff went across the road for a beer.
And we were sat there exchanging stories, laughing and joking, the patter was fantastic around the room, and I was looking around and thought this is one of the reasons were are successful. There is not one person in that room that didn't belong there.
A group of our fans then came in and I think they were quite amazed to see the first team staff all together having a few pints and probably being a little bit louder than we should have been.
But across the room I could see them thinking: "look at the atmosphere over there". That is what it is all about - that atmosphere creates the same atmosphere in the dressing room.
Then, on the way back we stopped at the services on the M4 and there were a load of fans inside. As the boys mingled and posed for photos I was watching it all and there was not one player did not want to interact with the fans.
I could see Alassane with his arms around his supporters, Darren Ambrose with his, everyone was great with the fans and I thought it made for a fantastic atmosphere at the place.
And that moment, where our lads were at a service station somewhere on the M4 with their supporters, just showed how close everyone is at this club, which filled me with an immense feeling of pride.
We had one question sent in this week from Tony Francis, who wanted to know:
Dear Mick,
First of all, considering the situation, a huge word of thanks to you and all the staff. Speaking on behalf of myself and a lot of people on the fan websites, I have nothing but praise for the way we are performing at the moment, and nothing epitamised that more than the 1-0 win at Plymouth, with 11 men wearing their hearts on their sleeves!
However I also have to ask why we have not filled the bench for the Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday games?
Surely we have some youngsters who would jump at the chance? Also, with you as a close friend of Neil Warnock's, why has he always gone without a substitute goalkeeper in his matchday squad?
Considering we have the option of 7 substitutes now, surely we can't keep calling on Clint Hill to put on the gloves again?!
Keep up the good work, and with any luck, we won't have lost Victor the next time you write a blog!
Tony
An interesting question Tony.
I have been with Neil so long now that the answer is simple. First, on the substitute goalie situation Neil has always thought it is a waste of a player and would rather have more options on the bench.
Of course there is always the risk of an injury to Julian, so when we practice we put Clint and Dannsy in goal for spells - just in case.
However, you will note that in the early days of seven subs, Flahavan was on the bench. But then he needed to go out on loan for his own sanity as he was travelling with us and, for the main part, was just warming Speroni up.
So it was agreed that he would go on loan to Oldham for match practice and sharpness. Unfortunately he broke his jaw and is now out of action. The clause of a 24-hour call back was in place to make sure that we were never caught out if Julian was unfit to start.
Interstingly enough David Penney called me yesterday and he wants Flavs back on loan asap, but it is important that he has a couple of games under his belt and wear a protective mask before he is allowed to go there again.
As for the reason why we didn't take a full compliment to Plymouth and Sheff Wed, it was just down to the numbers available to us. As you rightfully say about the kids and getting them involved for experience, we do look at that but at the time Gary Issott, our Youth team coach, needed his best kids in preparation for the FA Youth Cup.
Their match practice as been severely disrupted due to the heavy snow, so we decided to leave these lads with Gary and take what we felt would be enough to beat Plymouth and cover all positions on the field. Ryan Smith was due to travel but his Mum took ill on the day and it was too late to get a replacement
But we did take a schoolboy Alex Wynter, who got a few minutes on the pitch at Hilllsborough, and I was amazed more wasn't made of that. Alex is another one of the chain of great kids coming through at Palace
Going back briefly to the substitute goalie situation, our goalkeeping coach Jim Stannard has been instructed to get us a list of goalies just in case Jules gets injured - heaven forbid!!!! - and if Flavs is not ready . That in itself is some task because how do we replace Speroni?
But never expect Neil to do what may appear the obvious; that's why he is so different and so successful.
I will definately pass on your comments and thanks to the staff. We are a very tight unit here and we all get on great and that is reflected in the effort of the team.
Thanks pal for the question and thanks for the great support.
Mick
All of the content published on the official Crystal Palace website is copyright Crystal Palace Football Club 2000 Ltd and any reproduction of its content is strictly prohibited.
Mick's blog will continue throughout the season right here on cpfc.co.uk. To read his earlier entries click here.
Or, you can use our quick catch up links that will take you straight to each of his blogs:
The Mick Jones Blog 22
Mick reflects on the Jose transfer, the terrible weather conditions and the return of Kieran Djilali.
The Mick Jones Blog 21
In his first blog of 2010 Mick looks back at the Sheffield Wednesday game and discusses Freddie Sears, Simon Thomas and Calvin Andrew...
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Mick looks back at the Barnsley game, the state of refereeing in this country and clearing snow off the training ground.
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The Mick Jones Blog 14
Mick reflects on the Boro victory and discusses what went on in training during the international break.
The Mick Jones Blog 13
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The Mick Jones Blog 12
Mick reacts to the Leicester & Forest games as well as discussing Calvin Andrew, Stern John and Lee Hills.
The Mick Jones Blog 11
Mick talks about John Salako, Mark Bright and answers the questions sent in.
The Mick Jones Blog 10
Mick talks about Blackpool, Nick Carle and Cardiff City.
The Mick Jones Blog 9
Mick looks back at the West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday games.
The Mick Jones Blog 8
Mick talks about the Derby win, Julian's yellow card, Johnny Ertl and West Brom.
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The Mick Jones Blog 4
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The Mick Jones Blog 3
Palace's No.2 reacts to 'that goal' as well as looking forward to Ipswich and Newcastle.
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Palace's No.2 reacts to Saturday's 1-1 draw.
The Mick Jones Blog 1
Palace's No.2 talks pre-season, USA tour and the season ahead in his exclusive new blog...
www.cpfc.co.uk/page/MickJonesBlogDetail/0,,10323~1939440,00.html
-
The Mick Jones Blog
Posted on: Thu 04 Feb 2010
I think there is only one topic that I can start this week's blog with - Victor Moses.
His goal against Plymouth is yet more evidence that he is one of the most special talents around, and while it helped us to all three points it has also proved to be a bit of a double edged sword because it has fuelled the speculation surrounding his departure even further.
There was some thought that he could have left this week but, and unless something happens between me writing this blog and it going live, we are looking at having Victor for our trip to Wolves.
As I said last week, the vultures are on the roof now in terms of our financial situation and I think a few Premier League clubs have now come into the frame a little bit. But while they may be circling it does not mean that we are an easy target, and anyone that decides to try and take advantage is picking on the wrong person in Simon.
Article continues
Advertisement
I know that he will not sell his soul for anybody and Victor most definitely falls into that category. I think people will be looking at our financial plight and be thinking that he is a nick-able player, but he will not go unless the market value is met.
I have spoken to a number of clubs over the past two weeks and the stock answer I have given them is that if they invest in Victor now, and meet the value that we have put on him, then they will have a £20 million player in three years. So their immediate investment will be big but his potential is huge, and they must be aware that we will not accept being insulted by below par offers.
Victor is an example of what Crystal Palace is all about. I went to watch the kids play Leyton Orient in an indoor game at Tottenham's training ground and there are four players there who look promising. Two of them I am certain will play in our first team and the other two are strong possibilities, and that is what this club is all about.
I have also been aware of stories circulating that we are looking to sell him and then loan him back. There is some weight to that rumour. The Chairman has spoken to a club about that very possibility and they have been quite relaxed about it, but I think the initial fee has been a problem in the deal from what I last heard.
Simon is in a determined mood and we are not going to have another Bostock on our hands. Victor is on a long term contract anyway so that in itself is not like Bostock where they can just take him because they can, which is what upset Simon more than anything. It was not about the fee we got, but the fact that they could take him because the rules and regulations allowed them to.
So we have made sure that we secured all of the young players at the club on contracts. Players like Hills, Clyney and Scannell, as well as some of the boys who are underneath who I think are going to be outstanding - they have all be tied up quickly to protect them and us.
In that respect the club is in a fantastic condition, which for someone looking to buy the club would be a huge selling point because it is not only the first team that they are investing in, it is also about what's underneath.
For me the infrastructure at this club is possibly the best in the country, especially when you consider that we have not paid one penny of one kid unlike the top clubs who are paying for all of their youngsters.
We don't do that and yet everybody on the road who I talk to are talking about our kids. They don't know how we do it. Sometimes I even wonder, but there is an awful amount of work that goes on in recruiting these kids and the people who have worked over the years should take a lot of credit for what has happened.
In fact I would like to use this part of the blog to let you in on the work that does go on to give you a feel of the process involved in getting these players.
In my first month at Palace I sat down with Bernie (Head of Academy Recruitment) and Fred Dillon (U15's Coach/Scout) - a father/son duo - and they filled me in on the level of coverage that we have, and I was amazed at the structure already in place.
We have probably the best system I have known in football because we cover so many areas and have so many recruitment officers and scouts we can trust, which has, over the years, optimized our chances of finding the very best talent.
Bernie in particular has a very keen eye for a player, and when he comes to see me he always has a list of players for us to consider. He also keeps me informed on how we are competing with the other big clubs in the area, and I am always pleased to hear that we do very well because of our reputation of giving youth talent a chance.
Since we have been here we have given 14 players their debuts, which is testament not only to Neil's strength in belief in the kids but also to the kids being put there in the first place.
When the new kids arrive at the club they report to Gary Issott and he works with them for two to three years consistently, and then me and Gary have regular meetings to talk about their progress.
We usually sit down three to four times a week because it is important for me to know everything that is going on with the youngsters so that I can say to Neil and Keith which kids can be brought into our first team training.
And it is amazing to see the amount of times that a kid comes to our training and step up to the plate. Putting them into these sort of situations you get to see the best and worst of them and most of the time we are not disappointed.
That is all down to the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes here who don't receive the press and public recognition that players and management get, but without them we would not have the level of player coming through that we are seeing at the moment.
Just returning to what is going on at the training ground at the moment and another player who is looking like moving on very soon is Nick Carle, with his loan deal in China looking imminent.
In my last blog I wrote how a thinning squad is our worst nightmare, and while losing Nick will mean another player leaving it is a case that there has been a good offer made and we have been obliged to listen.
It is not a case of whether we want him to go or not, it is about the finance and how the deal was set up. So Nick will go out there, take a look at the club and the area to see if he could settle there before finalising any sort of deal.
The thing with China is that if you end up at the right place it is fantastic, if you end up at the wrong place then it can be a disaster. But Nick is very concerned about getting into the World Cup squad this summer and the only way he is going to do that is to play first team football, which he will get out in China.
And I think playing there will be good for his chances. Out there football is massive, probably bigger than it is here. For instance there is a player called Hao Haidong who, in China, is bigger than David Beckham is in England, Spain or Italy.
It is just because that it doesn't spread over to England that we are completely unaware of how big it really is. So for a player like Nick, if it is the right club in the right environment with regular football it will give him a very good platform for his bid to get into the World Cup squad.
Some of you reading this may be disappointed that Nick is moving on and are wondering why he never managed to make it here; and the best answer I can give you is balance.
Before we lost Ben I thought we had the best midfield in the league and we brought Nick in to replace him. The balance then wasn't bad but it wasn't as good when Ben was here because we had three players - Tom Soares, Shaun Derry and Ben - who slotted together nicely. They were just a great compliment of three talents in midfield.
Now Nick has tried his hardest to try and make it work here, there is no doubt about that, but with the emergence of Alassane, who I think is going to be a terrific player, Johnny Ertl who has been fantastic since he has been in the team and if there is one guy who is determined to not let go of his shirt it is Johnny; and of course Neil Danns and Darren Ambrose have both been revelations this season.
And then there is Derry who we feel is a great leader and a tremendous professional, so Nick has always had a lot in front of him.
As for Shaun the reports that came out last week that he had rejected a new contract were not accurate. Clint and Shaun haven't rejected new contracts. Instead we have discussed new contracts with them and that will continue. I know the Chairman is keen to get them sorted out, but the bottom line is any player at the moment is vulnerable, we know that.
I wouldn't insult you by glossing over the fact that any player we get an offer for has to be considered. If I was at any club in the Championship I would be after Shaun and Clint.
People talk about their age but they could put two or three seasons on their careers by virtue of their attitude towards work, training and nutrition. Take Shaun for instance, he is in magnificent condition, as is Clint, and that is why they have lasted for so long in this game.
If you look at Neil Warnock's signings the first thing he does, before putting the cherry on the cake is to get sound, solid players that he knows he can build on. Those sort of players will have a big influence on the youngsters and talent around the club - the people like Victor, Sean, Nathaniel and Lee; these lads are the cherry, but without the foundations like Shaun and Clint you won't have a complete cake.
So you have to have the foundations in place first and these lads are the foundations of the club. But if someone came a long and offered money for either one or both of them we would be vulnerable to losing them.
It is no good skirting around the fanciful idea of us not being in trouble because we are, and under the circumstances everyone is doing their best to keep everything right at the club and I don't think recent results can suggest otherwise. Everyone here is doing their best, there is not doubt about that.
And testament to that was our result last weekend against Plymouth. I know that ahead of the game Paul Marriner was looking forward to the match because they were going into it on the back of a 4-1 victory against Reading and a 0-0 draw against Newcastle, both at home.
Personally I never saw us getting beat at Plymouth on that particular day. We had a game plan set out and we stuck to it perfectly, and when Victor scored that magnificent goal it was a great platform for us to go on and win the game.
It was a great three points which have put us in a cracking position just outside the top six, and we have got there without any fuss, quietly going about our job and now I think people are starting to sit up and notice us.
Lester Piggott once said that you should always get yourself in a position where you are challenging in the last two furlongs. Not many horses can go to the front and stay at the front. We are now coming up on the rails, and it is no surprise to be where we are because that is how things work here.
Just to give you an example to explain fully what I mean, on Friday we were in the hotel and it was swarming with Plymouth Argyle playing staff and we didn't want to be around all that. So when Neil went to bed all of the staff went across the road for a beer.
And we were sat there exchanging stories, laughing and joking, the patter was fantastic around the room, and I was looking around and thought this is one of the reasons were are successful. There is not one person in that room that didn't belong there.
A group of our fans then came in and I think they were quite amazed to see the first team staff all together having a few pints and probably being a little bit louder than we should have been.
But across the room I could see them thinking: "look at the atmosphere over there". That is what it is all about - that atmosphere creates the same atmosphere in the dressing room.
Then, on the way back we stopped at the services on the M4 and there were a load of fans inside. As the boys mingled and posed for photos I was watching it all and there was not one player did not want to interact with the fans.
I could see Alassane with his arms around his supporters, Darren Ambrose with his, everyone was great with the fans and I thought it made for a fantastic atmosphere at the place.
And that moment, where our lads were at a service station somewhere on the M4 with their supporters, just showed how close everyone is at this club, which filled me with an immense feeling of pride.
We had one question sent in this week from Tony Francis, who wanted to know:
Dear Mick,
First of all, considering the situation, a huge word of thanks to you and all the staff. Speaking on behalf of myself and a lot of people on the fan websites, I have nothing but praise for the way we are performing at the moment, and nothing epitamised that more than the 1-0 win at Plymouth, with 11 men wearing their hearts on their sleeves!
However I also have to ask why we have not filled the bench for the Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday games?
Surely we have some youngsters who would jump at the chance? Also, with you as a close friend of Neil Warnock's, why has he always gone without a substitute goalkeeper in his matchday squad?
Considering we have the option of 7 substitutes now, surely we can't keep calling on Clint Hill to put on the gloves again?!
Keep up the good work, and with any luck, we won't have lost Victor the next time you write a blog!
Tony
An interesting question Tony.
I have been with Neil so long now that the answer is simple. First, on the substitute goalie situation Neil has always thought it is a waste of a player and would rather have more options on the bench.
Of course there is always the risk of an injury to Julian, so when we practice we put Clint and Dannsy in goal for spells - just in case.
However, you will note that in the early days of seven subs, Flahavan was on the bench. But then he needed to go out on loan for his own sanity as he was travelling with us and, for the main part, was just warming Speroni up.
So it was agreed that he would go on loan to Oldham for match practice and sharpness. Unfortunately he broke his jaw and is now out of action. The clause of a 24-hour call back was in place to make sure that we were never caught out if Julian was unfit to start.
Interstingly enough David Penney called me yesterday and he wants Flavs back on loan asap, but it is important that he has a couple of games under his belt and wear a protective mask before he is allowed to go there again.
As for the reason why we didn't take a full compliment to Plymouth and Sheff Wed, it was just down to the numbers available to us. As you rightfully say about the kids and getting them involved for experience, we do look at that but at the time Gary Issott, our Youth team coach, needed his best kids in preparation for the FA Youth Cup.
Their match practice as been severely disrupted due to the heavy snow, so we decided to leave these lads with Gary and take what we felt would be enough to beat Plymouth and cover all positions on the field. Ryan Smith was due to travel but his Mum took ill on the day and it was too late to get a replacement
But we did take a schoolboy Alex Wynter, who got a few minutes on the pitch at Hilllsborough, and I was amazed more wasn't made of that. Alex is another one of the chain of great kids coming through at Palace
Going back briefly to the substitute goalie situation, our goalkeeping coach Jim Stannard has been instructed to get us a list of goalies just in case Jules gets injured - heaven forbid!!!! - and if Flavs is not ready . That in itself is some task because how do we replace Speroni?
But never expect Neil to do what may appear the obvious; that's why he is so different and so successful.
I will definately pass on your comments and thanks to the staff. We are a very tight unit here and we all get on great and that is reflected in the effort of the team.
Thanks pal for the question and thanks for the great support.
Mick
All of the content published on the official Crystal Palace website is copyright Crystal Palace Football Club 2000 Ltd and any reproduction of its content is strictly prohibited.
Mick's blog will continue throughout the season right here on cpfc.co.uk. To read his earlier entries click here.
Or, you can use our quick catch up links that will take you straight to each of his blogs:
The Mick Jones Blog 22
Mick reflects on the Jose transfer, the terrible weather conditions and the return of Kieran Djilali.
The Mick Jones Blog 21
In his first blog of 2010 Mick looks back at the Sheffield Wednesday game and discusses Freddie Sears, Simon Thomas and Calvin Andrew...
The Mick Jones Blog 20
Mick looks back at the Barnsley game, the state of refereeing in this country and clearing snow off the training ground.
The Mick Jones Blog 19
Mick answers the one question sent in, as well as reflecting on the weekend's defeat.
The Mick Jones Blog 18
Mick reflects on Doncaster, Reading as well as answering fans' questions.
The Mick Jones Blog 17
Mick discusses the Stern John loan, James Comley and the Surrey Senior Cup...
The Mick Jones Blog 16
Mick discusses the behind closed doors friendly, Jack Randall and Alex Wynter.
The Mick Jones Blog 15
Mick reveals what was going on at the training ground plus his thoughts on Matt Wright and Kieran Djilali.
The Mick Jones Blog 14
Mick reflects on the Boro victory and discusses what went on in training during the international break.
The Mick Jones Blog 13
Mick reflects on the Preston and QPR games as well as discussing Lee Hills and Danny Butterfield.
The Mick Jones Blog 12
Mick reacts to the Leicester & Forest games as well as discussing Calvin Andrew, Stern John and Lee Hills.
The Mick Jones Blog 11
Mick talks about John Salako, Mark Bright and answers the questions sent in.
The Mick Jones Blog 10
Mick talks about Blackpool, Nick Carle and Cardiff City.
The Mick Jones Blog 9
Mick looks back at the West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday games.
The Mick Jones Blog 8
Mick talks about the Derby win, Julian's yellow card, Johnny Ertl and West Brom.
The Mick Jones Blog 7
Mick shares his thoughts on the Sc**thopre defeat.
The Mick Jones Blog 6
Mick talks about the international break, the transfer window and about James Comley...
The Mick Jones Blog 5
Mick reflects on the Man City and Peterborough games as well as answering your questions...
The Mick Jones Blog 4
Mick offers his opinions on Newcastle, Ryan Smith and Nick Carle.
The Mick Jones Blog 3
Palace's No.2 reacts to 'that goal' as well as looking forward to Ipswich and Newcastle.
The Mick Jones Blog 2
Palace's No.2 reacts to Saturday's 1-1 draw.
The Mick Jones Blog 1
Palace's No.2 talks pre-season, USA tour and the season ahead in his exclusive new blog...
www.cpfc.co.uk/page/MickJonesBlogDetail/0,,10323~1939440,00.html