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Post by harr on Jan 20, 2015 15:12:19 GMT
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Post by harr on Jan 20, 2015 19:14:50 GMT
Today's trialist ........
Ronnie Cully Senior Sports Writer Thursday 12 July 2012 ANDRE BLACKMAN wants to buy a ticket to the Champions League with Celtic, less than year after he was so far out of football, he couldn't afford to pay to get back in. The Englishman's talent had given him opportunities at Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and West Ham United, but his temperament had caused the door to close every time. A tip off to Neil Lennon at the end of last year ended with the 21-year-old defender arriving at Celtic Park. Now Blackman believes that, after a chaotic start to his career, he has found a place to settle and finally prove that those who dismissed him as more trouble than he was worth seriously undervalued him.
As he took some time off from the heavy pre-season schedule here in Bad Gogging, 90 minutes from Munich, a relaxed Blackman explained: "I've felt more at home here than I have anywhere else. I moved from club to club when I was younger. I wasn't settled, I didn't have my head right. I played for Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea and West Ham with guys like Jeremie Aliadiere, Justin Hoyte, Kanu, Robin van Persie and Freddie Ljungberg. We'd join in with the first team for a while, just to get a taste of it.
"I had a bad stigma that followed me around, though. I just wanted someone to take a chance so I could show I wasn't who they thought I was."
Blackman acknowledges his bad-boy reputation was a major obstacle in establishing himself at any club, at any level. For a youngster who had started at the top, the rapid descent was hard to accept, not least because he did not believe he was the man most people perceived him to be.
"People think I'm a guy with a temper, a short fuse," he said. "Once you've got that label, it's hard to shift it. The slightest thing could happen in training and people would say, 'There he goes again'. Some people judged me in a different way. I'm passionate about football. It's not a temper. At times someone could tell you something as a senior pro. If you're younger, you're not supposed to answer them back. I had my views and wanted to express them. Maybe I didn't put my points across in an orderly fashion. Everyone has their opinions. You can't change that, if that's how they see you."
Only after Lennon was alerted to his predicament and potential did Blackman's career curve revert to a positive direction. However, immediately prior to that call, he was as low as any professional could go.
"I was out the game for a year-and-a-half before that," he explained. "I spent my time at a soccer school, the Jamie Lawrence Football Academy, which you pay a fee for on a daily basis. You work like you're at a club, but, at one stage, I couldn't even pay because I didn't have any money. I got in touch with an agent and he said he would pay it for me. It was a big reality check for me. In fairness, it was what I needed to open my eyes. There were times it was really hard, but I had to show a bit of mental strength to get through it."
From adversity â and poverty â a new player has emerged. "I'm happier now because the whole thing has made me wiser," reflected Blackman. "I was playing football with my friends at a local five-a-sides in London. That was it. There were no offers the whole time. Whenever someone heard the name Andre Blackman they said, 'Nah, I don't fancy him'.
"I never thought about quitting. I always thought I'd be able to make it. Then a friend of the manager recommended me and asked if I could come up for a trial. I definitely appreciate this chance after everything I've been through. I was kicked out of football early on in my career. I wasn't nervous, I was just anxious about the trial because of everything that had happened."
Lennon recognises that, in Blackman, he has a young player who has already overcome much more than would be required to break anyone whose resolve was not cast in iron.
"I'm thankful Celtic have given me the chance to express myself," said Blackman, who started against Ausgburg in the opening game of the tour on Tuesday. "I know I have to grab it with both hands. This is an important season for me. Everyone wants to play; it's down to the manager.
"There's a good set of backroom staff and a good manager willing to help me. If I'm going wrong, they can pull me aside and tell me what needs fixed. I've never had that at other clubs. I needed somewhere to go to show I had changed and the views people had of me were wrong."
More recently .. Summer 2014 Leeds United are expected to sign former Celtic and Arsenal left-back Andre Blackman when the transfer window officially opens. The 23-year-old left-back, formerly of Arsenal and Celtic, has struggled to hold down a club properly since his release from Arsenal at eight years ago, aged 15.
He moved between Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth and Chelsea's academy before signing his first professional deal at Bristol City in 2009. However, he failed to make a single league appearance for the Robins, although he did appear vs Brentford in the League Cup.
He then moved to Wimbledon after declaring that he wanted to ''sort his life out,'' but was once again made surplus to requirements following just a handful of appearances. Nevertheless, the young defender earned a trial at Celtic in 2011 which subsequently turned into a permanent contract at the Glaswegian club. However, despite playing a part in their first SPL title win in four years, he once again found himself without a club at the end of the season.
SEE ALSO: Five starlets tipped to breakthrough in the Championship next season
After a year on the sidelines, he moved to Plymouth where, once again, he was restricted to a handful of appearances. He later moved on to spend the rest of 2014 playing in spells for both Dover Athletic and Maidenhead United.
The signing, on paper, looks like an incredible gamble for Cellino to take but, as proven with the Hockaday appointment, the Italian isn't against taking risks. Although, the 23-year-old's CV does suggests that it could be a step too far.
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Post by timewaster on Jan 21, 2015 3:45:04 GMT
I remember going to a game in the eighties and hearing that our youngsters had got double figures against Spurs. Think it was 11-0 to QPR. How times change. Does anybody remember anything about this? I know its a long shot.
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Post by sharky on Jan 21, 2015 15:44:05 GMT
From the Offie FRANKIE SUTHERLAND: IT'S NICE TO BE BACK PUBLISHED 12:00 21st January 2015 by @qprfc QPR Under-21s midfielder Frankie Sutherland enjoying Academy's ânew philosophyâ after returning from AFC Wimbledon ... FRANKIE Sutherland shared his pride at being back in a QPR shirt after returning for the Under-21s in Tuesdayâs 2-0 defeat to Cardiff City. Sutherlandâs comeback â making his first appearance since a successful loan spell at AFC Wimbledon â culminated in a much-improved display from Steve Gallenâs side, and the youngster admits the result âisnât the be-all and end-allâ anymore following the recent arrival of Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey into the Academy. âIt was nice to have the QPR shirt back on,â the 21 year-old told www.qpr.co.uk. âObviously itâs disappointing to lose but thereâs a different philosophy now with Chris and Les coming in. âItâs about our development, learning, and Iâve definitely noticed a change since Iâve come back. âItâs enjoyable to play in.â Talking of those changes Ferdinand and Ramsey have influenced, he added: âThereâs more of a trust when passing to each other now. The result isnât the be-all and end-all. âI think itâs going to help all of us really if we want to become top players in the Premier League. âWe need to develop our technical skills and, under Chris and Les, I think weâre going to be able to do that.â Sutherland returns to W12 following the end of his recent stint in League Two, enjoying two months at AFC Wimbledon to help erase memories of previous injury-hit loan spells. The Râs midfielder scored once in 11 outings for the Dons, signing off in the FA Cup against Liverpool â helping the Dons reach the Third Round for the first time in the clubâs history. âI really enjoyed my time at Wimbledon,â he said. âIâve had two disappointing loan spells where theyâve had to be cut short through injury, so it was nice to get some games under my belt. âWe picked up some good results and had a nice run in the FA Cup. I really enjoyed it and wish them all the best.â Now back on home soil, the midfielder is aiming to make 2015 even more memorable. âKnowing now that I can play Saturday and Tuesday, and having done so, I do really want to push on,â he said. âWhen you go down to the lower leagues you realise how lucky you are to be at a club like QPR, with good facilities and fantastic staff looking after you. âI really want to push on this year and make it a good one.â Read more at www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/frankie-sutherland-qpr-under-21s-cardiff-city-afc-wimbledon-2216970.aspx#8lWgKxPAdHCDdlFe.99
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Post by kenthoop on Jan 21, 2015 17:49:19 GMT
Frankie should be in our first team as should Michael Petrasso , ,cant see either of them getting much playing time under Arry though
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Post by corndog on Jan 21, 2015 18:04:46 GMT
Frankie should be in our first team as should Michael Petrasso , ,cant see either of them getting much playing time under Arry though Definitely agree, will have to wait until the Championship and hopefully they have a manager that plays younger players. Thought Frankie was going to get into the side last year, but he got injured and even without the injury I doubt Harry would have started him. Just needs to go back on loan and keep playing.
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Post by sharky on Jan 21, 2015 23:10:31 GMT
Frankie scored once in 11 appearances for a League 2 team and you want him in our first team. I wouldn't!
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Post by harr on Jan 22, 2015 10:50:11 GMT
Never agreed with sending Pertrasso out to a League 1 Club, thought he was better than that, Championship surely . If we were to go down(hope not ) sure Petrasso will get some games next season.
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Post by harr on Jan 22, 2015 11:07:41 GMT
Add - Blackpool supporters are finding it hilarious that one of their players Andre Blackman is having trials with us, as they sit bottom of the Championship and he can't get into their team even. A player that seems to have caused trouble wherever he has gone and booted out every Club and we give trial too, who selects these players?
Now Osvaldo links, who is next Balotelli ......
A couple of comments I found on Plymouths messageboard about him
(There's no potential in Blackman whatsoever probably the worst full back I've watched at home park even worse than williams. I can't see him EVER improving wouldnt surprise me if Sheridan cancels his contract within the next couple of months. Absolutely awful expect this to be the last club he plays for professionally.)
(The best way I can describe him is it's as if he's a player on FIFA13 being controlled by a child who just randomly presses all the buttons whenever the ball comes anywhere near him. You never know quite what's going to happen. Sometimes something flashy comes off, most of the time the ball leaves his foot and goes off in any direction other than what you expect, sometimes too many buttons are pressed at once and he just goes into freeze mode and needs to be reset. I've never seen a player like it. )
(He's only ever played 18 first team games before signing for Argyle. 13 of those were in non-league football with AFC Wimbledon before (surprise surprise) getting kicked out yet again for disciplinary offenses. WTF was Sheridan thinking ?)
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Post by harr on Jan 26, 2015 11:10:38 GMT
Maybe Zarate gets a runout tonight for u21s at Swansea Had a few stuffings over recent weeks at U21 level
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Post by harr on Jan 26, 2015 20:30:12 GMT
Lost again 2-1 to Swansea
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