2021/22 Ellis Simms

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Patterson, Mykolenko and Coleman are ahead of him. He would be cover. If not him then we would have to get someone else who is willing to bench warm. I doubt they would be up to much if they are brought in for that purpose.

I know perfectly well that he isn’t a first choice fullback, but I am also realistic about how we afford a squad with sufficient depth. Our money will have to go into a CB, ha few central mid fielders and probably two forwards to replace DCL and Richarlison.

….if you’re talking Kenny, we’re in real bother if he’s anywhere near our squad next season. He’s a footballer but he’s a very poor footballer at both ends of the pitch.
 
….I‘m sure Dobbin is more highly rated, if we stay up it’ll be interesting what happened with Simms.
Dobbin may be more highly rated, but I think its too early for the premier league for him. Next season is probably too soon to be back up striker.

Simms has the first team experience and would probably be seen as less risky.

Dobbin will need a loan, but the club needs to be very careful with it.
 
Need to be banging them in up in Scotland aged 21 to have any chance of making it in the Premier League really. And he isn’t.

Maybe we should move on before we’ve got another Luke Garbutt, Matthew Pennington etc. on our hands.

Admittedly I haven’t seen too much of the lad, but we need to start being more ruthless at youth level.
 
It’s difficult to get the balance right with young players with regard to not writing them off too soon but also being realistic about where you expect top prospects to be at certain ages. Simms is at a point where if he’s not ready to play for us next year you wonder if there’s any point in keeping him. Obviously he may bloom later but if he’s 22 with a couple of loans under his belt and still not even deemed worthy of being a squad player it seems a long shot that he’ll ever be a proper first teamer. Even dobbin who is also being discussed isn’t exactly a kid these days. If he’s not getting chances next year then at 20 you wonder whether he’ll make it at the top. It sounds harsh but football is.
 
Dobbin may be more highly rated, but I think its too early for the premier league for him. Next season is probably too soon to be back up striker.

Simms has the first team experience and would probably be seen as less risky.

Dobbin will need a loan, but the club needs to be very careful with it.

….much different types, though. I can’t see Dobbin ever being a lone central striker. He wouldn’t be a back-up to DCL, he’ll spin defenders with low centre of gravity rather than be a hold up striker. He might end up finding a position out wide, he’s shown he’s a threat from there in U23 games.
 
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I’ve expressed the view over the years that Simms has always been a year/ 18 months behind Gordon who’s a similar age. All the things that Gordon found natural just weren’t there with Simms at 16. He’s got the height ,strength and power but he’s been a gradual work in progress over many years, still got a lot to do but crucially still gradually improving . He has missed a lot of good chances this season , which is pretty crucial for a striker, but his hold up play , bringing in other team mates and team contribution has been good. I think he’s a couple of years away from his peak and “ sometime in the future” he’s going to have an explosive season scoring 20 plus goals , probably in the Championship/ SPL. I’m not sure we’ll keep him until he’s at peak age, but I hope we do.
 
I’ve expressed the view over the years that Simms has always been a year/ 18 months behind Gordon who’s a similar age. All the things that Gordon found natural just weren’t there with Simms at 16. He’s got the height ,strength and power but he’s been a gradual work in progress over many years, still got a lot to do but crucially still gradually improving . He has missed a lot of good chances this season , which is pretty crucial for a striker, but his hold up play , bringing in other team mates and team contribution has been good. I think he’s a couple of years away from his peak and “ sometime in the future” he’s going to have an explosive season scoring 20 plus goals , probably in the Championship/ SPL. I’m not sure we’ll keep him until he’s at peak age, but I hope we do.
Agree with that. The bits I've seen of Simms at Hearts suggest that he has improved his hold up play and is using his physical strength to greater effect than I've seen before. They were aspects of his game that didn't impress me at youth level. If he can continue to develop that side of his game and add goals - finishing was his strength at youth and u23 levels - then he will have a good future in the game somewhere - be great if it was with us, but, as you say, at the moment it's more likely to be the Championship or SPL.
 
With Simms the question has always been; is his size and strength the main reason he was hammering them in at youth level? Or does he possess enough talent to make it at the highest level?

I’d love to be wrong, but I don’t expect him to make it here.
 
Agree with that. The bits I've seen of Simms at Hearts suggest that he has improved his hold up play and is using his physical strength to greater effect than I've seen before. They were aspects of his game that didn't impress me at youth level. If he can continue to develop that side of his game and add goals - finishing was his strength at youth and u23 levels - then he will have a good future in the game somewhere - be great if it was with us, but, as you say, at the moment it's more likely to be the Championship or SPL.
His finishing will come again. He is still improving and I think he will get a chance with the first team next season.

His development reminds me very much of Gordon. Another player written off as championship level!
 

It'll be interesting to see how he fares next term. My impression is he's very strong but on the slow side. Not much wrong with his shooting boots though.
 

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