I come in peace - Colchester Fan - Aaron Barnes/Tommy O'Sullivan

[hungrystudent]

Hi all,

Apologies for the intrusion but as aforementioned in the title, I'm a Colchester fan looking for a bit of fan wisdom on the two players we've had loaned out to you this season.

Aaron Barnes, I gather has played quite a few games for you now? What's he look like as a player, strengths/weaknesses etc and where has he been playing? We know him at Colchester has a wing-back but I've heard he's quite versatile?

Tommy O'Sullivan, we expected big things from after watching him in the U23's and his highlights reel for Cardiff, seemed like an advanced playmaker who could understand the game, help dictate from further forward, good touch, clever player, but we've yet to see him and in fact, it looks like he'll be released at the end of the season. How did he get on for you?

Fingers crossed for 9 points from 9 for you lot. Whatever happens, good luck and keep fighting.

All the best,
HS

[merse btpir]

Why do you need to 'come in peace'?

Barnes is a player and needs to rub the rub edges of enthusiasm a bit. Quite versatile being able to handle right back, right wingback and central defensive midfield...I like him!

O'Sullvan less versatile and needs to work on the fitness and conditioning to fill out an become hard to knock off the ball. A technician rather than an athlee, good passing reliability and smooth runner; less suited to his level of physical football than Barnes but nevertheless a good footballer.

I'm quite familiar with your development set up and know the sort of fringe players you pick up on release from the bigger clubs and even the high standard ~ Micheal O'Donohue being a case in point ~ that you let go.

[hungrystudent]

Why do you need to 'come in peace'?

Because, believe it or not, some don't take too kindly to other teams fans asking questions on their clubs message board. Alas, you're clearly of the kinder ilk.

Thanks for the info on the two. I've not seen Barnes play but looking at our squad, we need a wingback with a quality delivery for next season. Does he have this in the locker, or more of a strong and steady, forward and back player?

O'Sullivan has quality, and is one of those players that'll probably look better playing in L1/Championship. I can't understand why he hasn't featured more as we've struggled to break teams down in the final third and he has the vision to do so.

Yes, we've spent a small fortune on the academy and development routes, of course, this takes time but we're starting to see the benefits and our now U16 team has 3/4 player who've received international call up's. O'Donoughue was part of the "golden team" that won the U18's YANC and league before the Youth Set up was in place. O'Donoughue had a few nasty injuries and I think that impacted his career but the likes of Macauley Bonne (Leyton Orient, 20 goals this season) Sammie Szmodics (Our top goalscorer this season, 13) and Frankie Kent have all gone on to do well.

[merse btpir]

O'Donoughue was part of the "golden team" that won the U18's YANC and league before the Youth Set up was in place. O'Donoughue had a few nasty injuries and I think that impacted his career but the likes of Macauley Bonne (Leyton Orient, 20 goals this season) Sammie Szmodics (Our top goalscorer this season, 13) and Frankie Kent have all gone on to do well.

Michael now plays for Haringey Borough where his father 'Tucker' is assistant manager ~ I'll be seeing him in an hour or so as it happens ~ along with Michael Ademiluyi who I also believe was at Colchester and they are the best pair of attacking fullbacks in the league. Indeed Michael presents a better and more reliable end product to his forays forward than the current Torquay left back Liam Davis and is quicker over the ground and almost as good defensively not to say he is about eight years younger!

Yes those injuries did set him back; but there's no doubting he is a class player. Bonne and Szmodics are great examples of what is to be had by knowing the levels they emerged from and it is something that Torquay United continually fall down on.

In my opinion Barnes' strength lays not in his end product but his engine that gets him up and down the pitch; but he certainly does manage to get forward deep in opposition territory and do some serious damage!

I agree with you on O'Sullivan; I too think he would blossom in League one or Championship but will find it harder in the National League if that is where his career takes him. There is a player at Torquay ~ Luke Young ~ who turned down Col U when he was released by Plymouth and signed for Torquay because it was local. He's ruined his career and has gone backwards spectacularly since arriving and the three seasons he has played in National League football have been a waste of time for him ~ valuable time because it is a short career.