Funnily enough I put a thread up in the forum this morning, or was it last night, asking what had happened to Dan Butler?
Anyone but Butler was being used at left back it seemed, he did not even make the squad at the weekend…
Well, that question has been answered today by the News with it looking as though we will be loaning him out again so he can play some 1st team football with Aldershot and Salisbury mentioned.
On the face of it playing 1st team football is what Butler needs, his continued development needs regular football. If he does not get this he will just stagnate if all he has is training and development games on offer.
I am just amazed that Guy Whittingham has been so reluctant to use him?
His confidence took quite a knock from a couple of dodgy games to kick off the season but then again who in the back four has not had a couple of dodgy games, at least!
Is that confidence really boosted by a reluctance to use him, instead deciding to bring in others, preferring central defenders or right backs at left back ahead of him?
I am a believer of round pegs in round holes; sometimes you have a utility player that can step in and occasionally you have no other option but if you have a genuine player for a genuine position why would you not use them…
I could be wrong, but it would seem that something cannot quite be right behind the scenes at Fratton really can it, if several other options have been preferred in the problematic left back area ahead of Butler.
Perhaps his attitude has not been as good as it is being said it has been?
All in all I am disappointed, I would be a liar if I said otherwise, that Butler – like some of the other younger players that were good enough last season (out of necessity or not) – is being viewed as not being good enough at a lower level this time round…
He is not going to get a look in at the moment so a loan for a month or so would be the best thing really I guess as he needs to play some football.
I just hope that if he can get this it can build up his confidence again and remind us of what an up and coming talent he is and come back into the reckoning when he returns!
Lets not forget that we have some decent talent of our own coming through that we should not be afraid to use and not slip into that routine again of just going for ‘ready made options’ all the time.
Not only will using our own (which at this level we should be surely?) save us money but it could potentially make us some if this talent is put on display, it also encourages others that Pompey is the club to come as an academy player as you will get a chance…
PLAY UP POMPEY!
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