Jamie Ashdown

[Hoop Blah]

Experience isn't just about spending time out on the pitch though.

Just being in and around the first team and playing the odd game here and there still means that Ashdown is the more experienced keeper. He's been part of a squad that's played in high pressure games, been successful and also been unsuccessful. Just being there in those different situations teaches you how to handle them.

That's not to say playing doesn't teach you more, but being there and being a pro for 10 years does make Ashdown the more experienced keeper.

Hamer has done good service during his loan spells and has also competed for promotions and seen that through, so he's had good experiences as well a just being out there. At 21 though he still has more maturing to do than Ashdown.

Given a choice between Ashdown and any of our young keepers as number 1 next season I think the choice is pretty simple and Ashdown wins every time for me.

[Sun Tzu]

Experience isn't just about spending time out on the pitch though.

Just being in and around the first team and playing the odd game here and there still means that Ashdown is the more experienced keeper. He's been part of a squad that's played in high pressure games, been successful and also been unsuccessful. Just being there in those different situations teaches you how to handle them.

That's not to say playing doesn't teach you more, but being there and being a pro for 10 years does make Ashdown the more experienced keeper.

Hamer has done good service during his loan spells and has also competed for promotions and seen that through, so he's had good experiences as well a just being out there. At 21 though he still has more maturing to do than Ashdown.

Given a choice between Ashdown and any of our young keepers as number 1 next season I think the choice is pretty simple and Ashdown wins every time for me.

Would you not be concerned that in a 10 year career Ashdown has never been considered good enough to be selected for a game on his own merits ?

I agree with much of your comment but for Ashdown to be seen as a better bet than our very talented (and not inexperienced) keepers largely on the basis that he's not been selected for games on a consistent basis, but has watched others playing at a high level, seems a less than encouraging situation !

I'd say go with whichever of the 3 youngsters has the most ability and let them add to the experience they already have by playing competitive games.

[I was there at Elm Park]

Experience isn't just about spending time out on the pitch though.

Just being in and around the first team and playing the odd game here and there still means that Ashdown is the more experienced keeper. He's been part of a squad that's played in high pressure games, been successful and also been unsuccessful. Just being there in those different situations teaches you how to handle them.

That's not to say playing doesn't teach you more, but being there and being a pro for 10 years does make Ashdown the more experienced keeper.

Hamer has done good service during his loan spells and has also competed for promotions and seen that through, so he's had good experiences as well a just being out there. At 21 though he still has more maturing to do than Ashdown.

Given a choice between Ashdown and any of our young keepers as number 1 next season I think the choice is pretty simple and Ashdown wins every time for me.

Would you not be concerned that in a 10 year career Ashdown has never been considered good enough to be selected for a game on his own merits ?

I agree with much of your comment but for Ashdown to be seen as a better bet than our very talented (and not inexperienced) keepers largely on the basis that he's not been selected for games on a consistent basis, but has watched others playing at a high level, seems a less than encouraging situation !

I'd say go with whichever of the 3 youngsters has the most ability and let them add to the experience they already have by playing competitive games.

Agree. Lets not forget that McCarthy is good enough to be called up for the England U21s which puts him ahead of Huddersfield Alex Smithies who's been getting rave reviews and linked with a move to the Prem. Andersen just got Bristol Rovers' Young Player of the Year award and finished third in their PoY too. Both have been getting similar reviews as Ashdown did for Rushden before he came back and looked so good.

[FiNeRaIn]

I must say I like fedders as a personality and he made some crucial saves for us last year, that said he is prone to mistakes and if we can get the 2 million for him than goalkeepers is where we have an abundance of replacements.

[Hoop Blah]

Would you not be concerned that in a 10 year career Ashdown has never been considered good enough to be selected for a game on his own merits ?

I agree with much of your comment but for Ashdown to be seen as a better bet than our very talented (and not inexperienced) keepers largely on the basis that he's not been selected for games on a consistent basis, but has watched others playing at a high level, seems a less than encouraging situation !

I'd say go with whichever of the 3 youngsters has the most ability and let them add to the experience they already have by playing competitive games.

Good point on Ashdown though. He's never played a full season, and although I think he's got a lot going for him and appears to be the more steady and reliable type of keeper (a Hahnemann or Seaman rather than Federici or James), he may well find that difficult both physically and mentally. I doubt it though, but it could be a consideration.

I think he'll have a few offers too, and it's such a shame he left and has wasted a good few years of his career by sitting on the bench. Perhaps there's a lesson there for Federici too!

I'm not just making the judgement on Ashdown's experience but on the ability I've seen all those keepers show in the limited times I've seen them play.

Ashdown has been kept out of the Pompey team by Englands best keeper who was voted into the Premiership team of the season last season (or the one before) and who has been outstanding since Harry took him down there. I don't think that should be seen as a black mark against him.

He's been considered good enough to fill in at Premiership level, on his own merit, and from the 20-30 odd games I've seen of him he's an excellent keeper and one that maintains a steady level of performance without being spectular. In that sense I think he's very similar to Mahnemann and as you or someone else said earlier he's at a similar point in his career too.

Hamer looked good at Brentford and obviously has potential. He looked very nervous and shakey when he came on for us this season though (which is understandable) and he's a bit lightweight for my liking as I like keepers to be physically imposing and strong enough to go through crowds of players when needs be.

McCarthy has got into the U21s and has, by all accounts, had a good season out on loan. I think he'll be the one to come through from the 3 but getting into the U21s as third choice keeper doesn't make you good enough for the Championship and although I think if you're good enough you're old enough rings true, from what I've seen he isn't ready yet.

[Sun Tzu]

So the question is whether Ashdown would be interested in coming back to hold the fort for a year until we decide which one of the 3 kids is going to be the long term choice ?

Will be interesting to see whether we do make him an offer, I'd argue that the money / wages would probably be better off invested elsewhere in the side, but having said that a strong, reliable keeper is a must and if we can;t see any of our current 4 either being around or being up to it I guess we look elsewhere !

[Big Foot]

So the question is whether Ashdown would be interested in coming back to hold the fort for a year until we decide which one of the 3 kids is going to be the long term choice ?

Will be interesting to see whether we do make him an offer, I'd argue that the money / wages would probably be better off invested elsewhere in the side, but having said that a strong, reliable keeper is a must and if we can;t see any of our current 4 either being around or being up to it I guess we look elsewhere !

Who else would make a move for him? He's not got a track record or reputation as such, I think he'd do a good job certainly at this level but not sure who's radar he'd be on...

[Kitson12]

I wouldn't be unhappy if he came here, but I'd be happier to see Feds stay to be quite honest.

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

Weird thread.

Club trying to save money. 3 league experienced keepers waiting in the wings, behind a first choice who's oddly rumoured to be on the way to the Prem.

Not impossible, but highly improbable.

[PEARCEY]

Happy with our current bunch of keepers. We don't need Ashdown to return.

[PEARCEY]

Happy with our current bunch of keepers. We don't need Ashdown to return.

[glass half full]

There is an old saying: "Never go back" and in this case I believe that it applies.

[Sun Tzu]

So the question is whether Ashdown would be interested in coming back to hold the fort for a year until we decide which one of the 3 kids is going to be the long term choice ?

Will be interesting to see whether we do make him an offer, I'd argue that the money / wages would probably be better off invested elsewhere in the side, but having said that a strong, reliable keeper is a must and if we can;t see any of our current 4 either being around or being up to it I guess we look elsewhere !

Who else would make a move for him? He's not got a track record or reputation as such, I think he'd do a good job certainly at this level but not sure who's radar he'd be on...

Every club in the country will be aware of him. I'm concerned because the logical extension of what you are saying is we might sign him purely because he's from Reading and not because he's good enough. Becasue if he is good enough to play for us then he's good enough to play for 75% of the clubs in the country !!

[Ian Royal]

He hasn't exactly played loads in the Prem, so chances are we'll know more about him and his abilities than most other clubs. Anyway, I don't think we'll be getting a new keeper, as I can't see Federici going anywhere.

Andersen's turn to bench warm this season. Get Hamer out on loan again, preferably at League One level. McCarthy to do another year in League One and then see where we stand next summer.

[Hoop Blah]

So the question is whether Ashdown would be interested in coming back to hold the fort for a year until we decide which one of the 3 kids is going to be the long term choice ?

Will be interesting to see whether we do make him an offer, I'd argue that the money / wages would probably be better off invested elsewhere in the side, but having said that a strong, reliable keeper is a must and if we can;t see any of our current 4 either being around or being up to it I guess we look elsewhere !

Not so much holding the fort as providing the others a number 1 to aim for.

If they're good enough one of them will challenge and go past him. If not then they'll end up spending a few seasons learnign their trade under a decent keeper before finding their natural level.

In the same way as I wouldn't want Ashdown purely because he's from Reading, I don't want McCarthy, Hamer or Andersen just because they're a product of our Academy.

All of this is a bit of a moot point as I can't see Federici leaving, but in my opinion we could do with a more reliable and consistent keeper and from all I've ever seen of Ashdown he is that kind of keeper. If we coudl get money for Federici and replace him with Ashdown on a free I think we'd have done a great bit of business and, IMO, improved the team.

[FiNeRaIn]

If we coudl get money for Federici and replace him with Ashdown on a free I think we'd have done a great bit of business and, IMO, improved the team.

What makes you think that if Ashdown is better than Federici, people won't sign him before spending money for federici? Bit of a no brainer.

[Hoop Blah]

If we coudl get money for Federici and replace him with Ashdown on a free I think we'd have done a great bit of business and, IMO, improved the team.

What makes you think that if Ashdown is better than Federici, people won't sign him before spending money for federici? Bit of a no brainer.

Because it's my opinion, and Federici is a keeper that is possibly in demand off the back of a decent season.

Managers often buy a player for more than other managers think he's worth, see Andy Hughes for a perfect example, and the fact he's something like 5 years younger and maybe more happy to go somewhere like Spurs as number 2 than Ashdown who's already done that might make that chain of deals likely.

[Sun Tzu]

If they're good enough one of them will challenge and go past him. If not then they'll end up spending a few seasons learnign their trade under a decent keeper before finding their natural level.

Problem with that is a keeper has no chance to challenge.

Keepers get in the side because the previous incumbant messed up. So as long as your number 1 keeper is doing OK your number 2,3 and 4 have no chance. Sign an 'OK' experienced keeper and you may as well get rid of your more talented youngster (see Ben Foster....)

I don;t thing any of our youngsters need a few seasons learning their trade from Ashdown, who is at best a journeyman. They all have the ability, what they all need now is games at a higher level.

But I agree it's a bit academic as I would not expect to see Fed go !!

[Alan Partridge]

Ashdown has completely wasted his career. Ok he's picked up a steady paycheck for the last 4/5 years but he's a nobody now. Only us and a handful of other clubs will be debating signing him, it's a case of Jamie who? And it could have been so different.

Had he stayed with Reading, I have no doubt he'd have started as number 1. Might have been the end of Marcus early. Ashdown had everything to go on, sign for a big club and play for England. Had he stayed with Reading played 46 games who knows what would have happened. Instead he's wasted his development years sat on a bench. He's still a decent age for a keeper but he's got a lot of work to save his career. As Richard Wright found out, and failed.

[Hoop Blah]

Problem with that is a keeper has no chance to challenge.

Keepers get in the side because the previous incumbant messed up. So as long as your number 1 keeper is doing OK your number 2,3 and 4 have no chance. Sign an 'OK' experienced keeper and you may as well get rid of your more talented youngster (see Ben Foster....)

I don;t thing any of our youngsters need a few seasons learning their trade from Ashdown, who is at best a journeyman. They all have the ability, what they all need now is games at a higher level.

But I agree it's a bit academic as I would not expect to see Fed go !!

I think these days a keeper does get a chance to impress, it may not always be in front of a paying crowd, that's how Federici did enough to earn his season as number one last year (with the help of Hahnemann getting injured of course) by showing the coaching staff that he was ready.

Calling Ashdown a journeyman is a bit harsh, especially considering he's still not coming into his prime years as a keeper. I agree with AP that he's wasted a massive part of his career, and he probably won't ever get the same opportunity that he had when he left us, but he's not just been floating around scratching a living like a proper journeyman player does.

If the kids are good enough then great throw them in. Personally, from what I've seen of them, they're not, certainly not yet, and could we really take the chance on them this season IF Federici left?

I'd say no, this is a year for McDermott to keep the momentum going from last season, weakening the most important individual position in the team would not be a good way of doing it.