Jake O'Brien

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Re: Jake O'Brien

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Kerryblueboy wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 10:12 am 3 of the players on your list were here last season and didn’t get a kick same with dibling but that couldn’t possibly be all down to Moyes could it
Yeah sorry, I forgot that when you buy a young player on a 4 or 5 year deal that we should make absolute judgements on them within 12 months.

Maybe, dunno, wild theory here... but maybe they weren't ready and easing them in, ensuring they understand what is expected, and how to succeed at this level, was actually what will make them successful over the rest of their time here?

Crazy I know!
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Re: Jake O'Brien

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I didn’t think Moyes wanted to get rid of him, especially after mentioning him in his presser last Friday.
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Re: Jake O'Brien

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AjaxAndy wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 10:30 am Yeah sorry, I forgot that when you buy a young player on a 4 or 5 year deal that we should make absolute judgements on them within 12 months.

Maybe, dunno, wild theory here... but maybe they weren't ready and easing them in, ensuring they understand what is expected, and how to succeed at this level, was actually what will make them successful over the rest of their time here?

Crazy I know!
yeah and also when you are playing the same team every game and it isn’t working you make changes and give young players a go like last season but that would be even crazier I suppose
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Re: Jake O'Brien

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I get that we have invested in some young talent but once you have bought them you also need to develop them and give them time and space to make mistakes, learn and grow.

Stating Moyes has a bunch of youngsters so he’s investing in youth is not correct. He’s not investing if he’s running down their potential and value on the bench.

With JOB he’s been patient and played out of position for a couple of years and still here. I have no issue with him pushing for a move.

What I do have an issue with is a manager who is happy to let Keane and Tarks be our standard starting CBs when Branthwaite is not available - which is a lot - when we have a younger, faster, decent on the ball CB waiting in the wings.

“Moyes has invested in youth?” Nah. He’s squandering it and pissing away what value we can get back in the process.
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I don't blame Jake if he does want to go. Looking at Keane ahead of him as 3rd choice centre back. Asked to play in a position he didn't play for Lyon, Palace or anyone else as far as I am aware. He has played on the right side of a back 3 for Ireland (and looked fine). Why didn't Moyes ask Keane to do a job at right back. Same big square peg in a round hole. Something has obviously changed in his head this season, he doesn't want to be played out of position. He didn't make the same stand last year because he wanted to play, prove his worth with a view to being moved inside in due course during the season. This never happened even when Branthwaite got injured and now he has had enough. Obviously this is all conjecture but plausible at the same time.
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Interesting

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Toddacelli wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 10:50 am I get that we have invested in some young talent but once you have bought them you also need to develop them and give them time and space to make mistakes, learn and grow.

Stating Moyes has a bunch of youngsters so he’s investing in youth is not correct. He’s not investing if he’s running down their potential and value on the bench.

With JOB he’s been patient and played out of position for a couple of years and still here. I have no issue with him pushing for a move.

What I do have an issue with is a manager who is happy to let Keane and Tarks be our standard starting CBs when Branthwaite is not available - which is a lot - when we have a younger, faster, decent on the ball CB waiting in the wings.

“Moyes has invested in youth?” Nah. He’s squandering it and pissing away what value we can get back in the process.
Great post
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All I want to see for a few games in a row is a JOB JB pairing in central defence. Outside of Jarrads injuries it’s crazy this hasn’t happened.

If he’s sold then it just shows we really don’t have a plan of progression.
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NomadskiEFC wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 11:36 am All I want to see for a few games in a row is a JOB JB pairing in central defence. Outside of Jarrads injuries it’s crazy this hasn’t happened.
Me too.
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Kerryblueboy wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 10:49 am yeah and also when you are playing the same team every game and it isn’t working you make changes and give young players a go like last season but that would be even crazier I suppose
Yeah we all shared the same frustration, and it's probably a valid argument... However it's also the first 12 months of their time here, and we probably all shared the same frustrations with Baines not being used at first too.

The fact is it's easy to make sweeping statements like you do because the small body of evidence in the grand scheme of things backs it up, but over a longer period it may well be shown to be largely incorrect.

We've started this season with Rohl, Armstrong and Barry all looking more ready and prepared for a premier league season, and even Dibling looked far better in pre-season. So time will tell if Moyes' stubborn reluctance to use the younger players was actually a stick to beat him with, or actually what will give us greater success as they develop and are used more.

I know that's far too nuanced for you, it's not reactionary enough and you don't tend to understand patience or the bigger picture, but the reality is Moyes' track record of bringing through players slowly and making sure they have the right grounding and understanding of what's expected has largely been beneficial to the players and team in the past
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Re: Jake O'Brien

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I can see it now.

Moyes walks into the canteen on Finch farm, obviously not happy with something. He scans the room, before finally setting his gaze on the kids table. Plastic plates, sporks, pre-cut grapes, cheese strings and empty cartons of Umbongo are scattered across the table.

"Fingers on ye fuckin' lips!" he spits as he walks over to the table, enraged that rather than doing their defensive duties, they seemed to be 'having fun'. He charges over kicking Jake's tiny plastic chair out from under him. Everyone freezes except for Rohl, who very quietly puts his camera away.
Alan Irvine is stood behind Moyes, studiously taking notes while occasionally checking a stopwatch.

"Put this on and keep yer mouth shut!" Moyes forces the words out through gritted teeth, throwing a cap in Jake's face. The letters 'RB' are crudely etched onto the front with a biro. He glares at them, his eyes bulging, hair miraculously turning ginger again through nothing but the power of Scottish rage. He reaches forward, players flinching away, picking up a pork pie from the table and swallowing it whole, before making eye contact with each of them individually as he forces it down, the ultimate power move.

"You'll get on the pitch when ye've run your 1000 miles and not a minute before!!!" He shouts before pulling out a crumpled picture of Dwight McNeil from his pocket, trying in vain to smooth it out on his leg as a small tear starts to drip down his face. Scribbled at the bottom, in what suspiciously looks like Irn-bru are the words " 10km a game, he averaged 10k!". He gently folds it this time, and places it back in his pocket, eyes returning to the youngsters who have now slowly begun to huddle around the far side of the table.

One last outburst of "DO THE FUCKING MILES!" punctuates a quick spin from Moyes, his hair almost glowing at this point, before he walks directly through the nearby wall, 3 feet from the nearest door, leaving an almost perfect Moyes shaped silhouette. The youngsters watch in stunned silence as Baines and Irvine walk over to a small cupboard, pull out a sheet of plaster board and tack it over the hole. It had obviously been pre-cut.

Tarks and Keane are the first to move, they laugh as they stand, try to high-five but awkwardly half miss, repeating the process twice before giving up and going for an even more awkward half fist bump, half handshake. "Maybe next week Jake!" Tarks says as he heads to the door, kicking a bin in Jakes direction on the way out.

Baines slowly walks over to Jake, offering him a small bowl of tangerine segments as he helps him back into his seat. "I've been there lad".

Jake picks up his phone and dials his agent.
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AjaxAndy wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 11:41 am Yeah we all shared the same frustration, and it's probably a valid argument... However it's also the first 12 months of their time here, and we probably all shared the same frustrations with Baines not being used at first too.

The fact is it's easy to make sweeping statements like you do because the small body of evidence in the grand scheme of things backs it up, but over a longer period it may well be shown to be largely incorrect.

We've started this season with Rohl, Armstrong and Barry all looking more ready and prepared for a premier league season, and even Dibling looked far better in pre-season. So time will tell if Moyes' stubborn reluctance to use the younger players was actually a stick to beat him with, or actually what will give us greater success as they develop and are used more.

I know that's far too nuanced for you, it's not reactionary enough and you don't tend to understand patience or the bigger picture, but the reality is Moyes' track record of bringing through players slowly and making sure they have the right grounding and understanding of what's expected has largely been beneficial to the players and team in the past
Don’t be a dick o Brien is in his third season here should be center half you were the same with dyche anyone who criticised him was wrong until it eventually ended the way most predicted Moyes is another chip off the same block
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Re: Jake O'Brien

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UnsyisaRhino wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 11:44 am I can see it now.

Moyes walks into the canteen on Finch farm, obviously not happy with something. He scans the room, before finally setting his gaze on the kids table. Plastic plates, sporks, pre-cut grapes, cheese strings and empty cartons of Umbongo are scattered across the table.

"Fingers on ye fuckin' lips!" he spits as he walks over to the table, enraged that rather than doing their defensive duties, they seemed to be 'having fun'. He charges over kicking Jake's tiny plastic chair out from under him. Everyone freezes except for Rohl, who very quietly puts his camera away.
Alan Irvine is stood behind Moyes, studiously taking notes while occasionally checking a stopwatch.

"Put this on and keep yer mouth shut!" Moyes forces the words out through gritted teeth, throwing a cap in Jake's face. The letters 'RB' are crudely etched onto the front with a biro. He glares at them, his eyes bulging, hair miraculously turning ginger again through nothing but the power of Scottish rage. He reaches forward, players flinching away, picking up a pork pie from the table and swallowing it whole, before making eye contact with each of them individually as he forces it down, the ultimate power move.

"You'll get on the pitch when ye've run your 1000 miles and not a minute before!!!" He shouts before pulling out a crumpled picture of Dwight McNeil from his pocket, trying in vain to smooth it out on his leg as a small tear starts to drip down his face. Scribbled at the bottom, in what suspiciously looks like Irn-bru are the words " 10km a game, he averaged 10k!". He gently folds it this time, and places it back in his pocket, eyes returning to the youngsters who have now slowly begun to huddle around the far side of the table.

One last outburst of "DO THE FUCKING MILES!" punctuates a quick spin from Moyes, his hair almost glowing at this point, before he walks directly through the nearby wall, 3 feet from the nearest door, leaving an almost perfect Moyes shaped silhouette. The youngsters watch in stunned silence as Baines and Irvine walk over to a small cupboard, pull out a sheet of plaster board and tack it over the hole. It had obviously been pre-cut.

Tarks and Keane are the first to move, they laugh as they stand, try to high-five but awkwardly half miss, repeating the process twice before giving up and going for an even more awkward half fist bump, half handshake. "Maybe next week Jake!" Tarks says as he heads to the door, kicking a bin in Jakes direction on the way out.

Baines slowly walks over to Jake, offering him a small bowl of tangerine segments as he helps him back into his seat. "I've been there lad".

Jake picks up his phone and dials his agent.
That's beautiful.
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Is it just me or does anyone else visualise Kerry typing out his posts on a Blackberry?
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Re: Jake O'Brien

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Granite wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 11:52 am Is it just me or does anyone else visualise Kerry typing out his posts on a Blackberry?
With a bung ALT key.
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