Joe Riley loaned to Oxford United

Joe Riley has joined League Two side Oxford United on loan until January 1.

The full-back, who is a product of the club’s youth academy, made his first team debut in a League Cup tie against Macclesfield Town in August 2011 with his league bow coming against Stoke City three months later.

Riley will link up with the Us ahead of their season opener against Burton Albion on August 9.

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Smart move.

Get some game time under his belt and hopefully come back with a bit more experience.

(And not a crippling injury which keeps him out for 18 months....)

That's it you have jinxed it now Breadders, he will be coming back with 2 broken legs  

After the extensive trials undertaken by Dougie in which every young player seems to have been given the opportunity to make their case for inclusion in the first team squad it is inevitable that several of the "nearly men" will be sent out on loan to ease the burden on wages.
This tends to mean that it's shit or bust time for them - and so far I don't think any who've been down that road have come back better players to the extent that they have forced their way into the first team e.g. Eaves and Odelusi. It may even be a precursor to selling them on. 
I used to think that prospects sent out on loan were there to get the experience and would come back ready to compete for a place but now I'm not so sure.
Worried for Joe.

He's going out to get game time it's as simple as that. He needs to build from the bottom after nearly 2 years out, I don't think this is shit or bust time. Just working out if he's capable of playing regular football and if he can get back to the level he was at.

Good move.

bwfc1874 wrote:He's going out to get game time it's as simple as that. He needs to build from the bottom after nearly 2 years out, I don't think this is shit or bust time. Just working out if he's capable of playing regular football and if he can get back to the level he was at.

Good move.

I hope so but it seems as if young players fall into 3 categories in Dougie's book:
Those that show they're ready to step up like Threlkeld and possibly Bolger or Wilkinson are kept at the club as benchwarmers, vacillating between the odd first team appearance and occasionally playing for the development squad. Those that are clearly not ready yet but worth keeping (mainly the younger ones) are strictly for the development squad. Then there's this other group who are the older young 'uns who've had a bit of a stab at it, but haven't quite done enough - I worry for them because at some point in time I had high hopes for them. Maybe Joe will find form and fitness - I hope so.

Your analysis is about right there Lust, but I don't see the problem with it.

Riley needs to prove he's still good enough and that he's not going to get injured straight away again. Going out and getting games is the best way to do that, if he does well at Oxford he'll probably go to a league 1 club for the remainder of the season.

His contract runs out at the end if the season so it is shit or bust - earn yourself a new contract or goodbye.

Breadman wrote:Smart move.

Get some game time under his belt and hopefully come back with a bit more experience.

(And not a crippling injury which keeps him out for 18 months....)

Seems correct to me also......  we get back a player with some game time and fitness.