I am delighted for him. I think he always had a career, but he needed to make a few improvements to make it a good career. He is now on a trajectory to make it more than that.
When Morgan & Lapslie both broke into the team at the same time I always thought if we could combine the two into one player then the resulting hybrid would have the potential to be a really top pro.
Well today at Ipswich Albie showed his usual range of passing and forward looking intent and got on the scoresheet but then also added George's workrate and tenacity. His single press and closing in the last 15 minutes showed how he has improved his stamina and willingness to cover ground at pace without the ball.
Massively impressed with him today and so pleased that he is realising his potential. No need to blend the best bits into one player, bows has managed to get Albie to step up a level or two and we are starting to see a bit of Conor Gallagher coming out in Albie with a goal and a massive improvement in his overall game. Long may it continue.
Shows Bowyer’s been getting his management of him right. It’s pushed him to work harder and show he’d capable of a more all round game.
Maybe, or we could have just had a good player in the team for the last couple of seasons if he hadn't been messed around and dropped after a dodgy game.
He could have been able to develop his all round game by being played a bit more frequently
I love Bowyer, but I don't really think you can credit Albie's success to him as if he's been managed incredibly or anything? I mean maybe there is a chance that is correct, but it's a bit of a leap to me
When you hear the statement above comparing to a manager like Fergie being tough on a player, it didn't involve trying to loan them to the non league
Hearing conflicting things from last night.
Some saying he was struggling to reach the level needed and others saying he created our best chance of the game?
I’m always interested to hear more opinions about our youth products... especially as the academy seems to have been the only major bright spot in our recent history.
Played 2 or 3 incisive passes including the one you mention. As I said elsewhere best vision in a Charlton creative player since Shelvey on what I've seen from him so far.
Also kept up with Grant when we broke out following a corner to offer him another option besides Taylor so a bit of pace about him too.
On the downside he missed some tackles, possibly / probably, because he was worrying about his booking, misplaced the odd pass (standard for a creative player I'm told) and his deadballs were not as good as in his first appearance.
The boy is still a teenager. A mixture of good and bad is par for the course for a youngster.
If he was the finished article he wouldn't be playing for a shitty little league 1 club being decimated by an insane Belgian.
That's what I wrote about Albie in 2018 after (I think) his second match. Pleased that I spotted then the pace he showed today.
For me, Morgan’s performances can be attributed to one man only - and that’s Albie himself.
I love Bowyer, but his management of him over the past year or so has been odd and I’d even go as far as non-sensical at times.
LB felt Morgan wasn't fit enough to work hard enough in games. LB could see Morgan had the talent on the ball but he also saw a lack of fitness, drive and nous. Now Morgan seems to have got leaner, stronger and more mobile, he's able to contribute much more in an all-round sense.
LB would be the last person wanting credit for Morgan's resurgence but without a tough stance, Morgan was heading for a bit part career (maybe a kind of Tony Watt career, remembered for good cameos). Now he can see the benefits of taking advice and will hopefully nail a spot down for a long time because he's a nice player to watch. The lad has goals in him too.
Ps; Tony Watt has apparently also got a lot fitter and is doing well in a very ordinary Motherwell team.
For me, Morgan’s performances can be attributed to one man only - and that’s Albie himself.
I love Bowyer, but his management of him over the past year or so has been odd and I’d even go as far as non-sensical at times.
LB felt Morgan wasn't fit enough to work hard enough in games. LB could see Morgan had the talent on the ball but he also saw a lack of fitness, drive and nous. Now Morgan seems to have got leaner, stronger and more mobile, he's able to contribute much more in an all-round sense.
LB would be the last person wanting credit for Morgan's resurgence but without a tough stance, Morgan was heading for a bit part career. Now he can see the benefits of taking advice and will hopefully nail a spot down for a long time because he's a nice player to watch.
As Albie said himself after the game yesterday...
He'd been doing additional training with Jackson to try and get into the box between the goal posts more - That goal had Jacko's trademark type finish all over it
he's got more natural ability than frank lampard - what lampard had was a great brain and immense stamina to keep getting in the box, and of course was a great finisher - the most talented players often fall by the wayside and those with the brains and stamina go on to have the careers - if he can keep this work rate up now then there is no reason why he won't have a great career from what i can see
he's got more natural ability than frank lampard - what lampard had was a great brain and immense stamina to keep getting in the box, and of course was a great finisher - the most talented players often fall by the wayside and those with the brains and stamina go on to have the careers - if he can keep this work rate up now then there is no reason why he won't have a great career from what i can see
Albie is going to be a very good player but more natural ability than one of the greatest midfielders this country has produced? Come on.
For me, Morgan’s performances can be attributed to one man only - and that’s Albie himself.
I love Bowyer, but his management of him over the past year or so has been odd and I’d even go as far as non-sensical at times.
LB felt Morgan wasn't fit enough to work hard enough in games. LB could see Morgan had the talent on the ball but he also saw a lack of fitness, drive and nous. Now Morgan seems to have got leaner, stronger and more mobile, he's able to contribute much more in an all-round sense.
LB would be the last person wanting credit for Morgan's resurgence but without a tough stance, Morgan was heading for a bit part career. Now he can see the benefits of taking advice and will hopefully nail a spot down for a long time because he's a nice player to watch.
As Albie said himself after the game yesterday...
He'd been doing additional training with Jackson to try and get into the box between the goal posts more - That goal had Jacko's trademark type finish all over it
Both our management duo were midfielders who were great at ghosting into the box to score!
No league clubs coming in for him must have been one hell of a wake up call. Seems like he's started listening to his manager and LB is repaying that with well-deserved playing time. He's really progressing at the moment. A joy to watch.
Shows Bowyer’s been getting his management of him right. It’s pushed him to work harder and show he’d capable of a more all round game.
Maybe, or we could have just had a good player in the team for the last couple of seasons if he hadn't been messed around and dropped after a dodgy game.
He could have been able to develop his all round game by being played a bit more frequently
I love Bowyer, but I don't really think you can credit Albie's success to him as if he's been managed incredibly or anything? I mean maybe there is a chance that is correct, but it's a bit of a leap to me
When you hear the statement above comparing to a manager like Fergie being tough on a player, it didn't involve trying to loan them to the non league
My point wasn't so much that he's been managed perfectly, more that he hasn't been badly mismanaged and treated unfairly, something that has been claimed on here in the last year or so. If things were that bad Bowyer would struggle to get good performances out of him and he probably wouldn't have signed a new contract in the summer.
Maybe he would have done that by playing more frequently. On the other hand he could have become complacent and felt he earned his place just by being a good passer and showing some nice touches. Instead he's had to improve his fitness, work rate, get in the box more and defend better.
Bowyer's set high standards for him, it's worked because he's clearly more focused on improving his weaknesses, he knows being technically good isn't enough.
At the start of November was starting to think we would never see Albie again. Been an incredible month for him and has gone from squad member to one of the first names on team sheet.
After two and half years in the first team squad Morgan has finally secured a permanent place in the Bowyer starting 11 and it’s now his position to loose.
Still working on decision making in the final third to become a top flight player but hoping that will be the next stage in his development.
First name I look out for when the team is released before the match.
Respect to young Albie , he has proved his doubters( which included me ) wrong and has become arguably our best midfielder this season. My first choice midfield would be Pratley, Morgan , Gilbey and Shinnie .
Hearing conflicting things from last night.
Some saying he was struggling to reach the level needed and others saying he created our best chance of the game?
I’m always interested to hear more opinions about our youth products... especially as the academy seems to have been the only major bright spot in our recent history.
Played 2 or 3 incisive passes including the one you mention. As I said elsewhere best vision in a Charlton creative player since Shelvey on what I've seen from him so far.
Also kept up with Grant when we broke out following a corner to offer him another option besides Taylor so a bit of pace about him too.
On the downside he missed some tackles, possibly / probably, because he was worrying about his booking, misplaced the odd pass (standard for a creative player I'm told) and his deadballs were not as good as in his first appearance.
The boy is still a teenager. A mixture of good and bad is par for the course for a youngster.
If he was the finished article he wouldn't be playing for a shitty little league 1 club being decimated by an insane Belgian.
That's what I wrote about Albie in 2018 after (I think) his second match. Pleased that I spotted then the pace he showed today.
I said something similar about Morgan driving forward with pace in the first half of a match a couple of seasons ago when the team were struggling one home match and regulars watchers of the U21/23 said what Pace !
Does everyone agree Morgan is a much better player since his loan spell to.......
I thought I must've missed something when there was talk of Albie going out on loan. I have no idea what he is like in training but the talent was there and personally couldn't understand why A. Bowyer tried to loan him out and B. No scouts or other managers tried to get him on loan ?
I know he needed to learn aspects of the defensive part of the game but when Vennings got picked ahead of him in a Championship game when Albie was fit I was discombobulated. Vennings needs a loan move, Albie needed more games in the cafc team and to learn from the many senior pros we now have.
Morgan has been outstanding in his last 6 matches and has a great all round game.
The so called experts that didn't want him 2 months ago will all come calling and once again we will no doubt lose a young talent.
How on Earth did no L2 club come in and take this kid on loan? Thank goodness they didn't. Superb game today, he has listened to Bowyer and pushed on hugely.
Beginning of last season, Bowyer tried to push Morgan out on loan ....... but Albie wasn't having it, he didn't want to go out - much to Bow's frustration, you'll remember.
Eventually, in desperation, Albie was fixed up at his local club, Ebbsfleet - which of course nicely suited him. It worked well for us as well, as Albie was able to be recalled as our injury crisis started to bite.
Maybe, there was loan interest this season, but again, Albie didn't want to go? ....... Anyway, since the summer Albie's worked hard on his game and starting to make himself a key player in the team. Bowyer won't be loaning him anywhere now.
Shows Bowyer’s been getting his management of him right. It’s pushed him to work harder and show he’d capable of a more all round game.
Bowyer praises a player when he's done well; supports him when he's made mistakes but worked hard for the team.
And tears him apart when he's not working hard or doing his job. This though, is only what we read in the press. God help the player in Bowyer's office.
And if the player turns it round, Bow builds him back up again publicly.
I guess that is the difference with Fosu: Where Morgan has taken on board what Bowyer has said, Fosu and Bowyer never saw eye to eye and he had to seek pastures new. I did predict he would play again in the championship even if it was via Oxford to Brentford.
Shows Bowyer’s been getting his management of him right. It’s pushed him to work harder and show he’d capable of a more all round game.
Maybe, or we could have just had a good player in the team for the last couple of seasons if he hadn't been messed around and dropped after a dodgy game.
He could have been able to develop his all round game by being played a bit more frequently
I love Bowyer, but I don't really think you can credit Albie's success to him as if he's been managed incredibly or anything? I mean maybe there is a chance that is correct, but it's a bit of a leap to me
When you hear the statement above comparing to a manager like Fergie being tough on a player, it didn't involve trying to loan them to the non league
His use of Morgan has been a bit odd at times
This season after the loss against Doncaster he then failed to make it onto the pitch for the next SEVEN games, as he was either on the bench or dropped altogether
I'm not saying he should have been starting those matches, but seeing how Bowyer loves rotating it was weird for him not to feature at all in this period of 2 games a week, especially when many of the new signings weren't matchfit.
I guess that is the difference with Fosu: Where Morgan has taken on board what Bowyer has said, Fosu and Bowyer never saw eye to eye and he had to seek pastures new. I did predict he would play again in the championship even if it was via Oxford to Brentford.
Back then, we would read stuff about how Bowyer was frustrated with Fosu; how the player hadn't looked after himself in the close season and then got injured in a pre-season friendly game having failed to do a proper warm-up.
To Bowyer, surely he was aghast at how unprofessional that was - and in his classic phrase, "I'm not having it".
Then Fosu recovered from missing 6 weeks of injury, to come on as a late sub at Southend, got clattered and retaliated, sent off for fighting. Suspended for 3 games. Bow obviously saw a player who's head is not in the right place.
Fosu only played a bit part of a squad player after that - and I don't believe featured at all in our tremendous run in to Wembley and promotion. You can only think despite Fosu's undoubted ability, Bowyer had completely washed his hands of him long before then.
I guess that is the difference with Fosu: Where Morgan has taken on board what Bowyer has said, Fosu and Bowyer never saw eye to eye and he had to seek pastures new. I did predict he would play again in the championship even if it was via Oxford to Brentford.
Back then, we would read stuff about how Bowyer was frustrated with Fosu; how the player hadn't looked after himself in the close season and then got injured in a pre-season friendly game having failed to do a proper warm-up.
To Bowyer, surely he was aghast at how unprofessional that was - and in his classic phrase, "I'm not having it".
Then Fosu recovered from missing 6 weeks of injury, to come on as a late sub at Southend, got clattered and retaliated, sent off for fighting. Suspended for 3 games. Bow obviously saw a player who's head is not in the right place.
Fosu only played a bit part of a squad player after that - and I don't believe featured at all in our tremendous run in to Wembley and promotion. You can only think despite Fosu's undoubted ability, Bowyer had completely washed his hands of him long before then.
Bowyer has done a brilliant job, but in that case to me that's more of a Bowyer failure than a Fosu one, seeing that he went to Oxford, made an immediate impact and earned a move to Brentford 6 months later. Indeed he's started the last 2 matches for Brentford
I guess that is the difference with Fosu: Where Morgan has taken on board what Bowyer has said, Fosu and Bowyer never saw eye to eye and he had to seek pastures new. I did predict he would play again in the championship even if it was via Oxford to Brentford.
Back then, we would read stuff about how Bowyer was frustrated with Fosu; how the player hadn't looked after himself in the close season and then got injured in a pre-season friendly game having failed to do a proper warm-up.
To Bowyer, surely he was aghast at how unprofessional that was - and in his classic phrase, "I'm not having it".
Then Fosu recovered from missing 6 weeks of injury, to come on as a late sub at Southend, got clattered and retaliated, sent off for fighting. Suspended for 3 games. Bow obviously saw a player who's head is not in the right place.
Fosu only played a bit part of a squad player after that - and I don't believe featured at all in our tremendous run in to Wembley and promotion. You can only think despite Fosu's undoubted ability, Bowyer had completely washed his hands of him long before then.
Bowyer has done a brilliant job, but in that case to me that's more of a Bowyer failure than a Fosu one, seeing that he went to Oxford, made an immediate impact and earned a move to Brentford 6 months later. Indeed he's started the last 2 matches for Brentford
Good for Fosu, if he's turned it around.
Although if you've got a player in the camp who feels he doesn't have to bother about his fitness, off ball team work, ill discipline, etc ..... what sort of message does that convey to the rest of the squad?
Bowyer is the boss. Players have to do it his way, be professional and committed - or move on. It can't be any other way or a manager's authority is soon undermined.
Comments
He could have been able to develop his all round game by being played a bit more frequently
I love Bowyer, but I don't really think you can credit Albie's success to him as if he's been managed incredibly or anything? I mean maybe there is a chance that is correct, but it's a bit of a leap to me
When you hear the statement above comparing to a manager like Fergie being tough on a player, it didn't involve trying to loan them to the non league
I love Bowyer, but his management of him over the past year or so has been odd and I’d even go as far as non-sensical at times.
LB would be the last person wanting credit for Morgan's resurgence but without a tough stance, Morgan was heading for a bit part career (maybe a kind of Tony Watt career, remembered for good cameos). Now he can see the benefits of taking advice and will hopefully nail a spot down for a long time because he's a nice player to watch. The lad has goals in him too.
Ps; Tony Watt has apparently also got a lot fitter and is doing well in a very ordinary Motherwell team.
He'd been doing additional training with Jackson to try and get into the box between the goal posts more - That goal had Jacko's trademark type finish all over it
CM alongside Watson? With Gilbey back, we shouldn't be seeing WatsonPratley much again.
Maybe he would have done that by playing more frequently. On the other hand he could have become complacent and felt he earned his place just by being a good passer and showing some nice touches. Instead he's had to improve his fitness, work rate, get in the box more and defend better.
Bowyer's set high standards for him, it's worked because he's clearly more focused on improving his weaknesses, he knows being technically good isn't enough.
After two and half years in the first team squad Morgan has finally secured a permanent place in the Bowyer starting 11 and it’s now his position to loose.
Still working on decision making in the final third to become a top flight player but hoping that will be the next stage in his development.
I said something similar about Morgan driving forward with pace in the first half of a match a couple of seasons ago when the team were struggling one home match and regulars watchers of the U21/23 said what Pace !
Does everyone agree Morgan is a much better player since his loan spell to.......
I thought I must've missed something when there was talk of Albie going out on loan.
I have no idea what he is like in training but the talent was there and personally couldn't understand why A. Bowyer tried to loan him out and B. No scouts or other managers tried to get him on loan ?
I know he needed to learn aspects of the defensive part of the game but when Vennings got picked ahead of him in a Championship game when Albie was fit I was discombobulated.
Vennings needs a loan move, Albie needed more games in the cafc team and to learn from the many senior pros we now have.
Morgan has been outstanding in his last 6 matches and has a great all round game.
The so called experts that didn't want him 2 months ago will all come calling and once again we will no doubt lose a young talent.
Eventually, in desperation, Albie was fixed up at his local club, Ebbsfleet - which of course nicely suited him.
It worked well for us as well, as Albie was able to be recalled as our injury crisis started to bite.
Maybe, there was loan interest this season, but again, Albie didn't want to go? ....... Anyway, since the summer Albie's worked hard on his game and starting to make himself a key player in the team. Bowyer won't be loaning him anywhere now.
Bowyer praises a player when he's done well; supports him when he's made mistakes but worked hard for the team.
And tears him apart when he's not working hard or doing his job.
This though, is only what we read in the press. God help the player in Bowyer's office.
And if the player turns it round, Bow builds him back up again publicly.
Where Morgan has taken on board what Bowyer has said, Fosu and Bowyer never saw eye to eye and he had to seek pastures new.
I did predict he would play again in the championship even if it was via Oxford to Brentford.
This season after the loss against Doncaster he then failed to make it onto the pitch for the next SEVEN games, as he was either on the bench or dropped altogether
I'm not saying he should have been starting those matches, but seeing how Bowyer loves rotating it was weird for him not to feature at all in this period of 2 games a week, especially when many of the new signings weren't matchfit.
To Bowyer, surely he was aghast at how unprofessional that was - and in his classic phrase, "I'm not having it".
Then Fosu recovered from missing 6 weeks of injury, to come on as a late sub at Southend, got clattered and retaliated, sent off for fighting.
Suspended for 3 games. Bow obviously saw a player who's head is not in the right place.
Fosu only played a bit part of a squad player after that - and I don't believe featured at all in our tremendous run in to Wembley and promotion.
You can only think despite Fosu's undoubted ability, Bowyer had completely washed his hands of him long before then.
Although if you've got a player in the camp who feels he doesn't have to bother about his fitness, off ball team work, ill discipline, etc ..... what sort of message does that convey to the rest of the squad?
Bowyer is the boss. Players have to do it his way, be professional and committed - or move on.
It can't be any other way or a manager's authority is soon undermined.