playing well today according to RS

Martini-Henry did well at Rorkes Drift.

NLn player the last few years…

Having absolutely nothing to say about games you've not seen doesn't deter you, does it? You'll soon change your tune if Gateshead sign him

However the little black forward is he played well and scored the 3rd goal. The other black lad up top with beard was released by Sutton...He did ok but need to see more of him. The black right back looks decent aswell.

Just looked at Mottley- Henry picture and that is the small black lad who played well up top and scored. Looks a real prospect but it's only one game.

Was the striker Deon Moore?

https://lewesfc.com/news/deon-moore-departs/

Yes Mctee that's the bearded front lad 100% Got good skills and had a goal disallowed but maybe needs another friendly. Despite his height ( must be 6ft ) he is crap at winning the ball in the air. Unlike Mottley - Henry who won many Despite his small size. And he looked desperate to impress ran himself into the ground.

Anyone know who the goalkeeper was?

Looked like it was Smith again

cheers just passing on what robbie stelling said

Adam Smith i think

I didn’t think it was because Sarll said in the week that he wasn’t going to sign him.

The goalie was definitely Adam Smith, Mottley-Henry played quite well against South Shields last week when he came on, but got much more time today and was very impressive.

M-H looked decent to me too last week when he came on in the 2nd half. I said on here that he did enough for me to deserve another game. Seems to have played the full 90 minutes today, so it's safe to say he's under consideration.

the clocks ticking down now so a quick decision now would be better for us and the player himself. prefer a gamble now on a player rather than a gamble on a free agent a month into the season.

Looking at MH's wiki page he's had a lot of clubs and is quickly moved on afterwards, which is a little concerning.

this happens to many southern based players where by 25 they have had more clubs than three put together a few years back where i doubt the wages earned will be much different between em all. its like us where sometimes we cannot settle for long i a job even if we do it well and are always looking for a new challenge or swayed by others you meet to join them.

Not unlike big Mani. It's quite common in these leagues.

what happens is... all the southern based clubs release players - there is lots of them. They all float about - all at varying degrees of their ability in the pro level. Some come good and stick others end up moving up here for better chance with less clubs about and hoping less competition (obviously now not quite the same as its rammed up here too). I remember being part of a trial session down in Surrey. Never seen so many talented footballers getting turned away. Afraid even then the bar was ridiculously high even for step 8 / 9 etc...
Pools could get lucky with Henry - given his CV isnt the best and signing players from local teams below us is always frowned upon - i think this kid showed he had something at the weekend - put it this way hes light years above Hastie and Paterson / Ndjoli etc...

Yes but my worry is some of these guys play their hearts out to get a contract then once they get one for some reason switch off and revert to going through the motions mode and never show that level again.

Whilst he may have impressed I look at the opposition he has faced and would like to have seen him against stronger teams.

As we will tomorrow night.

That happens a lot- just look at some of the players Keith Curle signed in the January - they were amazing for about a fortnight before their wage packets started weighing them down!

Exactly. None of the trialists have been offered a contract yet. Sarll and the coaching staff will have had a very good look at any trialists (assuming there are any, which isn't a gimmee) who are lucky enough to get offered a deal. Got to trust their judgement - Pools' prospects this season are in their hands.

bit like many of us who start a new job in our field. excitement and newness goes quickly for some. its finding out the player like that from his past and how they perform on a cold wet tuesday night in january and not on a warm day in a friendly or training.

this must be the first time in a long time where a trialist has not been offered anything yet - shows how our approach has changed.

id guarantee other managers would have signed a few of those lads by now and we would of all been moaning about it

Well both Mottley- Henry and the blond centre back are still here. From what I have seen I really like Mottley - Henry and believe he will get a contract. He came on scored almost straight away...the lad knows how to score goals and his movement is superb so far. Its such a shame he was pushed into the holdings and got a leg injury just after he scored. It didn't look serious but you never know until he gets it checked out. He is the type of player who doesn't give defenders time to breath.I reckon he would be a very good signing for us but time will tell if I am correct or not

Blond Centre Back is Sass-Davis. Did he play tonight?

No

The most important feature you look for in a player aside from the obvious ability to play, is character, that’s the one that wins you games when things get hard.

there are lots around who play well when they are playing for a winning team. crawford was the first that came into my mind when i think of our players who are like that. fergy comes a close second.

Interesting little bit of his celebration last night. Pretending writing on palm of hand. ? Give me a contract. ? Wears my contract? I will sign now/tomorrow?

If we don't sign him that would concern me regarding budget. Its easy to notice D.S. really likes the lad from his reactions around the dugout .

Personally I would be a little careful. His CV does not inspire and his games on trial have been against mediocre opposition apart from Scunthorpe when sadly he got injured and not able to show. Maybe he could be offered a short term contract.

Well his movement and finishing are spot on I understand what you are saying but I reckon he will score goals in our league not a problem. Better than that he takes people on is fast and direct Some players has you are aware only start to show potential around his age 25 yrs. I once listened to Jamie Vardy talking about his career and he said nobody wanted him but Halifax because he was a slow developer and look what he achieved. And no I am not comparing him to Jamie skill wise but MH could be that type of late developer. I have always had a good eye for players when others thought otherwise...I said after one game Don Hutchinson / Hooligan and Mancini ( to name just three ) are top players and that's when my mates said not sure or not a hope in hell.

I think Vardy is a poor example, he was only in his early twenties at Halifax and also a prolific scorer.This lad is 26yrs old, been all over the place,most of the clubs below NL level, and only scored six goals in his career.
Just my opinion but I would like to see a bit more before offering a contract.

OK not a great example but Jamie only played for Stocksbridge Park Steel then F.C.Halifax in the Northern league. He was 24 yrs before he joined Fleetwood Town in 2011. That was the first league club he played for so he did have a slow development.

Maybe Mani D is a reasonable example he'd had plenty of clubs without tearing up trees and being a prolific goalscorer until last season.

Isnt this the problem though with arranging poor standard friendlies? You can think some players are superstars until they play against tougher opposition.

I must admit we could have done with a few more games with stronger opposition but I’m afraid I am quite dubious of judging trialists in friendlies. As I say this fellow has had about 13 clubs and hardly scored a goal there must be alarm bells sounding somewhere.

That is the perfect example

Mani was not a trialists though he came to Pools for more money.

Goals not money late developer not trialists

put it this way - the clubs loosing more players than we have coming in - Id rather have Henry on the bench than some kid from our academy. Henry looks the type of player to come on with a purpose for the last 15 even 10 minutes. Disrupt and put the shitters into defenders. He looks to be able to play and not look out of place in a side full of good NL pros. Hastie and others we have had in similar positions regardless of how weak the oppo where, didnt even look like a pro for this level amongst his piers. So for me that is a good as gauge as any as to where the lads ability is. He may not be able to produce week in week out for 90 mins but i dont think thats why DS signs him if he does

Wait a minute he was only on the field about 10mins against a good NL team. Again just my opinion but I would like to see more of him before offering a contract. Maybe a short term contract especially if he is out injured. Just me being careful.

need to take a gamble sometime on a player if the squad numbers are a bit light. at least the lad seems to have something about him more than some we have seen in the last two seasons who if they were hung for being footballers they,d die innocent.

He's better than any of the loan players we had at the back end of last season (Although that is saying much).

Looks like 10 - 12 other teams took a gamble.

again its the way of the game now in non league. you see many players with a list of clubs now that would have covered an entire team once and you find they are only 25. must admit if you are not lucky i,d rather have numerous jobs paying the same than working at one spot all my life and earning the same as the others.