Are you seriously suggesting that Nathan Oduwa at 18 wasn't talked about like he was the next one to make it to the first team? That's not bollocks at all. Are you suggesting you didn't sing Oduwa's praises? And no one remotely suggested you or any other AC said 'future star of the PL' and you know it. That's a strawman.
Amongst others and it's most likely because he's light years ahead of anything we have in the academy. Would you suggest that Skipp is on his level BC? Nope, no you wouldn't. "Viable"!?!
Of course Oduwa was talked about, who wouldn't talk about a kid in your ranks who could do stuff like this:
But the most salient point is that none of us proclaimed him to be the new Messi, none of us were demanding he start every PL game for ever more. All any of us discussed how we knew he still had elements of his game that needed massive work but how it would be nice to see him get the odd go off the bench and see if he could develop.
And this is all most of us ever say about any of the youth players - and even then it's literally only a handful over the last few years who any of us would even discuss as viable just to get some chances or minutes or the odd game.
But somehow this gets misrepresented as we are all youth facists who claim every youth player is the second coming and are demanding we have a team with 11 youth players. Which is utter bollocks.
The bottom line is, even those of us that watch the youth development are all still Spurs fans first, all we want is the best Spurs possible. We don't want it populated with Livermore's, Townsend's, Georgiou's and Shillow Tracey's any more than we want it populated with shit signings like Njie's and Sissoko's.
Amongst others and it's most likely because he's light years ahead of anything we have in the academy. Would you suggest that Skipp is on his level BC? Nope, no you wouldn't. "Viable"!?!
No he didn't. He was under contract with Sunderland when they got relegated and was forced to go down with them but moved to Watford in January...
Ndong was relegated with Sunderland, played half the season (18 games) in the championship (in which he/they were utter garbage and sat bottom when he left) before being sent on loan to Watford where he didn't get a single start - Nada - Zero minutes.
He's ahead now because, having played PL (badly) Champo (badly), then loaned and failed to get a single minute at mighty newly promoted Watford, had his contract cancelled for being a dickhead, managed about 17 games in the next 3 years in Ligue1 and Ligue 2 for Guingamp, he's finally get games every week for the team currently sitting one place above the relegation zone in Ligue 1.
We've got players out on loan now at Champo teams playing better football, for teams doing better than Ndong did. Skipp would walk into any Champo side and do better than Ndong did. Does that prove they will be a success, no, does that prove Ndong was always a shit footballer, no. That is the point. Making a final judgement on players after a handful of games is stupid. You didn't do it for Ndong, why do it for the likes of our best youth products. When you accept sometimes players just need a longer than a few games to find their level and some consistency.
So you are now discussing this massively proven talent....same way some of us who watch the youth players progress discuss them...just the ones with talent - be that footballing talent, or defensive talent.
All that matters is can he play. Can he play, BC? Is he a better player than Winks and Skipp put together?
No that isn't all that matters. What matters is "is he going to be better than a Skipp who's had the 100+ games Ndong has now had. That is the fucking point. Because if he won't be then we could save that (cheap though it seems) 5-10m fee and 20 wages and spend it on someone who will be.
You're moaning that we could have these players for peanuts before the world realises - after they have played a season or two - they are decent, but ignoring the potential we might have here already for even less than peanuts, that needs to be developed using the same process.
Onomah was winning youth WC's - his ceiling was massive - didn't get one single minute in his natural position under Pochettino. Same KWP, three assists in his second league start for us, of course he had weaknesses - but like you are saying about Ndong - surely a player who can break a record for RB assists in one game might be worth giving more game time to and try to polish off the weaknesses because if you can you've POTENTIALLY got one of the best offensive RB's in the league?
Do I think Skipp has the potential to be as viable as a 6 for us as Ndong ? Yes I do. But I don't know it fir sure. Anymore than you would have done about Ndong when he played his first 3 games. And he's still got flaws, as you say yourself - after 100+ games (nearer 200 I think).
We both know judgement at any stage is possible, necessary but this whole demeaning of people who just want to see the very best - and only the very best - of our youth products get some kind of reasonable chance - even if that's being sent on loans - is disingenuous and misrepresents the truth.