“Without a doubt. They will have to continue and keep working and improving and not get disheartened if the opportunity doesn't come as they see it after Australia and going forward. The more they train and the better they train then they will get opportunities.”
Christmas feels far longer than just four months ago in the world of Everton, with those words being Frank Lampard’s response to a question from the ECHO about the potential for several of the club’s youngsters to break into first team contention. The Blues had enjoyed a positive trip to Australia during the World Cup break, with Isaac Price, Tom Cannon and Stanley Mills each among a talented crop of youngsters looking to become the latest to emerge under the guidance of the former England star. All three did get chances, but Everton’s worsening predicament limited opportunity before Lampard’s departure.
Sean Dyche is keen to point out his role in bringing Dwight McNeil through to the Burnley first team despite his youth and is helping Finch Farm graduate Ellis Simms develop following his recall from a loan deal with Sunderland. Chances may come once he has learnt more about his youth stars and if the pressure decreases before the end of the season. But for now he is yet to name any of the group who broke through during the Sydney Super Cup in a matchday squad. With one of them, Price, looking likely to end his 12 year association with Everton this summer, this is how those youngsters have fared since the trip Down Under.
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Isaac Price
Price was Everton’s star man in Australia. With Idrissa Gueye, Amadou Onana and Alex Iwobi missing the trip due to international commitments and Tom Davies and James Garner both injured, the games against Celtic and Western Sydney Wanderers presented a glorious chance for him. He took it.
Lampard named him the best player on the pitch in the penalty shootout win over Celtic. It was a big step forward for a midfielder who had earned his debut under Lampard in the FA Cup win over Boreham Wood then made his first Premier League appearance at Arsenal, only to then drop back from prominence over pre-season. Lampard declared of the November tour: “Isaac was probably our best player, he had a fantastic two games in Australia.”
Price had been on the bench for the league and Carabao Cup defeats to Bournemouth that preceded the World Cup, was again on the bench for the trip to Manchester City and then played the final 40 minutes of the home defeat to Brighton. He was on the bench for Everton’s last game under Lampard, the loss at West Ham.
The 19-year-old has been at the club since the age of seven but his current deal expires in the summer and a fleet of clubs across Europe have been tracking his availability. Everton have sought to keep hold of him but Price is keen for first team football and is now on the brink of agreeing a pre-contract deal with Belgian side Standard Liege. Everton would receive compensation should those talks move to an agreement.
Tom Cannon
Cannon has not been available for Dyche to look at after securing a January loan move to Preston North End. While few had doubts over the 20-year-old’s talent, it remained in question whether the Championship was appropriate for his first run at senior football - even if he had bullied League One and League Two defences in the Papa John’s Trophy and the academy sides of Manchester United, Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain.
Cannon, who scored in the shootout win over Celtic and then against Western Sydney Wanderers, had made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup tie at Bournemouth then his first Premier League appearance in the league game against the same opposition days later.
After the World Cup he earned the last 10 minutes in the Boxing Day defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers before the return of Simms and expectation further strikers would arrive led to his Preston move. He has now scored seven goals in 15 games including six in his last six and is firing Preston towards the Championship play-offs.
Preston boss Ryan Lowe had scouted Cannon for some time and has been impressed to the point of hoping Cannon might be available next season. He told the ECHO recently: “I had an instinct he had the attributes and I’m glad we could do the deal with Everton to bring him to Preston for his first loan. We feel we can work with him to get better - we have a responsibility to these young players and we want them to come here and learn. We need to make sure we coach them to the best of our ability - that is important to us. I think he has got a big, bright future and we would love to potentially do something with him next season. At this moment in time it’s about trying to do well for us now and have a good season... His attitude and application is spot on, he wants to learn and works hard on a daily basis.”
Stanley Mills
Mills’ rise has been spectacular. A late call up to the first team tour of the US in the summer, he then impressed in the States with the likes of Lewis Warrington, who is enjoying an impressive loan at Fleetwood, and Reece Welch. Mills, along with Price and, until January, Cannon, has been a big part of the progress of Paul Tait’s Under-21s and was another who enjoyed a good time in Sydney.
Mills had made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup win over Fleetwood Town and then played again in the cup tie at Bournemouth. He has remained with the U21s since and is now in double figures for the season - including three goals against senior Football League side in the Papa John’s Trophy. The 19-year-old’s most recent goal came against Wolves at the end of last month.
Reece Welch and Joe Anderson
Centre backs Reece Welch and Joe Anderson were further behind Price, Cannon and Mills but both got onto the pitch for the 5-1 win over Western Sydney Wanderers - as did Sebastian Quirk. Welch, still only 19, was handed his first team debut against Boreham Wood then played throughout pre-season before earning his first start in the Carabao Cup win over Fleetwood. Viewed as a promising talent at the club, he was due to get his first taste of senior football through a loan deal with League One side MK Dons - only for the move to break down at an advanced stage.
At 22, his former U21s partner at the back Anderson was likely to find himself behind Jarrad Branthwaite upon his return from a loan deal at PSV Eindhoven and, with Everton having a significant number of senior centre back options, he moved to Sunderland in January. He made his debut from the bench in the draw with Milwall in February and, while he is set to get further opportunities before the start of next season, boss Tony Mowbray has suggested he may be given an opportunity to develop on loan at the start of the next campaign.
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