Rising star / Mr Ryan Christie!

[DundeeICT]

Link

http://m.stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/st-mirren/303745-three-scottish-players-make-prestigious-list-of-worlds-emerging-stars/

[caleyboy]

Brilliant recognition. We all know how much Yogi rates the boy but I wonder what has been done to protect the club interests? I know he is serving his apprenticeship with us and I'm sure he would benefit by another season or two with us learning under Yogi and Russell. I wonder what incentive we have given to him to stay as long possible or maybe we are looking to cash him in during the window in January - I'm sure there are many interested parties waiting to try and get him as cheap as possible.

[Sneckboy]

I'm a huge fan. I doubt it'll happen for a few years but I think he's destined for the Scotland national team.

[+DoofersDad]

That's a great accolade and he will be under some pressure to live up to the billing.  I am sure he will be well advised but what concerns me is that in order to show what he is capable of, his type of "vision" player needs really good players around him who are on the same wavelength.

 

When he came on as a sub on Saturday he got a fair bit of the ball was generally pretty ineffective.  He played square balls or played the ball back but offerred little penetration - but it wasn't his fault.  As discussed elsewhere, the team were not firing on all cylinders and there was precious little movement in front of him.  He was continually looking up and scanning in front of him but sadly finding no players creating space to play the ball into.

 

If other players at the club can up their game, get on Ryan's wavelength and keep moving to create exploitable space then Ryan can develop here for another season or two and put himself in the public's eye.  If not, then Ryan may well be best moving on.

 

Of course, if he does move on, being ranked in this list should seriously up his price tag.  Hopefully he will be able to repay the club which has nurtured him by ensuring he is in contract when he goes so that the club benefits from a large transfer fee when the time comes.

[AlexJones]

Good for an ICT player to be getting some national recognition. He deserves it. But if football has taught us anything (especially Scottish football!), it is that only a small fraction of 'rising stars' actually go on to be stars. Talent only takes you so far. It's a focused lifestyle and fanatical work rate that separate the great players from the mediocre. 2 attributes in incredibly short supply in our national football culture.
 

A word of warning, here is a (in hindsight rather amusing!) list of 'the 50 most exciting rising stars in world football' from 2007. Link

 

And 'where are they now?' Link

 

Let's hope Ryan doesn't end up like the majority of players on the list!

 

[rimet]

Terrific recognition for one of our own and well done PerthICT for finding this as I didn't even know such a list existed!

I also agree with points that Caleyboy and Doofers Dad mention when they state that they hope the club looks after young Christie, develops him and maybe, just maybe reaps some future reward in the transfer market.

Alex Jones suggests that Christie's future will depend on his work ethic/lifestyle but from what I've read from messrs Butcher, Malpas & Hughes on several occasions is that Christie's attitude & workrate to training & games has been first class but maybe Alex knows something they don't?

Having met the lad in hospitality at the stadium he seems a very grounded and pleasant young man and for me and many, many other season ticket holders in the North stand he has been a welcome breath of fresh air at the club in the past twelve months!

Well done young man and I sincerely hope you get the chance in the future to show your talent at an even higher level.

[Council Juice]

Good to see him get recognition. Though it still seems that unless you play for the old firm (even in the 2nd tier) or Dundee United, Scotland don't want to know. He's been pretty regular for one of the form teams in the country. You'd think he or Shinnie would at least get a look in.

[fursoboysh]

Really well deserved, he has looked the part playing in the senior side and shone consistently helping us up to 2nd.

Classy attacking midfielders with vision have really been lacking in the Scottish team of late, we have two gems in Christie and Gauld lining up to push the national team forward in the next few years, really can't wait to see it!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I thought that we were trying to keep this a feckin secret.

[Sneckboy]

It (the Christie in top 100) got a mention on 'North Tonight - STV News' last night.

Although I'm sure that Ryan is destined for big things, sometimes these lists of predictions can come back to haunt.

The list concerning Christie is by the website fanzine In Bed With Maradona, but STV had a '14 for '2014' list this time last year. The 14 players to look out for in the year just ending. I've never seen such poor predicting!

http://m.stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/inverness/257293-fourteen-for-14-our-list-of-young-players-to-watch-out-for-in-2014/

 

And the link to Adam Evans being 'bigged up' as the next great thing!

http://m.stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/inverness/257611-fourteen-for-14-adam-evans-inverness-cts-new-speedy-forward/

 

There's just something about Ryan Christie that makes me feel confident he'll become a top player. Although, I don't think he should be considered yet for the full national team.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Sneckboy

[Sneckboy]

Totally agree. The days of big, bulky, put-it-about centre-forwards are passing. The likes of Kevin Kyle! Limited (understatement) in ability but can 'cause problems'!

More recently, Spain have shown that being small in stature is no burden to playing at the very highest level. The following players are all 5' 9" or under and have recently won World Cups or Europeans!

Pedro, Iniesta, Navas, Villa, Xavi, Fabregas, Senna, Cazorla, Alba, Mata. And that's just from Spain!

 

I'd imagine that will be the only 'critisism' of Christie (from watching scouts) - that he needs to bulk up.

But does he? A word often bandied about for a player like RC is 'mercurial' - and those type, don't need to be gym-bunnies.

 

I know he's often called 'wee Ryan' on here but he's actually not small in stature and it's usually more a term meaning 'young' Ryan.

However, I'm not convinced that he needs to be lifting weights etc. - his function is different to that, of say, Nick Ross, who's in a more combative role in midfield and who hasn't quite filled-out for that position - he's been of the same physique for years! Maybe that's why he's drifted out of the picture under Hughes - despite being a terrific local talent.

I'd say, we keep nurturing Ryan - this time last year he was making his debut, so we have to be careful not to over-play him. I certainly hope he'll be with us for a few years yet. 

[dougiedanger]

Good luck to Ryan.

What has happened to Liam Polworth?

Would be good to have more local lads break through.

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

This young man can go all the way to the top in my opinion . He has what you can't teach , an ability to find himself in the right place at the right time and a knack of picking the right pass while making it all look effortless . For what it's worth I believe Ryan is hitting the gym hard in an effort to bulk up a bit and is leading the lifestyle of a professional athlete in that he very rarely touches alcohol .

[Renegade]

For what it's worth I believe Ryan is hitting the gym hard in an effort to bulk up a bit and is leading the lifestyle of a professional athlete in that he very rarely touches alcohol .

 

Good for him.  Shame we can't say that for some of the others (one or two in-particular who having been getting much game time lately).

[+roarer]

For what it's worth I believe Ryan is hitting the gym hard in an effort to bulk up a bit and is leading the lifestyle of a professional athlete in that he very rarely touches alcohol .

 

Good for him.  Shame we can't say that for some of the others (one or two in-particular who having been getting much game time lately).

Please enlighten me on the one or two others who aren't acting like professional athletes and imbibing alcohol more than they should.

[Ronaldo]

Perhaps Rene meant others not going to the gym and bulking up........   

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

For what it's worth I believe Ryan is hitting the gym hard in an effort to bulk up a bit and is leading the lifestyle of a professional athlete in that he very rarely touches alcohol .

 

Good for him.  Shame we can't say that for some of the others (one or two in-particular who having been getting much game time lately).

Please enlighten me on the one or two others who aren't acting like professional athletes and imbibing alcohol more than they should.

Me and Dougal

[+roarer]

Me too lol!

Beginning to show I think.

[tm4tj]

Such a weight of expectation resting on his young pass backs.

[Doofer]

I like to think of Ryan as our Gareth Bale - looks a bit like him too.