Bostock's test of character (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
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SWINDON TOWN: Bostock's test of character
5:50am Saturday 28th April 2012 in Sport By Andy Warren
John Bostock
WHEN 16-year-old John Bostock left Crystal Palace for the bright lights of Tottenham in 2008, it appeared as though he had the world at his feet.
The youngster had burst onto the scene a year earlier to become Palace’s youngest ever player, and made the move to White Hart Lane for close to £1million amid reported interest from Barcelona and Chelsea, where he was predicted to shine.
But four brief appearances in the Spurs first team, of which none were in the Premier League, were all that followed, which led to loan spells at Brentford, Hull and Sheffield Wednesday which brought mixed success.
He now finds himself playing in the basement division for Swindon and about to enter the final year of his contract with Harry Redknapp’s side, but unlike many other starlets that have gone before him the level-headed midfielder shows no sign of letting his undoubted talent go to waste.
Although he has only made one full appearance for Town, Bostock has shown what he is capable of, and his determination to battle through what has been a rollercoaster start to his young career is what drives him on to be successful in the game he loves.
“It has been really tough actually, and dealing with all of the pressure and all of the responsibility since my move to Tottenham has probably been the biggest battle of my life so far,” he said.
“Having to prove my worth and why I was the kid everyone wanted has been very tough, but I think it has been character-building for me too.
“But now I find myself in League Two and having to rebuild.
“I love the game more than ever, but I just need the opportunity to show I have the talent still and I can do it.
“I have only played 29 games and not all of those have been starts, so I just need to get my head down and play.
“In life there are a lot of things you regret, but I try not to do that because if you do you will always be looking back thinking there are things you should have done.
“No one knows what would have happened if I stayed at Crystal Palace, but positives have come from the move that is for sure.”
While many in his position would have turned their noses up at the chance of dropping four divisions to kickstart their careers, Bostock jumped at the opportunity to learn under Paolo Di Canio, and the experience could play a big part in getting things back on track.
“For me, I am 20 years old and I have only made 29 appearances in my entire career, so it is all about playing as many games as I can.,” he said.
“My life is not difficult as long as I am playing football, so I spoke to the manager here and obviously knew about his history in the game and his knowledge.
“He wanted me to come and play, so I came here to play in a winning team, it would have been difficult if it had been into a losing team at the bottom of the league. So to come here was a no brainer for me.
“The manager is unique and I really admire his professionalism.
“I don’t think I have ever met a man who is as passionate about the game of football as he is.
“If you can’t learn from that then you are foolish. I have learnt a lot already from him, both on and off the pitch.
“Harry said Paolo had rung and wanted me, and he was all for me coming here because they know each other so well.
“Harry has nothing but good words to say about Di Canio, so it is great to play under him.”
Comments(20)
Bamptonred
says...
8:00am Sat 28 Apr 12
Good luck Bostock, I hope you get the opportunity to shine in a Swindon shirt and prove to STFC and yourself why you should be starting in the first 11 in any club.
Red 'n' white walrus
says...
8:12am Sat 28 Apr 12
Oi Den!
says...
8:26am Sat 28 Apr 12
.
Seriously though, good luck to Bostock. I hope he produces his best form for us. Trouble is, I suppose, the better he plays for us the more likely it is that Arry will want him back.
Oi Den!
says...
8:38am Sat 28 Apr 12
Red 'n' white walrus wrote:I think your point just demonstrates how hard it is to know whether young players are going to be any good or not. Players who are stars in their teens often just can't cut it in the pro game. We like to think we get a benefit from signing a player on loan from a top club, but in reality we are doing the likes of Spurs a favour. If the player is good enough for them, his development is advanced by coming to us. And if he's not, then we have been the guinea pig that's helped to prove it, with no harm done to the parent club.
there must be a lot more young players like him that want to be part of a winning side with such a mentor as di canio, throughout the season i've thought that we havent fully utilised our links with higher division clubs. There is the obvious deterrent as mentioned in the article of players not wanting to drop the divisions but now we're in league 1 we must surely be able to get some young stars and not the cr@p we usually get like montano, abdulla, obika, trashikodi, onibuje (the bolton guy in playoff year) and more like ward or cox.
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I think it's a pity that loans are such a big part of the game in the lower divisions nowadays.
SAPFanSTFC
says...
8:52am Sat 28 Apr 12
"If you can’t learn from that then you are foolish. I have learnt a lot already from him, both on and off the pitch."
..
to our friend from the early days of the season:
"f..off I dunt wanna run tomowwow!! Pout pout bottom lip out!!
--
Maybe, just maybe Tottenham will let him come here for the season or even let us have him cheap with sell on clauses?
..
Also very clever of PdC to keep him under wraps so that no-one puts a bid in for him prior to his contract running out..now he can score a hat-trick but no-one will have time to scout him out!
:-)
mrclick
says...
9:14am Sat 28 Apr 12
Rhs Boydy
says...
9:52am Sat 28 Apr 12
Stilloyal
says...
10:05am Sat 28 Apr 12
mrclick wrote:I remember that, I thought Kevin was a great player. I sat next to him, his wife and baby one time when he was injured, nice bloke.
Anyone remember Kevin Watson who signed for us in 1996? I think he had been another great hope under 21's England Capt' also came from Spurs - I remember him one Xmas game scoring a screamer at the Stratton bank end then the game was abandoned
What happened to him ?
Another view
says...
10:16am Sat 28 Apr 12
I agree with Den that the loan market can be unfair to the small teams, though if we had beaten Millwall at Wembley then Danny Ward's loan spell would have been well worth it. And we might just have been able to hold onto him in the championship.
The weather forecast at the top of this page says there is a 19% chance of rain today - hope SN1 has better weather than Highworth as we seem to have enough rain this morning to cover the whole county!
BromhamRed
says...
10:17am Sat 28 Apr 12
Unless he fancies loaning us Joe Hart as back up to Wes and Wayne Rooney might get in the first team?
Chish and Fips
says...
10:30am Sat 28 Apr 12
Stilloyal wrote:Sky Sports commentator now I believe.
mrclick wrote:I remember that, I thought Kevin was a great player. I sat next to him, his wife and baby one time when he was injured, nice bloke.
Anyone remember Kevin Watson who signed for us in 1996? I think he had been another great hope under 21's England Capt' also came from Spurs - I remember him one Xmas game scoring a screamer at the Stratton bank end then the game was abandoned
What happened to him ?
Stilloyal
says...
10:35am Sat 28 Apr 12
BromhamRed wrote:According to the Sun, Paolo is after his great friend Calamity James, groan :-(
Don't think we'll be getting any loans off 'Arry next year if he is England manager! Unless he fancies loaning us Joe Hart as back up to Wes and Wayne Rooney might get in the first team?
Super Jan
says...
10:38am Sat 28 Apr 12
mrclick wrote:I remember that game mate, it was against Grimsby and we were having a great game. We were hammering them and they had a player sent off. Only after the first half the blo ody ref called the game off.
Anyone remember Kevin Watson who signed for us in 1996? I think he had been another great hope under 21's England Capt' also came from Spurs - I remember him one Xmas game scoring a screamer at the Stratton bank end then the game was abandoned
Stilloyal
says...
10:42am Sat 28 Apr 12
Chish and Fips wrote:Cheers mate
Stilloyal wrote:Sky Sports commentator now I believe.mrclick wrote: Anyone remember Kevin Watson who signed for us in 1996? I think he had been another great hope under 21's England Capt' also came from Spurs - I remember him one Xmas game scoring a screamer at the Stratton bank end then the game was abandonedI remember that, I thought Kevin was a great player. I sat next to him, his wife and baby one time when he was injured, nice bloke. What happened to him ?
stigger
says...
10:52am Sat 28 Apr 12
Wilesy
says...
12:14pm Sat 28 Apr 12
Oi Den! wrote:I can't see Arry giving him a chance, others like Livermore have overtaken him in the pecking order, plus if Modric goes they will buy big to replace. Lets hope he shines today.
Blimey Andy, did you write this one after a journalist's liquid lunch?!... "the bright lights of Tottenham" (is that the glow from the fires started by rioters?) , "interest from Barcelona and Chelsea, where he was predicted to shine"? And the drop from Premier League to League 2 is three divisions, not four.
.
Seriously though, good luck to Bostock. I hope he produces his best form for us. Trouble is, I suppose, the better he plays for us the more likely it is that Arry will want him back.
Red Mist
says...
2:06pm Sat 28 Apr 12
SAPFanSTFC wrote:I think a free transfer with a large sell on clause would be best for all parties. First and foremost that lad would have a stable and pressure-free environment, we would get a good prospect to work on and Spurs would get a reward if he did hit the level and was sold on. I wish young talent would learn not to jump the moment a big club comes calling - that also goes for PDC
Compare Bostock's comment above:
"If you can’t learn from that then you are foolish. I have learnt a lot already from him, both on and off the pitch."
..
to our friend from the early days of the season:
"f..off I dunt wanna run tomowwow!! Pout pout bottom lip out!!
--
Maybe, just maybe Tottenham will let him come here for the season or even let us have him cheap with sell on clauses?
..
Also very clever of PdC to keep him under wraps so that no-one puts a bid in for him prior to his contract running out..now he can score a hat-trick but no-one will have time to scout him out!
:-)
Psychedelic Syd
says...
2:11pm Sun 29 Apr 12
Swindon1984
says...
2:14pm Sun 29 Apr 12
Stilloyal wrote:Oh dear - apart from the fact his best years are behind him the bloke comes with a lot of baggage, could see him bringing a huge ego and disruption to the dressing room (and would imagine he won't come cheap either). Bad idea all round.
BromhamRed wrote:According to the Sun, Paolo is after his great friend Calamity James, groan :-(
Don't think we'll be getting any loans off 'Arry next year if he is England manager! Unless he fancies loaning us Joe Hart as back up to Wes and Wayne Rooney might get in the first team?
ashley101 says...
7:38am Sat 28 Apr 12