Cameron Howieson (Auckland FC | A-League)

So you are well up with the play regarding members of Burnley squad and how they play are you Joey?

the article based it off the club award he won two seasons ago and the fact he is an international. I don't think the journalist knew anymore than i do.

Well he's part of the squad according to the official Premier League site - that said I couldnt see much pre season involvment but considering the size of their squad I'd be surprised if he didn't get some time this season.

He didn't in the Championship last season.  I really can't see him playing this one unless a miracle takes place.  As I and others have said, he needs to go out on loan and play a full season in the Champ, League 1 or League 2.

He'd be better off in a second tier european league.  Look how well Ryan Thomas is doing playing week in week out in a good technical league.  The English lower leagues are a real slog and small technical players are always going to struggle there.

He's fringe at best.  Things can happen during the season, but even though he has a squad number, he is way down the pecking order.  Both the Club's official website (link - it's a bloody awful website, bastardised championship template, I think) and Clarets-Mad (link), which is run by knowledgeable folk list him as development squad rather than first team squad.   

Could make the squad when we're already relegated just after Christmas (according to most pundits).

he isnt on fantasy premier league so think that sums it up

Playing in the development squad - needs a loan move to get first team football

http://www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk/sport/burnley-fc/latest-news/clarets-cruise-past-crewe-1-7011272

Sounds like he's been playing alright though.

http://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/roll/ed31/vokes_bags_two_as_dev_squad_beat_blackpool_51_849151/index.shtml

A tip for you: Press on "Enter" after copying and pasting a link and it becomes live so people can click on it (as has happened now with your link above ^)

Just checked his Twitter account and there is a link to a game where he excelled. Goals and assists. Question is, do solid performances in the development squad translate into anything else?

http://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/burnley-fc/latest-news/burnley-starlets-offered-new-deals-1-7197128

I wonder if he'd be in the frame for the Phoenix. We have enough midfielders when you factor in Hicks, Rufer, Ridenton. Probably answered my own question.

I think he will pick up something over there. He has had good coverage during his time there with some success. I imagine a League 2 or maybe a League 1 team will be quite keen to give him a go.

Thomas and Rojas are good examples of playing in non 'top 5' European leagues. Getting minutes and playing good football. Is the stereotype, which sees guys like Akinfenwa get gigs, fair on League 1 or 2?

Has no doubt had the word from Hudson too.

I'm not so sure about picking up a League 1/2 contract.  

Why did he never go out on loan?  Surely playing L1/2/Conference National would have been better then playing in Burnleys u21s.  

Maybe there's an issue with him that we've not seen due to him not playing/appearing much in front of the cameras/media.

If I were him, or many other young kiwis in a similar situation, I would try my hardest to get into Belgium, Holland, Austria, Switzerland and maybe Portugal to play top flight football in decent leagues where there is less competition than say in Italy, France, England, Germany etc.

Don't assume that the level of a reserve team Premier League player is the same as a first team second tier league player.  They're often a lot lower down the food chain than that

Come back to the A-League!!  It would be perfect for him right now

Also, him coming back would potentially further limit Ridenton's and Rufer's playing time even more.

Agree, but still need either a) Euro passport or b) national team representation as a minimum. Without either of those it's even harder than it was previoiusly. Even A league opportunities are limited unless you have Aussie passport. Auckland City HAL entry would double the opportunities for young kiwis to get into an A league set-up.

Well if he can't get a game in the A-League then he's not going to get a gig in Europe!  I think he could easily be in the mix amongst those attacking players, but agree would probably be a bench player to begin with.

According to wiki, his Dad is Scottish so probably has the euro passport.

Hmm, 50 shades does have A league minutes under his belt. His A league highlights reel would trump Howieson's English U21 reel. It begs the question about which is the more valuable stepping stone. I'm of the view that A league first team experience is the better means to attract interest from a secondary tier Euro league.

Of course the obvious recent example of skipping A league altogether is Ryan Thomas - who will be playing in his second Dutch Cup final soon. He has just turned 20.

Has any kiwi kid, apart from Chris Wood gone to the UK and EVER made a go of it? ( I mean get signed and play regular first team football in, say the top three tiers in England)

Because it seems like everyone gets excited when some kiwi teenager gets signed by some UK club. It makes the news here and then zippo. Seems to me the UK is one of the hardest places on the planet to rise up through the ranks. They have so much TV money that clubs can shop around the globe for talent  for the top teams. There is very little space for English kids.....not surprised that kids from NZ can't make it. 

Howieson joins the long list of promising youngsters who have to re assess where they are going. Its a shame for him because he did have talent.

You actually do wonder what sort of level some of the Youth and Reserve grade stuff is in England. Because guys like Adams and that midfielder from Blackburn came back to the Nix from OK UK clubs and were definitely NOT A-League standard.

Howieson definitely needs a huge slice of luck. He's no longer a promising teenager and his CV shows U21 Burnley and a handfull of games for NZ. Hardly a ringing endorsement for anyone recruiting. Probably back in NZ with AC and then get noticed by an A-League club or someone in the States is his best bet.

Having played in England for a while Scotland would be a decent choice in terms of type of the league. The bottom SPL teams are about league 1 level if he could just get one full season in and show what he has then even if the team is relegated he should be able to maintain himself as a European professional. Or as mentioned plenty of quality professional leagues on the continent that would be easier to get into than the A league assuming he has the paper work taken care of.

Chris and Rory for one. Mulligan did OK too.

Chris Killen - signed for Man City aged 18 and went on to make about 100 appearances in the Football League 2000-2010

All Known Kiwis to Have Made First Team Appearances in the Football League, Premier League and Scottish Premier League:

http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/NZRepSoccer/id1845...

Just being facetious...but Kiwi-born players have been playing in the top three tiers since the 1920's...

John "Barney" Moorhead was born in Christchurch, NZ in 1895 and played for Southampton and Brighton and Hove Albion, as well as becoming one of the best players in Ireland and playing international football for Ireland:

http://www.yellowfever.co.nz/categories/kiwi-playe...

Admittedly there was then a 57 year gap until Jon Rush from Wellington signed for Blackpool in 1979 and made 11 first team apps as a goalie.. 

And Brian Turner may have been born in England but grew up in NZ from a young age and can be considered a Kiwi - let's remember he made 96 apps for Portsmouth and Brentford 1969-72.

And Ricki Herbert who was 23 when he signed for Wolves and made 45 apps

Ceri Evans from Christchurch was 25 when he signed for then second-tier Oxford United in 1989 with team-mates Steve McClaren, Steve Foster etc. and went on to make 130 apps.

About 30 Kiwis have made first team appearances in the Football league, Premier League or Scottish Premier League 1920 - 2015

(only 19 have made more than ten apps)

Look at A-Rod as an example - played and captained for a Premier league yoof team... talk of him making the step up to their EPL squad and ends up coming here, goes ok but doesn't set the league alight (nor would you expect him to) whilst showing glimpses of undoubted quality. There's plenty of kids at that level who didn't excel as A-Rod did so obviously aren't as strong. And Burnley's yoof are a level down again... Howieson didn't set their world on fire either so how/why anyone would expect him to do that here defies logic.

He would be better served playing ASB or lower league senior level in Europe for a good season or two - get used to playing against men week in and week out with a view to excelling and pushing forward again (which is what Marco has had to do for different reasons) in Europe, though hopefully not England (as it's a tough slog in the lower leagues - and the higher ones lol).

Also, as I eluded to earlier - Hudson will have made it clear what he wants him to be doing if he wants to stay around the AW's squad/thinking. And that's playing first team football, week in - week out. I hope he finds that opportunity for himself.