Recruitment

[Chris the Blade]

I've watched our recruitment over the last few years and it's all so one dimensional. Older injury prone journeyman players.
Why not try younger loans? Marli Salmon at Arsenal is a perfect example. He's had a fantastic pre-season. Won't get much game time as a 16yr old kid especially as they're stacked at centre back with Saliba, Gabriel, Mosquera and now about to sign Konsa. Ring Arsenal. Be proactive. He's got limitless talent. Or what about Chelsea or City's academies? We're living in the dark ages constantly signing over the hill players.

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

Romelle Donovan is 19.

 

[steve26272]

I've watched our recruitment over the last few years and it's all so one dimensional. Older injury prone journeyman players.
Why not try younger loans? Marli Salmon at Arsenal is a perfect example. He's had a fantastic pre-season. Won't get much game time as a 16yr old kid especially as they're stacked at centre back with Saliba, Gabriel, Mosquera and now about to sign Konsa. Ring Arsenal. Be proactive. He's got limitless talent. Or what about Chelsea or City's academies? We're living in the dark ages constantly signing over the hill players.

bad example- imagine the stick the club would get when seasoned EFL strikers such as Keiffer Moore, Piroe, Jimenez etc bang em in against a 16 yr old boy at CB

We do loan young uns - rak saki, mcatee, Donovan, but 16yr old, especially at CB is crackers mate

 

[dexter101]

Bindon was 20 when he joined last season.

Not sure how many supporters would support a 16 year old in at CB.

Talent is different to playing mens football.

 

[uTurn]

We're lacking a strong leader in defence. Someone who will direct the backline and set an example. What should we do?

Loan in a 16 year old.

Fucking genius.

 

[Proper Blade]

I've watched our recruitment over the last few years and it's all so one dimensional. Older injury prone journeyman players.
Why not try younger loans? Marli Salmon at Arsenal is a perfect example. He's had a fantastic pre-season. Won't get much game time as a 16yr old kid especially as they're stacked at centre back with Saliba, Gabriel, Mosquera and now about to sign Konsa. Ring Arsenal. Be proactive. He's got limitless talent. Or what about Chelsea or City's academies? We're living in the dark ages constantly signing over the hill players.

Someone has been reading Arsenal Twitter a bit too much.

I don't care how good he could be, a 16 year old centee back would get absolutely torn apart in the Championship.

 

[joe casey]

Threads and comments like this annoy me more than they should - so I've been a sad bastard and listed all permanents and loans for the past 4 seasons:

22/23
Anel Ahmedhodzic:23

Tommy Doyle:21
Reda Khadra:21
Ciaran Clark:33
James Mcatee:20

Avg Age: 24
...................................
23/24
Anis Slimane:22
Benie Traore:20
Auston Trusty:25
Vini Souza:24
Gus Hamer:26
Tom Davies:25
Cameron Archer:21
Ryan One:17
Sam Curtis:17
Ivo Grbic:27

Yasser Larouci:22
Luke Thomas:22
James Mcatee: 21
Ben Brereton-Diaz:24
Mason Holgate:26

Avg Age: 21.5
.........................................

24/25
Jamie Shackleton:24
Sam McCallum:23
Kieffer Moore:32
Callum O'Hare:27
Harrison Burrows:22
Tyrese Campbell:24
Michael Cooper:24
Jamal Baptiste:20
Tom Cannon:21
Jefferson Caceres:21
Christian Nwachukwu:18

Harry Souttar:25
Alfie Gilchrist:20
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi:23
Ben Brereton-Diaz:25
Hamza Choudhary:26
Harry Clarke:23
Rob Holding:28

Avg Age: 24
..............................................

25/26
Ehije Ukaki:20
Mihai Polendakov:18
Nils Zatterstrom:20
Danny Ings:33
Japhet Tanganga:26
Tahith Chong:25
Alex Matos:20
Mark Mcguinness:24
Ben Mee:35
Jairo Riedewald:28
Patrick Bamford:31
Joe Rothwell:30

Tyler Bindon:20
Louie Barry:22
Djibril Soumare:22
Ben Godfrey:27
Chiedozie Ogbene:28
Ki-Jana Hoever:23
Leo Hjelde:21
Kalvin Phillips:29

Avg Age: 25
..............................................


Overall Avg Age: 24
We've signed 5 players over the age of 30 in the last 4 seasons.
You'd say Tom Davies, Jamie Shackleton & Kalvin Phillips were/are injury prone. The rest were/are either decent or just crap. I'd wager most championship teams signings over the last few years have a similar make-up.

 

[Chris the Blade]

bad example- imagine the stick the club would get when seasoned EFL strikers such as Keiffer Moore, Piroe, Jimenez etc bang em in against a 16 yr old boy at CB

We do loan young uns - rak saki, mcatee, Donovan, but 16yr old, especially at CB is crackers mate

The kid is over 6ft. He'd pocket Kieffer Moore any day of the week. Different quality completely. If you're good enough then age is immaterial. Just look at Rooney and Dowman.

 

[steve26272]

The kid is over 6ft. He'd pocket Kieffer Moore any day of the week. Different quality completely. If you're good enough then age is immaterial. Just look at Rooney and Dowman.

Those 2 are exceptions not the rule

Also, they will no doubt have made many mistakes, but doing so 70yds up the pitch is fine

Doing it as a CB leads to goals

I would take a punt on a gifted 16 yr old attacking lad
I wouldn’t on a CB

 

[John Street West Terrace]

I've watched our recruitment over the last few years and it's all so one dimensional. Older injury prone journeyman players.
Why not try younger loans? Marli Salmon at Arsenal is a perfect example. He's had a fantastic pre-season. Won't get much game time as a 16yr old kid especially as they're stacked at centre back with Saliba, Gabriel, Mosquera and now about to sign Konsa. Ring Arsenal. Be proactive. He's got limitless talent. Or what about Chelsea or City's academies? We're living in the dark ages constantly signing over the hill players.

We have signed younger players in the last 3 to 4 years …Donovan , Gilchrist , Rak Saki , Soumare , Zatterstrom , Burrows , McAtee , MGW off the top of my head ?

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

We have signed younger players in the last 3 to 4 years …Donovan , Gilchrist , Rak Saki , Soumare , Zatterstrom , Burrows , McAtee , MGW off the top of my head ?

More loans than long term investments

 

[Blademan89]

bad example- imagine the stick the club would get when seasoned EFL strikers such as Keiffer Moore, Piroe, Jimenez etc bang em in against a 16 yr old boy at CB

We do loan young uns - rak saki, mcatee, Donovan, but 16yr old, especially at CB is crackers mate

The only 16 year old we should consider which would be unrealistic anyway is max dowman.

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

A 16 year old at centre half

 

[Wards]

I’m not even sure you can loan a 16 year old if they haven’t signed a professional contract.

That, plus it’s possibly one of the most ridiculous fucking ideas I’ve heard anyway. I’m going to chalk it down as a non starter.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

With all shenanigans around the owners playing out in the public & media I think Wilders gonna have his work cut out bringing any quality in between now & the close of the window

 

[LurkerBlade]

Baptiste was seen as "The Next Rio Ferdinand" at that age and is only just showing real possibility of playing in the first team now.

Yes you do get exceptions but as others have said, we need a leader at the back.

 

[HackeyBlade]

I don't think age is the issue. It's more the fact we sign some utter dog shit