Steve Walsh & DCL

[Large Mendonca]

That Colluded Gook.

 

[SwissBlade]

Slew is playing professional football, just at League Two. And if he were up to it he could still play above that. If he'd played half a season for us, not been good enough, and dropped down, he'd be in the same position as now with a few extra games and far less money in his pocket. We all dreamed of being professional footballers but I don't think that means you can ignore the practical reality of what that money means.

Yeah, you're right, I was referring to the Blackburn Transfer v League 1 Blades. It was a gamble for him at the time and whilst he made a lot of money, he might've had more first team football for longer with United.

Playing your entire career at first team level has to be preferable to rotting in the reserves of Blackburn but taking the money

 

[Booker4]

Think most people would agree that he's had more game time at Everton this season than he would've got here, so can't fault the move.
Just hope the sell on clause is hefty.

Sorry but how can we you think that a few subs appearances is all he would have got for United given the injuries to Leon

Errr, he's played for their first team a few times. Including in a Merseyside derby.

Any kid in his position would've been mental not to accept the move.



Don't you think that's a very good reason to take a big fat contract when it's offered to you?


If there's any issue to have it should be with United for selling him.

Good luck to DCL. He's the polar opposite of Che Adams.

Clearly I'm on my own here but I stick to what I said because at the time of his move to Everton he was on the verge of our first team and then swapped that for academy football and occasional appearances from the bench from December onwards.

As for comments like Don't you think the fact he was a reserve at our place means moving for the money is a good reason? You've got to be kidding. Money wouldn't even come into my thinking at that age, it would be solely about where will I develop more as a footballer, the money will come as a result of playing well and subsequent moves longer down the line. Moving to Everton might come off in the long term but I still think if he'd stayed with us, he would have played far more with us than Everton and his career would have been much better for it.

 

[BushBlade]

Sorry but how can we you think that a few subs appearances is all he would have got for United given the injuries to Leon


Clearly I'm on my own here but I stick to what I said because at the time of his move to Everton he was on the verge of our first team and then swapped that for academy football and occasional appearances from the bench from December onwards.

As for comments like Don't you think the fact he was a reserve at our place means moving for the money is a good reason? You've got to be kidding. Money wouldn't even come into my thinking at that age, it would be solely about where will I develop more as a footballer, the money will come as a result of playing well and subsequent moves longer down the line. Moving to Everton might come off in the long term but I still think if he'd stayed with us, he would have played far more with us than Everton and his career would have been much better for it.

He would have played more for Everton but he's been injured.

 

[BushBlade]

Yeah, you're right, I was referring to the Blackburn Transfer v League 1 Blades. It was a gamble for him at the time and whilst he made a lot of money, he might've had more first team football for longer with United.

Playing your entire career at first team level has to be preferable to rotting in the reserves of Blackburn but taking the money

He managed 47 league appearances on loan whilst he was at Blackburn despite quite a bad back injury so not too bad.

Personally, and I'll admit I hadn't seen him that much when we sold him, from what I saw, I'm surprised he's still a professional. I suspect that had he stayed with us he'd have ended up like McFadzean or Ironside.

 

[Booker4]

He would have played more for Everton but he's been injured.

Either way, he'd have played more for us, I'm fairly sure of that. We lacked height up front all season and a good header of the ball, which is one of DCL's best attributes would have been useful, even if off the bench. Clarke has been injured or off form most of the time.

These transfers at a young age for players who've hardly played can go either way obviously, like any move but when you are a youngster who's played none or very little football like Slew, Ramsdale, DCL, I would say its always better to try and breakthrough at the club you're at, rather than got to a higher league, albeit for more money. If we were a non-league club I'd understand, but as we're a League One club and likely to be a Championship club come the end of the season it just seems crazy to me. Its not like say Deano at Donny back in 88, who had played 50 games for Donny scored a few goals and then a bigger club comes in and you'e going to be a regular at that club too - which was thankfully us.

 

[Ricky]

As for comments like Don't you think the fact he was a reserve at our place means moving for the money is a good reason? You've got to be kidding. Money wouldn't even come into my thinking at that age, it would be solely about where will I develop more as a footballer, the money will come as a result of playing well and subsequent moves longer down the line.

You'd have to have a supreme amount of belief in your ability to reject swapping being a L1 reserve on low wages to being a PL reserve on big wages, not to mention hoping to be lucky with injuries etc.

There's nothing to say he won't develop as well with Everton either, especially if he gets the odd decent loan move.

Ramsdale's done the same as DCL, and you can see why, but I feel he would've possibly developed better by staying here.

Heading the ball isn't one of DCL's best attributes either, it's quite a way down the list.

 

[PokerBlade]

Yeah, you're right, I was referring to the Blackburn Transfer v League 1 Blades. It was a gamble for him at the time and whilst he made a lot of money, he might've had more first team football for longer with United.

Playing your entire career at first team level has to be preferable to rotting in the reserves of Blackburn but taking the money

I'm not sure it's that clear. League One football is still going to pay a decent amount of money, but largely what I'm saying, and I think Slew is a good example, is that the list of promising players who went on to do nothing is a lot longer than the list of successes. Slew, in spite of his promise, has gone on to show that he wasn't really good enough to play for us at this level. So he spent a couple of years doing the odd loan spell while training with top class coaching and players at Blackburn, pocketed a fair bit of change, and now gets a career at the level he's capable of. It's not a binary between wasting away at a Prem side or playing first team at League One. Slew, or at least a lot of players like him, would've got neither.

Think about someone like Ironside. Loads of people were insisting he should be in our side and now he's not even playing league football. Think if someone had offered a million pounds to go to Blackburn he'd regret that now?

 

[Rodley]

 

[RammyBlade]

I'm sorry but I don't share this good luck to the lad stuff - I know its Tylers Joke etc. Don't get me wrong I'm sure he's a decent lad and we got a decent for a untried youngster etc. But I just don't get moving to Everton, and therefore consigning himself to reserve football as he has been all season, when he would have definitely played for our first team this season, even if it was just on the bench, I'm sure with Clarke been injured too an Adams leaving that he would have played quite a lot. Also I'd understand if wasn't local but he is a Sheffield lad and supposed Blade. Can any of us here honestly say we'd rather play for anyone other than United, certainly as a breakthrough.

No doubt many will say that its easy for me to say not been in DCL's shoes but even if he wasn't a Blade I'd be very reluctant to make a step up when you haven't even made the breakthrough at your present club. You hear articles all the time how the Academy football isn't anywhere the same as playing proper mens football and is not like we'e at a bad standard, its a decent level for a young pro to make their breakthrough.

Hes started against Arsenal but got injured after 20 mins and also played in the mersyside derby

 

[ernie]

I'm sorry but I don't share this good luck to the lad stuff - I know its Tylers Joke etc. Don't get me wrong I'm sure he's a decent lad and we got a decent for a untried youngster etc. But I just don't get moving to Everton, and therefore consigning himself to reserve football as he has been all season, when he would have definitely played for our first team this season, even if it was just on the bench, I'm sure with Clarke been injured too an Adams leaving that he would have played quite a lot. Also I'd understand if wasn't local but he is a Sheffield lad and supposed Blade. Can any of us here honestly say we'd rather play for anyone other than United, certainly as a breakthrough.

No doubt many will say that its easy for me to say not been in DCL's shoes but even if he wasn't a Blade I'd be very reluctant to make a step up when you haven't even made the breakthrough at your present club. You hear articles all the time how the Academy football isn't anywhere the same as playing proper mens football and is not like we'e at a bad standard, its a decent level for a young pro to make their breakthrough.

I would rather be in evertons under 23s than at Shirecliffe in our under 23s......any day. Rooney was a local lad , an Evertonian......went to ?

He didnt make the breakthrough here because it didnt fit CW's mould, as far as I know he as worked is way up at Everton and played in the first team and due to an injury as been off for the last eight weeks.

You say you would be reluctant to make the step up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! derr, you obviously an armchair boffin and not near the real heart of the sport.

It was a no brainer for the lad....just look who he as been training with.....................oh nearly forgot, didnt he get called up for england and go to korea with them...they obviously got no idea when it comes to talent.

What have we let off ?

 

[nopigfansintown]

I would rather be in evertons under 23s than at Shirecliffe in our under 23s......any day. Rooney was a local lad , an Evertonian......went to ?

He didnt make the breakthrough here because it didnt fit CW's mould, as far as I know he as worked is way up at Everton and played in the first team and due to an injury as been off for the last eight weeks.

You say you would be reluctant to make the step up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! derr, you obviously an armchair boffin and not near the real heart of the sport.

It was a no brainer for the lad....just look who he as been training with.....................oh nearly forgot, didnt he get called up for england and go to korea with them...they obviously got no idea when it comes to talent.

What have we let off ?

He was already with England when at United.

 

[ernie]

He was already with England when at United.

Nope.................he got the call up day after signing for Everton, not saying he wasnt on their radar, he got the call to play with Reedy at the same time to play against Brazil

 

[Booker4]

You'd have to have a supreme amount of belief in your ability to reject swapping being a L1 reserve on low wages to being a PL reserve on big wages, not to mention hoping to be lucky with injuries etc.

There's nothing to say he won't develop as well with Everton either, especially if he gets the odd decent loan move.

Ramsdale's done the same as DCL, and you can see why, but I feel he would've possibly developed better by staying here.

Heading the ball isn't one of DCL's best attributes either, it's quite a way down the list.

I don't see him as a league One reserve, or wasn't. I think he would have played this season for us, given the injury to Leon Clarke and hs lack of form. That said we'll never know how much he will have played for us. Only time will tell if it was a good move or not but I think we can't agree on this.

 

[Booker4]

I would rather be in evertons under 23s than at Shirecliffe in our under 23s......any day. Rooney was a local lad , an Evertonian......went to ?

He didnt make the breakthrough here because it didnt fit CW's mould, as far as I know he as worked is way up at Everton and played in the first team and due to an injury as been off for the last eight weeks.

You say you would be reluctant to make the step up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! derr, you obviously an armchair boffin and not near the real heart of the sport.

It was a no brainer for the lad....just look who he as been training with.....................oh nearly forgot, didnt he get called up for england and go to korea with them...they obviously got no idea when it comes to talent.

What have we let off ?

I'll ignore the armchair boffin bit mate and just say we'll agree to disagree on this. I'd just be repeating myself on why I think he was better off staying with us.

And I think you've misunderstood my point about his talent with the point about him training with England and therefore he is a good talent. I never said he wasn't a great talent. I just said I thought he was better off staying here, establishing himself at a level where (I think) he would have become a regular, as opposed to moving to one of the hardest leagues in the world before he was ready. Yes he will be training with top talent but in my view there is no substitute for playing proper league football as opposed to a bread and butter of academy football and subs appearances. I know he has started against Southampton and then got injured but he hasn't been a regular and it remains to be seen when he wil be. UTB

 

[ernie]

I'll ignore the armchair boffin bit mate and just say we'll agree to disagree on this. I'd just be repeating myself on why I think he was better off staying with us.

And I think you've misunderstood my point about his talent with the point about him training with England and therefore he is a good talent. I never said he wasn't a great talent. I just said I thought he was better off staying here, establishing himself at a level where (I think) he would have become a regular, as opposed to moving to one of the hardest leagues in the world before he was ready. "Yes he will be training with top talent but in my view there is no substitute for playing proper league football as opposed to a bread and butter of academy football and subs appearances." He is playing proper league football ...............in the prem !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know he has started against Southampton and then got injured but he hasn't been a regular and it remains to be seen when he wil be. UTB

Ok. He signed from united, played in the under 23'sat Everton for about 6 or 8 games then he is on the bench, I know he came on against and a couple of other teams, then a start in the Southampton game.
Can you honestly see the likes of Koeman playing someone who was not ready ? I cant.

Look at Reed, first team under Clough, then N.A...........in the England squad..........nill first team with Wilder.

The logic you apply is fair but in reality DCL would not have got any first team time under Wilder. So even playing in the under 23's at Everton is a far better call, I believe.

If he was my son he would have had my 100% support to go to Everton, it was a very calculated decision.
As you say, We will have to agree to differ I think.
UTB

 

[Booker4]

Ok. He signed from united, played in the under 23'sat Everton for about 6 or 8 games then he is on the bench, I know he came on against and a couple of other teams, then a start in the Southampton game.
Can you honestly see the likes of Koeman playing someone who was not ready ? I cant.

Look at Reed, first team under Clough, then N.A...........in the England squad..........nill first team with Wilder.

The logic you apply is fair but in reality DCL would not have got any first team time under Wilder. So even playing in the under 23's at Everton is a far better call, I believe.

If he was my son he would have had my 100% support to go to Everton, it was a very calculated decision.
As you say, We will have to agree to differ I think.
UTB

I know that DCL wouldn't be first choice this season, not at the start anyway, but if DCL is as talented as many of our fans think he is - from those fans that have seen plenty of the Academy over recent seasons, then I find it hard to believe he wouldn't have had his fair share of game time this season.

I think that I'm guilty of seeing this as a fan and that I expect the Academy players who are from Sheffield and who say they are Blades to be more like Dane Whitehouse and sadly in my time as a Blade I can count on one hand when players have shown loyalty beyond the norm. That said I don't blame players for moving on when bigger or better placed clubs come in and especially offering huge wage increases. I just think that the young pros should really consider whether joining a higher placed club is wise when you're (likely) to play reserve football for a season or two, or beyond.

If it was my Son, I would say follow your heart and your head if that's possible. I.E do you want to make an impression at the club you support (assuming DCL is a Blade as I think he is) and where is best for your career. The last bit is almost impossible to say for definite because we'll never know how well he would have done this season and beyond. He has played more for Everton than I thought he would, to be fair.