Ajay Matthews - Fabrizio Romano
- Thread starter GeneParmesan
- Start date
BoroMart
Well-known member
Thought it was 7m euro. But he couldn't replicate what he did in league nationale, and is out on loan. So the move itself wasn't a success, he's yet to prove himself as a good League 1 player. I'm not saying he hasn't been a success at all, but it's at a certain level. EDIT: Just checked, yes 7m euro, and in his 2 seasons in League 1 he has played less than 900 minutes, About 9 full games, bit part player that hasn't adjusted to that step up.....he's still got a couple of years to make it mind.
Why do you think he wanted to leave?
But we never really got a look at him. He didn't play in his last season at Boro when he was 18. He played 2 games at 17 year old didnt he? He must have been showing something to be considered at that age. If I'm playing for England under 19s and Peltier and Dijksteel are getting played in front of me at CB then I'd be pretty disillusioned as well.
But we've got to be careful. Because now the next crop are approaching 18 and 19. They have seen what's happened to Wood. He's left and gone to Swansea and done pretty well. Become a regular. They can see that none of them are getting game time at Boro despite all the injuries. They'll just think f'ck this, I'll head somewhere else if the interest is there.
TheYorkshireTerrier
Well-known member
I always used to sign him on Football Manager haha, wish we had kept hold of him!
Humpty
Well-known member
Billal Brahimi, Nice's Nicolas Pépé successor
Billal Brahimi has stepped up to the plate for OCG Nice in Nicolas Pépé's injury-enforced absence with three goals in his last two games, but what else is there to know about the young winger?
www.ligue1.com
Says 10 million everywhere i've checked. We can discuss the merits of his performance since he's left but the fact he's commanded a 10 million euro fee shows he's one that's slipped through the net. One purpose of the academy is generate funds for the first team after all.
BoroMart
Well-known member
Maybe, but then CB really isn't a role where you get many players playing regular before 21. What regularly happens is that CBs start in a full back spot, where there is at least some chance of recovery, rather thana clear shot at goal. Rav for example played his way in via RB. I remember Williams via CDM and Bates via RB too. CB requires the physical attributes to be right and a maturity in thought, analysis and game knowledge....it's why I'm certain Rav will play in the champs league one day, because he's light years ahead of any CB I've seen at that age for a very, very long time. 3 years older and Wood isn't half the player for me. It happens anyway, I think if he had gone with our recommendation and chosen a better loan, he might be partnering Rav right now at the Boro. That poor loan choice did for him.
BoroMart
Well-known member
Transfermrkt is pretty good at historical fees, says 7m. He basically refused to sign a contract, he was homesick. Not sure we could have done much, other than move the riverside to Calais.Billal Brahimi, Nice's Nicolas Pépé successor
Billal Brahimi has stepped up to the plate for OCG Nice in Nicolas Pépé's injury-enforced absence with three goals in his last two games, but what else is there to know about the young winger?
Says 10 million everywhere i've checked. We can discuss the merits of his performance since he's left but the fact he's commanded a 10 million euro fee shows he's one that's slipped through the net. One purpose of the academy is generate funds for the first team after all.
Our back three that season was McNair - Fry - Dijksteel, with Bamba as our first choice sub - We also went on a 9 game unbeaten run, which I believe is the longest run we've had in years.
Every time Wood played for us (except for one Forest game when he partnered McNair in a 4-4-2 and I think McNair got MOTM).... He was absolute rubbish.
He got bullied when he played 90 mins vs. Rotherham by Michael Smith - they beat us 3-0.
He also got beat far too easily by lower league strikers in the cup... Crewe knocked us out. Blackpool knocked us out a year later. We barely beat Mansfield (3-2).
He was loaned out to Hibs, who sent him back after 1 game and branded him a "flop".
There would have been a new Wood thread on the forum every week if he was playing during that period.
I cant say i agree with that Mart. Bates and Williams weren't really out and out CBs. They played in multiple positions like McNair. VDB played at full back because of injuries and Engel being horse****.
Fry played a few games on loan at 18 and broke into the Boro first team at 19 at CB
Wheater got a few games at CB for Boro at 18 and 19 years old and was first choice at 20
Gibson had played 40 games at League 1 and League 2 before he was 19 and then broke into the Boro team at 20 years old.
And even if your theory was correct about playing CBs in at full back first, how would you do that when we were playing a back 3? Play him at wing back? Obviously not.
I'm not saying Wood is as good as Rav but I think it's criminal that we didn't give him a better opportunity given he was a local lad playing at TIBS, was in the academy from a young age, he was involved in the England set up. What message does it send out?
It's no wonder lads are getting itchy feet. Some of them have sat on the bench for months watching the same subs get rolled on each week. Watching players like Greenwood take the absolute p1ss. Like people keep repeatedly quoting, we've had a once in a decade injury crisis. If they couldn't get a kick this season, what sort of confidence will they have that they will get one next season.
He played 2 games for us. Is that all they get now? Don't set the world alight in 2 matches, then you are sh1t. We obviously got it wrong.
He was just an example. None of them are getting chances.
Sonny Finch has Had 9 mins
Kavanagh had 7 mins
McCabe has had 3 mins
Others such as Bridge and Woolston have sat on the bench plenty of times and never had a kick. They aren't all going to be superstars but what chance have they got if they don't get on the pitch. If we've got no intention of giving them game time then we should be getting them out on loan.
Yes. Agree. Thats what we should be doing if we don't want to trust our young players any more.
GibbosEmpire
Well-known member
Josh Coburn and Hackney?
He played 254 minutes at 17 years old. Come on. Give the lad a chance.
He was playing for England. He obviously wasn't sh1t. Even if he didn't look the best in the very limited chance he got. He's took.his chance at Swansea and there's been PL interest. Barely got a chance with us.
Mental how people want to give players like Engel a full season of matches despite him being garbage to adjust to the culture and see if he improves at 25 years old but can't wait to write off a 17 year old England school boy because he had a ropey start to his senior career.
The only one who has sat on the bench for months (as close as anyway) is Law McCabe. Compare Law McCabe or Ajay Matthews at 17/18 vs Sam Greenwood at 17/18. Greenwood was arguably the most sought after forward in the country and went to Arsenal before signing for Leeds.
If anything, Greenwood is an example of why the grass isn't always greener. These lads need to knuckle down, learn from two of the best English players of their generation (Carrick and Woodgate) and earn a League 1 or League 2 loan. Then they must get regular games their. Like Hackney, Coburn, Gibson, Isaiah Jones, Downing, Adam Johnson etc.
If they are good enough they will get chances. They have to prove it day in and day out for a long period of time. 1 year of training with the first team and 20 U21 games doesn't make you a Championship player (unless you are exceptional)