Dean Wilkins Andy Crosby & Jim Stannard outed by Southampton

[Rogero]

Am I the only one who wouldn't want Wilkins back? I can't help feeling some people are in danger of overstating his role a little.

Yes, Wendy picked a few youngsters for the first team, but much of that would have been out of necessity, and none of them have exactly gone on to set the world on fire. El Abd, Hammond and Harding are probably the best of the bunch: Hammond has done OK as an average level Championship midfielder, Harding is embarrassing at this level, while El Abd only started to develop as a defender long after Wilkins was gone.

And not one of those players- let alone the likes of Virgo, Robinson and Cox- would have had a sniff of a professional contract at clubs with genuinely successful youth policies like Crewe, Southampton, West Ham or- dare I say it- the tools up the road. Wilkins did OK, but I refuse to accept that he's some kind of guru when it comes to developing young players.

Not one young player has come through since he has left.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Not one young player has come through since he has left.

And we're eighth in the Championship.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Not one young player has come through since he has left.

Cook, JFC, Dunk & Hall. Wilkins left us nearly 5 years ago. He stopped coaching the youth in 2006 which was 7 years ago.

 

[Munkfish]

Am I the only one who wouldn't want Wilkins back? I can't help feeling some people are in danger of overstating his role a little.

Yes, Wendy picked a few youngsters for the first team, but much of that would have been out of necessity, and none of them have exactly gone on to set the world on fire. El Abd, Hammond and Harding are probably the best of the bunch: Hammond has done OK as an average level Championship midfielder, Harding is embarrassing at this level, while El Abd only started to develop as a defender long after Wilkins was gone.

And not one of those players- let alone the likes of Virgo, Robinson and Cox- would have had a sniff of a professional contract at clubs with genuinely successful youth policies like Crewe, Southampton, West Ham or- dare I say it- the tools up the road. Wilkins did OK, but I refuse to accept that he's some kind of guru when it comes to developing young players.

He did a lot more than Hinshelwood did!

 

[BigGully]

Martin Perry was the only one to vote FOR Wilkins when the rest of the board wanted him sacked. He was offered his old job as youth coach but turned it down.

Nope, he was offered to assist Adams and turned it down.

 

[junior]

Never go back. Just how many times to Albion fans need reminding of that?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Cook, JFC, Dunk & Hall. Wilkins left us nearly 5 years ago.

He'll now point out that they're not regulars, to which I would venture that this is because the Albion are miles better as a team than they were under Wendy.

 

[Icy Gull]

Am I the only one who wouldn't want Wilkins back? I can't help feeling some people are in danger of overstating his role a little.

Yes, Wendy picked a few youngsters for the first team, but much of that would have been out of necessity, and none of them have exactly gone on to set the world on fire. El Abd, Hammond and Harding are probably the best of the bunch: Hammond has done OK as an average level Championship midfielder, Harding is embarrassing at this level, while El Abd only started to develop as a defender long after Wilkins was gone.

And not one of those players- let alone the likes of Virgo, Robinson and Cox- would have had a sniff of a professional contract at clubs with genuinely successful youth policies like Crewe, Southampton, West Ham or- dare I say it- the tools up the road. Wilkins did OK, but I refuse to accept that he's some kind of guru when it comes to developing young players.

You ignore the fact that he probably had to work with what was left after other teams had had their pick of youth players. How many parent, given a choice of clubs, would have suggested their kid went to a club who played their home games in Gillingham or an athletics track? All the clubs you mention were about 20 times more desirable than us. He got a team of mostly youth players to an overachieving 7th in League 1. I'm not suggesting he is a relative of the Messiah and it seems he couldn't handle established pros but it still irks me the way he was dumped for the disaster that was MA 2. I'd like to see him back here in some capacity..not as our manager

 

[Lady Whistledown]

He did a lot more than Hinshelwood did!

Yes he did but that's not relevant to whether Wendy should come back or not.

I just don't think we're the club for him right now. That ship has long since sailed. If he's that good a coach, he'll find work soon enough. Perhaps with Adkins, wherever he pops up.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

You ignore the fact that he probably had to work with what was left after other teams had had their pick, how many parents would have suggested their kid went to a club who played their home games in Gillingham or an athletics track. All the clubs you mention were about 20 times more desirable than us. He got qot team of mostly youth players to an overachieving 7th. I'm not suggesting he is a relative of the Messiah but it still irks me the way he was dumped for the disaster that was MA 2. I'd like to see him back here in some capacity..not as our manager

I do agree that he was shafted to some extent over the Adams fiasco, but that still doesn't make him Dario Gradi.

It was very much an overachieving seventh place (but a seventh place that was nonetheless a million miles away from sixth place) and I just couldn't see where it would go from there. I never saw Wilkins taking us any further, no matter how much of a screw up the Adams (II) appointment was. Easy to say now, but I felt we'd have been mediocre again the following season under Wilkins. Which, as it turns out, we were under Adams instead.

 

[Mutts Nuts]

Never go back. Just how many times to Albion fans need reminding of that?

This

 

[RupertsFlan]

Am I the only one who wouldn't want Wilkins back? I can't help feeling some people are in danger of overstating his role a little.

Yes, Wendy picked a few youngsters for the first team, but much of that would have been out of necessity, and none of them have exactly gone on to set the world on fire. El Abd, Hammond and Harding are probably the best of the bunch: Hammond has done OK as an average level Championship midfielder, Harding is embarrassing at this level, while El Abd only started to develop as a defender long after Wilkins was gone.

And not one of those players- let alone the likes of Virgo, Robinson and Cox- would have had a sniff of a professional contract at clubs with genuinely successful youth policies like Crewe, Southampton, West Ham or- dare I say it- the tools up the road. Wilkins did OK, but I refuse to accept that he's some kind of guru when it comes to developing young players.

For many on here this is utter blasphemy.

However I would totally concur. Decent chap, pretty good fist of things all things considered but when looking at cold hard results one has to say well done carry on good luck but no thanks.

 

[Icy Gull]

Never go back. Just how many times to Albion fans need reminding of that?

My memory is a bit flakey on this but wasn't Wendy Wilkins a much better player in his second stint with us?

 

[BigGully]

Am I the only one who wouldn't want Wilkins back? I can't help feeling some people are in danger of overstating his role a little.

Yes, Wendy picked a few youngsters for the first team, but much of that would have been out of necessity, and none of them have exactly gone on to set the world on fire. El Abd, Hammond and Harding are probably the best of the bunch: Hammond has done OK as an average level Championship midfielder, Harding is embarrassing at this level, while El Abd only started to develop as a defender long after Wilkins was gone.

And not one of those players- let alone the likes of Virgo, Robinson and Cox- would have had a sniff of a professional contract at clubs with genuinely successful youth policies like Crewe, Southampton, West Ham or- dare I say it- the tools up the road. Wilkins did OK, but I refuse to accept that he's some kind of guru when it comes to developing young players.

Odd assessment, but within the game his reputation remains.

His legacy as youth team coach at Brighton has been misrepresented by you.

Your flippant disregard of those home grown players that have eked out a career in the professional game, some playing at the the very highest level shows a blatant lack of understanding of what it takes to 'achieve' within such a competitive environment.

You obviously dont like Wilkins, probably a remnant of you supporting Adams appointment when he was sacked and you being proved wrong, get over it.

Remember Adams himself tried to entice Wilkins to overlook Leicester City's Academy when he initially left.

Wilkins did better than ok, do your research.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I do agree that he was shafted to some extent over the Adams fiasco, but that still doesn't make him Dario Gradi.

It was very much an overachieving seventh place (but a seventh place that was nonetheless a million miles away from sixth place) and I just couldn't see where it would go from there. I never saw Wilkins taking us any further, no matter how much of a screw up the Adams (II) appointment was. Easy to say now, but I felt we'd have been mediocre again the following season under Wilkins. Which, as it turns out, we were under Adams instead.

I would not want him back as manager. But as someone to develop our young players. He will be working with better young players and to a football philosophy that he will feel comfortable with. Under Wilkins the young players seemed to think more and were able to change formation in the course of a match. If he wanted to come back - I'd take him back straight away.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

And we're eighth in the Championship.

Have you been on the sauce.


Dean would have loved the same budget that Gus has.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

You obviously dont like Wilkins, probably a remnant of you supporting Adams appointment when he was sacked and you being proved wrong, get over it.

You pompous arse

 

[Husty]

Wilkins is welcome back, and Poyet can f*** off if he doesn't like it.

 

[Twizzle]

Am I the only one who wouldn't want Wilkins back? I can't help feeling some people are in danger of overstating his role a little.

Yes, Wendy picked a few youngsters for the first team, but much of that would have been out of necessity, and none of them have exactly gone on to set the world on fire. El Abd, Hammond and Harding are probably the best of the bunch: Hammond has done OK as an average level Championship midfielder, Harding is embarrassing at this level, while El Abd only started to develop as a defender long after Wilkins was gone.

And not one of those players- let alone the likes of Virgo, Robinson and Cox- would have had a sniff of a professional contract at clubs with genuinely successful youth policies like Crewe, Southampton, West Ham or- dare I say it- the tools up the road. Wilkins did OK, but I refuse to accept that he's some kind of guru when it comes to developing young players.

We were lowly BHA struggling in third division mediocrity - you expected what exactly??

 

[Weststander]

They were gone last Friday the same time as Adkins.

This.

Old news.