Is there? He'd still be fourth or fifth choice behind Van Hecke, Dunk, Igor, and Cashin, assuming we sold Webster. I wanted McConville to stay, but I didn't expect him to become a proper member of the first team squad until 2026/2027.
Yeah so Jewell was wasn’t he? I think Weir is in a role that covers a few bases. Technical Director is he official role I believe.
I don't think Igor will be with us next year, and I think he's got to be eyeing up Dunk's spot, he won't last forever. Just more recruitment for the team to do, we need to be looking at CBs urgently, because I can't see a long term future here for 3 of them.
Maybe he was put on the bench to give him the sense that first team football was near but in reality both him and the club didn't think he was near. Who knows but there are some 'strange' things happening. Are they reducing the number of players that can be loaned out and so having a big development squad starts to be an issue?
Because 3 of those I don't think have a long term future here.
they do if we don't buy some new ones....
A premise we don’t all agree with, hence McConville’s departure being inexplicable to some and understandable to others.
Its a puzzling one anyway.
I agree with you fully on the departures of others like BBB, Peupion and Ifill, but McConnville its a head scratcher.
It was reported at the time that Jewell was replaced by 2 x Assistant Technical Directors reporting into David Weir -George Holmes who was Sam Jewell's deputy, and Mike Cave. Holmes has been at the club for over a decade - his last role was as European Recruitment Analysts. Cave stood in for Jewell and Weir in the 18 months before taking over .
www.nytimes.com
Doesn’t matter he’s gone now, not a massive surprise he’s 23, needs a move for his career, but if we have one injury, we’re down to Charlie Penman or Freddie Simmonds on the bench (I think).
Well, we didn't keep "a huge amount" of our U-18s at the end of last season (it was pretty much in line with the last few seasons) and I don't really see what has happened in this window as a "clear out" - every single season we will typically release or sell 10-12 U-21 players during the season. Maybe there might be typically fewer departures in January but I'm not really sure it makes any difference whether they depart in January or in May/June.
I think I agree with most of the U21s departures Peupion, Turns, Samuels and BBB I thought had no future with us. McConville’s departure I’m disappointed with, I thought he had the minerals. On my main point am I going an age group too high? Was there a large amount of U16s/scholarships kept on? Or have I imagined this age group with a large amount kept on? I seem remember you making a post about a large amount being kept on.
You might be thinking about the large number of U-16s (in 2023-24) who were taken on as 1st-year scholars this season - 14 (a record number of 1st-year scholars taken on by Albion, if my records are correct). And yes, the more players that get taken on in any year, the more departures you would expect as that pipeline develops (unless, of course, we stumble upon a "class of '92" type situation - let's hope so!).