[Albion] Marc Leonard - 16yr old from Hearts

[portlock seagull]

This will probably be the choice that faces a lot of our players who are regularly loaned out. Having a permanent club in their prime that isn't Brighton (or another EPL club) or hanging on to multiple loans in trying to make it here.

Was reminded of the ultimate example the other night when watching Coventry v Ipswich. Christian Walton was on the Ipswich bench. I still think of him as a promising youngster, but he's now 29!

Ha ha! Yes, but I don’t believe he’s 29 he was forever a promising player for so long. Didn’t Mullery sign him?!!

 

[schmunk]

Ha ha! Yes, but I don’t believe he’s 29

He's not...




...he's 28.

 

[timbha]

Probably a good example of how our academy works, ie pick up talented youngsters with potential, develop them to be as good as they can be, then either promote them to the first team squad, put them in the shop window and sell them or don’t extend their contract.

Not aware of many that we’ve got wrong in recent years but our development cycle is still in its early days.

 

[goldstone]

I seem to remember that he got injured in a pre-season game just as he was on the verge of breaking into the Brighton first team.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Probably a good example of how our academy works, ie pick up talented youngsters with potential, develop them to be as good as they can be, then either promote them to the first team squad, put them in the shop window and sell them or don’t extend their contract.

Not aware of many that we’ve got wrong in recent years but our development cycle is still in its early days.

Obviously 'wrong' is subjective, but there are a few recent players who have been released, or sold cheap, then gone on to do well.

Gyokeres is the glaringly obvious one (FORTY goals this season ), but see also the likes of Anders Dreyer, who has looked good in the Europa League, and has a fantastic scoring record (from the wing) for Anderlecht.

But of course - had these players NOT left - then there is no way of knowing whether they'd have had the opportunities to ultimately develop as they have.

 

[portlock seagull]

Probably a good example of how our academy works, ie pick up talented youngsters with potential, develop them to be as good as they can be, then either promote them to the first team squad, put them in the shop window and sell them or don’t extend their contract.

Not aware of many that we’ve got wrong in recent years but our development cycle is still in its early days.

It’s been in development since 1901 in fairness. But splitting hairs. These days DS is not only there to promote players to first team. But a source of revenue, otherwise we wouldn’t have 4 teams worth of players (and Chelsea likely double that!)

 

[CheeseRolls]

An odd one really. I don't really care what happens with Abdallah Sima, who is also 22 and likely to leave, yet worry we haven't really taken a good look at Leonard, who may be a late developer. Admitedly there is a big gap from League One.

These are fine judgement calls. I think Tottenham in particular have been guilty in the past of hanging on to their "prospects" too long

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Me and the lad watched him at Northampton a couple of weekends ago for something to do. It was their last game of the season and they had absolutely nothing to play for and I appreciate it's a very small sample size to go on. He, however, looked miles off the first team to me. Good passing range and movement but wasn't influencing the game nearly enough and was bullied at times as is often the case in League 1.

He did get abused by an Exeter fan dressed as an Umpa Lumpa though.

 

[Springal]

An odd one really. I don't really care what happens with Abdallah Sima, who is also 22 and likely to leave, yet worry we haven't really taken a good look at Leonard, who may be a late developer. Admitedly there is a big gap from League One.

These are fine judgement calls. I think Tottenham in particular have been guilty in the past of hanging on to their "prospects" too long

Turn it round - if we signed a player from Northampton at 22 / 23 this year - and we were competing against Sheffield United & Hull what would you think

 

[Doc Lynam]

Me and the lad watched him at Northampton a couple of weekends ago for something to do. It was their last game of the season and they had absolutely nothing to play for and I appreciate it's a very small sample size to go on. He, however, looked miles off the first team to me. Good passing range and movement but wasn't influencing the game nearly enough and was bullied at times as is often the case in League 1.

He did get abused by an Exeter fan dressed as an Umpa Lumpa though.

You just can’t train for that sort of eventuality

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

You just can’t train for that sort of eventuality

Well, you say that, but the top teams leave nothing to chance. Liverpool probably have a specialist coach.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Turn it round - if we signed a player from Northampton at 22 / 23 this year - and we were competing against Sheffield United & Hull what would you think

Good point - Still not a huge risk compared to say signing a young player who has played half a dozen games in France for £23m. Conversely If we keep him and he then gets chopped from the premier league squad, it does leave him unable to play for anyone, which helps neither the club or the player.

 

[Springal]

Good point - Still not a huge risk compared to say signing a young player who has played half a dozen games in France for £23m. Conversely If we keep him and he then gets chopped from the premier league squad, it does leave him unable to play for anyone, which helps neither the club or the player.

Perhaps - but Carlos had already played 6 Europa League games for Lille when he joined so he’s already way ahead 4-5 years ahead

 

[albionalex]

The club keep very close attention to all of our loan players. They will have a very good idea if he is good enough to compete in the first team or not.

 

[Mancgull]

Sell for £300k but have a large sell on clause and a potential buy back option. Great way to nurture and then make a profit from developing players that aren’t up to our first team squad.
We know what we are doing.

 

[GT49er]

Disappointing if we don't at least have a look at him in pre-season - although I suppose the loan team will have been doing that all season. POTS (I think) in League1 is still not to be sniffed at.
I WILL be VERY disappointed if we let him go for £300M though. That would hardly cover the cost of paying him, training him and all the other expenses of developing a young player over the course of six years. Not sure what the answer is, but I'd have been looking at at least £1M.

I suppose it will happen increasingly now though - we'll have signed a youngster likely to get to our level and play for the 1st. team, only to find that after six years our standard is that much higher. That can't go on for ever, though - as this season has proved, we can't finish higher every season; perhaps in three of four years some of our current U18s WILL be breaking through to the first team (when we're lower mid-table again).

 

[brighton_tom]

Disappointing if we don't at least have a look at him in pre-season - although I suppose the loan team will have been doing that all season. POTS (I think) in League1 is still not to be sniffed at.
I WILL be VERY disappointed if we let him go for £300M though. That would hardly cover the cost of paying him, training him and all the other expenses of developing a young player over the course of six years. Not sure what the answer is, but I'd have been looking at at least £1M.

I suppose it will happen increasingly now though - we'll have signed a youngster likely to get to our level and play for the 1st. team, only to find that after six years our standard is that much higher. That can't go on for ever, though - as this season has proved, we can't finish higher every season; perhaps in three of four years some of our current U18s WILL be breaking through to the first team (when we're lower mid-table again).

£300m!? You’re tough to please

 

[GT49er]

£300m!? You’re tough to please

Ooops! Edited (but not quickly enough)!

 

[The Wookiee]

Worth us taking a closer look at him and how he works with better quality players around him

 

[pigmanovich]

Off to Birmingham City as expected https://www.brightonandhovealbion.c...ws-transfer-news-Marc-leonard-birmingham-city