Mutts Nuts
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- Oct 30, 2011
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Roy Keane
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Of all the players we ditched, who went on to be far better than any of us thought
- Thread starter TheDuke
- Start date
Roy Keane
Norman Potting
Well-known member
Paul Dickov, though as with Martin Keown I think he was another unaffordable loan player.
DarrenFreemansPerm
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rami Shabaan was terrible. Went on to get 16 international caps and played in the '06 World Cup.
Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews
Remainer
Juan Carlos Oblitas
Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews
Remainer
am I right in thinking that Sheffield Wednesday let some Frenchman go for not making the grade? 
Ian Wright of course ..... but
A very good friend of mine was a young pro at the club at the time, it must have been 1982'sh. when Wright came down.
You must remember that there is a conveyor belt of triallists, most of them duds.
He remembers Wright not for his blinding ability but as another young kid running around and not producing anything to suggest that the club would offer him a contract, he wasnt missed when he left.
Although players still get missed and then get back into the game and excel, maybe the Academy structures make it less likely of another 'missed' starlet like Wright happening, they recruit earlier and earlier ( spitting out far too many along the way ) and someone like Wright probably would have been identified within the professional game earlier.
Maybe his strength was that he was a free spirit and for him the rawness outside of the professional game without relentless coaching helped him become one of our countries best strikers ..... who knows.
A very good friend of mine was a young pro at the club at the time, it must have been 1982'sh. when Wright came down.
You must remember that there is a conveyor belt of triallists, most of them duds.
He remembers Wright not for his blinding ability but as another young kid running around and not producing anything to suggest that the club would offer him a contract, he wasnt missed when he left.
Although players still get missed and then get back into the game and excel, maybe the Academy structures make it less likely of another 'missed' starlet like Wright happening, they recruit earlier and earlier ( spitting out far too many along the way ) and someone like Wright probably would have been identified within the professional game earlier.
Maybe his strength was that he was a free spirit and for him the rawness outside of the professional game without relentless coaching helped him become one of our countries best strikers ..... who knows.
Tooting Gull
Well-known member
- Jul 5, 2003
- 11,033
am I right in thinking that Sheffield Wednesday let some Frenchman go for not making the grade?
Not Trevor Francis's finest hour. After a week's trial, he asks Cantona to do another one. Cantona: '**** off, you've seen enough, I'm off to Leeds'.
CliveWalkerWingWizard
Well-known member
Andy Ritchie - didn't he play in top flight with Oldham after leaving us ?
severnside gull
Well-known member
it also, sadly, had a lot to do with the fans who were on his back from the first miss and created an atmosphere that was impossible for him to thrive in.
Just how you define "getting rid" or "missing ut on" is difficult. If you get any sort of fee does that count(Hammond/Lynch)? Does it count if the player never actually arrives (Roy Keane - reportedly)? How about the "had to sells" like Beeney and Saunders or the "refused to stays" like Lawrenson or Stevens?
Historically Ian Wright was probably "the big one" and more recently Martin and Davies have neither slipped the net or done better than you might have forecast .Set against that though are the many exceptional players we have signed even if most of them wer e already performing to a decent standard before they came to us. Our record for discovering untapped talent is pretty poor and my concern has always been that our scouting and player development was so poor that we didn't create enough chances to spot stars of the future let alone miss them. Contrast us to Southampton, Palace, even Portsmouth. We have markedly less home developed talent down the years. It just never seems to have been a priority.
u'vebeenamexed
Whateverhappenedto.......
Good shout. I am sure that in the late 80's early 90's I remember a time when we couldn't buy a goal yet the top three goalscorers in different leagues were all ex-Albion. I 'm sure Muir was one of them together with Dean Saunders and one other ?
Recently - Sidwell, Iwelumo & Darius Henderson have all gone on to better themselves although we didn't really ditch them.
DumLum
Well-known member
I would have an attitude if I came on as a sub and then got subbed also. Poor management of him cost us imho.
Norman Potting
Well-known member
Can't recall the name or whether he was signed or on loan (helpful eh?). Believe he had an arabic name, midfield, 2005 - 6 ish scored a spectacular goal against Brentford (or might have been Fulham). Zash Rehman I remember! He actually came on loan twice in the mid 'noughties.
Southwick_Seagull
Well-known member
- Oct 8, 2008
- 2,035
Since most of the obvious and high profile players have already been mentioned what about Wes Fogden. I'm sure when he was released not many people would guess he would be a regular starter in a very good League 1 side with Bournemouth this year. Fair play to the lad.
I disagree - I saw him in a reserve game and he was utterly brilliant. I remember raving about him as being reminiscent of Tigana of France. He played much better in the same game than Steve Penney.
My mate cannot fathom out him ever playing in a reserve game, but you may well be right.
What was the reserve game, what year and who against, I will pull my mate on it ... ??
He seemed to think Penney cam a wee bit later than when Wright came down, I am sure he felt Wright was there for only a few days anyway.
He did also mention the Penney wasnt an obvious star at the time too, but was taken under the wing of Sammy Nelson who kinda helped him ( promoted ) him, always need someone on your side !!
But certainly his recollections remain that Wright was fairly unimpressive, but please get the details of that game for me.
We didn't ditch Saunders, as I understood it, the bank forced our hand. We owed them money and he was our only big assett hence the reason we had to accept the first offer. Unfortunately for us, I suspect Oxford knew this (wouldn't be surprised if Oxford had the same Bank and they were more prepared to keep Maxwell happy than us!!!!).
That would have been a stunning signing but I'm not sure we ditched him or whether we weren't prepared to meet his demands (either that or any scott in the team refused to play with him at the club!!)