Richard Martin

[Horses Arse]

Didn't realise that he'd been kept on! What the f*ck is that all about!

Have we screwed up again on a released player?


http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/sport/...634.0.exks_keeper_lives_premiership_dream.php

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Sullivan better be good

 

[Yorkie]

Eric Steele is the goalkeeping coach at Man City so knew about Martin.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

What is it with the Albion and goalkeepers? FDM's apparently not fit to be Number One - despite having seen off about two dozen challengers for the role - and Martin and Sullivan may well reach their testimonial years without having ever had any kind of run out for the first team. Head-mental or what?

 

[FalmerforAll!**]

Good luck to him.

Clubs fault for completely ignoring him and he deserved alot better.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Even if he did make it with City, it doesn't follow that we "screwed up".

Football is littered with cases of players who weren't considered good enough at 15, 16 or whatever, but went on to be half decent.

Clubs can only go on what they see at the time, and if that's not quite up to scratch, then they aren't going to take the risk, as the failure rate for young footballers is very high. A player might have an attitude or a weight problem, for example, or he might not fit in with a particular club's ethos. Perhaps the rejection is what eventually drives them on to make it, whereas they wouldn't have done otherwise.

Who's to say Ian Wright or Roy Keane would have turned out to be the players they did if the Albion had bothered to sign them when they had the chance? Granted, they were both brilliant in the end, but there are too many influencing factors involved to stand here now and curse the Albion for not taking up the offers at the time.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

What is it with the Albion and goalkeepers? Martin and Sullivan may well reach their testimonial years without having ever had any kind of run out for the first team.

Something I commented on a few times during the last couple of seasons, especially when we seemed to be constantly looking to bring in other keepers on loan, or as competition for places,

the reason they never got a look in was always given as they are too inexperienced, but because we never sent our young keepers out on loan to that gain experience, or gave them chances in meaningless games, (like when we were safe last season, but chose to extend Flinders stay rather that use that time as an opportunity to give Sullivan some experience, which we may need if something happened to Kuipers and he were to miss a couple of games) then they don't get their opportunity to prove themselves.

 

[Yorkie]

Even if he did make it with City, it doesn't follow that we "screwed up".

Football is littered with cases of players who weren't considered good enough at 15, 16 or whatever, but went on to be half decent.

Clubs can only go on what they see at the time, and if that's not quite up to scratch, then they aren't going to take the risk, as the failure rate for young footballers is very high. A player might have an attitude or a weight problem, for example, or he might not fit in with a particular club's ethos. Perhaps the rejection is what eventually drives them on to make it, whereas they wouldn't have done otherwise.

But the club knew that Premiership clubs were interested in Martin before they released him. Both Everton and Liverpool watched him and I think (but not absolutely sure) that Everton actually gave him a trial. He was rejected for not being tall enough.

 

[B.W.]

Even if he did make it with City, it doesn't follow that we "screwed up".

Football is littered with cases of players who weren't considered good enough at 15, 16 or whatever, but went on to be half decent.

Clubs can only go on what they see at the time, and if that's not quite up to scratch, then they aren't going to take the risk, as the failure rate for young footballers is very high. A player might have an attitude or a weight problem, for example, or he might not fit in with a particular club's ethos. Perhaps the rejection is what eventually drives them on to make it, whereas they wouldn't have done otherwise.

Who's to say Ian Wright or Roy Keane would have turned out to be the players they did if the Albion had bothered to sign them when they had the chance? Granted, they were both brilliant in the end, but there are too many influencing factors involved to stand here now and curse the Albion for not taking up the offers at the time.

Two words... club AND apologist... do you get paid to cover their cock-ups?

 

[B.W.]

But the club knew that Premiership clubs were interested in Martin before they released him. Both Everton and Liverpool watched him and I think (but not absolutely sure) that Everton actually gave him a trial. He was rejected for not being tall enough.

Two Prem clubs definitely showed interest, one gave him a trial, and now another one has signed him up... this is a mistake by the Albion, any way you spin it...

 

[Les Biehn]

Club have made a f*** up, simple as.

 

[Horses Arse]

Club have made a f*** up, simple as.

I totally agree. I always heard he was the better one out of the two (i.e. Sullivan and Martin) so I cannot understand why he was released.

I guess its difficult to hold onto two keepers in reserve but it didn't seem like he was itching to go, he was just off loaded.

 

[The Large One]

I often find it's better to find out a reason for any given decision before condemning someone for it.

It could be a f***-up on the club's part - or, alternatively, there could be a more genuine reason.

 

[B.W.]

... but the evidence says they cocked-up big-time!

 

[Horses Arse]

I often find it's better to find out a reason for any given decision before condemning someone for it.

It could be a f***-up on the club's part - or, alternatively, there could be a more genuine reason.

How terribly balanced!

Well done you

 

[pishhead]

how ridiculous; so what a player who used to be on our books, who struggled to get a game with dorchester town is now a reserve goalkeeper at a prem club. I'm sure everyone was doing the same when Paul Brooker went to Leicester in the prem.
I think I will trust the judgement from our coaching team rather than people on an internet message board.

 

[Biscuit]

Prem clubs take players on trials all the time, means nothing. Good luck to the lad, sure he was a good young keeper but we cant keep hold of someone who we arn't going to play. If he was THAT highly rated would he not have got a look in when Kuipers was out of the frame?

 

[The Large One]

... but the evidence says they cocked-up big-time!

What evidence?

Does anyone know his prospects? Is he any good?

 

[gjh1971]

Remember Albert Jarrett also ended up in the Premiership, and ended up nowhere in the end

 

[Guy Fawkes]

I seem to remember the club saying something like Martin hadn't developed as far as they had expected during his time with the Albion and had been overtaken by Sullivan in the pecking order, that's why he was released