Baldseagull
Well-known member
Sadly, when he was given chances in the first team here, he didn't make the most of them, always looked a more rounded player and striker than Connolly in the U21's though.
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[Albion] Viktor Gyokeres
- Thread starter ewe2
- Start date
Had very few chances. Played no leaguue games but can remember seeing him in a cup game when he was ok. Certainly better than Connelly. Players need a run of games which has been difficult at Albion. Either trying to get promotion or trying to stay in PL. Need to be mid table safe from relegation for this to happen. Maybe this season will be the one.
brightn'ove
cringe
He really didn’t look like a striker that would make it in the prem, imo his peak is probably scoring 4-5 goals a season for someone like Everton.
They've already got some of those
Will be interesting to see how it develops for him.
I said when he left that I was 100% convinced he was going to have a good career but maybe not in the PL, and I think I stick with that. Sure he is the top scorer in the Championship right now but there's no real "all the PL clubs are drooling"-level striker in the Championship currently. Most talk is about Gyökeres and Brereton Diaz and I don't think any of those would provide a PL club with something they don't already have (though both would probably get a fair bit of game time in bottom clubs).
I said when he left that I was 100% convinced he was going to have a good career but maybe not in the PL, and I think I stick with that. Sure he is the top scorer in the Championship right now but there's no real "all the PL clubs are drooling"-level striker in the Championship currently. Most talk is about Gyökeres and Brereton Diaz and I don't think any of those would provide a PL club with something they don't already have (though both would probably get a fair bit of game time in bottom clubs).
Only ever played in cup matches for us (scoring once in 8 games), so never really got a run of games here. Don't remember him scoring profusely for the U23s though, whereas Connolly scored for fun at that level and was PL2 player of the season - not just ours, mind - the PL2 player of the season.
Who the f*** was Connelly? Something to do with Houghton that Broom and Barbour never found out about?
Badger Boy
Mr Badger
- Jan 28, 2016
- 3,658
He needed to get out to really kick on. He has grown so much at Coventry, delighted for him but don't think there is blame for BHAFC here. Just praise for Gyokeres for working hard and making his mark.
CH rated always rated him more highly than Connolly. But you are right. The stakes were always too high for him to break into the side. He was only young then and needed to go out on loan.
He has massively improved from the 18 or 19 year old he was when he was at Brighton.
He will definitely get another shot at the PL and perhaps could hold down a place at a PL club. He is much stronger and faster now it seems. And he is better than quite a few players making a living in the PL, although he is no " world beater". Never was and never will be. None the less a good neat tidy and effective footballer.
HastingsSeagull
Well-known member
If he ends up at a yoyo club like Norwich or Fulham I expect lots of seasons with 20+ goals and lots with less than 5 (unless he gets to take all the pens). Said at the time on here and this thread would rather him than Connolly. That said we have some other young talents and will get there eventually with the right one.
Frustratingly AC was given the sort of time nad game time that maybe VG would have been able to grow with to show that he was worth keeping around. He would almost certainly be a better option for us than what else we have in the squad right now when DW isn't available.
correct
albionalex
Well-known member
Before we sold him, he had played 56 games in the German + English 2nd division and he'd scored 10 goals. Not a strong return.
Don't think even Coventry thought he would turn into the goalscorer he is at that level now.
Don't think even Coventry thought he would turn into the goalscorer he is at that level now.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
Most posts on here are hindsight-driven. When they were both coming through at the Albion, it was Connolly that looked the likeliest prospect. This was based on a far superior goalscoring record in the u23s and being two or so years younger than Gyokeres.
Since C's breakthrough into our first team squad especially that two goal first start, and G's move to Coventry, they've very much moved in opposite directions. Not entirely convinced that's got anything to do with ability, more application and attitude.
Since C's breakthrough into our first team squad especially that two goal first start, and G's move to Coventry, they've very much moved in opposite directions. Not entirely convinced that's got anything to do with ability, more application and attitude.
Justice
Dangerous Idiot
I remember him being part of a few CH cup squads unlike Connolly, maybe the hierarchy thought that was also a mistake as it proved CH made the right call. Didn’t Connolly around that time make a fuss about leaving if he wasn’t stepped up to first team?
Not sure Connolly himself made a fuss but I think there might have been undertones from others to play Connolly based on his goal return in the youth sides.
It's always hard to tell how someone might step up from youth level to first team.
I also remember seeing on here when Alzate made the first team. I kept reading on here how well he seemed to be playing. He was another whose rise to prominency was a surprise because he apparently hadn't shown too much in training in the 12 months before that. The phrase was " I didn't see that one coming"
It's weird how different managers and different fans often see players and their contribution and potential differently.
It's always hard to tell how someone might step up from youth level to first team.
I also remember seeing on here when Alzate made the first team. I kept reading on here how well he seemed to be playing. He was another whose rise to prominency was a surprise because he apparently hadn't shown too much in training in the 12 months before that. The phrase was " I didn't see that one coming"
It's weird how different managers and different fans often see players and their contribution and potential differently.
No doubt Gyokeres is the more valuable asset now. Sure, Connolly was on fire in PL2 - but perhaps after he couldn't build on that initial success against Spurs we should have done the same with him as we did with Victor (not hindsight - it was often enough suggested on NSC at the time).
East Staffs Gull
Well-known member
Agreed, but to be fair, Chris Wood didn’t exactly shoot the lights out with us either.