Transfer Rumours Summer 2022 Transfer Window

I think we are starting to see the fruits of the change in the “90/60 minute” rule. I can’t remember which it was but it used to be that an academy player had to live within 60 or 90 mins of the training ground where he was playing.

They got rid of that as they said it was unfair if a talented player happened to live in, say, Cornwall and could only play for Plymouth or something. Any young player should be able to play for anyone and have access to the best facilities/coaching etc if they are good enough.

Seemed a decent idea on paper, but in practice it has meant that the top teams have supposedly just been hoovering up any young player who can kick a ball. This would almost certainly hinder development if you have multiple players in the same position in the same age group as there isn’t enough games/minutes for them all to play.

Can’t remember exactly when the rule changed but think it was about 5/6 years ago now so a lot of the players are getting to the time when they would be signing pro deals and there are lots of them at the top teams rather than more evenly spread around the country

 

Look at Chelsea - they had James, Lamptey and Tino all at right back and around the same age

They also swiped Mount, Colwill, Anjorin and no doubt a few others from the south coast. Basically anyone half decent we could have had in recent years have gone to Chelsea instead as it really isn’t that far away and if the parents can be moved into leafy Surrey it is a no brainer

That’s not to mention the players actually taken from our academy such as the one taken by Man City. You’d think that shouldn’t be allowed either but then you get into complex issues where they could claim you are basically trapping a minor and/or the parents could claim they need to move for work. Conveniently to Manchester or the like

 

Step forward Matt Crocker! The Elite Player Performance Plan was implemented under his charge at the FA and he’s often credited for it. It made lots of small academies unsustainable for their clubs to run. On the other side of that, it funnels the best young athletes directly to places where they can get the best coaching and facilities. It was all about getting players for the England set ups and yeah it does do that, but it’s also aggressively capitalist and devalues the assets of struggling small clubs.

 

I think one of the reasons the rule was scrapped was that bigger clubs found ways around it. For example Saints started a satellite academy at Bath University, which is how we managed to sign Gareth Bale. If a club the size of SFC could play the system, you can be sure the likes of LFC, and the London and Manchester clubs did too.

 

Well in the original incarnation of those rules we had dispensation to do that as half our 90min catchment is the sea. You know, as opposed to being a densely populated metropolis like London or Manchester!

 

That’s very true, although you’re forgetting the vast resources to be found on the Isle of Wight!

 

The most common was just to move the family of a talented player. I assume this didn’t happen THAT often though. Only for sure thing type talents like Beckham at Man Utd when he is from London

 

I hear a few years ago Fran had a trial, but they couldn't bring a sofa to hide behind to the ground for the last 10 mins, so they had to let her go.

 

Rumour going around that Leeds want Che Adams.

Im sure they were linked to him at some point previously so could just be a re-hash of that

 

Would be bold to try and replace almost the entire front line in one summer

 

Che has done ok for the last 2 seasons, scoring at 1 in 4 without penalties in the PL which is roughly 10 a season. We still need that prolific finisher like an Ings though which I think Broja could become but it's very unlikely that he will stay so either we hope that AA comes good or the owners will have to splash the cash unless we are lucky enough to loan a ready made top finisher.

 

Hmm, I wonder if the connection is that Steve Cooper noticed him whilst he was England youth coach and Will was playing for the ROI youth.
If Will decided that it would be good for his career then, like Matty Targett, i'd wish him well but i'd also be happy if he decided to stay.

 

Apart from Romeu, JWP and KWP I would be open to selling anyone else subject to getting the right fee
Che to Leeds….£25m yes please, Smallbone to Forest…..£15m yes please

 

We'd be lucky to get 5mill for Smallbone.

 

I would definitely not sell Che adams. He’s our only proven goal scorer

 

Did you not mean to quote that statement in blue?

 

You would sell Tino?

 

I thought about Salisu too who I also wouldn't sell. Just needs a leader next to him., Imagine Fonte Partnering Salisu

 

And the reverse is true, of course. We poached Caleb Watts from QPR. Poached Luke Pearce from Walsall. Signed Kami Doyle through his involvement with our Welsh satellite. Poached one of Birmingham's most highly-prized talents in Ramello Mitchell (unfortunately hasn't worked out). Poached several others from European academies, as well.

As a team with a reputation for developing players (assuming we can maintain it), the death of catchment areas benefits us far more than it hurts us. Not that it was ever all that hard to work around, particularly if you were in London, because the 90-minute catchment area involved rather a lot of people.

I have no issues at all with players having the opportunity to move about, in large part because I think that it's wrong-headed to believe that they'll invariably go to the biggest clubs. We have seen an exodus of young players from big teams looking for opportunities that aren't afforded to them there, and that's only likely to increase with the restrictions on player loans. Mostly, players are going to go where they will receive the best combination of coaching and first-team opportunity. So, like, we should probably be that team.