THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

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Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight

Igor Coronado
Cristian Benavante

I know we aren't necessarily the worst team in the world for this, but I would rather we gave players one year too many than one year not enough.

There's loads of players who were let go by clubs at a young age and go on to be successful. Andy Cole probably being the best known example.
In my experience, as mentioned with BTA, being released is the best thing to ever happen to them. It makes them realise that they might not actually be the best player in the world and have to graft to get to where they want to/believe they should be.
Others just aren't cut out for 'the big leagues' and go the other way.

The only thing I ever heard Robbie Nielsen say that I have 100% belief in is "football is 10% in the feet and 90% in the head".

I think the overiding issue for us is the lack of finances to carry additional "non-playing" squad members. We have to make a deciosn after their first contract (from age 17>19 usually) as to whether they're 1st Team Ready. The vast majority aren't. And that's where players like BT-A, Tshimanga, Asonganyi and evengoing back to Rasulo, Tilney, Jackson etc., all fall down. Unless they can be a regular part of the matchday squad then we simply have to release them rather than commiting to a second contract.

We don't have the funds to carry players who "might be good in a year or two". Other clubs do, and can take on "projects", but we simply have nowhere for them to go and nothing to pay them with. We are now back to having no under 23's, and we just never seem to get them playing at anything higher then Step 2 (Nat' League North or South) if we loan them out. Maybe that says more about their quality, but if a Prem team is loaning 18yr olds to our level, then I'd say it's not unreasonable to also expect our 19/20 yr olds to playing down two levels rather than three or four.

There seems to be a concerted effort each year to graduate one or two of that years crop in to pro-deals but I do sometimes get the feeling that's about ensuring that parents/agents of prospective youngsters see that carrot being waved there. To me, it also means that we may prioritise youngsters who have a chance of being physically able to compete in adult football from 18 rather than the most technically gifted lad who may be a year or two behind physically.