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#worksbothways
“Every single game the opposition talk about him, scouts talk about him, managers ring about taking him on loan; he’s had an absolutely outstanding season and you can tell how tired he was at the end. He gives everything all of the time, he’s a proper captain and a proper leader.
Read more at http://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2017/may/16-may/westley-its-been-outstanding-season#xbwyTBE8SEatLsUz.99
Fletcher played 10 games with the U23s, scored 3
Ah ok, in that case, yes I believe so. As far as I can work out from the rules, neither would be available, nor would Burke.
It was unclear in the handbook (and it was a few weeks ago that I read it), but it seems that the date of the final game is irrelevant. The season runs to the end of May, essentially.
Reece Rice Reece
I like the sound of that!
I dont think youth development for the 1st team is an exact science but having a strong, settled and secure first team set up should provide the basis for some to bring through with far less risk involved. WHU should always be more adventurous than cautious with those opportunities because our acadamey is such an integral part of our identity and psyche as club and as fans; naturally it has been a somewhat chaotic time for the club, traversing the financial issues caused by the Icelandics-Relegation under Avram-the BFS era- to the final Boleyn season/stadium move. Without doubt the club on and off the pitch has been very unsettled and one can understand why it has been difficult to bring some through.
The landscape has changed in modern football; players are having longer careers, young players are playing less, waiting much longer for debuts, substantial financial resources, acadamey culture much more competitive, etc, etc so its no great surprise why English football as a whole is struggling to produce players and why so many fall down to the lower leagues or even out of the game. An important part of the development process is being bypassed at such a vital age and part of their careers that often leaves them in limbo and having to rebuild, having gone from the very top on the back of big promises and attention, to suddenly being released, cut adrift, looking for a way back to rebuild.
A settled and stable first team set up should allow more to come through and it underlines, for me, how important it is to have a manager in place for the long term (and subsequently one of many reasons why I would like to see the club give Slaven a new contract) because if a club is only fixed on the short term then the manager will simply resort to signing more experienced and trusted players, its a natural instinct when your job is always on the line with a couple of bad run of results. As for us, I think Cullen and Burke have done their apprenticeships away from the club and are in 2 positions where WHU have very good depth and strength, so I think the opportunity is there to make them part of the 1st team squad next season, especially when we do have genuine variation in our formations and systems.
I agree with all of that. The only thing I would say different is that if Cullen isn't going to be a regular first team member (I don't see why he couldn't usurp Nordtveit or even Fernandes in the pecking order), and Bradford go up, then I would probably let him make the decision for himself. "Do you want to go back to Bradford and play 46 games in the Championship next season, or stay?"
Which means Cullen doesn't get a look in, unless he pulls up some pretty hefty trees in pre-season. I think he'd benefit a lot from a full seaosn in the Championship, but at what point does he get a shot in the PL? ;hmm
I think it's "fair" to offer him the opportunity to be a member of the first team squad, competing with Kouyate, Obiang, Noble, Nordtveit & Fernandes, or to go on loan again for a season.
I suppose for me it comes down to some kind of strategic planning because you want the acadamey players to have belief in a pathway to the first team, to feel inclusion, to believe in how the club are managing their careers, without the feeling of holding onto them for too long because it could reach a stage whereby they can only wait for so long before they feel the need to move on if the opportunities at WHU are not there. The club has a core responsibility with this and their approach to transfers because if they sign players whilst Burke and Cullen are out on loan, which blocks their path then that wouldnt feel right.
Everyone has their own views as to the make up of the squad, how they see personnel in and out of the club, how much depth they feel is needed, etc, etc. I myself prefer a smaller, more versatile squad over an larger more experienced one but I can see the reasoning behind both, it's all subjective and up for debate. I think in Burke (21 in Sept), Oxford (19 in Dec) and Rice (19 in Jan) we do genuinely have 3 very gifted CB's but you cant just chuck them into the PL all at once, however over the next 2-4 seasons with Collins (34 in August) and Fonte (34 in Dec) getting on (Reid and Ogbonna both 28, entering their primes), there is a chance to somewhat successor plan, to hopefully ease them in and develop them in a strong PL environment on the back of some core loan experience. Idealistically at least!
Burke is 21 in Sept so I would say if he isn't cracking the first team next season or getting on the bench and getting a few appearances here and there he should be allowed to move on to a club who will provide the first team opportunities regularly to play.
Cullen Award