He’s been around the England u15 set up for a while now , he was selected for a specific u15 “ goalkeeper training squad “ not that long ago . I didn’t realise he was u14 for us, thought he was u15 .
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Do you or any of us know what the plan was for Small or for Nkonkou ?
Nkonkou clearly wasn't ready for regular premiership football and he certainly wasn't going to play ahead of Digne.
Going to a weaker league possibly meant that management felt he was further away from first team football than we believed.
I think he has done quite well in Belgium but maybe not so well that he will come back next season to compete for left back with Mykolenko(I hope I am wrong about that).
We don't but all we know is that when Small left Everton we had Digne (undisputed starter) and Nkounkou (had minutes in the league and cup games previous season). Small, when he left, would not have looked at that and thought "hey I've got a chance here".
Sure on deadline dad Nkounkou loaned out which all fans said was nuts, sure in January we sacked the dinosaur and sold Digne but still, I just can't stand people using hindsight to try justify past decisions. Judge Small's move the day he left and it makes sense for him.
Cameron Manning
Player Valuation: £35m
I think Small had decided not to accept Everton’s offer before Benitez took over last summer, Benitez couldn’t believe that Dobbin hadn’t signed a new contract with Everton or that Lawrence hadn’t been convinced to sign a new deal with Everton, in fact I think Lawrence is still undecided to put his name to a new contract, although Dobbin signed a new three year deal after Benitez got the ball rollin.
Cameron Manning
Player Valuation: £35m
Sorry this reply was meant for Nymzee’s post not blueblue’s
catcherintherye
Player Valuation: £80m
I'm not sure how that's controversial though mate. He have stagnated, and would have likely got game time here.
I don’t know about controversial but it’s not really based on anything is it? You surely have no idea how he’s progressing at Southampton and so can’t say he’s stagnated, and whether he’d have got game time here is extremely debatable. If he did it would almost certainly have been through pure luck (on his part) because of injuries and so not something that would realistically have been a consideration for him.
catcherintherye
Player Valuation: £80m
That's fair enough mate, I'm not saying the statement is not disagreeable but its hardly outlandish.
In terms of the counter points, yes maybe. Of course I dont know the intricacies of how he is getting on at Southampton and couldn't claim too. I dont know the intricacies of any player at any team as I'm not involved in football like, but the fact he hasnt had a single minutes action is about the best evidence I have.
In terms of us, yes it's a bit speculative. He had already been given game time though, and given he would have been a year older, I'd say it would fall under the likely banner he would have been given more. We wont know, and of course there would have had to have been some luck to it (as with most young players opportunities).
I never bought the line that he was better going to Southampton for career prospects. I said at the time, I didnt think he would get many more opportunities. However he and his agent got a big payday. It seems a bit of a contradiction in the system really. The grass isnt always greener.
EFC_FRANCIS
Player Valuation: £35m
On Small, Nkounkou went the olympics and Digne got hurt at the euros. He would've gotten the pre season as a bare minimum and most likely the carabao Cup games as well. But hes gone now and I still don't think he's a left back. We should stop dwelling on him really
There’s a separate thread on the appointment of Kevin Nicholson as our new “ Coach Educator” , but worth a quick mention here as it seems to be focussed on our Academy coaches and young players. If nothing else it appears to indicate we’re slowly grinding into action and making changes to improve the club. Time will tell of course. His words:
“The role will involve taking on responsibility for leading the Coach
Development programme. A key aspect will be working closely with
the coaches to ensure that the club's identity and coaching
philosophy is aligned and embedded across all age groups within
the Academy.
The aims will include helping to create support programmes that
can enable the club's Academy coaches and young players to fulfil
their potential.”
“The role will involve taking on responsibility for leading the Coach
Development programme. A key aspect will be working closely with
the coaches to ensure that the club's identity and coaching
philosophy is aligned and embedded across all age groups within
the Academy.
The aims will include helping to create support programmes that
can enable the club's Academy coaches and young players to fulfil
their potential.”
He’d been ‘given game time’ out of position as a late sub in an already won cup tie at a time when we were trying to convince him to sign a new contract. It’s a big leap to suggest that was going to lead to more game time this year I think, particularly because we have someone we can use as a direct comparison (onyango) who hasn’t been given more opportunities, and chances for others like branthwaite and dobbin have been very limited.
That covers both points really, seeing as your view of him stagnant is solely based on his first team involvement rather than any actual evidence.
I have no idea why he left and I don’t really care to be honest. I just don’t see the point in rewriting history or making stuff up to make out like it was a bad decision. He’s 17, it’ll be a good few years before we know how it’s panned out for him.
We have one?
Maybe he really is slotting Denise