28 Aug 2025 09:33:03
Following on from some recent comments about the club selling home grown academy players I found it rather amusing watching the Utd game last night and seeing I notice that Jude Soonsup-Bell was an unused sub for Grimsby last night and seeing Jude Soonsup-Bell on the Grimsby bench. He opted to leave us to go to pastures new and chose Spurs as they offered him a clearer pathway to stardom. Sometimes these young players need to keep their feet firmly on the ground, have patience and accept they need to demonstrate every day that they are worthy of a first team opportunity. Full credit to young Josh for taking that route as opposed to young George who has asked to leave as he wants to be a starter. Be interesting to see how their careers pan out.
28 Aug 2025 12:07:02
Agreed RPD.
28 Aug 2025 13:20:07
RPD, i always have the utmost respect for players who are willing to take in the challenge of player competition but in the case of George I do have some sympathy. It is likely that either Gittens or Garnacho will start virtually every game.
With the amount of injuries our defenders get I can see Josh getting plenty of game time. If he doesn’t, I can see him being loaned out in the next window.
28 Aug 2025 13:26:33
I noticed a certain George McEchran was on the pitch for Grimsby last night too, RPD. Lesser-feted brother of one of the major disappointments for those of us who enjoy watching academy talent progress into the first team. And good on him. Hard to make a living in the professional game, and it seems to be some mysterious combination of hard work, personality, the right support in club, family and coach, and the stars simply aligning correctly for a lot of players' careers at that stage as to whether they make it to the top of the game, if they're not in that absolute rarified top bracket of talent (and sometimes even then) . For some they'll find the support at the club they're at, for others a move will work wonders (would Rio Nguoma be in the first team this season as he is at Liverpool if he'd stayed? Will his career continue on an upwards trajectory from here? ) . At that age confidence is hugely fragile, and the comedown of breaking through then getting dropped can trigger a cycle of depression that is hard to ever truly come back from. Would Josh McEchran and Gael Kakuta have had successful careers as PL players if Ancelotti hadn't been sacked? Would Lewis Baker, if he'd have moved rather than going on loan to Vitesse? Would Yann Gueho have been the worldbeater everyone thought he was going to be at a different club? Would Ola Aina be playing at Forest now if he'd chosen a different academy? Declan Rice at Arsenal? Michael Olise? Jamal Musiala if he hadn't moved to Bayern when he did?
What you say about these young players needing to have feet firmly on the ground is certainly true, especially when chance plays such a huge role in their futures. Elite mentality is perhaps the only thing that can somewhat negate for chance in such a situation.
What is also true in the case of Tyrique George is that the club at which he's trying to break through are continually buying an excess of players in his position, some of whom don't appear to be miles above him in terms of raw ability (certainly it's hard to tell without him ever being given a clear run of games like some of them – Garnacho, for example, only a year or two older than him but playing regularly for United since he was a year younger than Tyrique – they finished third that year, by the way) . Who wouldn't blame someone in his position for looking elsewhere? Josh, on the other hand, was on the verge of being frozen out for refusing to sign a new contract at the start of last season, so hardly a good comparison in terms of keeping one's feet on the ground; his opportunity this season is clearer as the club don't appear to be prioritising signing a defender this summer and we have a number of injured senior players there.
28 Aug 2025 13:46:59
EdW, I think Rice was about 14/ 15 when he was released by the club but it is true some players will see/ believe they will get better opportunities at different clubs.
Some players just flourish in different environments. We have taken young players, like Palmer, Gusto, Pinders and now Hato. Some will work and some will not.
28 Aug 2025 22:19:48
These 15 year old footballers making career choices! what utter bollox, their parents and agents are just chasing money. Rio is a talent, Chelsea wanted him to stay but he went. Will he get a chance? maybe? I like Harvey Elliot, will he get a chance at Liverpool? or will they sell him for home grown profit? It is a lottery really and sadly led by money chasing agents and ruthless clubs.