Wolves Academy Thread

[darlowolf64]

Jinx! Deano

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Possibly a bit harsh on the lad some of you.

Without knowing the detail, the ability of the lad and timeline of events it's difficult to say who's being more of an arse. From what I remember of Pogba at United he wanted chances in the first team before he was prepared to sign a new deal, considering the impact he had almost straight away at Juve you'd have to think he was good enough to make a difference for United, especially given their centre midfield issues at the time, the manager/club didn't want to give him that level of exposure without having him tied down though, a lack of trust on their behalf I suppose that he might have his head turned and still go elsewhere anyway if he did perform well.

It's a difficult situation to call.

 

[Del Woppio]

Sorry, I was thinking more about last season while we were cruising and he was being Leon Clarke.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Sorry, I was thinking more about last season while we were cruising and he was being Leon Clarke.

Would've been fantastic PR, big January signing that had already pissed off half the support, drop him in favour of a kid. I suppose a signing like that could also have put Keita off, ageing no-hoper blocking the progression but again that all comes down to the relative ability/potential ability of Keita, he may he deluded.

 

[Johnny75]

Paul Pogba played through France's youth system and was tipped largely to do very well. Kieta never got past the U16's and I don't know how highly he is rated at the club but the manager would be playing him (instead of Doyle) if they thought he was ready after all he's not that much younger than Dicko or Afobe.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Mistakes are made though aren't they?

Pogba never played a single game for United I don't think despite that international recognition, surely if they thought he was that good they wouldn't have let it happen? They've given debuts to much worse youngsters than him over the years. Wolves too made a similar mistake with Mark Davies, though that was over injury/fitness rather than age/readiness, clubs don't get it right every time.

 

[Penk Wolf]

I think they got it spot on with Mark Davies.

 

[Nando]

Pogba made a League Cup appearance I think, but supposedly he gave up when SAF played Park and O'Shea in central midfield when they had no fit central midfielders.

 

[Sniffer]

What mistake was made with Mark Davies?

 

[MARKakaJIM]

They wanted him to go back on loan to Leicester for the rest of the season, no?

He felt he was ready for a crack back at Wolves, ended up refusing a new contract and got a move straight into a Premier League team.

Something like that I think?

I suppose several years later it doesn't really look an issue as he's a broken man at a lower placed club but he had his time looking down at Wolves before then.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Pogba made a League Cup appearance I think, but supposedly he gave up when SAF played Park and O'Shea in central midfield when they had no fit central midfielders.

And there's a very similar situation at Wolves with the lack of striking options on the bench for a while, still heavily weighted with defenders even since Doyle's return, so you can see how that would upset a young forward looking for his opportunity. The big unknown that makes a world of difference being his ability/potential though, he could be thinking he's better than he is or the club could be underestimating him.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We did get it right with Davies, he was a scrote with recurrent injury issues who thought he had a right to walk into a team that was top of the league. Lucky not to have been sacked 18 months or so before he left as well.

And there's a very similar situation at Wolves with the lack of striking options on the bench for a while, still heavily weighted with defenders even since Doyle's return, so you can see how that would upset a young forward looking for his opportunity. The big unknown that makes a world of difference being his ability/potential though, he could be thinking he's better than he is or the club could be underestimating him.

Agree with this, we have named Clarke on the bench multiple times this season ahead of Keita, Doyle is there now, we have named no striker on numerous occasions, we don't seem that inclined to give him a go so I'm not sure why he would stay.

 

[Johnny75]

And there's a very similar situation at Wolves with the lack of striking options on the bench for a while, still heavily weighted with defenders even since Doyle's return, so you can see how that would upset a young forward looking for his opportunity. The big unknown that makes a world of difference being his ability/potential though, he could be thinking he's better than he is or the club could be underestimating him.

I think you're right Mark (and DW) and it's a poor message to send out to strikers in the youth ranks. We did the same to McAlinden too.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Even if he does turn out to be a dud, surely it would've been better to have him on the bench rather than 3 defenders? Can you imagine the reaction if Wolves had been chasing a game, Dicko or Afobe gets injured and you can only bring on a less attacking player in their place, just seems bizarre.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Three defenders out of six outfield subs winds me right up. You're never going to use them.

 

[Penk Wolf]

Three defenders out of six outfield subs winds me right up. You're never going to use them.

Agreed, although I guess that McAlinden or Cassidy would have been recalled if they thought it was wrong rather than putting Keita on the bench?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Both Cassidy's loans have been window to window so no recall possible for him. Hopefully he's off in the summer, I don't want us pointlessly extending his deal again.

I'm more bothered about the treatment of McAlinden this season than Keita. There is absolutely no way that Clarke should have been ahead of him in the pecking order and we've wasted another year of his development.

 

[YoungWolf]

Jackett made quite a big deal about how he (McAlinden) looked stronger this season than previously, and then stuck him on the left in the cup. He clearly has ability and he's done OK in loan spells elsewhere but he just never seems quite up to it when I've seen him

 

[Carrotdude]

Speaking of McAlinden is he injured? Wasn't in Fleetwoods squad yesterday for their televised game

 

[Penk Wolf]

http://www.expressandstar.com/sport...31/wolves-made-three-offers-to-ibrahim-keita/

'Had they agreed to his demands, Keita, who has never played a senior game, would have become the second highest-paid player in the Under-21s and been earning as much as some first-team players.'