Injury watch 2017-18 season

[From Despair To Where?]

He's also not been played as a winger at Charlton.

By all means complain that he wasn't given enough chances but, you know, he spent 18 months on loan in League 2, didn't pull up any trees and was still offered a new contract. And to be fair to Harriett, at a similar age he had made close to 50 appearances in the Championship for Charlton.

This isn't an anti Fosu rant but a plea for objectivity.

[Zip]

Imagine swapping Fosu for Harriot

I think a lot of us felt Fosu was moved on far too quickly.

Can we cease with this myth that we released Fosu. He was offered a new contract last May and chose not to sign it.

He was clearly not part of the club’s plans and he would have known that.

[From Despair To Where?]

Why would the club offer a contract to a player who was "clearly" not part of their plans?

[Zip]

Why would the club offer a contract to a player who was "clearly" not part of their plans?

He was nowhere near the first team. Why else do you think he decided to drop down a division?

[From Despair To Where?]

So why did the club offer a contract to a player who was "clearly" not part of their plans?

[Zip]

So why did the club offer a contract to a player who was "clearly" not part of their plans?

Lots of players are offered contracts but it doesn’t mean some of them will be given the opportunity to be part of the first team plans. Fosu was nowhere near the first team. He didn’t get a look in under Stam who had brought in a host of new wingers to the club, Fosu was well down the pecking order.

[From Despair To Where?]

I think of the youngsters only him, Jules and Legg were offered contracts last summer. Wouldn't surprise me the club were aware of the extent of Harriott's injury and considering we subsequently signed Barrow and Aluko, I suspect Fosu was very much in their plans.

I guess we'll never know but personally, I thought Fosu showed considerable potential but had not shown nearly enough in 18 months on loan in League 2 to suggest he was ready to perform consistantly well in the Championship but, by offering him another contract, the club were willing to give him more time to prove himself.

It was his decision to leave, not the club's. He clearly felt that at 21, he needed to be guaranteed regular first team football.

At 21, Harriott had played 50 times in the Championship, Fosu had played 50 minutes and warmed the bench in League 2 so yes, imagine picking Harriott over Fosu.

[Zip]

I think of the youngsters only him, Jules and Legg were offered contracts last summer. Wouldn't surprise me the club were aware of the Harriott situation and considering we subsequently signed Barrow and Aluko, I suspect he was very much in their plans.

I guess we'll never know but personally, I thought Fosu showed considerable potential but had not shown nearly enough in 18 months on loan in League 2 to suggest he was ready to perform consistantly well in the Championship but, by offering him another contract, the club were willing to give him more time to prove himself.

It was his decision to leave, not the club's. He clearly felt that at 21, he needed to be guaranteed regular first team football.

That’s the thing. He wanted first team football. At the time we had McCleary, Beerens, Popa, Harriott and even the possibility of Obita being played as a winger ahead of him. Let’s face it Popa wasn’t given a chance so I don’t think Fodu would have been and I suspect he knew that and opted to leave. I think that’s a shame.

[From Despair To Where?]

I'm not saying it wasn't a shame but let's not make out the club forced him out or released him when the facts suggest otherwise. MacLeary and Harriott have been injured since January last year, Popa just didn't fit for whatever reason and Beerens played less and less as last season went on. I think there is every chance Fosu would have featured this season had he stayed.

[Zip]

Where have I said he was forced out? Ok he wasn’t “moved on” but he wasn’t in Stam’s plans.

[From Despair To Where?]

If he wasn't in Stam's plans, why was he offered a contract?

[Zip]

If he wasn't in Stam's plans, why was he offered contract?

Let’s just agree to disagree shall we..

[3points]

I would think he’d be making the bench at the moment as we have no cover or options for Aluko and Barrow right now. Jack Stacey would probably be covering right back too. But now we have the likes of Holmes and Rinomhota occupying the bench recently.

If Barrett hadn’t been on loan then he’d probably get some bench time too

[SCIAG]

I think of the youngsters only him, Jules and Legg were offered contracts last summer.

Of those who left, think it was Fosu, Stacey, Keown, and Jules. There were also a whole bunch who stayed.

Given we had five senior wingers and were increasingly playing without them at all, I think it's fair to lay the blame at the club for blocking Stacey and Fosu's progress. We sure could use those two right now.

[Zip]

I think of the youngsters only him, Jules and Legg were offered contracts last summer.

Of those who left, think it was Fosu, Stacey, Keown, and Jules. There were also a whole bunch who stayed.

Given we had five senior wingers and were increasingly playing without them at all, I think it's fair to lay the blame at the club for blocking Stacey and Fosu's progress. We sure could use those two right now.

This is it. Fosu was miles down the pecking order. He was nowhere near the first team. That’s why he left. Ironically we are now short of wingers. We only have one fit winger as Aluko seems to think he plays in central midfield.

[P!ssed Off]

If he wasn't in Stam's plans, why was he offered a contract?

If you offer a new contract to an under 24 player then their new club is obliged to pay compensation.
If you do not offer a new contract to an under 24 player then their new club is not obliged to pay compensation.

He didn't move to Charlton on a 'free', he moved for an 'undisclosed fee'.

[From Despair To Where?]

And that undisclosed fee would have been in the region of £100,000.

However, the club would have known last May that there were long term question marks over McCleary and Harriott's fitness. Beerens was being used less and less so instead of being 5th choice, he's suddenly 2nd or 3rd choice. We hadn't signed Barrow or Aluko at that point so, on the back of 18 months out on loan getting first team experience, there was a very real chance this season would have been a breakthrough one for him. Just as good a reason for offering him a contract as £100,000.

[P!ssed Off]

I think of the youngsters only him, Jules and Legg were offered contracts last summer.

Of those who left, think it was Fosu, Stacey, Keown, and Jules. There were also a whole bunch who stayed.

Given we had five senior wingers and were increasingly playing without them at all, I think it's fair to lay the blame at the club for blocking Stacey and Fosu's progress. We sure could use those two right now.

Jack Stacey's contract was to run until 2019.
Niall Keown's was to run until 2018.

Agree though, the club has completely mismanaged youth players over the last few years.

[P!ssed Off]

And that undisclosed fee would have been in the region of £100,000.

However, the club would have known last May that there were long term question marks over McCleary and Harriott's fitness. Beerens was being used less and less so instead of being 5th choice, he's suddenly 2nd or 3rd choice. We hadn't signed Barrow or Aluko at that point so, on the back of 18 months out on loan getting first team experience, there was a very real chance this season would have been a breakthrough one for him. Just as good a reason for offering him a contract as £100,000.

You're thinking of set compensation for youth players.

The 'undisclosed fee' is whatever was agreed by the two clubs, and could very well involve a sell on %.
If compensation is not agreed then a tribunal determines market value.
e.g. Liverpool had to pay £6.5m + add ons for Danny Ings.

I'm sure Fosu was well aware last Summer that the club would continue it's annual tradition of bringing in an abundance of average tat and completely ignoring home grown players.

[Snowflake Royal]

And that undisclosed fee would have been in the region of £100,000.

However, the club would have known last May that there were long term question marks over McCleary and Harriott's fitness. Beerens was being used less and less so instead of being 5th choice, he's suddenly 2nd or 3rd choice. We hadn't signed Barrow or Aluko at that point so, on the back of 18 months out on loan getting first team experience, there was a very real chance this season would have been a breakthrough one for him. Just as good a reason for offering him a contract as £100,000.

You're thinking of set compensation for youth players.

The 'undisclosed fee' is whatever was agreed by the two clubs, and could very well involve a sell on %.
If compensation is not agreed then a tribunal determines market value.
e.g. Liverpool had to pay £6.5m + add ons for Danny Ings.

I'm sure Fosu was well aware last Summer that the club would continue it's annual tradition of bringing in an abundance of average tat and completely ignoring home grown players.

I thought the Academy system set fixed amounts when it came in. There was certainly hoo-ha at the time about it.

Clearly it's false to say Fosu was no where near the first team or was moved on. But he also clearly wasn't considered ready for the first 18 at the time, unsurprisingly as he'd had a relatively unsuccessful loan spell.

We certainly failed in our use of the likes of Fosu, Stacey, Tanner and Samuel given our recent dearth of good attacking options and spunking of millions on overrated pish like Aluko, Grabban, Piazon and Martin or perma crocks like McCleary and Harriott.

Not to mention mismanaging the defence to let the likes of Dickie, Hyam and Keown all go leaving us with one proper senior fullback and a collection of expensive centrebacks who haven't really done the business with the exception of Moore.