WERE'S THE BAXTER MONEY BILL?!?
Just think, if we got rid of our acadamy and reserves how much money we'd save over the course of the season.
They're obviously either all total crap or the academy isn't doing its job of providing a small squad with players so we might as well get rid of it.
If we do ever need some players to sit on the bench to make the numbers up i'm sure we can get a young player in on loan from Portugal or somewhere to do the job.
Seven out and one in. This is a cunning plan isn't it?
Portugal? Everton will always have more Tony Hibbert's in the pipeline...
Seven out and one in. This is a cunning plan isn't it?
With the exception of Pienaar, none of them will be missed though, not even as squad members making up the numbers.
Strac & Drenthe were ultimately failures, the latter far more than the former.
McFadden was crap when he left in 2008, and he definitely wasn't any better 4 years later.
A now 40 year old third choice keeper won't be missed.
And a bunch of young lads who either weren't much cop or weren't going to make it.
It's cut the wage bill significantly, and if it gives us a chance of signing people and/or not selling anyone, even better.
Pienaar may yet be back. Long way to go in that saga.
I also don't think it's any sort of inditement on the Academy either. Compared to numerous other clubs, particularly the RS for example, the EFC Academy has produced for more for the first team squad. These things happen, only a few ever make it. Quite a few will have solid careers elsewhere. Look at Keith Southern, 10 years at Blackpool (played for them in every division) after being EFC Reserves captain.
This is a re-writing of recent history. Both were cult heroes at times last season. They turned some important games. And Pienaar cant be just brushed under the carpet like that either.
How can it not be an indictement of the Academy? He's let go a clutch of its brightest stars.
Hang on davek. I'm not rewriting history. I said 'ultimately', because neither are at the club now and neither will be re-signed either on loan or permanently. Strac was mildly popular for a few months, pre-Jelavic, because we were totally devoid of any striking hope. Let's not beat around the bush, he was ****e. Not good enough for the Premier League. Lots of endeavour but that was it. Drenthe let us down big time. A few decent games and the odd decent goal doesn't change that. We needed him for that semi final and he screwed us right over.
Name these 'brightest stars'. I need a laugh.