I'd say the one player who the Development Squad System hasn't worked out for is Wakely. When he signed, he was made a big deal of, out on the pitch with a shirt and GA but then has drifted for a year. Spent time at Maidenhead where he didn't really feature (for one reason or another).
Then he's been named as a sub once (or maybe twice) and played at Northampton but wasn't able to see the game out. I'd be surprised if he's still around by Christmas if this happens.
Forino may not be displaying the consistency that earned him so many Man of the Match votes last season but don’t forget that he only recently returned following an injury-hit pre-season. He was Co-commentator with @bluntphil for, I think, the Burton game and was eased back at Sixfields by being restricted to the first half. Provided he keeps fit, I will say with great confidence “you ain’t seen nothing yet!”
We just haven’t really seen enough to know, been unlucky with injuries by the sounds of things.
As others have said - the most concerning thing is how he couldn’t get in the side (in his favoured position) over out of position players. But still time for him, he’s got decent pedigree from his time at Chelsea.
The only thing that has held Chris Forino-Joseph back this stellar Sheffield Wednesday performance has been a couple of niggly injuries. I am very excited about his future. I think he’s Premier League bound.
I am also very excited about the potential of Luca Woodhouse.
I agree with those who say the Development Squad is fantastic. Of course most of them won't work out, but we are honest with them, give them a real chance, let them train around the first team, and also seem to move them on after a period of time that is fair to both sides. I really doubt any of those who were gave a shot and did not make it would have bad words to say about us.
On the flip side, Forino was at Uni and had pretty much given up on a professional career, if I remember rightly. We invited him to an open trial, saw his potential, and now we have a central defender coming on in leaps and bounds. Mehmeti was toiling in the nether regions of non-league, but now his absolute floor of potential is the Championship, as he has already shone there.
Even before the development squad, GA, RD and co. were adept at spotting diamonds in the rough. No, Alex Samuel did not score a lot, but I loved seeing him in a Wycombe shirt, and he was part of the promotion team, scoring in the semi first leg and playing an hour of the playoff final. Alex Pattison never completely took off, but came on at half time in the playoff final and is doing very well at Harrogate. I reference the final because both of these overlooked players are now indelibly etched in our history.
Forino has showed promise in the rather limited games he has played, but he is far from an accomplished centre half, and I think people have gone over board concerning him. His performance at Exeter was extremely poor.
Lewis Christon had the same early reviews, and then completely disappeared.
The comment earlier that the Development Squad is waste of time and money has to be up there with some of the worst takes on the Gasroom that I can remember. You can argue whether the club leadership prioritising signing promising youngsters is the best course of action when there is a need to bolster the 1st team squad in the short term, but very few people would seriously argue that nurturing and developing the potential talent Sam Grace has assembled isn't a worthwhile endeavour, either for WWFC or the players themselves. You name any club that is famed for bringing through talent, and there will be no end of youngsters who didn't make the grade there and had to go back to square one.
To single out Forino’s performance at Exeter in a game where only two or three players came through with any credit seems to me to be grossly unfair. To describe his performance as “extremely poor” and to say that he is “far from an accomplished centre half” is to disregard his many outstanding performances last season. Time will tell, quite quickly I think, whether those of us who see him as a budding star are justified in our assessments.
It's very difficult to be a good central defender without cover to the sides and Infront and confidence in the goalie behind you. Forino wasn't great at Exeter but was hardly the worst or alone. Have to hope we see a couple of players back from injury and get a bit of consistency in the team before to long.
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I'd say the one player who the Development Squad System hasn't worked out for is Wakely. When he signed, he was made a big deal of, out on the pitch with a shirt and GA but then has drifted for a year. Spent time at Maidenhead where he didn't really feature (for one reason or another).
Then he's been named as a sub once (or maybe twice) and played at Northampton but wasn't able to see the game out. I'd be surprised if he's still around by Christmas if this happens.
Not surprisingly, I agree with @mooneyman.
Forino may not be displaying the consistency that earned him so many Man of the Match votes last season but don’t forget that he only recently returned following an injury-hit pre-season. He was Co-commentator with @bluntphil for, I think, the Burton game and was eased back at Sixfields by being restricted to the first half. Provided he keeps fit, I will say with great confidence “you ain’t seen nothing yet!”
We just haven’t really seen enough to know, been unlucky with injuries by the sounds of things.
As others have said - the most concerning thing is how he couldn’t get in the side (in his favoured position) over out of position players. But still time for him, he’s got decent pedigree from his time at Chelsea.
The only thing that has held Chris Forino-Joseph back this stellar Sheffield Wednesday performance has been a couple of niggly injuries. I am very excited about his future. I think he’s Premier League bound.
I am also very excited about the potential of Luca Woodhouse.
Watch out for Christie Ward, under the radar but I’ve been told is impressing.
I'm not saying it won't happen, but Forino's ball-playing will have to improve markedly if he's ever to make it to the Prem.
I agree with those who say the Development Squad is fantastic. Of course most of them won't work out, but we are honest with them, give them a real chance, let them train around the first team, and also seem to move them on after a period of time that is fair to both sides. I really doubt any of those who were gave a shot and did not make it would have bad words to say about us.
On the flip side, Forino was at Uni and had pretty much given up on a professional career, if I remember rightly. We invited him to an open trial, saw his potential, and now we have a central defender coming on in leaps and bounds. Mehmeti was toiling in the nether regions of non-league, but now his absolute floor of potential is the Championship, as he has already shone there.
Even before the development squad, GA, RD and co. were adept at spotting diamonds in the rough. No, Alex Samuel did not score a lot, but I loved seeing him in a Wycombe shirt, and he was part of the promotion team, scoring in the semi first leg and playing an hour of the playoff final. Alex Pattison never completely took off, but came on at half time in the playoff final and is doing very well at Harrogate. I reference the final because both of these overlooked players are now indelibly etched in our history.
Forino has showed promise in the rather limited games he has played, but he is far from an accomplished centre half, and I think people have gone over board concerning him. His performance at Exeter was extremely poor.
Lewis Christon had the same early reviews, and then completely disappeared.
I disagree, but time will tell.
The comment earlier that the Development Squad is waste of time and money has to be up there with some of the worst takes on the Gasroom that I can remember. You can argue whether the club leadership prioritising signing promising youngsters is the best course of action when there is a need to bolster the 1st team squad in the short term, but very few people would seriously argue that nurturing and developing the potential talent Sam Grace has assembled isn't a worthwhile endeavour, either for WWFC or the players themselves. You name any club that is famed for bringing through talent, and there will be no end of youngsters who didn't make the grade there and had to go back to square one.
Totally agree, promising start definitely, but let's not get too carried away here
Learning from the likes of Taffs and Mawson should be fantastic for Forino's development.
To single out Forino’s performance at Exeter in a game where only two or three players came through with any credit seems to me to be grossly unfair. To describe his performance as “extremely poor” and to say that he is “far from an accomplished centre half” is to disregard his many outstanding performances last season. Time will tell, quite quickly I think, whether those of us who see him as a budding star are justified in our assessments.
I meant not getting proper football is what is wrong with English football....badly worded
It's very difficult to be a good central defender without cover to the sides and Infront and confidence in the goalie behind you. Forino wasn't great at Exeter but was hardly the worst or alone. Have to hope we see a couple of players back from injury and get a bit of consistency in the team before to long.