From the very beginning, Director of Football Development John Salmon has always maintained that the whole idea of the Development Squad is a way of players progressing into the First Team Squad as we have already seen with Mark Bainbridge and Jay Matthews. The other two players who have signed First Team Registration Forms from the set up are midfielder and captain Kyle Parle and Adam Carden, who we have had in the past as a youngster.
I have communication with John Salmon on a regular basis and his number one priority, has always been to bring players through into the First Team. It can also benefit players returning from injury such as Joel Brownhill, who has gained from it and has been on the bench recently. Results are nice but are not the main aim of the Development Squad at the present time.
In regard to Theo Chrisokhou, currently on a week’s trial with Aberdeen I haven’t heard anything at present as to how this is progressing but I might get to hear something before too long.
[quote=“Thatched tavern” post=60908]I believe Colin has got it spot on. From what I have been led to understand, this is no longer a “RESERVE” team.
John Salmon, who runs the “DEVELOPMENT” team has some very unique contacts in the game, and not just in this country. As such, players who are eager to make it in football, want to use John’s expertise to fast path their futures. (I believe some fly in from other countries to play, and some even pay to play). Basically, it is a shop window.
John is giving these players their chance, and Theo’s trial with Aberdeen is evidence of this.
Each player is different, but there is a strong chance that Witton will benefit from this Development, as seen with Jay Matthews. We just need to show some patience.[/quote]
B****ks to that. I thought I’d heard it all from my beloved football club over the last few years but this has tipped me over the edge. We are currently sat in the lowest league position the club has ever been in in its entire history and we are focusing on some sort of soccer school. I give up.
[quote=“WHEELS” post=60909]From the very beginning, Director of Football Development John Salmon has always maintained that the whole idea of the Development Squad is a way of players progressing into the First Team Squad as we have already seen with Mark Bainbridge and Jay Matthews. The other two players who have signed First Team Registration Forms from the set up are midfielder and captain Kyle Parle and Adam Carden, who we have had in the past as a youngster.
I have communication with John Salmon on a regular basis and his number one priority, has always been to bring players through into the First Team. It can also benefit players returning from injury such as Joel Brownhill, who has gained from it and has been on the bench recently. Results are nice but are not the main aim of the Development Squad at the present time.
In regard to Theo Chrisokhou, currently on a week’s trial with Aberdeen I haven’t heard anything at present as to how this is progressing but I might get to hear something before too long.[/quote]
Why not sack this nonsense off and put all the money into the first team, to get us back up a couple of leagues where we should be?
So let’s look at this then, John Salmon is paid by the players to play in HIS Development Team, which is a shop window for players at OTHER clubs to come and play in, if they are signed by a club HE is their agent so gets another financial payment, and the CLUB have paid Barnton I believe in the region of £3,000 for this to be played at Townfield. Seems to me there is only one winner here?
So to summarise; one of our directors is being paid by a player from one of our league rivals to help him get a move from said club - ie; Kendal.
So our club is actively looking to weaken a league rival by moving on one of their players - and one of our directors is looking to make a financial gain from doing so.
All this whilst our chairman is chairman of the league.
MASSIVE conflict of interests, and not just a little bit immoral either!
Is this all legal and within football association rules?
But it’s all ok because a couple of the development squad team have made their way into the weakest squad we’ve had in many years and are currently helping us occupy a glorious mid-table position.
I’m glad we cleared all that up, I’m unsure why I was ever worried now.
Whilst I understand there may be questions that folks would like an answer to and how on earth one of our own development squad scores against us in a league game being one of them, I would just be careful about the hypothesising when all the facts are not known.
The club is a real disaster area at the moment with rubbish performances from a team which is simply not good enough (there are some players exempt from this), and baffling selection choices from the manager who is backed up by the biggest backroom entourage I’ve ever seen. Maybe this is where the problem is having too many back room staff in a too many cooks spoil the broth situation I don’t know. The only bright spot with the current management team is that at least there are loads of them in the club after the match with their families spending money hopefully!!
Apart from the Goalkeeper who has been brilliant the rest of the Norton contingent so far have shown that they are just not good enough in this league. There was no mid field on Saturday and whilst I appreciate we have injuries and suspensions its just not good enough. Why was Scott Lycett on the bench when apparently he was ruled fit to play? We cud have used his experience.
Meanwhile the fans behind the goal well there were’nt any so we are shedding fans. I don’t think we can sustain this much longer and a decision needs to be made earlier than last seasons disaster on the football management front. I’m also concerned about us hanging on to the decent players we have. I’m sorry to be over critical but the signs are there and either the football management team need to do something or they need to move on its as simple as that. I want whats best for our club to progress and unfortunately for the last 2 years we have’nt we’ve gone backwards. Don’t worry about the fact we can’t hang on to a manager if somethings not working you have to change it but change it for the better though!!
Totally agree with Mona
This season is alarmingly resembling last season, the mistake we made last season was leaving in too late to do anything about it, i know this mistake wont be made twice.
Tonight we have a very winnable game but after the last few weeks im not sure we have the spirit in the squad to perform, a poor performance tonight in front of a dwindling crowd would definitely start alarm bells ringing in the boardroom!
Folks lets just hang on a minute, there are a few comments on here which aren’t correct. The process of the development squad and why it is how it is was explained at supporters meetings and I believe in an article when John took the role in the summer (in the e-newsletter).
Some players pay to play yes but this doesn’t go to John, this is what covers the cost of the officials and facilities and other fees, as well as the admission monies.
No one was concerned for the last couple of seasons when the reserves have played at a lower level and cost the club money, but now its self funding, has a good disciplinary record and seemingly has a better standard of player we are up in arms?
The comment about the lad from Kendal is a fair one but 1 goal doesn’t make him a world beater. I gave a lad from Italy a lift back to the coachman a few weeks ago who was over to play in the Dev Squad - he could have been Messi and he wouldn’t have signed for us as we aren’t local etc. The dynamics are a little different.
These trial games would take place regardless of WAFC involvement so would we not rather piggy back on this and obtain any possible benefit from it if we can than not? John is working hard for the club so please be careful what we say/presume, its hard enough to get outside people involved with the club.
As always come and speak to me tonight if you wish to discuss how the set up works, what the costs are, where the money comes from, I’ll be in the counting room. I also believe John will be there tonight if you want to talk football with him! I’ll stay out of that one!
Thanks for that Clarity and facts Neil ! nice to nip Rumours and gossip in the bud, so it is costing the club nothing to facilitate the development team, the reserves actually cost us money, the development squad in terms of quality is so much visibly closer to the standard the first team requires and has allowed us to sign 4 players to be available for the first team, the downside is we cannot guarantee picking up every player that comes through that route but that happens at every club/academy in the UK.
The situation re Craig Carney I really dont know the details either, but I guess John Salmon does so ask HIM rather than adding 2 + 2 and getting 9 We should be pulling together and really the focus should be on the first team in the hope that the manager can get it right and strengthen in the areas required having Roberts and Schofield back soon should help him ! - It seems the development squad is not a problem that needs focus on just yet.
I think John Salmon is doing a good job and obviously has contacts in the game. I’ve sat round a table in the club when he’s been talking and he sometimes has an unfortunate manner in that he seems to think he has a vast knowledge of coaching methods and tatics. I think its just the way he is and his enthusiam kind of runs away with him but there is no doubt he’s doing a good job from which the club might benefit without any cost so keep it going John. From that point of view the Development Squad is a good idea and thanks for clarifying the position as usual Neil.
Now hopefully our 1st team management squad might benefit from some of Johns work. Why not ask him he can find you a decent left back, energetic midfield player, pacey winger and someone who can stick the ball in the net then we might be something resembling a team!! Onward and upward with a win tonight I hope fingers and everything else crossed here at work trying to get away on time so I can attend a veritable football feast served up by a rejuvinated team!!
We seem to be panicking a lot when the team have lost only by odd goal in all the games they have lost. I would be worried had we been losing 0-4 or 0-5 but that is not what has been happening. Let us hope for a couple of good wins in our next two games which would put a totally different complexion on the season so far. Big difference from last season. £20,000 fro Vics and £15,000 or so from the FA Cup run. Last term we were therefor £35,000 worse off!!
WHS.
My point was why not use all 4? Parle is a midfielder, ours have been poor! Why not give him a chance? As for the extra cash what are we doing with it? It seems we’re not getting value for money from a decent budget again. This is main thing we should be looking at. What is the point over paying for a mid table side?
Thats the problem in a nutshell Woody we are not getting value for money and thats what really bugs me. I hope like WHS says that we can get a couple of wins and go from there but we are already 14 points behind Vics so we need to start doing it soon and the grim reality is that some players are simply not good enough at this level and also you wonder about our vast football management team as to their own capabilities. Lets hope we can start by fighting for 3 points tonight.