Didn't Manure come to Sparrows Lane to have a look at Jenkinson? They didn't fancy him but signed McGinty if I remember right, which shows that the top scouts can get it wrong as well.
I wonder what Chris Solly feels about Jenks playing for England? Chris stayed loyal to Charlton (Chris was a former Arsenal youth player) and he sees the kid, who was below him in the pecking order with us, now an England (friendly) International. It must hurt a bit!
Thats the story thats always been repeated. I still think Solly is the better player myself, but his style is a bit more unfancied compared to Jenks.
yep, you can move to arsenal, get a hair cut / stylist. but solly is still the better player. given the choice between the two, i'd still rather solly be our right back.
Nothing to do with style. Everything to do with height, which is why Parkinson was reluctant to give him a try. Look round Europe. How many short defenders have made it to the top club and national teams? We are lucky top managers think that way or he would be long gone. One of my favorite quotes from Sir Rabid Doctor went something like this: "I watch opposing managers set up their teams to take advantage of Solly's lack of height, and I smile to myself because I know they are wasting their time". But Jenkinson has come on an awful lot at Arsenal. Doesn't deserve to play for England yet, but then how many of them do?
To be fair, full back is a position often filled by ''shorter'' players. Roberto Carlos, Evra, Ash Cole, Marcelo, Lahm, Rafael etc are all under 5ft 8.
Absolutely right, Super - but are any of them 5 foot 3? I remember seeing his full debut in a hideous team performance at Hereford in the League Cup, as he advanced up the pitch, the midfield put the ball over his head and the winger ran round him and on to it - two, three, four times. Never seen it happen since, surely a mark of true class.
Well, of course, here are always exceptions to any generalisation, but six names is not compelling out of the hundreds who have filled full-back berths in top teams, if we are going back to include those no longer playing. Lahm, Roberto Carlos, and Marcelo were/are wing backs, not full-backs. The critical difference is that wing-backs are not usually given the main responsibility of guarding the far posts for corners and crosses. Had they been, they would have been shown up time and again. Ashley Cole is 5' 10". Rafael's lack of height and physique is what stops him being a top player in that position, as he has everything else. Sir Alex has hinted as much and is always looking to replace him with someone more beefy for English games, like Jones or Smalling, but injuries have often interfered with his plans. I'll give you Evra. I never realised he was that short. All the more credit to him, as to Solly, that it rarely shows. But the main issue here is not what I think but the prejudices of other managers, especially British managers. Sadly, I think Solly's lack of height will not mask his talent from predators much longer.
Sean McGinty was a big lad for 15 (apart from being a decent player of course) Maybe that attracted Manure to him instead of Jenkinson. Maybe he was an early developer.
It's never picked up that Wiggins is of the same height. I disagree it's a reason perhaps why he hasn't been ''noticed'' as much as Jenks, it was only this summer a hoof ball side were trying to sign him. Arsenal just saw something in CJ that perhaps they missed in Solly. Thankfully for us!
I see Piggott scored for Bromley last night. Azeez has got the plaudits recently but Piggott is also one to watch, although a different type of player.
