Totally agree. I mean, even if they come here for 2-3 seasons and move on to bigger and better, then that's fine with me. But how we are at the minute, class.
So true mate. A mildly similar experience I am having in non league. Last season I was asked to lead a new u17 and u18 setup. My only direction was to produce players four our u21s and first team. Club not remotely interested in titles etc, just getting local lads through. We had a div 2 level squad but I put them into div 1 to fasttrack development. By the end of season 5 17 year olds are playing u21 football, 2 of them vying for players player by all accounts. 1 17 year old played last 2 months with the first team. It is a good success rate. This morning I ran an open session for next years 17 year olds from ths region. I had all the club there, u21 and first team coaches, chairman, kitman, the lot. 36 lads came, 20 I knew and had invited, 16 I didnt but had seen the advertising, or other lads brought them. The standard was superb. We are going with 2 u18 sides next season. 2 lads this morning are going straight into u21s in pre season. 1 18 year old turned up and he is in with first team for pre season. I know it is levels away. But if you demonstrate you will play them, and keep playing, word gets around quickly and people want to be a part of it.
I will mate. I love coaching. When you get lads who want to learn I dont care how good or bad they are. Some great lads this morning. So many stayed on to clear up and say thanks. One even had a bin bag in his boot bag and walked round collecting all the rubbish from everyone. Put a right smile on my face that. Not just me mind. Other coaches helping as well. I see some lads and I think they might still make it to a pro level. Just need a chance some of them.
What a class attitude that is by the way! The lad clearly was brought up right. Without getting into it too much some people's attitudes to litter gets right on my ****ing nerves!
There's a lad over the road saying Jobe was with Dodds in blacks corner in East boldon before the match. Not sure if that's true or not but I know for a fact Dodds is in there quite a bit. I seen him myself with the keeper coach last bank holiday Monday. Although everyone knows he was at the match anyway so no reason why he shouldn't meet his mate for a coffee beforehand
Read an article saying he shouldn't come to Sunderland if it's game time he's after - he'd be well down the pecking order.
He walked into the ground on Saturday with Speakman and i think it was Dodds on Saturday through the players entrance.. There are pics around showing them all together.
If we go up, then that might be the case, but the club will have a plan and a pathway for him If we don't go up, then we have Neil, Matete, Ekwah, Michut (potentially) & Bellingham competing for 2 places. There will be enough opportunities for him I think
Anybody who thinks he shouldn’t join because he’s not ready to start is forgetting that “time” happens. You could have said the same about Ekwah. He was objectively what, 5th choice when he joined? 6th maybe? Ekwah wasn’t ready to start when he joined. Hume wasn’t. Alese wasn’t. Michut wasn’t. Neil and Patterson weren’t first choices for much of last season. The development curve on these players is frightening. Jobe might be out 5th choice centre mid right now but 3rd choice by October and a guaranteed starter by January. he’s played regularly at Birmingham so if his move is about guaranteed first team football now I can see why he shouldn’t move. But he’s 17. He knows he needs to go the place that provides the best balance between development, growth and first team football. A top PL club gives him 1 or 2 of those 3. Birmingham give him 1 or 2 of those 3. We give him all of them.
Ive just seen a video on Facebook that somebody recorded of a couple of fans talking to Sartori after the game on Sat, and after exchanging pleasantries the fans asks about Bellingham and are we signing him. Sartori replied "yes we are".
