Jadon Sancho

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

The whole thing is gonna be about how much the lad improves, not how good he currently is. We've seen the likes of Sané and Sterling improve remarkably since they've been here. I just wonder whether Sancho is as good now as he's gonna get. The best example I can think of is Jack Shitshere and to a certain extent our Micah. At 18 they were phenomenal players compared to their peers but they didn't improve to the next one or two levels that would have made them truly world class!

 

[KingCarlito]

Hope we get this lad back in the future, was a big loss at the time and starting to show even more so now. All depends on his development and if Pep would be willing to go back for him.

 

[Cobra]

The whole thing is gonna be about how much the lad improves, not how good he currently is. We've seen the likes of Sané and Sterling improve remarkably since they've been here. I just wonder whether Sancho is as good now as he's gonna get. The best example I can think of is Jack Shitshere and to a certain extent our Micah. At 18 they were phenomenal players compared to their peers but they didn't improve to the next one or two levels that would have made them truly world class!

Wilshere was a crock and Richards was more of an athlete than a footballer anyway. For those two examples, there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of players who improved massively from when they were 18.

 

[St.Pauli support]

Whatever reasons we've had to let him go (and we certainly don't know enough about the internals)
he would have been a perfect left wing cover for Leroy.

PL U21 player for years to come, CL B-list.
Low cost. High potential, also market value wise (as we speak).

No critics at all and it is how it is,
but I honestly feel that was a huge mistake. Hindsight and all...

Think he won't come back, esp. under Pep.

 

[Woody135]

Wilshere was a crock and Richards was more of an athlete than a footballer anyway. For those two examples, there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of players who improved massively from when they were 18.

Welbeck
Walcott
Townsend
Lennon
Rashford
Oxlaide Chamberlain

Can’t think of more but tried to stick to english players in his position

All as good now as they were when they first broke through. English football has a problem of giving too much too soon.
A peak footballer is aged 26-29 probably. All of these did/will have played a full career by that point (injuries aside) rather than peaking then and then enjoying twilight years after. And hence they don’t peak in development at the right time (too early) and so don’t hit their full potential.

Spain got it right; waited, developed and then reaped for 2008-2012 when all of the below were peaking. For me because their development was not rushed.

Ages at international debut
Xavi - 20 yrs 9 months
Iniesta - 22 yrs 0 months
Busquets - 20 yrs 8 months
Silva - 20 yrs 10 months
Pedro - 22 yrs 10 months
Villa - 23 yrs 2 months

(All older than every one of the english above except townsend. But all much better players)

The same will carry on (including sancho if he’s not careful) unless more care is taken over throwing young players in.

Hence why I think Pep is holding back on Foden to try and follow an iniesta career rather than any of the english above.

 

[KingCarlito]

Welbeck
Walcott
Townsend
Lennon
Rashford
Oxlaide Chamberlain

Can’t think of more but tried to stick to english players in his position

All as good now as they were when they first broke through. English football has a problem of giving too much too soon.
A peak footballer is aged 26-29 probably. All of these did/will have played a full career by that point (injuries aside) rather than peaking then and then enjoying twilight years after. And hence they don’t peak in development at the right time (too early) and so don’t hit their full potential.

Spain got it right; waited, developed and then reaped for 2008-2012 when all of the below were peaking. For me because their development was not rushed.

Ages at international debut
Xavi - 20 yrs 9 months
Iniesta - 22 yrs 0 months
Busquets - 20 yrs 8 months
Silva - 20 yrs 10 months
Pedro - 22 yrs 10 months
Villa - 23 yrs 2 months

(All older than every one of the english above except townsend. But all much better players)

The same will carry on (including sancho if he’s not careful) unless more care is taken over throwing young players in.

Hence why I think Pep is holding back on Foden to try and follow an iniesta career rather than any of the english above.

Good post. I wasn't aware of that with Spain, albeit their pool of top homegrown players is bigger than ours due to their not being as many overseas players in their league, especially for the teams outside of the top 3 or 4.

 

[doobyedoobye]

The amount of coverage he has been getting is nothing short of ridiculous.

 

[Pigeonho]

The amount of coverage he has been getting is nothing short of ridiculous.

Why? Young English talent leaves club regularly challenging for titles for a German giant of a club - and has what can only be described as a roaring start to his career there. It’s getting the coverage it warrants, with a bit more thrown in because of our transfer policy and the academy he’s left. Not sure why people are baffled by that.

 

[twosips]

Just to clarify before anyone thinks we do again, there is definitely no buyback clause.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Why? Young English talent leaves club regularly challenging for titles for a German giant of a club - and has what can only be described as a roaring start to his career there. It’s getting the coverage it warrants, with a bit more thrown in because of our transfer policy and the academy he’s left. Not sure why people are baffled by that.

He's the most exciting English talent since Gazza who also made a controversial move to a foreign league at 17yrs of age.

I agree,of course his story is going to warrant the coverage.