I’ve been following events at the club quite closely and particularly those involving our youngsters.
And I can’t let the moment pass without commenting on Marcus Browne’s departure to Middlesbrough.
Pic from Getty Images
His reported fee of around £200k is no big surprise because he has yet to make a first team appearance and there could be a lesson learned in that direction by the Irons.
Some other clubs are quite clever in giving their better young players 10 or a dozen first team outings which immediately elevates the price when they look to move them on.
Clubs want to know they can hack it at that level and will see it as a bit of a gamble when untested youngsters join the club and thus the price is lower than it should be.
I understand the manager has decisions to make at this stage and he obviously felt Marcus is not going to pay a part in his plans.
That’s fair enough given the strength he has in midfield but I believe the boy every chance of becoming a very good player indeed.
He’s a quiet boy whose approach to the game is the direct opposite…he’s a powerful player who can explode past players.
And I think he’s very likely to become an important player at Middlesbrough over the next couple of years. I hope he can settle down in the area.
I wish the lad every success. He has come out of a very tough east end background and battled for everything he has achieved so far so.
The boy will be now have a real chance to express himself and become the player we all hoped he’d become at West Ham.
I’ll be looking at the likes of Grady Diangana, Reece Oxford, Nathan Holland and Conor Coventry in my next blog.
In the meantime COYI
Terry was talking exclusively in conversation with Hugh Southon
I agree totally about it being smart to give youngsters half a dozen or more games. Diangana probably wouldn’t leave today for less than 3m, that’s purely because he’s had enough exposure on the biggest stage. It’s questionable whether he is destined to be a Premier League player, but just playing first team football with all that talent around him has elevated him to a different level. I predict Nathan Holland and Marcus Browne would have done at least as well if they have been afforded that opportunity. If Josh Cullen stays and plays an Obiang role this season. I’d expect his value to treble.
Some of our squad players over the years have been so bang average, I think we’ve done a disservice to our academy players by not giving them those opportunities. I read earlier this window when Wan Bissaka went to Man Utd that he wasn’t especially highly thought of before becoming a first team player, it was a matter of needs must because of injuries to other players. Look what can happen when youngsters get a chance, they can elevate themselves to a level nobody thought they were capable of.
Yes Terry, Dom very true first team appearance ‘s push the value of a player upwards we seem to give our talent away on the “cheap”.ie Quina. Let’s hope Ben Johnson get a run in the first team so he has a reflective value and Nat Holland can break into the squad with Cullen if he doesn’t go to Chalton