What does it tell the Academy when Ben Johnson is allowed to leave?
What does it tell the Academy when Ben Johnson is allowed to leave? I’m on the fence about the news but that’s a big question writes Claret and Hugh Facebook follower Mr Buddy Lurve,.
Whether Ben is a fan or not has some merit from a romantic point of view – we all want a team of fans who will bleed for the club – but the key is whether or not he is good enough to take a squad place and be paid that amount of money.
What does it tell the Academy when Ben Johnson is allowed to leave?
My gut tells me that Moyes will look for a new RB in the Summer, with Coufal backing them up. He obviously felt Ashby wasn’t going to challenge. Grady and Jeremy were also allowed to leave when we were up in arms, and neither have torn up the leagues.
Ben has had very patchy form over the years. He had a decent 20 minutes in midfield against Sheffield United, and a few games since, but I can see the club’s position on this.
The bigger question for me is that if we have such a great, high-flying, all-conquering academy, how come none of them get a look in, when the Liverpool’s and City’s of this world regularly blood their youngsters and have arguably more on the line when doing so.
If it’s all down to Moyes, then surely Ben should wait until the end of the season to see what happens before making his mind up?
I’d say the academy knows where they stand. Under Moyes they may as well learn at another club, Moyes doesn’t know how to bring young players through. Scarles had opportunities but he brings on Cresswell who we know offers little. Even 5 minutes couldn’t be given. Mubama had chances, the chances given when we had none of our better players to provide for him, he’ll be gone and hopefully playing and learning. Moyes sets them up to fail, very much like Allardyce did.
Even if Moyes leaves in the summer, the damage he has wreaked through ignoring our talented academy graduates and current high performers is the antipathy of the West Ham way. We will lose Ben and no doubt several others, whilst Moyes signs players like Downes and Cornet, pays them first team wages yet won’t play them. My head hurts!!!