Just a thought that occurred to me yesterday and I asked this question on another forum. If you've seen it there my apologies but if you haven't or you've got an opinion to share then I'd love to hear it whether it agrees with my opinion or thinks I'm off my rocker.
Why not hold an open trial for every registered player within let's say twenty five miles of the reebok. It really wouldn't surprise me if we found some Joe Bloggs builder who turns out for his pub team or plays in something like the Evo-Stik league Chorley are in who's actually got what it takes to play professionally at this level and would love to do it for say a grand a week because it's more than he earns now and a lot more fun to play football than lay bricks. Who knows, we might wind up with five or six undiscovered corkers. Now just so you know I haven't gone completely la-la I'm not saying we'd find some superstar who makes Messi look like Gavin McCann but we could well find some local lads with real talent who'd be ecstatic to pull on a Wanderers shirt and play on the Reebok's turf. Since we all seem to agree that the club hasn't got money for big fees or huge wages does it not make sense to take a proper look at what might be right under our noses?
It's just a thought but if we could find even one or two with some skill and a passion to play that isn't motivated solely by the size of their wage packet we'd be better off than we are now wouldn't we? If nothing else we could probably sell them on and make a profit if they didn't quite cut it here because there's plenty of clubs in League one and two who could be interested and the lads themselves wouldn't have the big time charlie attitudes the likes of mears has shown recently.
My personal feeling is that this could be very much worth trying because we're never going to be back in the days when World Cup Winners played for us on the realtively cheap to get first team football like Djorkaeff did in order to try and boost their chances of international or World Cup football.
Could we strengthen on the cheap after all?
posted on 25/1/14
Thanks Catalanaram.
I looked into this a bit further and found some interesting names who didn't make the grade as pro's when they were young and then came back later in their twenties and did extremely well.
Ian Wright - Plasterer at 22 when spotted by Walsall playing in non league. He did alright didn't he?
Others include Neville Southall and Vinnie Jones, (a binman and hod carrier respectively) who were picked up by lower league clubs several years after being told they weren't good enough and then went onto play international football.
The more I look into this the more convinced I am that for smaller clubs like ours this is a way forward that could bring us both better players and some money that we desperately need.
posted on 25/1/14
Nice idea. I would like to extend it to would-be- managers and would-be- chairmen
posted on 25/1/14
There are jems out there. I just wonder how many you have to fail with before you find an Ian Wright.
posted on 25/1/14
I know what you mean Cravies, it's a bit like the x-factor for footballers in a way. Hundreds and hundreds of crap auditions for one half decent singer and thousands for a really good one.
BUT I still feel that if we held the trials for registered players only and within a set radius of the Reebok we would have a better chance of finding the few gems than we do now. Also and let's face it we don't have the attraction of being in the prem to bring players who've already made it into League football to us and lack the resources to spend big in a bid to get back there.
This is just an idea of course but surely it could be done and if we found just one or two good players in the process I'd be willing to bet it would still cost us a lot less than paying a signing on fee/transfer fee and agent's commissions for even a half decent player from the championship let alone the premiership would.
posted on 25/1/14
Any things worth a try. As long it's a Cowell type and not Louis Walsh making the final decision.
posted on 25/1/14
I think its a great idea. It sounds like what you get on football manager, for those who have played it. You get invited to a trial day where there are 2 teams of recently released players, all of whom, i think are under the age of 25.
posted on 27/1/14
LPP - nice idea, but i think you perhaps underestimate the difference in ability from a Pro to a semi-pro to an amateur.
posted on 27/1/14
H Clegg, I don't think I do mate. Look, I'm not expecting us to find a Messi or a Ronaldo. All I'm saying is that there's plenty of historic exmaples of players being told they weren't good enough as kids who played no league for a bit, developed and came back to do well as pro's. I'd be willing to bet we could find a few of them with this idea. I think sometimes we need to think outside the box a bit. Ian Wright is one prime example, there are others like DJ Campbell (Wycombe to the Premiership in one move and didn't do badly there) who've either been told no as kids or never got spotted so play as semi-pro's now and do a "real" job who could well be decent at this level and we could get them for nigh on zip. Let's face it mate, have you seen our "top target" today? a guy from Boro who has 2 goals from 24 starts and who sky describe as "struggling for form" is not inspiring me much.
We could do worse than holding some open trials for local semi-pro and amateur lads who might never have had a chance before and see if they have what it takes.
posted on 28/1/14
It isnt just ability - its fitness, attitude, there is a good reason why they didnt make it in the first place.
You cite DJ campbell as an example, he went from a Professional Club, Wycombe to premier league. He was always a professional wasnt he?
i know a few people who where on the cusp of being pro's and the difference in ability to those who i know have been decent semi-pros is massive. Its such a leap. Even a non-league conference player would wipe the floor with a semi-pro.
posted on 29/1/14
Clegg I appreciate what you're saying and for the most part I agree BUT at this juncture we need to be looking at new ways to either bring in some talent or at least generate some revenue. By the way when he played for Wycombe he WAS a semi-pro, they were in the conference and still part time.
I agree Sunday League to Football League is a massive jump but I'd bet there are a few crackers out there who never made it earlier because they were never spotted or never allowed to try out because their parents wouldn't let them. I know my own parents really put their foot down when I wanted to go for a trial with Lancashire Cricket under 18's. They said I wouldn't make it and I needed a proper education and proper job. I know football's a different sport of course but I'd be willing to bet there are some lads in their late teens or early twnties who've NEVER been seen because they never had the chance to try. I don't say this would DEFINITELY work but at this juncture, especially given our finances I'd say it's worth investigating.