Be interesting to see how he comes back from this injury. Has the potential to be a good bit of business for Stoke if he comes back near the player he was before the injury. Given the circumstances of him being injured and out of contract in the summer not a bad bit of business by us either. Much rather get something now than a pittance development fee.
Reading between the lines from LB, Alfie's very much been influenced by his agent which I guess is his job. Shame to lose another promising youngster after a handful of games but hopefully something TS can now improve on moving forward.
If he signed a new 2 year deal with us and re-found his early season form for us he'd be getting a move to a much better team than Stoke. Shame as it's clearly his agent that's pushed this through more than anyone
A risk, and by securing the move now he has mitigated that risk.
If we’ve got a million, for a player who massively relies on his pace, coming back from a serious hamstring injury, and out of contract in 6 months seems like good business to me
I agree. But let’s not forget the stick Roland got for selling Grant for more in fairly similar circumstances. Admittedly the injury is the difference but 1mil is very low risk. If he returns at 75% the player and fulfils half of his potential it’s an absolute bargain.
Main stick for Roland was that he let Grants contract get to 6 months as he did with so many others and that backed us into a corner. TS never really had that chance with Doughty, how he manages other kids contracts will be interesting.
To be fair to Roland, there were unusual circumstances with Grant. He was arrested the previous summer on serious charges, who's going to offer a new contract to someone who could be jailed?
I’m not convinced he has much more then pace in a straight line, and if he loses a bit because of the injury he becomes a ok championship player at best.
Pace can't be taught though. Technique can be.
When Gareth Bale was young he was fast but needed to focus on delivery - exactly the same with Alfie. Alfie was incredibly frustrating in that he could get into really good positions (using his pace) but that his delivery or final ball were very poor. A bit of work on that and footballing intelligence and he will be worth millions.
Note I am not saying he will be anything like as good as Bale but for his age - £1m is peanuts and a very low risk signing for Stoke.
I’m not convinced he has much more then pace in a straight line, and if he loses a bit because of the injury he becomes a ok championship player at best.
Pace can't be taught though. Technique can be.
When Gareth Bale was young he was fast but needed to focus on delivery - exactly the same with Alfie. Alfie was incredibly frustrating in that he could get into really good positions (using his pace) but that his delivery or final ball were very poor. A bit of work on that and footballing intelligence and he will be worth millions.
Note I am not saying he will be anything like as good as Bale but for his age - £1m is peanuts and a very low risk signing for Stoke.
I would agree with these comments. So many times he got into good positions and then fluffed the final ball.
Shame to see him go, but have gotten used to seeing our best players leave over the past 10 years.
Be interesting to see how he comes back from this injury. Has the potential to be a good bit of business for Stoke if he comes back near the player he was before the injury. Given the circumstances of him being injured and out of contract in the summer not a bad bit of business by us either. Much rather get something now than a pittance development fee.
Reading between the lines from LB, Alfie's very much been influenced by his agent which I guess is his job. Shame to lose another promising youngster after a handful of games but hopefully something TS can now improve on moving forward.
It's the nature of football unfortunately. Yes we can manage things better, but since Bosman things it's SO much harder for smaller clubs to keep hold of talented youngsters unless you just thrown money at them and accept that at least half of them will be failures.
I actually think that in this case 'he might not have been that great' may apply, depending on recovery from injury. Easy decision to take the money. That volley against Wigan is the one thing he's done that makes me think he could make it, but the general quality of his passing is really pretty bog-standard
I’m disappointed to see AD leave but tbh I think I’d be more upset if he’d done a lot more for us as a club. Don’t really have any grudge against the lad but I hold loan players like Cullen and Bielik in higher regard as they did more for us as a club. As others have highlighted if he shakes his injury issues then he should do well but he could easily struggle if his pace leaves him.
It is probably impossible to predict what sort of career he will have. There is evidence to suggest a very good one but injuries can take a toll and some players develop differently. If we got £1m it was probably as good as was possible in the circumstances. Didn't Stoke have a centre half they could loan us?
It is probably impossible to predict what sort of career he will have. There is evidence to suggest a very good one but injuries can take a toll and some players develop differently. If we got £1m it was probably as good as was possible in the circumstances. Didn't Stoke have a centre half they could loan us?
£650k apparently. The 21yr old from who has played about 14 games in league 2 with Exeter is £1m.
I’m not convinced he has much more then pace in a straight line, and if he loses a bit because of the injury he becomes a ok championship player at best.
Pace can't be taught though. Technique can be.
When Gareth Bale was young he was fast but needed to focus on delivery - exactly the same with Alfie. Alfie was incredibly frustrating in that he could get into really good positions (using his pace) but that his delivery or final ball were very poor. A bit of work on that and footballing intelligence and he will be worth millions.
Note I am not saying he will be anything like as good as Bale but for his age - £1m is peanuts and a very low risk signing for Stoke.
I had precisely that conversation with the Stoke CEO last week - pace to burn but decision making needs improving, and you can't train pace!
It is probably impossible to predict what sort of career he will have. There is evidence to suggest a very good one but injuries can take a toll and some players develop differently. If we got £1m it was probably as good as was possible in the circumstances. Didn't Stoke have a centre half they could loan us?
£650k apparently. The 21yr old from who has played about 14 games in league 2 with Exeter is £1m.
It is probably impossible to predict what sort of career he will have. There is evidence to suggest a very good one but injuries can take a toll and some players develop differently. If we got £1m it was probably as good as was possible in the circumstances. Didn't Stoke have a centre half they could loan us?
£650k apparently. The 21yr old from who has played about 14 games in league 2 with Exeter is £1m.
Is probably why the club are reluctant to spend £1m on a player when we've just sold a similar youngster (albeit at the end of their contract) for a lot less especially when you consider they're both fairly inexperienced at League level
I do blame the player for jumping ship following our relegation.
We've done all the to and fro-ing about loyalty. To quote an old song, I've looked at this from "both sides now" and I still think Doughty's a shit.
Agreed. We were a basket case, but once Sandgaard came in and settled everything, I feel that was the time for Doughty to sign a contract, even if it was only for 2 years, including guarantees we’ll sell him if not promoted this season.
By selling to Bet365 at such a low price I hope that we have hedged our bets with a sell on percentage and an appearance clause. The agent for Doughty, who was apparently also the agent for Phillips should be identified and subject to a Prague style portfolio. We have to have a way of stopping the pariahs who prey on the uncommercial youngsters and their parents. Even more respect for Joe Gomez and his parents now.
It's a shame he has been injured all season so any fee is good when you think he probably wasn't going to play this season , and be leaving for nothing in the summer.
Wish him well but a strange move that, perhaps the only club to offer him a nice increased wage packet, but Stoke, don’t get it as a step up albeit Championship, oh well see you later Alfie hope your injury doesn’t impact upon your best asset.
Comments
Reading between the lines from LB, Alfie's very much been influenced by his agent which I guess is his job. Shame to lose another promising youngster after a handful of games but hopefully something TS can now improve on moving forward.
But as above smashed to pieces by Yodel.
When Gareth Bale was young he was fast but needed to focus on delivery - exactly the same with Alfie. Alfie was incredibly frustrating in that he could get into really good positions (using his pace) but that his delivery or final ball were very poor. A bit of work on that and footballing intelligence and he will be worth millions.
Note I am not saying he will be anything like as good as Bale but for his age - £1m is peanuts and a very low risk signing for Stoke.
What's happened when other players have gone to jail?
I would agree with these comments. So many times he got into good positions and then fluffed the final ball.
I do blame the player for jumping ship following our relegation.
We've done all the to and fro-ing about loyalty. To quote an old song, I've looked at this from "both sides now" and I still think Doughty's a shit.
The 21yr old from who has played about 14 games in league 2 with Exeter is £1m.
I had precisely that conversation with the Stoke CEO last week - pace to burn but decision making needs improving, and you can't train pace!
The agent for Doughty, who was apparently also the agent for Phillips should be identified and subject to a Prague style portfolio. We have to have a way of stopping the pariahs who prey on the uncommercial youngsters and their parents.
Even more respect for Joe Gomez and his parents now.