Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez

[Paulwantsapint81]

If he was to play this season can see Ryan Fraser busting a gut to set him up for a goal & Jack Stephens being a big brother enforcer both a la Jimmy Case

[egg]

6 hours ago, Pwoite said:

Yes, but who was Allen Tankard? I don't remember that name, though Google suggests he carved out a career in the lower leagues. Guess he had Frannie occupying the berth he wanted.

He was decent. It wasn't Franny who blocked his path (he came through a few years later) but Andy Cook who was the same age but a better prospect. He was a cracking player, and marked Gordon Strachan out of the game on debut against Man Utd. 

[Turkish]

11 minutes ago, egg said:

He was decent. It wasn't Franny who blocked his path (he came through a few years later) but Andy Cook who was the same age but a better prospect. He was a cracking player, and marked Gordon Strachan out of the game on debut against Man Utd. 

Alan Tankard was once a question on question of sport

andy cook never really broke into the team. I remember him being highly rated but not playing much for the first team 

[egg]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Alan Tankard was once a question on question of sport

andy cook never really broke into the team. I remember him being highly rated but not playing much for the first team 

He sure was, some question about players with names like things you drink from or similar. I thought I was the only person apart from Alan Tankard who remember that!

I know Andy although our paths haven't crossed for a while. He got injured early on and never really made it back with us. Went down the leagues though and forged a decent career. Very nice intelligent bloke. Trained as a physio when he knew the game was up and was at Eastleigh and running a private clinic when I last saw him. 

[Turkish]

12 minutes ago, egg said:

He sure was, some question about players with names like things you drink from or similar. I thought I was the only person apart from Alan Tankard who remember that!

I know Andy although our paths haven't crossed for a while. He got injured early on and never really made it back with us. Went down the leagues though and forged a decent career. Very nice intelligent bloke. Trained as a physio when he knew the game was up and was at Eastleigh and running a private clinic when I last saw him. 

Yes that’s right, they didn’t get the answer i don’t think anyone on the program had ever heard of him.

Good to hear and Andy Cook, he was a local lad wasn’t he?  As I say I can’t really remember much about him although he was highly rated as a youngster. There were a few local lads around that time who were well regarded but never quite made it. Remember people used to rave about a lad called Ben (can’t remember his surname but because with S) he was from Weston Park school think he was part of the team that got to the national schools cup final. The sports teacher there was involved in Southampton school boys team back then

Edited January 11 by Turkish

[egg]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Yes that’s right, they didn’t get the answer i don’t think anyone on the program had ever heard of him.

Good to hear and Andy Cook, he was a local lad wasn’t he?  As I say I can’t really remember much about him although he was highly rated as a youngster. There were a few local lads around that time who were well regarded but never quite made it. Remember people used to rave about a lad called Ben (can’t remember his surname but because with S) he was from Weston Park school think he was part of the team that got to the national schools cup final. The sports teacher there was involved in Southampton school boys team back then

Yes, went to Mountbatten school in Romsey. I didn't see his debut but the way he tells it he made wee Gordon look like a novice. Seemingly he had a real chance to fill Mark Dennis boots who'd just left for QPR but, like many talented kids, injury got in the way. 

I recall the schools final, but none of the players. 

[washsaint]

Leroy Whale was another one - went to Bitterne Park school and was highly regarded for a while.  Was a bit of a Billy big bollox at school but then that was understandable at the time.

[egg]

7 hours ago, washsaint said:

Leroy Whale was another one - went to Bitterne Park school and was highly regarded for a while.  Was a bit of a Billy big bollox at school but then that was understandable at the time.

He's one lad who a couple of ex players have told me really underachieved. Great talent apparently, but not quite there on the commitment. One of them told me a story about him playing somewhere (after his saints days) and arriving late without boots, but coming on when he arrived wearing his shoes, scoring a hat trick, then getting subbed off again. Feels like an urban myth, but if true, it tells me why the lad didn't quite make it. 

[JRM]

8 hours ago, washsaint said:

Leroy Whale was another one - went to Bitterne Park school and was highly regarded for a while.  Was a bit of a Billy big bollox at school but then that was understandable at the time.

Sounds like he was a big fish in a small pond at school 

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, JRM said:

Sounds like he was a big fish in a small pond at school 

We went to the same school although he was a few years above me. I think he had actually left middle and secondary school before i started but knew the name and reputation. That was a great era for the school for talent, Darren Anderton, the Flahaven brother, a guy who appeared in Dream Team on Sky, Eastenders and a Milk advert, the Delays, the record holder for most laughing reactions to a post on Saintsweb, the list is endless.

Edited January 12 by Turkish

[Turkish]

1 hour ago, egg said:

He's one lad who a couple of ex players have told me really underachieved. Great talent apparently, but not quite there on the commitment. One of them told me a story about him playing somewhere (after his saints days) and arriving late without boots, but coming on when he arrived wearing his shoes, scoring a hat trick, then getting subbed off again. Feels like an urban myth, but if true, it tells me why the lad didn't quite make it. 

Yeah he was another one that was very highly rated, probably heard more about him than the others because we went to the same middle and secondary school. He went on to become a successful businessman i believe. Think he was in the same youth team as Le Tissier, Shearer and Rod Wallace.

[Jonnyboy]

8 hours ago, JRM said:

Sounds like he was a big fish in a small pond at school 

Mammal.

[grezz]

17 hours ago, washsaint said:

Leroy Whale was another one - went to Bitterne Park school and was highly regarded for a while.  Was a bit of a Billy big bollox at school but then that was understandable at the time.

One of the best finishers I have ever seen, Leroy. Saw a fair bit of him in non-league (he played for a team managed by my old man)

[iansums]

He scored last night on his U-21 debut

[JRM]

13 minutes ago, iansums said:

He scored last night on his U-21 debut

 

[JRM]

Very highly thought of, great potential for his age, yet all feels a bit pointless if Chelsea can just come along and help themselves to him 

[Convict Colony]

Funny thing is if he was on a boat crossing the channel we'd all be laughing at him saying he's 15.

I always remember a dude a school bit like him developed earlier, was a beast then everyone caught up with him and he was then shit.

Will be interesting to see how he performs the more he plays for the 21's as that is probably a closer reflection of the physicality he has imo.

[sfc4prem]

8 minutes ago, JRM said:

 

Lully touch and finish on the run. Superb.

[sfc4prem]

8 minutes ago, JRM said:

Very highly thought of, great potential for his age, yet all feels a bit pointless if Chelsea can just come along and help themselves to him 

We've done the same to clubs below us time and time again.

[Turkish]

6 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

Funny thing is if he was on a boat crossing the channel we'd all be laughing at him saying he's 15.

I always remember a dude a school bit like him developed earlier, was a beast then everyone caught up with him and he was then shit.

Will be interesting to see how he performs the more he plays for the 21's as that is probably a closer reflection of the physicality he has imo.

Yeah we had a few like that to be fair I was one of them. Big and strong for my age which meant I always stood out but when I got to 15-16 and others had caught up suddenly wasn’t one of the best anymore, couldn’t dominate games,  then going into men’s football as a 16 year old was a complete eye opener. 

[Convict Colony]

26 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Yeah we had a few like that to be fair I was one of them. Big and strong for my age which meant I always stood out but when I got to 15-16 and others had caught up suddenly wasn’t one of the best anymore, couldn’t dominate games,  then going into men’s football as a 16 year old was a complete eye opener. 

Now you dominate the information wars

#COT

[Dr. Kucho]

Wonder if he’ll be selected for the match day squad if he keeps progressing. 

Just hope we can persuade him to stay for a little while and not jump at the first opportunity to join a big club (and remain in their youth teams whilst he could be playing first team football here).

[verlaine1979]

Looks like he's got a similar build to Broja. Is he quick?

[Suhari]

47 minutes ago, verlaine1979 said:

Looks like he's got a similar build to Broja. Is he quick?

He may be.

But is he.......

[Dusic]

Interesting bit in this article about SAA and Meghoma basically being on Championship first teamer wages. For all the talk of pathways, cash is still king!

 

[ErwinK1961]

There’s no way AGR will still be here at an age that he could play first team. All about £

[LeBizzier69]

8 minutes ago, ErwinK1961 said:

There’s no way AGR will still be here at an age that he could play first team. All about £

I know he's a proper unit for his age, and looks like an incredible talent - but Mara scored 5 in one U21's game i seem to recall? He looks like the real deal but first team might be a bit premature. 

[Dusic]

20 minutes ago, ErwinK1961 said:

There’s no way AGR will still be here at an age that he could play first team. All about £

Possibly so. The key for the club is to at least get him tied to his first pro deal so that in the event he then moves we can at least claim a higher level of compensation.

If he were to move now its a pittance really for someone who is clearly one of the best players in the country for his age.

Tough issue because so few actually make it to the first team, e.g the best of the academy prospects, yet as we have seen with Dibling (initially), Morg and Doyle its so hard to keep your best talents to the point where they actually have any impact at 1st team level. In a way the model is broken and really it is just a cash cow rather than an actual tool to bring players into the first team.

Edited May 9 by Dusic

[SaintsLoyal]

All about the money, i imagine the Pathetic are again disclosing private material for clicks.

[S-Clarke]

It's a shame really, not sure what the point of an academy is anymore for clubs like us. We used to get maybe 6 months or a year out of a top, top academy talent - but it's getting to the stage now where they're nicked before we even see them play and that's really sad. We shouldn't be forced to break the bank to keep a 15 year old, it's just nonsense. (That guy who went to Chelsea was another one)

[FarehamSaintJames]

Jimmy-Jay Morgan supposedly wanted £10K+ a week, the club rightly told him to stick it. He’ll never make a first team start for Chelsea.

If AGR demands similar then let him go. No big loss. Ultimately it is no loss because they’ve never played a first team match so there’s little to know judgement on his ability at this stage.

[SaintNewForest]

20 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Jimmy-Jay Morgan supposedly wanted £10K+ a week, the club rightly told him to stick it. He’ll never make a first team start for Chelsea.

If AGR demands similar then let him go. No big loss. Ultimately it is no loss because they’ve never played a first team match so there’s little to know judgement on his ability at this stage.

Agreed.

Although I don't get the clubs inconsistent logic here as both SAA and Meghoma are supposedly on similar amounts (hence why Morgan asked it in the first place!) ... supposedly. 

[Fabrice29]

16 hours ago, SaintsLoyal said:

All about the money, i imagine the Pathetic are again disclosing private material for clicks.

You need to learn how stories like this are really released. Clue: The Athletic weren’t the only one who ran with it.

[Dman]

1 hour ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Jimmy-Jay Morgan supposedly wanted £10K+ a week, the club rightly told him to stick it. He’ll never make a first team start for Chelsea.

If AGR demands similar then let him go. No big loss. Ultimately it is no loss because they’ve never played a first team match so there’s little to know judgement on his ability at this stage.

If you were in his shoes, would you not do the same though? An offer on the table which will in all liklihood set him up for life. He might not ever play for Chelsea, but neither did Tino (and many others) and its not proved too badly for him. 

Becuse he might not go on to play for Chelsea, that doesn't mean his progress will be stunted. At worst, he'll probably end up having a decent career in the EFL like loads of other chelsea academy lads do - just with a bank balance to make himself comfortable. 

[Wade Garrett]

I think Shearer’s first contract was £250 per week, after his YTS ended.

Football is fucking mental these days, and the game is full of wankers.

[Lighthouse]

3 hours ago, Dman said:

If you were in his shoes, would you not do the same though? An offer on the table which will in all liklihood set him up for life. He might not ever play for Chelsea, but neither did Tino (and many others) and its not proved too badly for him. 

Becuse he might not go on to play for Chelsea, that doesn't mean his progress will be stunted. At worst, he'll probably end up having a decent career in the EFL like loads of other chelsea academy lads do - just with a bank balance to make himself comfortable. 

No. I’d focus on becoming a professional footballer and making first team appearances, the money will come flooding in when you start getting good. I’d rather be the next Rice, Bellingham or Grealish than the next Winston Bogarde or Terry Cooke.

[Chez]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

No. I’d focus on becoming a professional footballer and making first team appearances, the money will come flooding in when you start getting good. I’d rather be the next Rice, Bellingham or Grealish than the next Winston Bogarde or Terry Cooke.

Chelsea offer you more money than you can imagine while you continue to learn the game and you say "na, I'll stay here earning buttons, thanks. If I get injured or fail, I'll put it down to experience."

[Chez]

6 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Jimmy-Jay Morgan supposedly wanted £10K+ a week, the club rightly told him to stick it. He’ll never make a first team start for Chelsea.

If AGR demands similar then let him go. No big loss. Ultimately it is no loss because they’ve never played a first team match so there’s little to know judgement on his ability at this stage.

If you want to retain the top talent you have to pay them. We chose not to. For a shirt period there was a lot of money made available to attract and retain youth talent, but when certain people left the club, the tap was switched off. 

Losing genuine young talent like JJM and AGR is a big loss IMO. These are potential Shearers, Lallanas and Luke Shaws. If we are ever going to have a side that can thrive in the Prem again, we will need more than just a few young players getting into the first team, we will need one or two actual superstars to emerge.    

 

 

[SuperSAINT]

Most people at the club were pretty certain JJM would leave regardless.

[SaintNewForest]

10 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

Most people at the club were pretty certain JJM would leave regardless.

Not what I heard at all. He agreed a pre-contract with us in the summer before he turned 17. SAA & Meghoma rocked up on bigger salaries later that window and he wanted parity with them. We wouldn't offer that. 

[Turkish]

5 hours ago, Dman said:

If you were in his shoes, would you not do the same though? An offer on the table which will in all liklihood set him up for life. He might not ever play for Chelsea, but neither did Tino (and many others) and its not proved too badly for him. 

Becuse he might not go on to play for Chelsea, that doesn't mean his progress will be stunted. At worst, he'll probably end up having a decent career in the EFL like loads of other chelsea academy lads do - just with a bank balance to make himself comfortable. 

that's the thing isn't it. £10k a week on a 4 year deal makes you a millionaire before you're 20. Realistically you're going to take it, even if you get a career ending injury you're still a millionaire. You'll still get a decent second contract at another club if you dont make it at Chelsea like many others do. 

 

[egg]

32 minutes ago, SaintNewForest said:

Not what I heard at all. He agreed a pre-contract with us in the summer before he turned 17. SAA & Meghoma rocked up on bigger salaries later that window and he wanted parity with them. We wouldn't offer that. 

Yep. We wouldn't give him what other kids were getting, and Chelsea gave him what he wanted. Can't blame the kid for going, and he'll probably feel vindicated seeing how SAA, Dibling and Meghoma have been pushed to the sidelines. 

[AlexLaw76]

8 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Jimmy-Jay Morgan supposedly wanted £10K+ a week, the club rightly told him to stick it. He’ll never make a first team start for Chelsea.

If AGR demands similar then let him go. No big loss. Ultimately it is no loss because they’ve never played a first team match so there’s little to know judgement on his ability at this stage.

I doubt he would have played much first team games here...just look at SAA and co

[Fabrice29]

4 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

No. I’d focus on becoming a professional footballer and making first team appearances, the money will come flooding in when you start getting good. I’d rather be the next Rice, Bellingham or Grealish than the next Winston Bogarde or Terry Cooke.

I bet you there’s many more Chelsea academy footballers playing top level football than Saints ones right now. You are wildly neglecting the benefits of that move just because your mind and slightly rose tinted glasses are telling you ‘left Saints and hasn’t gone straight into the first team elsewhere = bad move”

[SaintsLoyal]

9 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

You need to learn how stories like this are really released. Clue: The Athletic weren’t the only one who ran with it.

I don’t need clues, I suggest reading both articles.

[Lighthouse]

4 hours ago, Chez said:

Chelsea offer you more money than you can imagine while you continue to learn the game and you say "na, I'll stay here earning buttons, thanks. If I get injured or fail, I'll put it down to experience."

No, I say I'll stay here and get far more opportunities at first team football, and if I'm any good I'll earn plenty of lucrative contracts further down the line, either at Saints or elsewhere. He wasn't exactly earning 'buttons' either, when I was his age I was working in a little Chef for £4.50 an hour. For a 17 year old to say I'll take the quick easy money now, ahead of their own career development is just tragic IMO. Let's not insult ourselves by pretending this is about injuries or failure. It's about short term greed and get rich quick.

44 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

I bet you there’s many more Chelsea academy footballers playing top level football than Saints ones right now. You are wildly neglecting the benefits of that move just because your mind and slightly rose tinted glasses are telling you ‘left Saints and hasn’t gone straight into the first team elsewhere = bad move”

Well obviously there are. Chelsea hoover up all the decent talent by offering them big juicy contracts, like the did with JJM. There's nothing 'rose tinted' about my glasses, I'd be saying exactly the same about a Norwich City or even Pompey youngster.

[egg]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

No, I say I'll stay here and get far more opportunities at first team football, and if I'm any good I'll earn plenty of lucrative contracts further down the line, either at Saints or elsewhere. He wasn't exactly earning 'buttons' either, when I was his age I was working in a little Chef for £4.50 an hour. For a 17 year old to say I'll take the quick easy money now, ahead of their own career development is just tragic IMO. Let's not insult ourselves by pretending this is about injuries or failure. It's about short term greed and get rich quick.

Well obviously there are. Chelsea hoover up all the decent talent by offering them big juicy contracts, like the did with JJM. There's nothing 'rose tinted' about my glasses, I'd be saying exactly the same about a Norwich City or even Pompey youngster.

Dibling, SAA, Meghoma have barely had a sniff here in the championship. JJM will not get a sniff at Chelsea in the PL, and doubtless wouldn't have got a proper one here. He'll get proper money there, and access to the Chelsea network for loans at the right time. The move was a no brainer for the kid, and I don't agree that it's short term greed at all. If he failed here and his level is league 1, he'll end up there when his Chelsea dream ends. 

 

[Lighthouse]

9 minutes ago, egg said:

Dibling, SAA, Meghoma have barely had a sniff here in the championship. JJM will not get a sniff at Chelsea in the PL, and doubtless wouldn't have got a proper one here. He'll get proper money there, and access to the Chelsea network for loans at the right time. The move was a no brainer for the kid, and I don't agree that it's short term greed at all. If he failed here and his level is league 1, he'll end up there when his Chelsea dream ends. 

That's not doubtless at all, you've completely made it up. He's got 'proper money' here, these kids aren't living off food banks. If you think it's a no brainer to to kiss goodbye to first team football a week after your 17th birthday, that's up to you. I disagree.

[verlaine1979]

I'd much rather not make it and be looking for a first professional contract as an ex-Chelsea youth player than an ex-Saints youth player. Perceptions matter, and it's been about a decade or more since our academy had a reputation on par with theirs.

Teams like Saints have to grasp the nettle - if you believe in developing youth as a viable business model, you have to play them before other teams would be comfortable doing so. There's no point waiting for them all to hit their early 20s stride before you find out if they're good enough in competitive play. Dortmund are obviously at a higher level than us, and their teenage recruits are better than ours, but they've still been comfortable playing the likes of Bellingham, Sancho, Reyna and Pulisic in the league and Champions League at 17.

[Chez]

33 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

No, I say I'll stay here and get far more opportunities at first team football, and if I'm any good I'll earn plenty of lucrative contracts further down the line, either at Saints or elsewhere. He wasn't exactly earning 'buttons' either, when I was his age I was working in a little Chef for £4.50 an hour. For a 17 year old to say I'll take the quick easy money now, ahead of their own career development is just tragic IMO. Let's not insult ourselves by pretending this is about injuries or failure. It's about short term greed and get rich quick.

 

It's all very well saying you'd do this or that on a forum, but if you were actually in his shoes, you were the player he is, and you were offered the contract he was, you would have done exactly the same thing.