Quote Cruncher="Cruncher"Is anyone starting to wonder if we might soon be approaching that dreaded stage where we have to release a youngster or two?
We'll get lambasted by the Great Unwashed of course, but at present we have a plethora of talented kids, and we surely can't offer first team contracts to them all.
What do we all think?'"
The same thought has crossed my mind before now.
It's inevitable some will be released but stating the obvious, it's a balancing act (though a bloody hard one). I have some faith that what the club won't do is overlook the younger players in favour of experienced-but coming-to-the-end-of-their-career type players who may become available either here or in Oz.
I'd like to think the days of signing average players are in the past and if they are, then that gives every opportunity for the younger players to push for a 1st team contract. Hopefully they won't find their way blocked by such players which I don't think was true in the recent past. Of course they may find their way blocked by other Wigan produced players and there is nothing we can do about that except hope the club makes the right choices when it has to.
What the club needs to get going is a balanced squad in terms of age such that each season a player (or players) may retire then everyone moves up a slot and a new player(s) is added in at the bottom of the 1st team squad. I doubt we can ever reach this ideal but can probably go some way toward it.
Dave