[Albion] Aaron Connolly - joining Hull permanently

[Easy 10]

The story goes that Connolly told Potter he didn’t want to on loan because he wanted to play in the first team at Brighton.
Potter was impressed, and basically said ‘ok then’.
The club didn’t let Aaron down at this point, nor he let himself down.
it just didn’t work out.

There was the added factor that at the time, the only other striking options that season was a 53 year old Murray, and the DJ. Connolly was nowhere near ready to lead the line as a PL striker, his stats made that abundantly clear, but our lack of options must have been a factor in him staying. After his 2-goal salvo vs Spuds (October 5th), he didn't score another goal until the final game of the season, in a dead rubber at Burnley.

The likes of Swansman would have you believe it was more about his "movement and all-round game", but this was clearly bobbins. He contributed precious little, the PL simply chewed him up. It wasn't entirely his fault - any young striker would struggle to make an impact at this level, having been thrown in at the deep end by the club. It was sink or swim, and unfortunately he sank without a trace. The Spuds game made him rich though, at least.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

My thoughts ....

We don't know the whole story of anything going on at Venezia
But his goal record isn't great
His loans spells have been unsuccessful
He appears not to have helped himself with attitude problems
However a ton of bollocks appears on social media so i'm not 100% on that
He was obviously a very good player at youth level and the club were right to put faith in him based on his performances at that level and early PL appearances
That contract hasn't worked out well
He's young enough to still forge himself decent football career
But to do so he has to make decent decisions. Maybe eat humble pie about his current football level and medium term salary prospects
I personally wish him well in his future career
But it's very unlikely to be with us
My guess is he will find a level, like league 1 or something.
This is still a career and salary most of us would dream of
I wouldn't rule out him making his way back up the leagues
But yes, good decisions and a level of support will be needed
I'd like to see him cut out the going down too easily out of his game

 

[Commander]

The story goes that Connolly told Potter he didn’t want to on loan because he wanted to play in the first team at Brighton.
Potter was impressed, and basically said ‘ok then’.
The club didn’t let Aaron down at this point, nor he let himself down.
it just didn’t work out.

If that is genuinely true then I think the club DID let him down. They should have insisted that it was the right thing for his development.

I wonder where we'd be if he had gone out on loan then.

I suspect exactly the same place, unfortunately.

 

[DJ NOBO]

If that is genuinely true then I think the club DID let him down. They should have insisted that it was the right thing for his development.

I wonder where we'd be if he had gone out on loan then.

I suspect exactly the same place,

.

I seriously doubt a 19yo who believed he was ready for the premier league, would have taken it well if the club had taken a hard line.

He probably would have gone to a championship with a chip on his shoulder and upset his club.

Also worth remembering that at the time the vast majority on nsc thought he was ready for the prem and shouted down anyone who suggested otherwise.

At the time the Connolly hype didn’t start and stop with Connolly himself

 

[albionalex]

The party boy inage is not a red herring, it is part of the problem - it's a symptom of the lack of ruthlessness that you cite. The talent is there - not just on the evidence of that Tottenham match; much more evidence from being PL2 player of the season.

How many players from PL2 actually go on to make the step up to the PL?

 

[GT49er]

If that is genuinely true then I think the club DID let him down. They should have insisted that it was the right thing for his development.

I wonder where we'd be if he had gone out on loan then.

I suspect exactly the same place, unfortunately.

No, at the time it was a perfectly valid decision - worth a gamble. What was wrong was taking two and a half years after that to realsise that he wasn't quite as PL ready as the Spurs match suggested. and sending him out on a worthwhile loan to League 1 or 2 (whether he liked it or not!)

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

At the time the Connolly hype didn’t start and stop with Connolly himself

The hype went all the way back to before his first team debut when he was bang them in for fun in the U23s.
I was eager to see this exciting young prospect in action and witnessed his debut against Barnet in the cup, and he was useless, easily muscled off the ball, he basically ran around like a headless chicken.
I thought to myself this kid, needs to knuckle down and muscle up before he can make it.
A few years later apart from a two wonderful goals, he to me in the Premier League looks like he’s still playing against those Barnet defenders that had him on a plate, he is not at the same level, he’s league one and always was, even there he ain’t guaranteed success.

 

[sparkie]

The club did Connolly no favours at all by awarding him his fat new contract. Well, they did his bank balance a great favour, but not his career. Perhaps when the contract finishes and he is off the albion books he can reflect and make changes, so not all is lost for him. I wish him well at his next club.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I dont hate Richard Tiltman, and no Brighton fan has any reason to do so.

Mickey Thomas is difficult one, I've made no secret of my own battles with mental health and in Thomas's case I've no doubt that for whatever reason he wasn't 'wired right' at that time. The speed at which both Manchester United and Everton got shot of him is testament to this.

Driving from Hove to North Wales to have a cup of tea with your Mother for around 30 mins and then coming straight back is not level headed behaviour, he was clearly troubled, his later acts of self sabotage are also clear pointers to his alleged disorder.

There's too much hate in the world, we shoudn't hate anyone, if I was to meet Ashley Neal in the future and was near a licensed premisis, I would insist on buying him a drink and stating "Ashley you won. there will never anyone worse than you in an Albion shirt", but I certainly wouldn't hate him or any of our other crap players.

Great post and agree.

Tilts did nothing wrong.

 

[Springal]

Quite right - all was fine at that point. The mistake started in January 2020 when we didn't send him on loan until two years later. Two years too late

A mistake also being made with Ferguson ?

 

[Whitechapel]

A mistake also being made with Ferguson ?

I might be entirely wrong, but I didn’t think you could be sent on loan until you’re 18.

Always seemed like the safeguarding issues would be a minefield if you’re loaning out someone who is still legally a child.

 

[Springal]

I might be entirely wrong, but I didn’t think you could be sent on loan until you’re 18.

Always seemed like the safeguarding issues would be a minefield if you’re loaning out someone who is still legally a child.

Good point. To be fair I thought he was 19/20ish anyway

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

A mistake also being made with Ferguson ?

Impossible to say, Ferguson has only just turned 18 so still has plenty of time on his side. Most of the youngsters that we have out on loan are a couple of years older. At the moment the club seem to be getting everything right with him though, I'm sure if they feel he's ready/needs a loan move then it will happen.

I might be entirely wrong, but I didn’t think you could be sent on loan until you’re 18.

Always seemed like the safeguarding issues would be a minefield if you’re loaning out someone who is still legally a child.

The minimum age for a loan move is 17, that matches up with players not being able to sign a professional contract until the same age.

 

[dazzer6666]

Impossible to say, Ferguson has only just turned 18 so still has plenty of time on his side. Most of the youngsters that we have out on loan are a couple of years older. At the moment the club seem to be getting everything right with him though, I'm sure if they feel he's ready/needs a loan move then it will happen.


The minimum age for a loan move is 17, that matches up with players not being able to sign a professional contract until the same age.

Agree. It’s also not just simply age/ability that would determine whether someone is sent out - the club have to make a full assessment (in conjunction with his parents and other advisers) as to whether it would be the right thing to do from a human perspective as well as a player technical development perspective. Timing and suitable location will be different for every player based on so many factors……and that’s of course ignoring the fact the club may think he’s ready for 1st team football sooner rather than later and might not loan him out at all.

 

[Commander]

I seriously doubt a 19yo who believed he was ready for the premier league, would have taken it well if the club had taken a hard line.

He probably would have gone to a championship with a chip on his shoulder and upset his club.

Also worth remembering that at the time the vast majority on nsc thought he was ready for the prem and shouted down anyone who suggested otherwise.

At the time the Connolly hype didn’t start and stop with Connolly himself

Our manager at the time had a Masters in emotional intelligence, I'm sure he could have handled it! It didn't need to be a hard line, just needed to show him why it was happening. If he then went with a chip on his shoulder and sulked, it would have answered a lot of questions for us.

 

[GT49er]

A mistake also being made with Ferguson ?

Ask me in two years (or more) if he's still hovering around the fringes of the first team and generally stagnating - there is no suggestion that he won't go out on loan, is there? Besides, he's only just turned 18 - I don't think we could have loaned him out any earlier, while he was still a minor (i.e. under the age of 18).

Or maybe he is the new Wayne Rooney/Michael Owen/Trevor Francis who will fit comfortably into top flight football as a teenager (we can always hope!)

 

[jcdenton08]

Ask me in two years (or more) if he's still hovering around the fringes of the first team and generally stagnating - there is no suggestion that he won't go out on loan, is there? Besides, he's only just turned 18 - I don't think we could have loaned him out any earlier, while he was still a minor (i.e. under the age of 18).

Or maybe he is the new Wayne Rooney/Michael Owen/Trevor Francis who will fit comfortably into top flight football as a teenager (we can always hope!)

Can loan from age 17

 

[AstroSloth]

Impossible to say, Ferguson has only just turned 18 so still has plenty of time on his side. Most of the youngsters that we have out on loan are a couple of years older. At the moment the club seem to be getting everything right with him though, I'm sure if they feel he's ready/needs a loan move then it will happen.


The minimum age for a loan move is 17, that matches up with players not being able to sign a professional contract until the same age.

Players can be sent on domestic loans at 17, but can only be loaned abroad at 18.

 

[GT49er]

The minimum age for a loan move is 17, that matches up with players not being able to sign a professional contract until the same age.

Can loan from age 17

Can they? OK, fair enough - I am surprised though. I'd have thought childcare and safeguarding issues would have put the kybosh on that.

 

[dazzer6666]

Well that’s nice and clear at least - translation ‘Aaron Connolly will return to Brighton in January. The loan will be shortened, originally the Irishman was supposed to stay in Venice until June, but he does not live up to expectations’