[Albion] Aaron Connolly - joining Hull permanently

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Mustafa II

Well-known member
Oct 14, 2022
1,276
Hove
Hopefully we have a decent buyback and sellon clauses. I know lots think he was poor but that was more down to attitude not lacking talent.

I would be confident to say that he messed up his most crucial developmental period.

He could end up a decent Championship striker, but I'd eat my hat if he ever played in the Premier League again.

I'm personally just delighted we got him off our books.
 








Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
24,956
Worthing
Adana Traore is at Hull. He’s 27 now. That surprised me. He was terrifying wasn’t he ?
 








Jolly Red Giant

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2015
2,615
Hope he has a fabulous season and strikes up a devastating ROI partnership with Evan.
He is still behind Adam Idah, Ogbene, Parrott and Obafemi and probably Sinclair Armstrong at this stage - (and Cannon if the FA with the help of his agent don't go poaching him) - hell, even Afolabi has scored 7 goals in the last 6 games for Bohemians in the LOI.

He is still only 23 and some kids take a lot longer to grow up than others - hopefully he has got his head together because the talent is still there if he ever learns how to use it.
 


pb21

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2010
6,361
That is a nice message, but I do find this bit quite telling.
Despite the fact it never ended the way we all thought...
Did he believe the hype too much? Probably needed to be more grounded.
 




Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
15,030
That is a nice message, but I do find this bit quite telling.

Did he believe the hype too much? Probably needed to be more grounded.
And the bit after that where he said he couldnt thank all the staff members. Think there's a word missing!
 




JBizzle

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2010
5,864
Seaford
I would be confident to say that he messed up his most crucial developmental period.

He could end up a decent Championship striker, but I'd eat my hat if he ever played in the Premier League again.

I'm personally just delighted we got him off our books.
Not saying I disagree, but he's only 23.

- That's same age as Gyokeres when he signed for Coventry, by which point Gyokeres had scored 10 goals in 56 games in some underwhelming spells on loan.
- It's also a year younger than Chuba Akpom, who'd scored 23 goals over 117 games in some truly shocking loan spells until hitting form with PAOK and then Boro

Connolly has scored 9 goals in 60 games over some similarly uninspiring loan spells. Plenty of time yet.

That said, I agree, it's best for all concerned that he's moved on with a hefty sell on percentage included.
 








DJ NOBO

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2004
6,409
Wiltshire
People go on about wasted talent but in his most recent performances for Albion his basic technique was terrible. In particular heading the ball.
Still, I wish him well. He is a character and enjoyed his money In the same way many of us would.
 


Jolly Red Giant

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2015
2,615
People go on about wasted talent but in his most recent performances for Albion his basic technique was terrible. In particular heading the ball.
Still, I wish him well. He is a character and enjoyed his money In the same way many of us would.
The PL (and football in general these days) is like a mincing machine - chewing up kids and spitting them out. There are thousands of kids just as talented as players in the PL who don't even play the game after their experiences in youth set-ups and academies with clubs all over the world. For years Poland was acting as a farm for kids from Africa with thousands of them put through the meat grinder there just to find a half a dozen who ended up being worth a few million in the transfer market.

I have previously told the story of a lad who lived around the corner from me - a wizard with the ball at his feet - who went to Leeds at 15 - was tossed aside at 17 - came home - played six months in the LOI first division and now at 24 won't even go to a soccer match, never mind play a game. It is the same story with hundreds of Irish kids who went to the UK. Things have changed in Ireland because of Brexit - Irish kids cannot sign for British clubs now until they are 18 - and it is benefitting the game in Ireland. The under-age set-up in Ireland has improved significantly over the last five years - signified by the large number of young Irish players coming through Irish clubs and actually making an impact with clubs around Europe. But the change means that the kids continue to live at home, get a proper education, many go through schoolboy clubs who don't have any senior teams - and they are managed in the elite set-up carefully between the LOI clubs and the FAI.

Connolly likely will mature enough to have a decent pro career for the next 5-8 years in the Championship or maybe League 1 - but he had the potential to be so much better.
 




zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
21,940
Sussex, by the sea
He is still behind Adam Idah, Ogbene, Parrott and Obafemi and probably Sinclair Armstrong at this stage - (and Cannon if the FA with the help of his agent don't go poaching him) - hell, even Afolabi has scored 7 goals in the last 6 games for Bohemians in the LOI.

He is still only 23 and some kids take a lot longer to grow up than others - hopefully he has got his head together because the talent is still there if he ever learns how to use it.
He's Irish. I have Irish blood, feel very similar, work hard, succeed, see finish line, glory . .

ooh, a squirrel . . . . With a free pint . . . 😬🙄

I do wish him well. You don't achieve some of the actual football stuff he did by accident. . . . He's left us a few good memories And and at the highest level.
 
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Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
50,927
Faversham
The PL (and football in general these days) is like a mincing machine - chewing up kids and spitting them out. There are thousands of kids just as talented as players in the PL who don't even play the game after their experiences in youth set-ups and academies with clubs all over the world. For years Poland was acting as a farm for kids from Africa with thousands of them put through the meat grinder there just to find a half a dozen who ended up being worth a few million in the transfer market.

I have previously told the story of a lad who lived around the corner from me - a wizard with the ball at his feet - who went to Leeds at 15 - was tossed aside at 17 - came home - played six months in the LOI first division and now at 24 won't even go to a soccer match, never mind play a game. It is the same story with hundreds of Irish kids who went to the UK. Things have changed in Ireland because of Brexit - Irish kids cannot sign for British clubs now until they are 18 - and it is benefitting the game in Ireland. The under-age set-up in Ireland has improved significantly over the last five years - signified by the large number of young Irish players coming through Irish clubs and actually making an impact with clubs around Europe. But the change means that the kids continue to live at home, get a proper education, many go through schoolboy clubs who don't have any senior teams - and they are managed in the elite set-up carefully between the LOI clubs and the FAI.

Connolly likely will mature enough to have a decent pro career for the next 5-8 years in the Championship or maybe League 1 - but he had the potential to be so much better.
Indeed.

I hope he hasn't singed for Liam because he thinks he's Irish, though....

My best wishes to him and I expect to see a blossoming.
 


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