Managers Signing First Team Players To Never Play Them

JJH

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Do any other managers do this or is it just Lee Johnson?

I'm looking through Lee Johnson/Mark Ashton's (our CEO) signing's now and by my reckoning he's signed Gustav Engvall, Jens Hegeler, Liam Walsh, Hakeeb Adelukan, Marley Watkins and Mo Eisa all of whom came with good reputations, and barring Watkins and Hegeler were young and very highly thought of, for a combined 6 million pounds (just transfer fees, let alone what we'd have paid them in wages) and between them they've barely even had a kick.

What's the point? It can't be Johnson signing these players, and if it is the club clearly aren't doing their due diligence properly and get them into training and realise they're not up to it?

I've no idea but it's a bizarre strategy, does this happen at any other clubs? I certainly can't think of any off the top of my head.
 

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Not really, we don't have the budget for that.

Some of the Irish lads come in, looked shit and were binned pretty quickly but they were cheap gambles.

Ginnelly signed in January and has barely featured but he cost about £25k from Walsall, still relatively young though, expect him to go out on loan.

Rafferty took a while to get his chance as well but he's looking solid right now filling in for Hughes.

Neil has definitely played a squad game so far this season.
 

MagpieBee

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Similar for us (Preston that is) - I think our lower budgets and smaller squads mean that even if a player is a bit shit, they still get some game time.

Think the B team saves us a little here too as we tend to operate with a smaller squad, then use B team players to top up when needed, though they tend to not be quite as good as a back up player signed for that role would be.

Having said this, we signed Joel Valencia this summer but he’s struggled to get onto the bench. Think we signed him expecting one of our wingers to go, then none of them did!
 

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Paul Cook has previous of this. Jamie Walker, Devante Cole and Callum McManaman to name a few.
 

markwwfc1992

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We signed Andrew Surman for £3m and he played around 150 minutes for us before selling him a year later for £1m.
 

Chris FGR

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Do any other managers do this or is it just Lee Johnson?

I'm looking through Lee Johnson/Mark Ashton's (our CEO) signing's now and by my reckoning he's signed Gustav Engvall, Jens Hegeler, Liam Walsh, Hakeeb Adelukan, Marley Watkins and Mo Eisa all of whom came with good reputations, and barring Watkins and Hegeler were young and very highly thought of, for a combined 6 million pounds (just transfer fees, let alone what we'd have paid them in wages) and between them they've barely even had a kick.

What's the point? It can't be Johnson signing these players, and if it is the club clearly aren't doing their due diligence properly and get them into training and realise they're not up to it?

I've no idea but it's a bizarre strategy, does this happen at any other clubs? I certainly can't think of any off the top of my head.

The Eisa one seemed weird, almost like you signed him for the sake of it.

You also poached Aden Baldwin off us, looked very promising and was starting to break into the team. Went to you 3 years ago and has played a grand total of 0 minutes since then.

Why didn't you just let him stay here and develop? Can't understand all this stockpiling of lower league talent that goes on. Players don't develop playing under 21 football.
 

JJH

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The Eisa one seemed weird, almost like you signed him for the sake of it.

You also poached Aden Baldwin off us, looked very promising and was starting to break into the team. Went to you 3 years ago and has played a grand total of 0 minutes since then.

Why didn't you just let him stay here and develop? Can't understand all this stockpiling of lower league talent that goes on. Players don't develop playing under 21 football.
Baldwin's another one I've missed off yes, and Tyreeq Bakinson (£500k+ from Luton aged 17), neither have played a league minute.

Eisa signing was bizarre.

How's Morton been for you?
 
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Chris FGR

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Bakinson looked good for Newport.
 

JJH

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Bakinson looked good for Newport.
Edited my post as I realised I asked how Baldwin's been for you but meant to ask how Morton has been?
 

Chris FGR

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Edited my post as I realised I asked how Baldwin's been for you but meant to ask how Morton has been?

Been class so far, quality on the ball, sprays it around nicely. Thought he might get knocked around a bit, but seems to have handled the physical side pretty well. Fits into our style of play well. we play out from the back through thirds so need technically strong midfielders who can look after the ball, which he does well.

Wollacott has been really good too btw.

Nice of to loan us those 2, cheers for that.
 
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JJH

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Been class so far, quality on the ball, sprays it around nicely. Thought he might get knocked around a bit, but seems to have handled the physical side pretty well. Fits into our style of play well. we play out from the back through thirds so need technically strong midfielders who can look after the ball, which he does well.

Wollacott has been really good too btw.

Nice of to loan us those 2, cheers for that.
Fair enough, glad to hear they're both doing well.

I went to our pre-season friendly the other week as I needed to tick the ground off and was impressed with the setup, we should've had more loans going out to you in recent years.
 

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Daryl Lachman never played a minute after signing from FC Twente.
 

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