Paolo Odogwu on the move perhaps

[NellyWellyWaspy]

A step backwards in recruitment if true.

A bit of a negative comment; glass half empty. I am sure the same could be said of a lot of players when they moved to the club where they suddenly clicked and lit their game up. We cannot rely on Galacticos, expensive imports. We can infill with them. You remember how a young Joe Launchbury wasn't good enough for Harlequins? When he wasn't offered a contract with them, he couldn't get a slot at any big team, so he played for Worthing.

[mike909]

He looks more like Jack Nowell. Very busy and hard to catch. Making the hard yards.

Yeah  - that was my thought too - and sometimes players need the change to move their play on. I think we can make Odogwu a player people won't want to play against - like Roko is, a real pain to play against and does a load of work for the team

I think we've been spoilt over the years - Wade was the best winger never to get an international chance - comparing anyone to him is futile - but comparing Odogwu to a player like Cueto is a decent comparison.

If we end up with Watson, Bassett, Odogwu and Sirker as options for the first team, we're not exactly short on class at wing.

[BG]

A step backwards in recruitment if true.

A bit of a negative comment; glass half empty. I am sure the same could be said of a lot of players when they moved to the club where they suddenly clicked and lit their game up. We cannot rely on Galacticos, expensive imports. We can infill with them. You remember how a young Joe Launchbury wasn't good enough for Harlequins? When he wasn't offered a contract with them, he couldn't get a slot at any big team, so he played for Worthing.

Sometimes circumstances don't work out for a player at a club (for a multitude of reasons). I think (if true) he will be a good signing and hopefully a change of scenery and personnel will work for him and us.

Rugby players aren't lightblulbs.. then can't simply be screwed into the socket and turned on and off. Its up to the management and coaches to get the best out of them in whatever way they can.

The best example I can think of is Olly Woodburn. At Bath he didn't seem to shine (lightbulb analogy) and Bath let him go. Now he's a regular and important cog in the 2nd best team in England .

If the clock was turned back a few years and there were rumours of us signing Woodburn from Bath then I'd support the signing and get behind him and hope he does really well for himself and us.. the same goes for Odogwu

[Vespula Vulgaris]

TV2 came to us after being dropped, Launch was let go by Quins, George Smith was too old, WLR was a shadow of his former self, the list goes on.  Let's see how he copes before writing him off.

[westwaleswasp]

The cheaper they are, the less the risk, so if he turns out to be Ambrose Curtis so what? If he turns out to be TV1 or 2 then we have a steal....

[Hymenoptera]

A step backwards in recruitment if true.

A bit of a negative comment; glass half empty. I am sure the same could be said of a lot of players when they moved to the club where they suddenly clicked and lit their game up. We cannot rely on Galacticos, expensive imports. We can infill with them. You remember how a young Joe Launchbury wasn't good enough for Harlequins? When he wasn't offered a contract with them, he couldn't get a slot at any big team, so he played for Worthing.

I never offered alternatives or comparisons, especially galacticos as you put it, nor have i written anybody off. Launchbury was 18 when dumped by Quins, odogwu is on his second professional contract with plenty of premiership experience and about 23, I see no parallels to your examples, but moving on...

My statement is solely based on having seem him play for Sale many times. If he has learn't catch, tackle, beat defenders and avoid the touchline, then he'll be a decent squad player. If he hasn't improved. then our wing offerings are no better than they are today. I also cannot comment on his value Vs cost or his stature in the wasp team, squad player or starter, as I am not into making assumptions and none of this alters the facts as stated above.

I have no opinion good or bad on any players I haven't seen, such a Jeffrey Toomaga Allen. Some people say he's not very good, I'll reserve judgement on this piece of recruitment until I see him myself. I will though offer my judgement on people I have seen play.

[AKWasp]

I don’t think we can really comment on a player who’s had to get past a number of international wing players just to get a game.

Ashton
Solomona
Yarde (I know he’s been injured)
McGuigan

With those players ahead of him, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was his choice to leave, thinking he needs game time sooner rather than waiting for those players to move on.

[Rossm]

The problem with being a wing is that you are rarely on the bench. You don't start then you don't play. How then do you climb up the pecking ladder? Injured men's boots. There really are no league games where a DoR can experiment. Far too much at stake. Everybody who calls for our 'youngsters' to be given a shot don't seem to remember this or, as their jobs are not at risk, don't care.

[mike909]

The problem with being a wing is that you are rarely on the bench. You don't start then you don't play. How then do you climb up the pecking ladder? Injured men's boots. There really are no league games where a DoR can experiment. Far too much at stake. Everybody who calls for our 'youngsters' to be given a shot don't seem to remember this or, as their jobs are not at risk, don't care.

100%, only those wings who are also full backs or can cover 13 too will get bench time - however much I want Miller to start - the temptation to have on the bench a player who covers 10/15 plus is high and a player like Paolo is an out and out winger - perhaps some game development at 15 would not be wasted.

You are right about people's jobs - hence Miller on the bench....but sooner or later I do hope we see some academy players given a chance not just due to injury

[WallyWasp]

The problem with being a wing is that you are rarely on the bench. You don't start then you don't play. How then do you climb up the pecking ladder? Injured men's boots. There really are no league games where a DoR can experiment. Far too much at stake. Everybody who calls for our 'youngsters' to be given a shot don't seem to remember this or, as their jobs are not at risk, don't care.

100%, only those wings who are also full backs or can cover 13 too will get bench time - however much I want Miller to start - the temptation to have on the bench a player who covers 10/15 plus is high and a player like Paolo is an out and out winger - perhaps some game development at 15 would not be wasted.

You are right about people's jobs - hence Miller on the bench....but sooner or later I do hope we see some academy players given a chance not just due to injury

I suspect if Dai's comments about finances are anything to go by we may jsut be seeing that sooner than expected. No bad thing if we are indeed pressing the reset button!

[mike909]

Dai was happier it seemed last season to borrow, use inexperience front rowers and that worked out well - we have real depth there - I'm just hoping we don't end up leaving a player out to dry like we did with Booj last season. It overplayed him and made Lima's time much harder too

Yep - with the squad as expected, a number of academy players will get game time - but hopefully at least partly planned!

We can press reset partly by having Daly and Hughes gone and starting with those new to the club who have really bought in like Brookes seems to have - really looking like he is loving the shirt and good on him. A small period of stability in the mid field would be rather good too!

[Neils]

Remember Booj was injured and knackered after being thrown into the first team. Having rested up and built up during the second half of the season he should be good value onwards. Neal to my mind was superb.

[mike909]

Remember Booj was injured and knackered after being thrown into the first team. Having rested up and built up during the second half of the season he should be good value onwards. Neal to my mind was superb.

I'm 100% behind Booj, poor sod was having to play as no one else was left standing - looking forwards to next season. I really liked Neal and his attitude - wanting to play A games and every time I saw him he gave 100%. Again, someone else I'd like to see more of in a planned way.....

[wasps]

Finally confirmed

[Rossm]

Great. Welcome to Wasps, Paolo.