Current Player #6 Josh McEachran

[holdsteady]

Didn't stop the likes of Lundstrum, Ledson, Brannagan or Woodburn stepping down to league 1 or lower. Clubs like Chelsea have dozens of young prospects who struggle to make the step up into the first team. Mourinho, despite being one of the worlds most esteemed coaches (in your words), was one of the biggest blocks to youth development. McEachran is a player who has spent half his career being bounced from one loan to another without ever really settling. He made the move to Brentford to kick start his career but had a couple of injuries which cost him a prolonged run in the side. I've no doubt that his wages were fairly high so Brentford would want to cut their losses and not offer a new deal. But he is still a player who could be successful in league 1 or the Championship and whilst I think he'll sign for Birmingham, he could do s lot worse than to come to his home club and a manager who will help him regain his confidence and get back to the player that was so highly valued a few years ago.

None of those players were 26 though. Hopefully he signs, him and Brannigan would be the best centre midfield partnership in the league, but it’s very unlikely, he will go to a championship club.

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

Brentford fans didn’t rate him at all apparently.

 

[ttg17]

Why isn't he training with Birmingham if he's going to sign for them?

 

[BotleyOx]

Why isn't he training with Birmingham if he's going to sign for them?

was thinking the same

 

[BrockBuster]

Have a mate who was working in the scouting team at Watford during his loan spell a few years back. Everyone knew his passing was first rate but even then they found so much of the rest of his game to be lacking for the top level. Really the type of player who only seems to work in certain types of teams these days. Bit of a cliche, but probably suits a move to less physically intense league.

 

[yellowbow]

was thinking the same

I read somewhere that he had been training with them but from what I can tell he’s played an U23 game for them as a type of ‘trial’ match, but other than that it seems he’s been training with us. Maybe there’s not as much to the Birmingham possibility as first appeared. Another case of an agent putting his client in the shop window for Championship teams maybe..?

One thing that has crossed my mind though, is where would a potential deal for him leave Thorne? Purely conjecture on my part but I can’t help wondering if Thornes injury issues are more complicated than the club first thought? I hope I’m wrong, would love to see Thornes time here be a success

 

[yellowbow]

Can’t think of too many career nose dives to rival McEachrans. Mourinho was touting him around as the next big thing a few years ago. Brentford seemed a sizeable step down at the time but to come to us in L1 would be unthinkable for a player that one of the worlds most esteemed coaches held in such high regard.

You’d think if there was any sort of offer forthcoming from the Championship that he would take it, if only to keep his dwindling profile out there. A move to L1 would just about complete his demise as a footballer.

Every club has their version of Josh Ashby (or even Sean Reck for supporters as old as me..) Players that promise so much but for some reason never quite fulfill their potential.

 

[AbbeyOx]

I read somewhere that he had been training with them but from what I can tell he’s played an U23 game for them as a type of ‘trial’ match, but other than that it seems he’s been training with us. Maybe there’s not as much to the Birmingham possibility as first appeared. Another case of an agent putting his client in the shop window for Championship teams maybe..?

One thing that has crossed my mind though, is where would a potential deal for him leave Thorne? Purely conjecture on my part but I can’t help wondering if Thornes injury issues are more complicated than the club first thought? I hope I’m wrong, would love to see Thornes time here be a success

don’t get the Thorne deal as he’d already failed a medical apparently and if budget tight maybe would’ve been better getting a fit and ready to go player

 

[RyanioBirdio]

Purely conjecture on my part but I can’t help wondering if Thornes injury issues are more complicated than the club first thought? I hope I’m wrong, would love to see Thornes time here be a success

The medical team were quite clear on their thoughts regarding Thorne. This can be the problem when agents are too close to both parties.

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

Every club has their version of Josh Ashby (or even Sean Reck for supporters as old as me..) Players that promise so much but for some reason never quite fulfill their potential.

Sean Reck .yes was going to be the next big thing but just didn't work out(although he had a goodc2nd half 4-4 with Chelsea ) 0-3 at half time ...Maurice put the kettle on

 

[tonyw]

Without wanting to keep beating on the same drum......

…...we are now down to five total senior defenders (until Moore is fit again - which hopefully won't be too long), one of whom is off in January; meanwhile we have plenty of options in midfield (Brannagan, Gorrin, Baptiste, Sykes, eventually Thorne, & Mousinho if we need).

Unless we believe that McEachran is so good that he will transform our team completely (which seems doubtful given his career trajectory), wouldn't it be better to save his (hefty) wages for the next good defender that comes along?

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

He would cost to much money I would have thought. Do we need another midfielder.

 

[BigCrompy]

He would cost to much money I would have thought. Do we need another midfielder.

If he's not otherwise working and the alternative is the DHSS...

...wouldn't he cost whatever we offered him and he accepted?

I appreciate the alternative is to naff off to Birmingham City or to the continent, and that's probably what will happen.

 

[yellowbow]

When asked after the game last night, Robinson said a new midfielder coming in was definitely on the cards. He also said something about ‘having to improve the squad’ so the player in question will be coming in with a view to going straight into the first 11. That will push the likes of Sykes and Thorne down the pecking order in an already unbalanced squad, just a couple of weeks after Robinson said he didn’t need to bring any more players in, as he was happy with the depth of his squad, and didn’t want to risk the financial stability of the club. I think the player in question will be a big hitter, I think it’s McEachran he’s talking about

 

[m]

If he's not otherwise working and the alternative is the DHSS...

...wouldn't he cost whatever we offered him and he accepted?

I appreciate the alternative is to naff off to Birmingham City or to the continent, and that's probably what will happen.

Err, Newsflash!!

The DHSS has long since ceased to be!

It has returned to a series of nation states: Russia, Latvia, Ukraine, Belarus, Rhodesia etc.

Keep up!

 

[Navegante]

This can be the problem when agents are too close to both parties.

What are you suggesting?

 

[BigCrompy]

The DHSS has long since ceased to be!

Keep up!

Literally had no idea. It was actually all I could to keep myself from typing "Centrelink", which to be fair would be a little bit too 'Housos' or 'Kath and Kim' for most of this audience...

 

[Paul Cannell]

The medical team were quite clear on their thoughts regarding Thorne. This can be the problem when agents are too close to both parties.

"Poppadom legs"?

 

[West Oxon U’s]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1172500292098809864

 

[RagingBull]

Could easily be an affordable way of signing Josh McEachran. If he wants to play he could accept a lower wage till January or the end of the season.

Opportunity for him to get his career back on track, put himself in the shop window and we get a classy ball playing midfielder. Everyone is a winner....