David Brooks (article on English club's transfer policy)

https://amp.theguardian.com/football...ed-bournemouth

Interesting point about fees being seen as indicator of potential and young home grown players getting too few chances at top clubs.

However, would I be wrong to say that it's a Welsh player being used to talk about English development to the point where article almost gives impression he's English? Born in England yes, but he's had to talk about his Welsh roots almost as much as James McLean has to talk about a poppy and this writer hasn't caught on yet. Poor show from Guardian.

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Originally Posted by surge

https://amp.theguardian.com/football...ed-bournemouth

Interesting point about fees being seen as indicator of potential and young home grown players getting too few chances at top clubs.

However, would I be wrong to say that it's a Welsh player being used to talk about English development to the point where article almost gives impression he's English? Born in England yes, but he's had to talk about his Welsh roots almost as much as James McLean has to talk about a poppy and this writer hasn't caught on yet. Poor show from Guardian.

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Quote - Talking of English football, and international pedigree, Brooks now plays for Wales, and his decision to opt for the country of his mother’s birth after trying out for both nations at junior level may yet become a source of regret to England managers of the future.

Quote - But how about Everton, who have picked up a few decent Welsh players over the years?

Even though many people suggested we should've been in for Brooks at 10m, I think the fact he went to Bournemouth instead of struggling here will be very beneficial for Wales over the coming years

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Originally Posted by Harry Monk

Quote - Talking of English football, and international pedigree, Brooks now plays for Wales, and his decision to opt for the country of his mother’s birth after trying out for both nations at junior level may yet become a source of regret to England managers of the future.

Quote - But how about Everton, who have picked up a few decent Welsh players over the years?

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I saw it as one paragraph about him being Welsh in the middle of the article and several references to English player development throughout, hence how I titled this post. I think if you're looking at it objectively it's an English based view on Brooks and English talent development and then after that you can read into whether it does Wales or his Welshness justice. You seem to have read that second part differently to me but after Ampadu story a few months back and I don't think it's wrong to point out a recent history of misrepresentation of some our dual qualified players desire to play for Wales.

For me "now plays for Wales" is how I would describe Rhy Williams (former Boro player) choosing to represent Australia after numerous appearances in Welsh colours (and wiki saying one call up to senior level) rather than Brooks representing England at one youth tournament and otherwise always playing for Wales.

The main thrust of the article is right but it would have been better with interview quotes from Brooks, and it is a bit garbled:

Is David Brooks a player 'not too many people had heard of.... before this season' or is David Brooks a player who 'was making a name for himself... (in lower league loans and at Sheffield United)'?

I suppose people who are obsessed with the Premier League would not have heard of Brooks - but Championship fans had! I wish we had him here, but for his sake and Wales' he is probably better off for a while with Bournemouth and Eddie Howe.

I'm looking forward to the Man City game and I hope he tears their fullback a new one :thumbup:

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

I'm looking forward to the Man City game and I hope he tears their fullback a new one :thumbup:

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Do you think you might be getting a tad carried away here?

Looks a real talent.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy the Jock

Do you think you might be getting a tad carried away here?

Looks a real talent.

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Not really. Man City kicked him out of their academy, so I hope he goes back and shows them the error of their ways! :thumbup:

It's a bit of a strange article in that it almost reads as if he wrote it and only became aware of Brooks being Welsh when he had finished it - hence the fleeting reference to him playing for us in among all the stuff about England youngsters.

It also comes through in the piece that the fee paid by Bournemouth for Brooks is "peanuts" by modern Premier League standards. My recollection is that it was a little higher than reported here - more like £12 million (i.e. the same amount we paid for our "big money" move for Josh Murphy last summer - more evidence of the size of the task facing City this season).