Looks like Rhys Healey is on his way to MK Dons.

[RonnieBird]

I wonder if that's because you clearly have no idea why people are being critical? For a start, we signed him in 2013 when he was 18, not 21. He was then given the new deal in 2017 (while he was out with the long-term injury that you mentioned) and then never looked like playing for us again after a few cameo roles off the bench (before going on loan to a non-league club for the remainder of the season).

He suddenly reappeared in City colours 12 months later and played a grand total of 48 minutes for us while we were in a relegation battle.

I'm not overly bothered by him having the new contract, but I can certainly see why some people are a bit dubious considering he was only involved in 6 games for us after he was given the contract - none of which were from the start and only once did he play for more than 20 mins.

It could easily be deemed as a poor bit of business.

It could also be deemed necessary in the prevailing circumstances .
I do t know whether you recall that problem we had after an air crash during the window ?
As much as it was hardly the main thing, we were left very short of strikers in the event of injury or suspension and so someone already on the books needed to be available. That's why Rhys was not sent back to MK Dons for the rest of the season, and that's why he got some game time.
It was Hobson's Choice

[Heisenberg]

It could also be deemed necessary in the prevailing circumstances .
I do t know whether you recall that problem we had after an air crash during the window ?
As much as it was hardly the main thing, we were left very short of strikers in the event of injury or suspension and so someone already on the books needed to be available.That's why Rhys was not sent back to MK Dons for the rest of the season, and that's why he got some game time.
It was Hobson's Choice

No, I don't recall "the problem we had", mainly due to the fact that we didn't have a probkem at all. We already had 5 forwards as options for a position in which Warnock only ever plays 1. Zohore, Niasse, Ward, Reid and Paterson were those options, and much better options than Healey, to be quite honest.

If all of those were missing due to suspension or injury, then a League One/Two quality striker isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference. Murphy, Hoilett and NML would have done as good, if not a better job if called upon to play in a lone striker role - at least they've scored goals (plural) in the Championship. Even Camarasa could have been an emergency option.

So, we had 5 options for a centre forward after January... What we didn't have was centre backs (just Morrison and Manga) after Bamba's injury and, somehow, it didn't seem to be a massive problem that one or both of them could have been missing.

MK Dons and League One appear to be a good fit for him and I wish him the best of luck, but Rhys Healey was the least required option available to us in January 2019... so if it was indeed 'Hobson's Choice', we may as well have chosen nothing.