Fagan-Walcott u turn?

[the other bob wilson]

I agree with the Dunfermline manager here.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...int_source=nba

[Loramski]

I agree with the Dunfermline manager here.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...int_source=nba

That seems to be slightly contradicted by what the York manager says here.

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/24...fagan-walcott/

There was a bit of surprise on here when Fagan-Walcott went to York and one poster said the club had let him down but from what I can make out it was his decision more than City's. There's an interview with him (behind a paywall for now) where he says he weighed up the offers and chose York above EFL clubs because their football suits his style of play.

I assume the dynamics are slightly different for every loan move but, whether City blocked the Dunfermline move or not, it's interesting that the player himself seems to have had a large say in this one.

Malachi came on today in the 35th minute and played his part in York's 2-0 win at Wealdstone. They move up to 5th in the National League with two home games coming up.

[the other bob wilson]

I think going to the National League to be a “squad member” is a step down from being a starter (as he would be given how his first spell with Dunfermline went) in the second tier of the Scottish game. Fagan-Walcott was considered good enough to come on in the Championship at Burnley and, like Conte, should be playing at a higher standard than the fifth tier at this stage of his career - did the decision to loan both of them out have more to do with finance than it does player development.

[Loramski]

I think going to the National League to be a “squad member” is a step down from being a starter (as he would be given how his first spell with Dunfermline went) in the second tier of the Scottish game. Fagan-Walcott was considered good enough to come on in the Championship at Burnley and, like Conte, should be playing at a higher standard than the fifth tier at this stage of his career - did the decision to loan both of them out have more to do with finance than it does player development.

Bulut often talks about loans. He seems to see them as a part of player development rather than just a wage saver when he's not interested in someone and hindsight will tell us whether he was right to persevere in 'developing' Conte and Evans when most Championship clubs would have released them by now.

I think Fagan-Walcott is slightly different. Injuries have stalled his career so it's more difficult to gauge his potential, even at 22. Bulut didn't give him any first team action last season (he preferred Benjamin) and Fagan-Walcott's comment about 'putting his name out there' when he went to Dunfermline seemed to indicate his imminent release from here but the success of that loan spell seems to have led to a rethink.

I think Dunfermline would've been a waste of time for him this season but any loan move to the English set-up has got to be the right one, he can't play for a third club if this one goes wrong. It's fair enough if he's weighed up his options and decided York would give him the best chance of regular football that will benefit his development.

Ideally he should be playing at a higher level, I agree, but at the same time if he's good enough for the Championship now then surely clubs at a higher level than Dunfermline, League 2 and National League would've come in for him in August. I don't see a great rush. It cost us to let Ajayi move on, even though Warnock didn't want to play him at the time, and it could be a similar situation with Fagan-Walcott.