Semi Ajeyi

[LeningradCowboy]

Fourth choice with a good chance of being second choice a year later - there was always a good chance that Bruno, who was thirty himself by then, would be moving on soon and Bamba was at an age where his performance levels could decline quickly. Truth is though, I was daft to mention "foresight" because City have proved over a period of years that they don't do foresight.

Hindsight is 20/20, unless you are claiming that was your opinion in March 2017 when Ajayi signed a contract with Rotherham?

[the other bob wilson]

Hindsight is 20/20, unless you are claiming that was your opinion in March 2017 when Ajayi signed a contract with Rotherham?

Did I think Ajayi would be playing in the Premier League within three years? No I didn't. Did I think that he was someone who could do a job for us based on what I had seen of him in what I would guess would be around twenty appearances for our under 23s? Yes I did. All four of those centrebacks you mentioned were thirty plus or getting fairly close to that age and so it was clear that a degree of rebuilding would need to be carried out in that position.

Ajayi's subsequent career proves I was underestimating him when I thought of him as only a potential Championship player, but, more important than that, our manager at the time didn't rate him that highly - if he had done, there wouldn't have been any need to have spent all of those millions on Aden Flint.

[LeningradCowboy]

Did I think Ajayi would be playing in the Premier League within three years? No I didn't. Did I think that he was someone who could do a job for us based on what I had seen of him in what I would guess would be around twenty appearances for our under 23s? Yes I did. All four of those centrebacks you mentioned were thirty plus or getting fairly close to that age and so it was clear that a degree of rebuilding would need to be carried out in that position.

Ajayi's subsequent career proves I was underestimating him when I thought of him as only a potential Championship player, but, more important than that, our manager at the time didn't rate him that highly - if he had done, there wouldn't have been any need to have spent all of those millions on Aden Flint.

Was Ajayi good enough at the time to play for us in the season that we got promoted? Let's be honest, he probably wasn't, so how would he have developed if he had stayed here? Not by playing for the under 23s.

[the other bob wilson]

Was Ajayi good enough at the time to play for us in the season that we got promoted? Let's be honest, he probably wasn't, so how would he have developed if he had stayed here? Not by playing for the under 23s.

Well, seeing that Ben Nugent came in as a teenager and didn't let anyone down in our previous promotion season, I'd say the answer to your question is, almost certainly, yes because Ajayi is clearly the better player of the two.

[LeningradCowboy]

Well, seeing that Ben Nugent came in as a teenager and didn't let anyone down in our previous promotion season, I'd say the answer to your question is, almost certainly, yes because Ajayi is clearly the better player of the two.

What on earth are you talking about? Ajayi would have had to be better than at least two of Bamba, Morrison, and Ecuele Manga to play for us in 2017/18, not Ben Nugent!

[Rjk]

What on earth are you talking about? Ajayi would have had to be better than at least two of Bamba, Morrison, and Ecuele Manga to play for us in 2017/18, not Ben Nugent!

better than at least 2 to be a regular starter - not to come in and do a job occasionally.
Greg Halford even plyed a few times for us at CB during that season didn't he?

[LeningradCowboy]

better than at least 2 to be a regular starter - not to come in and do a job occasionally.
Greg Halford even plyed a few times for us at CB during that season didn't he?

But Ajayi would have needed to be playing regular first-team football to develop.