So what went wrong with Barry Bannan?

[tomd2103]

Too small I think. His ability made up for it to a certain degree but he didn't have quite enough. Look at the players his size who have made it - they are absolutely worls class. Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Maradonna. Can't think of any more.

Certain little Italian who played for Parma and Chelsea?

[PeterWithesShin]

Too small I think. His ability made up for it to a certain degree but he didn't have quite enough. Look at the players his size who have made it - they are absolutely worls class. Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Maradonna. Can't think of any more.

Certain little Italian who played for Parma and Chelsea?

And Alan Wright.

[claretandbeer]

To quote Ian Holloway and say that BB was the most talented player he had worked with,as to be tempered by the fact that Blackpool were a modest Championship side. I remember my first sight of Bannan bossing an U19 play off between Villa league winners and Man C. Youth Cup winners,BB ran the game and a nearby Citeh was heard to say that City must get hold of himin the second half.So promise at youth level but that doesn't translate to senior level. The game becomes more intense,physical and more demanding. Time and space is limited, limitations are revealed..Mark Walters as a schoolboy and youth player was outstanding,at first team level,his pace was not so evident. Lee Hendrie scored goals at youth levels but better goalkeeping and less time meant goalscoring became a weakness.Jimmy Brown a first team player at 15 but his early physical presence was ordinary at 20.
Bannan - no pace ,consequently no dribbling ability. A physical weakness allied with a lack of courage means very poor defensive abilities and inability to impose himself in more advanced areas. Talent undoubtedly,but Lionel Martin had talent so did Pimblett,Atkinson,Collymore,Curcic,the Moores etc,just as in cricket Ramprakesh and Hick were the most talented batsmen of their generation. Talent is not enough it has to be allied with character and intelligence.

[claretandbeer]

To be a bit of a bore,there is another point that very successful players at schoolboy or youth level might rarely taste failure ,so when difficulties are encountered at a later level there is not the character to combat the problem.As a reverse of that,let's just mention players like Withe,Andy Townsend and Ian Taylor - failures at youth level.

[Villafirst]

Too small I think. His ability made up for it to a certain degree but he didn't have quite enough. Look at the players his size who have made it - they are absolutely worls class. Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Maradonna. Can't think of any more.

Certain little Italian who played for Parma and Chelsea?

Juan Mata is even smaller!

[olaftab]

Having talent alone is not good enough. Talent has to be turned into productive contribution by application and that's where Mr Bannan has let himself and the club down.
Off field antics have also not helped. Drink drive case was one very bad example but there are numerous "rumours" of mad night outs in various places. He simply started believing his own hype a bit too much. Good luck to him at BBNR and let's hope he makes a good career out of playing football.

[Havencheese]

Peter Whittingham.

[andrew08]

Peter Whittingham.

It what way? As an example of a player who has eventually made it back to the highest level or as an example of a player who turned down our contract offer to accept a signing on fee that turned him into an overnight millionaire but has not possibly reached his full potential?

[Havencheese]

Peter Whittingham.

It what way? As an example of a player who has eventually made it back to the highest level or as an example of a player who turned down our contract offer to accept a signing on fee that turned him into an overnight millionaire but has not possibly reached his full potential?

Sorry, couldn't articulate it. I feel he's an example of a guy who made it back. So fair play.

[Pete3206]

Championship player at best. Good luck to him at his next club.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Holloway says a lot of things.

Anyway that old gobshite Holloway aside I do wish Bannan the best in the future.

I am afraid at some point last season I finally just lost all patience with the lad. Tired of seeing him slow down chasing a player when he was deep, tired of seeing him try the same old passes and the same old corners, few of which ever really impressed.

I will give him credit, he was involved in some of our good performances last season (particularly liverpool), I thank him for that. He also gave some very happy memories playing for the youth team where he was a genuine talent. But he really just never clicked with us in the first team. Maybe he will be a great footballer, but it was not happening here.

[Salsa Party Animal]

It is a mixture of his small size and attitude and desire. He is a creative player but he doesn't dribble well like Zola or Maradona or possibly Barcelona pair. I do think we should have sent the like of him and Nathan on a season loan to Walsall.

We need to use Walsall as development partner. I think every season we should sent 3 players on season loan to Walsall and use them as a gap between reserve/u21 to premier league matches.

We need to look at our system and analyse why the promising young players doesn't become the like of Gerrard, Lampard and co. Let be honest there had not been amazing player we had develop in our academy in the premier league days. If there are we usually develop them after buying them young ie Dwight Yorke / Gareth Barry.

I think the best player from our academy had been Gabriel Agbonlahor and possibly Darius Vassell in last decade and that is not saying much about our system, he is very good but nothing special.

Perhaps Petrov will help on this issue.

[GarethRDR]

How about, he just wasn't good enough?

This.

Is hardly the first player to look good in the youth/reserves but lost on the pitch proper, certainly won't be the last.

[ktvillan]

Like many of our youth products he either didn't want it enough or wasn't good enough to bridge the gap to PL level.  When you lack the physical presence you need something extra like blinding pace/acceleration, top technique, and massive desire.   Bannan always looked pissed off, like he was sucking on lemons, as if the whole thing was a chore, and his off field antics didn't indicate that he was the most dedicated of professionals. 

Delfounso, like Moore before him, just looks like he isn't interested.  I've long since given up being overly optimistic about our youth products and I'll be more surprised if Gary Gardner makes it than if he doesn't.

[Mister E]

Are we being over-critical of our academy?
How many players end up becoming first team regulars at the club where they started in the academy? - the drop-out rate is phenomenal and clubs operate on such short-term timescales that the odds of making the transition right through the system are terrifically high.
BB has done ready well to be a survivor in such a system and now needs much greater personal application to kick on to the next level.
Good luck to him - one day he might well be a premiership player.