Ashley Westwood.

[Cleveleys_claret]

If I were him I'd be more concerned about having a girls name in the USA rather than getting a cup of hot tea.
I don't think I've met a single man with the name Ashley in the USA.

When you think stupid can't get stupider

[Roosterbooster]

Steve Walsh has a role at Charlotte FC, and he has a lot of north west footballing connections.

An absolute football genius is Walsh. Brought Kante, Vardy and Mahrez to Leicester for about £7m, and if the Everton board had bothered to listen, could have brought Andy Robertson, Maguire and Haaland for about £25m

I'd like it if we could entice him to Burnley

[MT03ALG]

Steve Walsh has a role at Charlotte FC, and he has a lot of north west footballing connections.

Steve was also my source re. Ashley Westwood from 21st. November when a few us from Lancashire CSFA met up with colleagues and ex-colleagues for brunch. Steve is a former Head of P.E. at Bishop Rawstorne H.S. and a former Chorley SFA and Lancashire SFA Team Manager before moving into scouting with Mourinho at Chelsea and famously with Ranieri at Leicester City when they won the Premier League. Steve. not to be mistaken with Steve Walsh the player who actually played for Lancashire CSFA when Steve was the Team Manager (!!), brought players such as Mahrez. Kante and Vardy to Leicester (plus Drogba and Zola to Chelsea) and, after a spell at Everton, is now Special Advisor with Charlotte F.C., who are on their winter break at the moment. Steve recommended Haaland, Maguire and Robertson to Everton but the club rejected the recommendations Steve is the older brother of Mickey Walsh, the former Blackpool player.

[superdimitri]

When you think stupid can't get stupider

You may feel that way but it is what it is. Same thing goes for the name Jamie. It was only a comment in jest btw. Sorry if it seemed any other way.

[ClaretLoup]

A report talking about Westwood signing for Charlotte in the past tense.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/source-c ... -westwood

Has the classic "sauce" reference.

[Lowbankclaret]

It was also on Sky sports on the ticker at the bottom quoting sources in America. Looks like it’s a done deal.

Frees up wages to hopefully sign one or two of the loan players.

[Bullabill]

If I were him I'd be more concerned about having a girls name in the USA rather than getting a cup of hot tea.
I don't think I've met a single man with the name Ashley in the USA.

What about married men?

[NRC]

According to the IRS it reached its peak popularity as a girl’s name on 2000-2001. It ranked 174 in 2021. Hardly registered at all as a boy’s name.

He’ll be fine. A Glasgow kiss goes a long way here….

[boatshed bill]

It's the name of a potato.

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

It's the name of a potato.

Is it? My potato is called Derek.

[Claretnick]

Ashley looks to be joining a fantastic club and set up. I have been browsing Charlotte FC website and it makes ours feel like something from the dark ages
Good luck Ashley and enjoy your time in the Carolinas
https://www.charlottefootballclub.com/tickets/

[Taffy on the wing]

Good luck to him!

[NRC]

Charlotte had a pretty good draft last month, with three or four good looking players, top of which was Hamady Diop from Senegal.

I hope, with our American ownership, we do a much better scouting job than we've previously done and that has frustrated the heck out of me ever since we did a pre-season in my "home" town. it's easily done - the top players, pre-draft, do a showcase - again in my home town. A player that came out of that was also taken by Charlotte - Patrick Agyemang.

We really should be monitoring the draft and in particular a thing called the Generation Adidas Class. The 2023 roster is

Joey Akpunonu - Defender
Joshua Bolma - Midfielder
Moise Bombito - Defender
Hamady Diop - Defender (mentioned above)
CJ Fodrey - Forward
Bertin Jacquesson - Forward
Shakur Mohammed - Forward
J.C. Ngando - Midfielder
Owen O’Malley - Midfielder
Ilijah Paul - Forward
Joey Skinner - Defender

all of these players are considered good enough to be allowed to pursue professional careers and "Generation Adidas" guarantees them their college status is not impacted if it doesn't work out

[basil6345789]

Ashley looks to be joining a fantastic club and set up. I have been browsing Charlotte FC website and it makes ours feel like something from the dark ages
Good luck Ashley and enjoy your time in the Carolinas
https://www.charlottefootballclub.com/tickets/

Great golf courses and the Beach Music Shag scene

[NRC]

whaaat? They don't know how to shag in Charlotte!

[Milltown1882]

AW is in America having a medical with Charlotte FC.

Will that mean we have 3 squad places available for signings now?

[RVclaret]

Not sure if Westwood was included initially?

[wilks_bfc]

Not sure if Westwood was included initially?

He was

[PremierLeagueClass]

Is there more to this transfer than meets the eye do we think?

[HiThere]

Is there more to this transfer than meets the eye do we think?

Nope. We're just shipping out older players and bringing in younger ones.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Is there more to this transfer than meets the eye do we think?

He's OOC this summer
Had a long lay off due to injury
32 yrs old

Great servant for us, but it would appear we're no longer handing new contracts to players over a certain age.
Long has gone, Barnes will be next I suspect, maybe Cork too this summer, but his contract runs until 2024.

We spent years handing new deals to older players and not getting young lads in to replace them, this is not going to happen anymore under these owners.

[Lowbankclaret]

I think part of the point here is.
The software/VK recruitment has been so successful, the 3 outgoing players have been proven not to be needed.

That also gives some confidence that a couple more recruits could be equally successful.

[elwaclaret]

I wish Ashley Eastwood all the very best in the US. Shame we wont see him come back on the pitch, but he has been a good pro in his time here. Think the days of getting too attached to players is over, sad in a way but clearly the map for the future makes a lot of sense, rollling progression was always necessary to maintain our place at the top table. Our failure to maintain it our downfall. Looks like continual improvement is back, and super powered. As Paul Wayne would say, exciting times!

All the best Ashley, what a great opportunity at this stage of his career.

[ClaretLoup]

We spent years handing new deals to older players and not getting young lads in to replace them, this is not going to happen anymore under these owners.

Do you think this will apply to Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson who has made 19 appearances this season?

He is 33 in October.

[arise_sir_charge]

I think the poster asking if there is more to this is implying g that maybe there could be some future link between clubs/owners etc.

[tiger76]

Do you think this will apply to Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson who has made 19 appearances this season?

He is 33 in October.

He's also OOC in June, and as well as he's done this season in the Championship it's a big leap to the PL, plus we presently have plenty of wide options and JBG is likely to be one of our higher earners, so given all that I can see him being released at the end of the season.

[4midable]

Hel never get back to 100% so might as well play in a micky mouse league

[elwaclaret]

Hel never get back to 100% so might as well play in a micky mouse league

A Micky mouse league that is growing at an alarming rate, and even back in Beckham’s day allowed him to treble his earnings at Real Madrid…

[mdd2]

A Micky mouse league that is growing at an alarming rate, and even back in Beckham’s day allowed him to treble his earnings at Real Madrid…

Squad size down to 21 if Westy leaves and the lad from Brentford is recalled

[Penwortham_Claret]

Why is nobody mentioning Ashley Roy Barnes?

[4midable]

Why is nobody mentioning Ashley Roy Barnes?

Who?
Oh him had 1 good game in 30

[Big Vinny K]

A Micky mouse league that is growing at an alarming rate, and even back in Beckham’s day allowed him to treble his earnings at Real Madrid…

Not quite - he took a 70% cut in his Real Madrid wage when he joined LA Galaxy.
The money Beckham made in America was due to some extremely clever contractual clauses around growth in league etc. Good article on the CP money thread.

[Herts Clarets]

I wish Ashley Eastwood all the very best in the US.

I will pass on your best wishes to my Notts Forest supporting mate, though he may be shocked to hear he is off to the US of A

[Ric_C]

Who?
Oh him had 1 good game in 30

That's two players you've slagged off in two posts, well done. Are you a Rovers fan?

[northeastclaret]

Surprised the transfer seems so advanced but he hasn’t had his medical yet. With such a serious injury you would have expected it to be done much earlier?

[bobinho]

Is there more to this transfer than meets the eye do we think?

I don’t, but I may do if I knew more. Give us a clue then?

Player moves from one club to another after being out injured for a time. Happens all the time at other clubs.

[elwaclaret]

I will pass on your best wishes to my Notts Forest supporting mate, though he may be shocked to hear he is off to the US of A

You need a firm jaw like Clint, when autocorrect does that to you!

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Do you think this will apply to Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson who has made 19 appearances this season?

He is 33 in October.

Forgot about him and yeah probably, he's regained fitness and done well this season, but he won't get an extension if we get promoted.

[ClaretInLeeds]

That's two players you've slagged off in two posts, well done. Are you a Rovers fan?

You won’t get a coherent, well thought out response. The guy is a clown.

[elwaclaret]

Not quite - he took a 70% cut in his Real Madrid wage when he joined LA Galaxy.
The money Beckham made in America was due to some extremely clever contractual clauses around growth in league etc. Good article on the CP money thread.

Yes read that. The point I was making is it is far from ‘Micky mouse’ and has plenty of opportunity to make a lot more money aside from his contract.

[Milltown1882]

He was

Some cracking middle names in that list.

[Targetman]

He was

No Egan-Riley??

[Big Vinny K]

Yes read that. The point I was making is it is far from ‘Micky mouse’ and has plenty of opportunity to make a lot more money aside from his contract.

Agree. I’ve been to watch Toronto a couple of times.
They’ve had some cracking players and are paying big wages to some players.
Right now they have 2 of the Euros winning Italy team and Insigne signed a deal worth £10m euros a year.

They have some excellent stadiums in the MLS and getting good crowds too. There’s been a few false dawns in the past with the MLS but I can only see it getting stronger and stronger now.

[elwaclaret]

Agree. I’ve been to watch Toronto a couple of times.
They’ve had some cracking players and are paying big wages to some players.
Right now they have 2 of the Euros winning Italy team and Insigne signed a deal worth £10m euros a year.

They have some excellent stadiums in the MLS and getting good crowds too. There’s been a few false dawns in the past with the MLS but I can only see it getting stronger and stronger now.

Agree completely. I think they’ve cracked it this time. I did worry with the number of players ending their careers may lead to another overstretching implosion (like the 70’s early 80’s) but this time it seems the real deal and the potential market is really mind boggling.

[wilks_bfc]

No Egan-Riley??

He’s within the u21

[tiger76]

Agree. I’ve been to watch Toronto a couple of times.
They’ve had some cracking players and are paying big wages to some players.
Right now they have 2 of the Euros winning Italy team and Insigne signed a deal worth £10m euros a year.

They have some excellent stadiums in the MLS and getting good crowds too. There’s been a few false dawns in the past with the MLS but I can only see it getting stronger and stronger now.

The performance of the US in the recent World Cup can't do the growth of the MLS any harm, although many of their squad do play in Europe, plus the fact the 2026 World Cup will be partly hosted in the US must be generating interest in the game.

And now they are attracting players in their prime not just guys who want one last big payday before hanging up their boots.

The frightening prospect for the established nations is if the USA really get their act together footy wise they could well become a major rival at forthcoming World Cups, already ranked top 20 and with a young squad who are rapidly improving.

[Rumbletonk]

Why is nobody mentioning Ashley Roy Barnes?

Its Asley Luke Barnes & Ashley Roy Westwood.

Never mind those two. Jack Frank Porteus Cork. Very fandango

[bfcmik]

Soccer's growth in the US, mainly down to injury concerns over American Football - both short and long term. Parental permission is required for organised school sports participation and is becoming more difficult to obtain for American Football with the less physically developed players being encouraged by their parents to try out for soccer.

[Silkyskills1]

Steve was also my source re. Ashley Westwood from 21st. November when a few us from Lancashire CSFA met up with colleagues and ex-colleagues for brunch. Steve is a former Head of P.E. at Bishop Rawstorne H.S. and a former Chorley SFA and Lancashire SFA Team Manager before moving into scouting with Mourinho at Chelsea and famously with Ranieri at Leicester City when they won the Premier League. Steve. not to be mistaken with Steve Walsh the player who actually played for Lancashire CSFA when Steve was the Team Manager (!!), brought players such as Mahrez. Kante and Vardy to Leicester (plus Drogba and Zola to Chelsea) and, after a spell at Everton, is now Special Advisor with Charlotte F.C., who are on their winter break at the moment. Steve recommended Haaland, Maguire and Robertson to Everton but the club rejected the recommendations Steve is the older brother of Mickey Walsh, the former Blackpool player.

And I distinctly remember his 'goal of the month' on Match of The Day in 1976, I believe. Cut in from the right wing and hit an unstoppable shot past the Sunderland keeper to pit Blackpool 3-2 up after Sunderland had pulled two goals back.
Did it win 'goal of the season perhaps? Should have done.

[NRC]

Soccer's growth in the US, mainly down to injury concerns over American Football - both short and long term. Parental permission is required for organised school sports participation and is becoming more difficult to obtain for American Football with the less physically developed players being encouraged by their parents to try out for soccer.

This, plus the Generation Adidas scheme I mentioned earlier that massively takes of the rules around being an amateur and college. It is also now open internationally, whereas previously it was designed to feed the USMST. For example English players such as
- Jack Harrison, born Bolton, currently with Leeds
- Mo Adams, born Nottingham, currently with Al Shabab
- Calvin Harris, born Bolton, currently with Cincinnati
have all come through the Generation Adidas system.

I seriously hope Alan Pace has got staff connected, or at the least looking at the talent coming through it - they're considered professional.