Talent drain 'worse than ever'

[Peadar]

Talk of Reading making a bid for Alan Bennett.

[dcfcsteve]

There's alweays plenty of voices on this site saying the 'exodus' is a good thing or a bad thing in isolation.

Bottom line is that we can't see it as either in isolation. The key is the quality of talent coming through to replace these players. Money is only a minor considration here (particularly in the immediate term).

If we have sufficient good young players coming through to take the place of our departing 'cream', then the exodus will have been a good thing for the league - bringing in much needed cash, and allowing further good young players to develop through the ranks. If, however, we don't have the quality of players coming through/available to take their place, then the playing abilities of our teams will have decreased and the league will be weaker over all. Regardless of money, that is not a good thing.

I don't think we have the development structures in place to develop real quality young players continually at the rate at which our best are currently being lured overseas, so on that basis the exodus can only be viewed as a bad thing for lessening the strength and quality of our league. If, however, it does lead to more disillusioned youngsters returning to football in Ireland in the hope of gettin a second break in England/Scotland, then that would go some way (but not all) towards making up for the quality deficit created.