Romaine Sawyers 1

All About Walsall
21

Aye, he was a smashing player… He was probably my favourite player in the time he was with us, although we had a few good ones, Patterson, Henry, Demetriou, Chambers, Bradshaw etc…

I always though one of the reasons he got stick was that he was on a different wavelength to those around him. Bradshaw was a clever player but there were several who just couldn’t read him or make the runs he needed. He could put the ball into just the right space, but not everybody could get there.

I thought Dean would take to Villa, maybe he still will at some point.

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22

Best player we’ve had in years.

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23

Spot on.

And thanks Saddlerone for the thread. You beat me to it. He was exceptional last night. That pass of his, from which the Baggies went on to hit the post, was ridiculous. Hopefully we’ll see another ex-Saddler in the Prem in the next season. Good luck to him.

All of this serves to remind me, once again, how amateur we are in the management of transfers and contracts. Like Etheridge, Romaine is another one who got away. With a properly managed deal, with appropriate break clauses, he could have left to further his career, with the chance of us earning a few bob. For years it’s been the same here, to invest time in developing players and get nothing back is criminal.

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24

Spot on mate

25

Used to love watching Sawyers on TV, be it the odd rare live game or extended highlight.

The aerial view showed his movement, range of passing, how he dictated tempo etc perfectly.

26

Quite simply one of the finest players we’ve ever had or will ever have in the modern game.

A rolls Royce of a midfielder.

To think, some of the fans who gave him dogs abuse are now the same who are giving dogs abuse out to this sack of rubbish.

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27

It does beg the question of why we don’t seem able to pick good young players up from our bigger neighbours , in the main the ones we had in recent times have been average at best.
Of course we’ve made it more difficult for ourselves with our recent rapid decline , clubs are a lot happier to lend players to a decent league one team who play a attractive style of football and have a recognisable pattern of play which we had back then, as opposed to us now who seem to have none of those attributes . Hurts to say it but at the moment we appear shambolic .

28

Agree, and with Smith being at Villa and their u23s having played at our place over the years you’d think we’d have first dibs on any loans when they are looking for first team games. They’ve got a young winger Tyreik Wright who’s standing out for their 23’s despite being just 18, very quick and physical, shoots on sight and scores his fair share by all accounts.

29

Don’t think Smith would allow it,not with our Russian roulette team selection system …:grinning:

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30

I think DC’s loading all the chambers with blanks! :rofl:

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31

At least he realised/is realising it?

32

You would think.

I think we won’t pay the loan fee for anyone half decent, combined with they don’t want to loan there top lads to us, also they like to wrap them in cotton wool.

If you want to loan the top boys you still have to pay.

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33

Like Rushian Hepburn-Murphy from Villa scored a hat-trick for Tranmere Saturday strange when we are up the road I know it’s the league above but they ain’t exactly a big club are they in fact similar to us really

34

One could see the potential in Sawyers when he was here. My biggest beef with him was there were times when he was lazy and looked uninterested, you might get away with that in L1 but not in the Premier league.
When he was on he utterly controlled the game and was wonderful to watch. The nonchalant games he played prevented him from being great imho.

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35

It’s all about opinions I suppose , but im afraid in my opinion he was never lazy or disinterested ,
On a different level I think

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36

He will have more time on the ball in the premier league anyway which will suit his game down to the ground he’s done his time being kicked in the air in the lower leagues.

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37

After what I’ve seen tonight another u23 that would fit the bill for us as a loanee is George Hirst of Leicester, absolute powerhouse that I reckon would be fantastic in L2…but then again what do I know!!

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38

My problem with sawyers was his position. We played him has a number 10 and he didn’t score/ shoot enough for that position and when he lost the ball he left us in the crap. Ball at his feet he’s brilliant. That’s why he looks so good now cause he’s playing deeper and next to Livermore who does all the dirty work for him. He was never a number10.

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39

You’d think that, but the kids have to agree, and by all accounts they’re not keen on playing so far down the pyramid for experience.

40

Nah, wouldn’t do for Clarke…any player in a Walsall shirt has to have no skill, no physicality, and certainly not able to shoot on site…
He’s very adamant about these things…he has coaching badges you know…

Sawyers has revelled in higher Division football where you are given time and space in which to ply your trade, the rough and ready, bish, bash of the lower league games didn’t seem to suit him at all, hence not being particularly popular down at the Bescot.
It was only after he left that we realised what quality we had on our books. Sort of reminds me of ‘I can’t get a game under DC’ Hardy.

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