Not to begin with, not around the age we are talking about. Couldn’t get off the bench for Barca as a teenager for that reason specifically. I bet they are glad they persisted with him.
And? The point is about physicality. His ability proves the point that you don’t have to be physically imposing to be good.
Would you build your midfield around any 20 year old? No.
Yeah, one sub in the early to mid 80s when I started going.
My Grandad reliably informed me that there used to be no substitutions.
The sobering thing now is Tamworth level now isn’t a million miles away from this club. Five years ago there was probably a four division gulf between the two, now it’s about 20 places.
My doubts over Maher have always been his physicality but if he’s doing well in an Andy Peaks team then feels with a run of games he’s sorted that side.
He needs a chance but as they were saying on WFTV last week why would you stay knowing Sadler dosen’t really rate you and he is still in charge until at least October so he’d be wasting another year of his career.
We have had a few good players that have been small.
Dean Keates and Mini Preece spring to mind.
Not suggesting Maher is as good as those but he won’t get there with out first team opportunities. I expect him to leave because he won’t get that with us. Wouldn’t surprise me if he made it somewhere else though.
No, but the EFL window is still closed for the 9 days because it is not able to run longer than 89 days apparently as per FIFA
Yes, Lamine Yamal - if he fancies a one-year loan option with no recall in January!!
Granted. I did kind of mean taking level into account 
Maher is just the type of player we’d be looking to sign if he wasn’t already our player.
National League with lots of potential. Just like Jamie Jellis.
We need to keep and play him. Could he replace Jellis?
Good point. I don’t think he’d be any worse than Jellis has been for the last 5 months of the season. How could you be.
Especially as Jellis and Hall were pushed further forwards either side of Matt with two midfielders holding. Basically Maher’s exact position.
This is true, but I’m not sure he’d suit a full central midfield role.
This is exactly what frustrates me so much about us keeping Sadler though. We’re losing all of our quality and will build a squad full of workhorses.
Hutchinson went and we didn’t replace that creativity with creativity - just effort. Allen came to the fore luckily but he’ll go and we have to hope Weir stays to replace some of the creativity.
The missed promotion and then keeping Sadler at the time of a natural rebuild will set us back years in my opinion.
I hope Maher stays. I think he has a lot of potential and we should look to use him more. If a tweak in the system is needed so be it.
I’m not 100% sold on RAM myself, think there is an element of rose tinted specs because he is literally our only homegrown prospect for a few years now. He hasn’t been given a chance though, and pointless to keep farming him out to NL clubs. I have doubts as to whether he would thrive under a Sadler style, so wouldn’t be surprised to see him leave, join a NL team, be a success and move for money to a league team, probably above us 
Begs the question of whether keeping a youth setup is worth it in the long run at Walsall, I just don’t know.
That actually the most valid point I’ve heard on here regards Maher .irrespective of fans opinions of him .
And yet, before Christmas, Jellis was brilliant. His goal against Colchester at home, where he brought down a 40-yard pass from Taylor Allen and beat the defender and goalkeeper in one movement, was sublime. His partnership with Barrett as well, was a key reason we looked so good in attack. I think his illness in January took something away from his game. I know there were rumours about the bid from Wycombe affecting his commitment, but he seems a whole-hearted sort to me, and so I don’t think that was the major reason for his dip in form. He may well leave this summer, but I’m not sure that Maher can match Jellis’s all-energy performance- not many can.
We also have Dylan Thomas coming through.He is highly rated by the Club..I hope he can be used this coming season to some effect.
I don’t think our chosen formation helps with a lot of things.
The game is full of 1 striker, two wide forward formations. So that is how kids grow up playing, I’d assume. Same as a back 3, I’d imagine most kids who become centre backs grow up playing in a back 4, it is completely different. We are fortunate we had Taylor Allen who fits the formation perfectly, but we won’t find another like him easily.
Also wing backs, how many specialist wing backs are there? Mostly you are having to convert a full back or a winger.
Not helpful for recruitment or players coming through, in my opinion.
We must also remember both he and Barrett were in their first year at this level and the way we play requires a lot of energy from the wing backs and midfielders.
He basically replaces George Hall in the system that finished the season.
Would Oztumer actually work in a Sadler team, that is the question to ask. At least Whitney understood Ozzy could only be effective in a 4-2-3-1 so didn’t mess hugely with that. Then Keates came in and went 4-4-2 straight away and his influence faded.
Shame Sadler genuinely thought he could just flog Barrett for 46 games.
I’m not sure Asiimwe would even have got in if Barrett hadn’t picked up that two game ban in March.
Would love him back