Breaking News Allegations of a Top Departure

[McNasty]

Word is reaching ShrimperZone Towers that allegedly our Youth Guru and all-round top man Ricky Duncan has been offered a job at Arsenal.

Normally we would hint and wait for confirmation but that "we know something but can't say" provokes dissent on the Zone so we are posting this with allegedly scrawled over it. If it turns out not to be true it will be the first and last news posted without cast iron back up.

 

[WightShrimper]

A very sad day if this is true.

 

[jerseyshrimper]

He is bound to take it if it is true. Paid on time and a much bigger wage i would have thought. Sad day for our youngsters if this information is correct

 

[sufc_dave]

Great youth manager IMO, hope it's not true but good luck to him if it is.

 

[pickledseal]

Would be a shame for us as a club but impossible to not understand why he'd take that.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

Everyone wants to progress their career. Good luck to him

 

[Fiftyone]

This news doesn't surprise me at all. He will be a great loss to Southend.:sad:

 

[DTS]

Would be a shame but could also work in our favour as he will be letting a lot of top young players go and he can refer them over to us. We already operate this I believe but Duncan can only stengthen our relationship.

 

[Tampa Blue]

I'd heard this some weeks back, but also that it was not just Ricky Duncan but also his co worker Luke.

 

[fredheim_holm]

That's a real shame if so but it does make sense. Arsenal rate our youth system having recommended the likes of Chambers to sign here, so offering Duncan a job would be the next step. (Selfishly) hope it's not true, but great opportunity for him if so. Would be a huge kick in the teeth for our youth system though.

 

[McNasty]

That's a real shame if so but it does make sense. Arsenal rate our youth system having recommended the likes of Chambers to sign here, so offering Duncan a job would be the next step. (Selfishly) hope it's not true, but great opportunity for him if so. Would be a huge kick in the teeth for our youth system though.

Fred, more of a severe set-back than a kick in the teeth, methinks.

 

[tommy tucker]

great shame if true he has brought on some great young players for us over the years .

 

[fredheim_holm]

Fred, more of a severe set-back than a kick in the teeth, methinks.

Indeed. After all the investment into the system, where would this leave it? We'd need a great appointment or will we downsize, or worse, shut it down?

 

[McNasty]

Indeed. After all the investment into the system, where would this leave it? We'd need a great appointment or will we downsize, or worse, shut it down?

Depends if RM wants to cut back on spending.

Mind you, if he closed it the Trust would save a fortune in sponsorship.

 

[dan_mays]

Be a sad day for the youth set up but if true full credit to Ricky for the work he has done within the youth set up he deserves it

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

great shame if true he has brought on some great young players for us over the years .

Like who? How many youngsters have we had come through and play in the first team in the last 10 years that are playing League football?

I know we sold a couple, but is he really that good?

 

[Jam_Man]

Like who? How many youngsters have we had come through and play in the first team in the last 10 years that are playing League football?

I know we sold a couple, but is he really that good?

We have sold players to Fulham and Liverpool, have the likes of Moussa and Bentley who played for us.

He has done a good job bearing in the mind the size of the club we are.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Like who? How many youngsters have we had come through and play in the first team in the last 10 years that are playing League football?

I know we sold a couple, but is he really that good?

From what I've heard, he does a fantastic job with the talent he has to work with. When you consider that Essex is peppered with scouts from the London bigger clubs, that quickly latch on to any talented youngster. That's why we tend to get a lot that are spat out by clubs like Arsenal. Unfortunately, most of these tend to be good footballers, but not quite good enough for League football.

 

[Medway Blue]

He gets a financial reward if any of his players make it into the first team and a percentage of the transfer fee if they get sold. So he has a history of pushing for players who aren't good enough to get first team football here so he can get his cut. That's one of the things that used to irritate previous first team managers. He's done a decent job but certainly replaceable I think.

 

[fbm]

A youth system is essential so it won't be shut down, it's the only way we seem to get my transfer fees! If Ricky goes then someone else will come in.