League Two is brilliant, the EFL is brilliant. One of the best things about football in the EFL is seeing lads who you know are too good for the level, catching a glimpse of them before they move on up the ladder. It's good fun even when it's another teams players. The talents of the likes of Junior Tchamadeu at Colchester and Kamil Conteh at Grimsby shone like the neon light on the front of the Dog and Fox. It's fun watching as the scouts at bigger clubs eventually wake up to the fact that there's gold running through the lower league streams.
When it's your own players, it's even better. When I first started watching Wimbledon I marvelled at how good Jack Rudoni was. Just a skinny, mop-topped kid playing left midfield in a poor team. He was top goalscorer that year, head and shoulders our best player and so obviously on his way up you'd have to be blind not to see it. I couldn't believe (still can't) that only Huddersfield were prepared to pay the 865K fee. Ayoub Assal was another, to this day my favourite Wimbledon player. A joy to watch, a player that had that priceless ability to get you off your seat, on his way up.
Our latest is Ali. I remember going to a youth cup game just after he'd arrived. He didn't play obviously, but sat in a seat in the stands in front of me. I didn't bother him any (couldn't properly remember his name at that point) but couldn't help but notice how he looked like he was honed from granite, not the sort of lad you'd want a fight in a kebab shop with. When my daughter told me his age, I had to Google it to make sure. I've a son the same age, my lad could have five of his mates with him in that mythical kebab shop, Ali would smash all of em. He'd nick their chicken doners and air force ones with equal ease.
Then when he started to play, sheesh. Raw doesn't even go close to describing how much he has to learn, but the talent? wow. Pace, power, skill and the heart of a lion. He plays football like he's been told that tomorrow he's having a leg amputated. He sweats blood for the team, fights for every inch of grass. Ali is an absolute warrior of a footballer, one to see next to you in the trenches and be happy he's on your side.
And why am I happy he's going to Ipswich? Now? Because it's the right move for him, and longer term it'll be the right move for the club as well. I'm hearing from non HP sources that the deal might be split, this much now then this much if Ipswich go up. Plus a sell on clause. Why do I like this deal so much? It's the club he's going to really. Ipswich are a fine team (forget the result yesterday, they had 38:2 shots and lost 2-1!) and they play a style which will suit Ali down to the ground. They press high, and nobody hunts the ball like the Iraqi prince. And if he gets in the team (he will) they'll play him in on goal, Ali will score heavily.
The crucial thing for us (and partially I must confess for Ali as well, I love him) is that he PLAYS. My guess is that he will get into their team. Whether they go up or not, by next Summer (2025) they won't be able to hold onto him, irrespective of whether or not they are in the Premier League. Our man (for he will ALWAYS be our man) will go for big money, and our cut of that will mean we end up getting the " well North of 5 million quid" that he is worth.
No, this is a good deal. Does it damage us short term? Obviously, but I think with new lads Ronan & John (sound like a dodgy 70's pop duo) we can STILL get in the playoffs. We can definitely still be in with a shout right until the death, and at least come the end of the season we can keep our team together, go again next season.
That's the nub of it really. Ali is gonna be away in any case, whether we get promoted or not. Rightly so, the lad is destined for a different kind of football. He'll go with my blessing, he 100% deserves it. And when he does, I'll be crossing my fingers that he smashes it in East Anglia. He will, of course he will.
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