There are some good comments below my piece last night and thanks to those of you who took the time to make them. Good, constructive debate is no bad thing and the comments are all valid.
I find it hard to believe that there are many Derbyshire fans who do not fully back the chairman's blueprint, but along with that comes an understanding that progress will be gradual. As we saw in the T20, Derbyshire lack experience, just as much as they lacked a couple of batsmen with the ability to pierce and clear the field, expecially in the Powerplay.
By the same token, adhering to a youth policy does not and should not preclude Derbyshire from looking to augment the side with players of good quality from elsewhere. Such an approach will be particularly important in this early period, while we wait for the full flowering of the Academy product. We could not, for example, say that Tom Knight will be a top spinner in four years time (which he will) and miss out on an opportunity to sign David Wainwright. Other examples may well surface and while the club will bring through a steady stream of young players, there needs to be an acceptance that there will be some who don't quite make it.
They will be good players - you don't get to that level by not being - but they will fall short of the standard that Derbyshire must aspire to if we are to be seen as a top side.For what it is worth, I think that Tom Poynton has every chance of becoming an outstanding wicket-keeper over the next ten to fifteen years, but it would do him no harm at all to be pushed for the senior role, especially in this formative period of his career. If he came out on top in a battle with another wicket-keeper, he will emerge a better and stronger player for it. If he doesn't, then we will have moved forward as there will be an even better player in the role.
I don't know if Richard Johnson will leave Warwickshire. They may offer him an improved deal, or see in him a better long-term bet than Tim Ambrose. I'm reminded of when Leicester City had the great Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton on their books and a tough decision had to be made on who to retain. In the case of the two keepers (which sounds like an Agatha Christie novel...) 23 plays 30 age-wise, which has to be a consideration. Equally, Johnson may be heading elsewhere and just because he played well for us doesn't necessarily mean anything. We'll see, in the coming months.
As I close, Kent look well set to beat us in tonight's game, but matches in such conditions mean little and count for even less. The toss is all important and if a first-class county cannot chase that sort of tally they should hang their heads in shame. It was another patchy batting display, but as I wrote last night, it counts for little in the grand scheme of things.
More tomorrow, with a preview of the Championship match.
I think this discussion reveals the change of mindset we little old Derbyshire fans need to make if (and I'm still not counting any chickens) we get promotion this year. If it happens, I don't want to see us spending next year being pummelled out of sight by the big boys in Division 1 - and make no mistake about the step-up it will require given how long it's taken James Taylor to adjust.
ReplyDeleteEqually, I don't want to see us break the operating model set out by Chris Grant, and spend ridiculous money to try to stay up. As Peakfan pointed out, however, Johnson is not going to find a wide range of first-team options open to him if he leaves Warwickshire, so we might not have to break the bank if we can offer a first-team place in a first division side.
However you rate Poynton's potential, and whatever value you place on home-grown talent, there is no question of the gulf in what he offers next year and what Johnson offers as wicket-keeper and batsman. It might not be as great a need as a quality batsman, but having a wicket keeper who contributes fully might make a difference to our competitiveness next year if we're promoted.
Bringing in Johnson doesn't consign Poynton to the scrap-heap. As a wicket-keeper, he has many years in front of him, and it would allow the time for him to develop as he would have done if Luke Sutton had carried on for another couple of years. If he develops over the next two or three years as we hope, it presents a mouth-watering prospect of two wicketkeeper-batsmen in their prime competing and driving each other on. Peakfan's comment about our faith in Knight's promise not preventing us celebrating the signing of Wainwright is a very strong parallel to the wicketkeeper position.
Take Palladino, Wainwright and Groenwald out of our side and we'd be in a pretty sad place in Division 2, and slavish adherence to the Grant manifesto in the short-term might have prevented the signing of any of them.I doubt if Chris Grant really thought last year when he set out his principles that Derbyshire would be in Division 1 within 18 months, and I'm confident that he will be pragmatic enough to recognise that if this happens, there might have to be short-term compromises without abandoning the long-term strategic direction.
I just hope that as supporters, we are realistic enough to recognise that the side that might (oh please) get us into Division 1 needs more than our home-grown products to keep us there. And we've got very good value over the years from our Warwickshire imports!
Excellent comment mate!
ReplyDeleteJust noticed that Atif Sheikh has been playing for leicestershire 2nds and now wocestershire 2nds.
ReplyDeleteIf we go up we would need at least 4/5 top quality players in order to be competitive
ReplyDeleteprob is if we did that we would have to not play some homegrown
so do we compete or stay with the players and end up like dcfc did in the premierlegue?
Yes, if we are promoted, I believe Johnson will be offered a longer deal. If we aren't I think the club will stick to developing Poynton as the No.1 keeper.
ReplyDeleteNatwest 81