by Brain Traysers »
29 Jan 2019 19:15
I think he is the kind of player who will look great surrounded by good players, but unable to perform in a bad team.
Always had a soft spot for him - while he has been disappointing in the last 18 months, he has done incredibly well to make it as an academy product and I think that missing perspective is really important (this is a much longer post than anticipated). We shouldn't forget that before his breakthrough under Stam, the highest level he had played at was 16 games at National League South (henceforth NLS - 6th tier) as a 20 year old. To have made 75 appearances with us in the 2nd tier, in spite of his stature, tells a lot about his technical ability. Put another way, if we had plucked someone from non league 3 years ago who went on to play as much as Kelly, we would be heralding them as a bargain.
When we look at others coming through he academy around the same time, he stands out as one of the better stories. Selected loans (players who looked like they may have a RFC first team career at some point) since 2013/14:
- Hector - Had already had a number of football league loans between 2012-2013, then performed well at SPL with Aberdeen in 2013/14. 50 odd games for us later before a big money move to Chelsea. Aside from a spell in Germany, he has settled as a Championship player with a similar number of Championship appearances to Kelly in the last 3 seasons. At 26 now, needs to find his way out of the Chelsea loan club. A success story, and probably has done better than Kelly overall (albeit it 3 years older).
- Obita - Loans to League 1 (L1) and League 2 (L2) before breaking through here. 164 games and some horrible injuries later, a definite success story, and better than Kelly. I hope he has a future.
- Samuel - Loans to league 1, 2 and Championship but only a handful of games with us before stepping down to L1 Blackburn for a modest fee- now seemingly not in first team contention following promotion back to the Championship after more injuries. Unfortunately only limited success imo.
- D'Ath - Loans at League 1 and 2 before a free transfer to Northampton, has settled at League 2. A long way behind Kelly.
- Ugwu - loans to Conference, L1 and L2 before free transfer to Scotland and L2/NL football since.
- Tshibola - Looked great in his 13 games with us after a very successful loan at L2 (remember - 2 levels higher than Kelly's only prior first team experience). Disastrous move to Villa (but good money for us) but potentially back on track this season out in Scotland. Too early to write off, but probably should be doing better than Kelly given his start here and big move.
- Tanner - Loans to L2 before a handful of games with the first team, looked ok but also lacked physique. Free transfer to Motherwell, did well last season.
- Hyam - loans to National league south, L2 and national league - never made his debut with us. Free transfer to Coventry and 50 games later, still in and around the first team in League one after promotion last season.
- Taylor - broke though with 36 games for us, after loans at L2, L1 and SPL. Free transfer to Exeter and seemingly doing well at L2.
- Kuhl - Loans to SPL and the national league only resulted in a handful of games. Horrible injury record and currently out of the game. I hope he can one day make it as a pro.
- Cardwell - Loans to national league resulted in a handful of games. Free transfer to Grimsby in L2 where he isn't first team.
- Long (Sean) - Loans to L2, National League before free transfer to Lincoln - currently in L2 with Cheltenham.
- Fosu - Loans at League 1 and 2 before a solo (yet impressive) appearance for us. Never got into the team again, but 50+ games at L1 for Charlton after an undisclosed, likely nominal, fee.
- Stacey - Loans at L2 before a permanent move to Luton, again a likely nominal undisclosed fee. Nearly 80 games later and converted to full back, looks to have a promising future.
- Dickie - loans to NLS, NL and L2 before another undisclosed fee and only a handful of games at L2 O*ford last season.
Tennai Watson and Omar Richards are a few years younger so hard to judge yet - both could go either way.
Liam Kelly - one of our most successful academy products ever. Possibly the most successful (certainly in my time) to have come through the ranks from a young age - since he was 9. Obita (since he was 8 ) probably slightly shades it. For comparison: Pearce (13), Gylfi (14), Karacan (14), Long (17), Hector (17), McCarthy (17), Antonio (18).
I'll be sad to see him leave on a permanent deal but if it was to Udinese and he carved out a career there, very happy for him.