Often Partisan

Maxwell in the House

Birmingham City yesterday completed the signing of Luke Maxwell from Kidderminster Harriers.

Maxwell, who is listed by the official Kidderminster site as 18 years old, is an up and coming midfielder and he has been loaned back to the Aggborough side currently languishing bottom of the Vanarama National League before next year coming into the Development Squad.

Maxwell is an interesting signing for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Blues have forked out £75,000 (albeit in staged payments) for the midfielder – which although in football terms isn’t much is still just under half of what we paid for Maikel Kieftenbeld. In other words, in Blues’ terms one couldn’t help but think this is a chunk of cash for a player that is “one for the future”.

I have to say, I’m staggered by some of the responses I saw to the signing on social media; ranging from people using the signing of Maxwell as proof that Blues have no money and no ambition to those raging at Colin Tattum for unnecessarily teasing them that a signing was coming on Blues player on Saturday. To me, both are very wide of the mark.

For me personally, it’s the kind of signing that pleases me. Rowett has spoken about how he wants to build for the future and he’s re-emphasised often that with no emergency loan window next year he needs to be confident that he can dip into a pool of players in the development squad if needed to plug gaps in the first team. Maxwell is apparently highly rated and by loaning him back to Kidderminster on a youth loan it means the teenager will still get first team games this season but will also be allowed to train and play non-competitive games (ie u21 games) with Blues this year – a win-win situation.

Furthermore, I am almost 100% sure that the signing of Maxwell wasn’t the signing Tatts was referring to. I’ve heard rumours of an attacking player coming in before the Ipswich game and I’m given to understand the club are working very hard to make that happen. It’s for that reason I’m not counting the signing of Maxwell for the competition I’m running – after all, it’s not a signing that anyone had guessed.

I suspect we may see at least one more signing of this ilk before the end of the window as Blues look to snap up talent ahead of the competition. I may have criticised Rowett for his transfer dealings last week but this is the kind of thing I wanted to see – a signing that is taking a little bit of a chance but one that it pays off will do in absolute spades. If the club can bring in more players for free or cheaply like Maxwell – and they develop into good players and assets for the club that’s another move towards self-sustainability – and in the modern football world of FFP can only be a good thing.

Tags:

41 Responses to “Maxwell in the House”

  • Martin says:

    I thinks it’s solid good management and great to see players I lower leagues bought through by bigger clubs. Great work and great management

  • StaffsBlue says:

    I’m absolutely fine with the signing of Maxwell. It’s about time we snapped up some of the good young talent in the Midlands. Imagine a midfield that includes the likes of Solomon-Otabor, Adams and Maxwell in the next year or two. That’s exciting for me.

  • swissjonny says:

    Its great that we are planning for a future-just wish we could get GR signed up for a few years with a 5 million quid break the contract clause!!! If a prem club really want him they will pay this.

    • almajir says:

      Swiss

      There is a new deal in the pipeline but about as much chance of me pulling Jennifer Lawrence as there is of a 5million break clause – if we’re only paying him 300-400k on a rolling deal the most we’re going to be able to demand is the value of the contract.

  • Robin says:

    I’ve got no problem with the Maxwell signing & will watch with interest his progress,there certainly doesn’t seem a problem with his attitude! i thought he spoke very well yesterday ,best of luck to the lad .
    I do wonder if GR is looking at a Fellian type of player & giving himself the option of switching formation with Toral as he did at Derby.

  • DaveP says:

    I’d rather fork out £75k for a promising youngster that will come good down the line, than half a million for a Premiership benchwarmer on stupid wages who will leave in 12-18 months.

  • ChrisG says:

    Daniel, you were thinking about that headline all day yesterday weren’t ya??!!

  • RichardM says:

    What happened to the young striker we had on loan from Weston Supermare (/) who had bagged about 18 goals in the Southern Premier, did that not work out?

  • Fletch says:

    It’s great buying for the future but we must still get players for the present

  • Fletch says:

    We still need a decent left back ,centre half and a regular goal scorer

  • Waycoolblue says:

    Not a problem with this signing he as bags of talent. We have also been liked with a left/right winger from Oxford FC . I would imagine that there is a separate budget for the development squad.

  • Cornish Bluenose says:

    I think planning for the future in young players is the right thing to do, GR is spot on here.
    The team have overperformed so far this season, and while l do hope we squeeze into the playoff places, l do not think the club is structured and ready for the premier league next season. The club needs to maintain a solid position top half of the league ready to be sold to new owners, and then with new money and backing make a realistic push for premier league status. We all hope and dream to reach the premier league but this is not sustainable with the present ownership, otherwise the club would be stripped of the extra money and we would be in the same situation as the Villa. When we go up we want to survive financially and play good football, l believe GR can lead us there and l am pleased he is looking to the future with young players. It also shows he is planning for the longer term and here to stay, give him time and enjoy the ride, this season is so much better than what we have had in years. Appreciate what we have, it can and will get better under GR…enjoy

  • Motozulu says:

    We aren’t in a position to go out and buy in the finished product, like Derby, QPR etc can, so this is exactly the right thing to do. Of course it’s not a guarantee that he can make the grade, but we really don’t have any choice atm.

  • Dan Hickman says:

    Chuffed too bits to once again see some future planning at St Andrews. Good young players don’t have to have been through academies, and the experience of Kiddy and the Vanarama will be good for him. I was reading that we are in for Sow from Hearts, I live up in Scotland and if we can get him I think he would be a great signing.!

  • Bluesfan says:

    It’s nice to see blues getting in the young talented players before they others snap them up Gary Rowett is showing good initiative IMO looking to the future. KRO.

  • OneEyedChas says:

    Has anyone heard what the Kiddy fans think of him? would be interested to know

  • It seems we are moving forward as a whole to be fair to all coaches so that each team of players are capable of the next step up and possibly also to replace brown , makes sense , I am still desperate fore another quality 3star player with potential..to sign ,

  • Andrew says:

    club needs to invest in the development team like this to stay solvent imo, every so often the club are going to need to sell big talent to make profits

  • Dave Mann says:

    Like we’ve been doing for the last 5 years nearly ! KRO

  • Let’s hope TTA hav’nt got the same idea , if they have let’s hope they sell quickly Dave …

  • Mind you with 7 consortiums wanting to buy us I think as soon as bih is sorted out I think the will be lining up again especially with the way Gary is moving the club forward , kRO

  • Art Watson says:

    I see little value in signing up a potential young talent ,developing his skills then selling him at a later date in order to survive.

    We are the second largest city in the UK and whats happening at STA is an absolute disgrace and has been for the last 2 years or so.

    Rant over!

    • Shirley Blue says:

      We are where we are and there is nothing GR or the rest of us can do about it so there is no point worrying about it. If we can pick up young talent for next to nothing to develop and utilise for a few years to sell off for millions in the future then that’s better than doing nothing.

    • Hillfield Blues says:

      Why don’t you see any value in it?
      We are where we are and if neutering young talent to sell on to survive works then there’s value in that isn’t there?

      • Shirley Blue says:

        It appears we agree. There are some incredibly negative people post on here.

        • Art Watson says:

          I’m just being ambitious not negative.

          Negativity is not I my nature.

          It breaks my heart to see the way the club had deteriorated

          And yes we are where we are and have a fabulous manager who in my opinion will be snapped up by a more ambitious club.

          Nothing will change until we get investment,financial stability and ambitious owners.This appears to be a long way off.

          Maybe the empty terraces will then be filled by the missing thousands.

        • StaffsBlue says:

          I agree with Shirley and Hillfield. We are where we are, let’s just get on with it and support the management and players and see where where we finish at the end of the season.

          Although, I wouldn’t go as far as “neutering young talent,” Hillfield….. I think nurturing would be better. ;)

    • David L says:

      Only 2 years? What about 52??

      I mean….
      not building on Euro success in the early 60s
      not building on the fabulous Latchford-era youth team in the late 60s
      having to sell Trev and Kenny in the 70s
      the madness of Saunders and the dregs of 3rd tier footy in the 80s
      not establishing ourselves in the Prem in the Macleish era

      Of course there have been good times too, and it’s not all been disaster, but somehow in my lifetime BCFC have never seemed set up to drive through to consistent success. But yes, we’re the 2nd city’s team and as such should be right up there.

      In many ways the Far East ownership/Lee Clark teams were the lowest of the low.

      But maybe Paul Caddis’ goal might have been the turning point, and then the positivity of the last 50 games or so, it’s just possible to see GR as the start of an era of financial sense and cultured football at B9.

      It’ll be a long haul, and if we have to start with Kiddie youngsters rather than Messi and Neymar – well I’ve waited 60 years, so a few more won’t mind…

      • Shirley Blue says:

        Except for the Gold & Sullivan years we have always been a selling club but things were a damned sight worse under Wheldon and the Kumars not to mention the disasterous two and a bit years under Clark. We have a very decent team and a very good manager so best make the most of what we have got rather than thinking about what might have been.

      • Hillfield Blues says:

        Although I can’t really comment on what happened in the 60/70’s I loved the 80/90’s even if we weren’t in the top flight.It was when I followed them home and away and Torquay on a rainy Tuesday night was a great idea.
        The play-offs,Leyland Daf/Auto Wscreen cup finals,Barry Fry and that Jonn Gayle overhead kick at the old Wembley was what it was all about for me and although it was great eventually getting to the Premiership something was missing and we kind of lost our identity a bit in all the razzmatazz.
        I suppose my point is that Premier league football and winning cups isn’t everything and we should just enjoy the ride.

        • StaffsBlue says:

          Couldn’t agree more. I’ve always followed The Blues because I love the club. I like to watch good, exciting football (we certainly had that under Bazza.) If it leads to cups and premier football, so be it, but that’s not the be all and end all for me.

  • Fletch says:

    Well said Art Watson….no matter what talent we ever produce,, we will sell sooner rather than later at cheap prices!(p/borough get 3 million for unproven striker )we get 3.5 for Gray .

  • Art Watson says:

    Thanks,

    Over the last few years the club has been finacialy raped and sorry to say I see little evidence of change,

  • John says:

    Rowett reminds me of Arsene Wenger in the transfer window.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      I get what you mean. I thought the same last week. They both have the same cautious way of spending money on players. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making sure before you give it the thumbs up.

  • Motozulu says:

    As in has millions to spend but won’t, as compared to only has a million to spend so is understandably cautious?

    Yeah, spot on that.

  • david myers says:

    I holp this Maxwell good


Leave a Reply

Personalised Gifts for a Bluenose
Haircuts and League Cups
Open Tax Services
Corporate Solutions UK
PJ Planning
Rodal Heating

Archives