The_Pon
Vital Reserves Team
There's no hard feelings whatsoever towards Will from me. He served us brilliantly well whilst he was at Latics, and commanded a very good fee when he left. He left on good terms, no shenanigans, and was a model pro whilst he was here. Nothing negative to say about him whatsoever. I was sad to see him leave, but I will admit that was more about personal loyalty than about my thinking he was going to suddenly find his groove and set the Championship on fire.
I don't want him back at the club. He's proven that he's not up to Championship level on several occasions with other clubs as well as Latics, and given his performances at Sunderland, there are some big question marks on whether he can still cut it at League One level. I get that some players suit some clubs and all not others, but reality is that we don't have the luxury of taking that chance if we go down. We'd be better served putting wherever we'd spend on Will into the wage pot and keeping hold of Garner and/or Moore.
I'll always give Will some applause whenever we see him: he's more than earned our respect with what he's done at the club in the past, but that doesn't mean that we should try to relight long extinct fires. The past is just that: the past. He did a great job for us, but I'd like to think the club aren't so short sighted as to think re-signing Will would be anything other than a big (and likely pretty expensive by our standards) gamble and very likely a step backwards.
Add to that that because of my personal admiration and respect for Will, I'd rather remember him fondly based on what he's done already than risk him losing that legacy by coming back and falling completely flat. Will's performances for us in League One will never be forgotten, and it's best that he keeps his place as a former legend than him become another notch on our bedpost of failed strikers with a second spell that'd no doubt not live up to many fans' expectations.
I don't want him back at the club. He's proven that he's not up to Championship level on several occasions with other clubs as well as Latics, and given his performances at Sunderland, there are some big question marks on whether he can still cut it at League One level. I get that some players suit some clubs and all not others, but reality is that we don't have the luxury of taking that chance if we go down. We'd be better served putting wherever we'd spend on Will into the wage pot and keeping hold of Garner and/or Moore.
I'll always give Will some applause whenever we see him: he's more than earned our respect with what he's done at the club in the past, but that doesn't mean that we should try to relight long extinct fires. The past is just that: the past. He did a great job for us, but I'd like to think the club aren't so short sighted as to think re-signing Will would be anything other than a big (and likely pretty expensive by our standards) gamble and very likely a step backwards.
Add to that that because of my personal admiration and respect for Will, I'd rather remember him fondly based on what he's done already than risk him losing that legacy by coming back and falling completely flat. Will's performances for us in League One will never be forgotten, and it's best that he keeps his place as a former legend than him become another notch on our bedpost of failed strikers with a second spell that'd no doubt not live up to many fans' expectations.