Galloway's career stalling at Sunderland

Tuesday, 6 February, 2018 48comments  |  Jump to most recent

Sunderland boss Chris Coleman has expressed his concern that Brendan Galloway is wasting time at a critical stage of his development after a loan move elsewhere failed to materialise last month.

The Everton defender has been on loan at the Stadium of Light since August where he was hoping to reignite his career following a frustrating spell with West Bromwich Albion the season before.

A hugely promising centre-half who had represented England at U-21 level while he was being deployed as an emergency left-back by Roberto Martinez at Goodison Park, Galloway has found himself out in the cold with the Black Cats who have struggled in the Championship this season.

Coleman was brought in as a replacement for Simon Grayson who was sacked earlier in the campaign but through the chaos, Galloway has only made two appearances, neither of them as a starter.

According to a report in the Northern Echo, Coleman tried to engineer a move back to Everton during the January transfer window to allow him to arrange a loan move elsewhere, with the player's preferred destination being his old club MK Dons.

Neither that move nor a loan elsewhere could be concluded so the decision was taken to leave the 21-year-old on Wearside in the hope that he could get more game time.

“Brendan is a lovely kid and he has been working hard but he has lacked game time" Coleman is quoted as saying." He's here to get game time and he is not getting it.

“You don't want to waste the boy's time, it is a critical stage for him. We thought maybe Everton would want to take him back, maybe loan him out somewhere else — even in the division below — but that wasn't the case.

“So Brendan is still here, and he is a cracking boy. Who knows, we may need to call on him yet.”

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Reader Comments (48)

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Anthony A Hughes
1 Posted 06/02/2018 at 17:09:19
I feel for the lad, at nearly 22 he should be playing regularly for somebody's first team. I get the impression he isn't rated by more than one manager
Derek Knox
2 Posted 06/02/2018 at 17:14:23
As I have said before on another thread; I quite liked this lad when he first came; when he had an extended spell due to a Baines injury; and thought that Martinez may have unearthed a gem.

I still don't believe that a player can go from being able to hold his own in the first team; then suddenly in a relatively short period of time, be denigrated to outcast.

It also beggars belief; that when we are crying out for a left footed full back; the lad is refused to return to Finch Farm; no we go out and get on loan Mangala, who must be on serious money, from City.

And has been proved to be a very unwise decision, if Saturday's performance is anything to go by; is this another Walsh masterstroke of unearthing talent?

No wonder we are the laughing stock of the Prem, we can pay over the odds for less than mediocre players; and yet have the knack of getting young players with vestiges of future stardom for relatively low outlay; and Boom Shakalaka turn them into scrapheap fodder in a short space of time.

Darren Hind
3 Posted 06/02/2018 at 17:31:32
The sickening feeling you get when it dawns on you that the people who count, don't really think you are quite good enough

No matter how many times you see it, you always hope the kid gets a break and proves himself . . I even feel for young Kopites who are moved on

Stay in there son, You'll always earn a living out of the game and the chance of breaking into the big time isn't over till its over

Jon Hirshman
4 Posted 06/02/2018 at 17:39:50
Derek, you were doing quite well until you said that we are the laughing stock of the prem. There are certainly others ahead of us who fit that description better. I don't agree that we get loads of youngsters in and turn them into scrapheap fodder quickly. After all we've had Luke Garbett since he was 16. More often than not young players come in whether signed or discovered and don't end up making the grade. It's just a fact of life in football. There will also be times when we let someone go who goes on to make it elsewhere. Mustafi and Dier spring to mind. It happens at all clubs but that doesn't make them laughing stocks.
John Pierce
5 Posted 06/02/2018 at 17:54:01
This is another story recent of younger players at Everton, loaned out or moved on.

The common thread is Everton, no matter what you think Everton whilst famed for producing young talent or even in this age importing players is doing a piss poor job of nurturing and developing that talent.

Its easy to say that only one if a generation come along, but Everton have to look at several players who are better than your regular graduate and ask if they should have done more?

Galloway is a centre half, we have never played him there, and loaned him to club, WBA, who had no intention of doing so either. The lad has fallen by the wayside and is stuck in limbo.

Garbutt, Walsh, Kenny, Lookman, Vlasic, Lewin, Holgate just a list of players Everton appear ready to discard, without really trying that hard to keep them and mould them.

Trying times at Goodison.

Ian Jones
6 Posted 06/02/2018 at 18:19:27
Does anyone think we miss Joe Royle's influence- he seemed to be helping the younger ones and loaned out players
Peter Mills
7 Posted 06/02/2018 at 18:20:54
He looked a decent young player when he was thrust into the first team. Not without his struggles as he was being played in a position unnatural to him, but a good prospect.
Ian Bennett
8 Posted 06/02/2018 at 18:38:45
I don't get it. He did a good job covering Baines, and now isn't good enough to dislodge Martina? Wtf.

Bill Gienapp
9 Posted 06/02/2018 at 18:50:31
Jon (4) - agreed, I guarantee you that the fanbase for every club below us is convinced that --

(a) they're the laughingstock of the league
(b) they're the worst team in the league, regardless of position in the table
(c) they play the worst brand of football in the league

At the end of the day, we're all just living in our club's particular bubble.

Phil Walling
10 Posted 06/02/2018 at 18:50:55
I have long thought that the loan out system is more to do with getting young players off the pay-roll than giving them 'match experience'.

We probably have to go all the way back to Leon Osman to find a player who really came back from a spell in the lower ranks to make himself a first team regular. Even Barkley came up short at Leeds, didn't he ?

Not only with our home reared talent but also teenagers purchased from the lower ranks have suffered from what I named 'the Brentford curse' and their subsequent disappearance down a black hole.

Of course, we are not alone over this issue and even the biggest clubs abuse the system via their insistence on only the finished article at first team level .

Kieran Kinsella
11 Posted 06/02/2018 at 19:00:35
The Under 23 team seems to be used now as a shop window for players seeking third tier clubs. What do we gain by giving playing time to Baxter, Grant and Henen? Yes it isn’t first team but Galloway deserves more game time than them even if at u23 level. Him apart, what about all these youngsters we keep signing or our own u18 getting a game instead of Wasters like Baxter? What next? Billy Kenny as u23 boss and offer George Green a new deal? Then we loan out Lookman but keep Bolasie Who FS says wont be match fit until next season. The joke striker we have been trying to offload for two years is suddenly our first pick. The whole club is a joke.
Jack Convery
12 Posted 06/02/2018 at 19:03:06
The squads too big so we couldn't bring him back. Why we couldn't arrange another loan beggars belief. Another cock up by Cock Up FC.
John Daley
13 Posted 06/02/2018 at 19:07:03
The one criticism I have heard levelled at Galloway over the years is that he suffers from a lack of confidence, so successive loan moves where he has been left kicking his heels, must be soul-destroying for the lad. When he got a run of games for us a few years back, he looked more than capable in a full-back role (although I do remember my eyes rapidly rolling back when I heard he was being sent to spend a period of time under Tony Pulis's care).
James Flynn
14 Posted 06/02/2018 at 19:10:16
Laughed reading this. This manager is missing his true calling; politics.

So, Chris Coleman, let me summarize your positive, empathetic (altruistic even) view on young Galloway.

"Someone, ANYONE, come get this kid off my roster."

John G Davies
15 Posted 06/02/2018 at 19:29:13
Phil 10,

Seamus Coleman?

Jimmy Hogan
16 Posted 06/02/2018 at 19:39:07
If he can't get in Sunderland's team then surely he's not going to make the grade.
Lenny Kingman
17 Posted 06/02/2018 at 20:01:41
Even a brand new Rolls Royce would stall at that train wreck of a club.
Justin Doone
18 Posted 06/02/2018 at 21:00:08
This is a prime example of me as a fan vs. those supposedly in the know collide.

I rate the lad. He's fast (great acceleration), can tackle, good positional sense especially for a relatively inexperienced defender and good work ethic.

From a defensive point of view I think he's our best LB.

However he lacks the skill and crossing / creativity of a modern FB so I understand him not being ahead of Baines on that front.

However he's twice the player Garbutt is who has a nice left leg to swing in crosses but that's about it.

He can and did improve his technique to get forward but at this moment in time I'd be happy for our defenders to go back to basics and Defend!

He's said to be a future CB similar to Holgate but for now learning LB or LWB is or should be good experience.

What or why the managers can't see that I don't understand.

James Marshall
19 Posted 06/02/2018 at 21:06:33
Bill@9 is right. We live in an Everton bubble. You ask fans of other clubs, and they all say the same things we do, complain about the players, the manager, the owners, the way the club is run.

You just don't get to see it because you spend your life thinking all things Everton.

Justin Doone
20 Posted 06/02/2018 at 22:11:10
We need our own Pochettino. Great working with and encouraging young talent. The basis is simple. Skill, speed, stamina.

The ones who also have the vision, know how, footballing brains he keeps and plays them. Others he has moved on.

He then plays to their strengths. High intensity, pressing game. Similar to Klopp, Rodgers, Moyes (to a degree).

I'm thinking Wagner in the Premier may be the closest fit?

Our next manager needs to be of a similar mould. No easy task but I know Sam is the polar opposite and needs to depart in the summer.

Paul Birmingham
21 Posted 06/02/2018 at 22:40:44
Both Bill and James are right and I believe all Evertonians are going through a review of the club, impact, value, pain and future.

It’s in our blood we are blue blooded and have our values and beliefs in the club and life. Right now in my view the club, has lost sight of reality and as a results based business, the last 30 years, ranks on par with the worst period in the clubs history.

The EPL, of which we were an incumbent start up member and Sir Phil Carter led the drive, for a better game, has seen the club decline like never before. Trying to catch up and be seen, be there and at the top has come at a huge price.

We’ve all said giga bytes of feedback and such is our cause and belief. Right now it’s as if we are fishing for the record fish in the Dead Sea or the dried up stream.. it’s gone for now and it could come back but highly unlikely.

Every day in life is a good day EFC, dominates, provocates, and drives us, all nuts. But we care. The sinews after last Saturdays latest walkover, suggests the fans are really at the brink .

The Blue Blood runs through, for ever, but we all see is no style, no manner, no guts, no appetite, no passion, no care and sadly no genuine hope.. Reality bites, I hope the board, wake up from their 30 year slumber and show some guts.. What happens this summer assuming we scrape home and stay up is key to the future.

EFC - EiTC, is a great and bench marking, community support charity, the best by any football club in the UK, by a mile.. That is commendable.. On the park, where it counts most, we’ve become a farce. I feel genuine hurt and sympathy for the fans from the last 30 years..

So hope eternal and we will turn back the clock back, and be, 5-0, up at half time, this Saturday. I wish. That was a good day in also quite moody times at the club and in life. Hope eternal.


Peter Gorman
22 Posted 06/02/2018 at 23:21:12
Galloway is one of the few players on the books that is always full of fight. For that alone I am a bit gutted he has not progressed.

Some of the older players could take a leaf out of his book.

Jay Harris
23 Posted 07/02/2018 at 00:55:53
At the point of going from the first team squad back to the U23's his form seemed to take a nosedive.

I watched him quite often for the U23s and he was a shadow of the player who made the first team.

I don't know whether it was personal issues or lack of confidence but his awareness and concentration went to the dogs.

He appears to have been the same when on loan at West Brom and Sunderland.

I feel for the lad but there is a mental toughness required for the premiership and without it a lot of young lads fall by the wayside regrettably.

Victor Yu
24 Posted 07/02/2018 at 06:08:03
As soon as he was rewarded with a new contract a few years ago he has gone downhill.
Trevor Lynes
25 Posted 07/02/2018 at 07:59:47
If he cannot get a regular game at Sunderland he is not a Premier League standard player.
John Raftery
26 Posted 07/02/2018 at 08:34:18
John (9) Why is Kenny is on your 'ready to discard' list? Or Holgate for that matter?
Sam Hoare
27 Posted 07/02/2018 at 09:17:55
Why on earth did the club not find another club for him? Surely he's better off playing regularly in league one than sitting on the bench or not even at Sunderland.

Galloway has had a torrid time and back to back failed loan moves must be shredding his confidence. Should have sent him to a decent league one club where he surely would have been first pick and got 20 games or so to remember the joy of playing football.

Why was this not facilitated by the club? Unless no-one wanted him? Or more likely it would mean we'd have to cover more of his wages and they have already written him off?

Either way it seems unlikely that he's seen as one for future at Everton which is a pity as many of us thought he had real potential just a year or two ago.

Jerome Shields
28 Posted 07/02/2018 at 11:01:25
Galloway and all young players where brought into a thriving youth development system which was ignored by Koeman and dismantled by Allardyce. In January, it got to the stage that young players where actively seeking loan moves themselves, not seeing their future as being with Everton. This included Lookman.

Galloway is a victim of a club who is not interested in his future, only getting his wages paid by somebody else. Chris Colman is surprised that Everton didn't want him back, so that a loan to MK Dons who want him could be sorted. Hopefully Colman will help him, no-one else will.

As for Everton, the Board deserves all the negativity it gets in the future, for allowing Allardyce to justifying his £6 million wages at the expense of Everton's youth. The Everton Way is disappearing fast under this Manager and the future of promising players with it.

Tony Waring
29 Posted 07/02/2018 at 11:18:26
I thought he did quite well when he filled in for us a couple of seasons ago but in view of all the adverse comments from Coleman and presumably Pulis, I wonder why we bought the lad from MK Dons in the first place. He must have had "something" about him !
Dale Rose
30 Posted 07/02/2018 at 12:44:46
Always liked this lad, gutsy hard player. Get him back in and play him. Simple
Jamie Evans
31 Posted 07/02/2018 at 13:28:26
Agreed Dale. I remember him going toe to toe with Can in a derby a few years back and never backed down an inch.

Love a bit of fight in a player me.

John Smith
32 Posted 07/02/2018 at 13:30:11
He played well for us and is good enough to play LB in the first team now. I don't know why he was sent off on loan this year at all.
Tony Abrahams
33 Posted 07/02/2018 at 14:38:24
Good thread, it's good to read sense rather than the, he's fuckin shite brigade, and it just shows how important it is for a kid to play at a proper standard every week, once he's had a proper taste of first team football.

My worry now is for Kenny, Dowell, and to a lesser extent Tom Davies, because no way can these players go back to under 23's football, because it will,do,them no favors whatsoever?

My thoughts on Galloway, are that I thought he was going to be a great player, but once he's gone away from the positivity of Martinez, the kids found it hard. Maybe the new contract never helped though because once somebody gets set up for life, it won't be uncommon for the hunger to disappear, or maybe they just lose a bit of fight?

Alan J Thompson
34 Posted 07/02/2018 at 15:34:56
Even the U-23s coach seems to want out.
David Graves
35 Posted 07/02/2018 at 15:58:20
Whilst it is of course disappointing to see his career stalling I don't understand the posters saying we should get him back and put him straight into the team!
As others have said if he can't get a kick in a very poor Sunderland team how could he be ready for the Premier League?
Alasdair Mackay
36 Posted 07/02/2018 at 18:11:00
I remember watching an U23s game at the end of last season when he came back from West Brom (having not played all season) and he stood out in that very good U23s team.

The boy is talented, but obviously Klueless Koeman didn't fancy him and neither does the tactical mastermind that is Sam "Hoof It" Allardyce.

I hope he sticks it out, turns up for next pre-season determined to impress whoever is in charge and kicks on a gear.

Mangala won't be there next season, Mori hasn't exactly ripped up any trees and Williams and Jags will probably go in the summer. That leaves a huge whole in terms of squad depth at CB, with only Holgate, Mori and Michael "still turning, still turning, still turning..." Keane as serious competition.

Dale Rose
37 Posted 08/02/2018 at 08:27:45
I think when you look at these posts, and others regarding loan players, you start to realise what a state the club is in. We do more loans than any of the pay day loan bandits.

I'm starting to think does anyone there know what they are doing. The answer would appear to be no.

John Clowes
38 Posted 08/02/2018 at 15:15:43
To be honest, I think there was method to this loan move originally.

When the season started, Galloway had about a year of not playing regular football, so the club agreed to loan him out, I assume with some sort of guarantee he would play. I gather he started playing at the beginning of the season at Sunderland but they've changed managers in the meantime and fair play to Coleman for coming out and wanting to end the loan deal.

All I assume is Koeman didn't think he needed Galloway (maybe he thought a new left-back was coming in) so instead of not playing here, he would get game time somewhere else, which ultimately hasn't happened.

I don't think we can always criticize these loan deals – seems to be working well for Browning and Pennington and Dowell.

Jay Harris
40 Posted 08/02/2018 at 15:27:36
Alisdair,

We have a wealth of young quality centre-backs waiting for the opportunity.

Pennington, Browning and Feeney to name but three.

Kevin Prytherch
41 Posted 08/02/2018 at 15:35:30
John / Jay. I've a feeling we can forget about Pennington after this year. He's struggling to get in a mediocre Leeds team.

Browning plays every week though and has kept the once highly rated Lamina Kone out of the team.

Other loans that are working (in terms of regular games played) are Connolly at Ipswich, Robinson at Bolton, Williams at Barnsley and of course Dowell at Forest.

Jay Harris
42 Posted 08/02/2018 at 15:53:36
Kevin, I heard that Leeds were trying to get him permanently and a lot of their supporters were raving about him.

I know he hasn't played many games but I thought that was through injury,

John Clowes
43 Posted 08/02/2018 at 16:38:31
As my son-in-law supports Leeds, I try to get an update on Pennington. From what I've been told, their previous manager kept on changing the team (where does that sound familiar?!).

Think he started off slow but apparently played a blinder coming off the bench against Millwall (I think) a couple of weeks ago and the manager was on about making it permanent. Now they've changed managers, it may all change. I do think this loan is a make or break deal for Everton though.

Kevin Prytherch
44 Posted 08/02/2018 at 18:57:46
Jay / John - good to hear. I keep an eye on them where I can but it’s largely seeing if they’re playing or not and trying to see if there’s anything on forums, I don’t get any info from anyone who actually goes.

I had some hope for Pennington and was hoping he’d be playing all year to get mistakes out of his system. Hopefully he’ll start playing more now until the end of the season.

Jim Hardin
45 Posted 09/02/2018 at 04:50:18
Galloway is not playing because Oviedo is, whether it is a back 4 or 5 used by the manager. The other problem is that Sunderland have 7 loan players, and the Championship only lets you play 5 on a given day. (Not sure if this is part of the rules put into place due to Watford's shenanigans or not). The needs due to injury dictate that other loanees should play.

Plus, Browning has been a regular in the line-up.

Clive Rogers
46 Posted 11/02/2018 at 21:15:28
Dowell is also stalling at Forest apparently. Been really poor recently as if he has lost interest, according to Forest fans.
Colin Glassar
47 Posted 11/02/2018 at 21:35:12
Just read that Clive. Forest fans saying he’s rubbish and should be sent back to Everton. These lads, like Galloway and Dowell, don’t lack talent but, perhaps, desire to reach the very top.
Clive Rogers
48 Posted 11/02/2018 at 21:44:23
Colin, I watched an U23 game last season and Dowell was the outstanding player for me. I did read comments from other fans, that he needed to raise his work rate. It seems he lacks motivation in some way.
Raymond Fox
49 Posted 15/02/2018 at 19:58:40
All I can say is if Galloway doesn't make it in at least a Championship side, I'm a bad judge (some will say they know that already). I thought he looked a certainty to become a good player when Martinez played him in our first team. I can't believe he has deteriorated all that much, but it sounds like Coleman doesn't rate him along with the previous Sunderland manager.

That's the problem with managers now in that fans want instant results and the managers with their job on the line in the main won't risk playing relatively inexperienced young players.

I'm surprised in that he appears to be struggling!


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