Defender Con Ouzoundis leaves the U23s

Not many comments on this one as it seems to be the more preferred path for the countless ones who don't make it:

• A short spell in the U18s
• Rapid promotion to the U23s
• Encouraged to develope and consolidate his role in the U23s over 2 or 3 seasons
• But only given 1-year extensions, so reassessed each season
• No spell out on loan (as it ain't what it's cracked up to be!)
• Swift decision made at age 21 to let him go, when his contract expires.

Could have been improved perhaps by flogging him for £15M in January... but we are not a club who seem to be able to pull off that particular trick.

I don't know if players like this have Agents or if Everton try to fix them up with a club but, on a free, I'd have thought that some Australian "A" League clubs would be interested.

Michael, I think the path you have outlined is spot on. From what I saw of him on the TV coverage Ouzoundis struck me as a decent under 23 centre half but like Morgan Feeney and many others before him he was very unlikely to step up to Premier League level in the next couple of years or so. It is better for his long term career to be released now to have a chance of finding, and developing with, a lower league club.

On looking at the link above it is remarkable how few games some of these lads play in a season. How does that prepare them for a career in which, barring injury, they will be expected to play thirty five to forty games a season?