Jeremy Monga

[MPH]

So his path to first team football will be quicker with us. That’s obvious.but he will train with better teammates and coaches at Man City. If he hadn’t broken into the first team yet at Leicester I’d be off like a rocket, there’s nothing we could offer him.  

[LFox99]

19 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

If you were Monga, his parents and advisors what would you be doing? Firmly taking on blue tinted specs here. 

I mean, his family and him have a pretty good deal here. He gets a straight route into first team football next season with guaranteed minutes at 16 which simply isn't something Man City can offer.

Afaik we're also paying his tuition at Ratcliffe College, about 25k a year. And while Man City obviously wouldn't have any issues with covering tuition fees, I doubt they can offer him a school as good as this a literal stonethrow from their training ground. 

His parents will also be interested in not disturbing his education and general life too much. Switching schools and social circles is incredibly tough, I've had to do it 4 times in my youth and it wasn't a good time. 

[Tommy G]

20 minutes ago, MPH said:

So his path to first team football will be quicker with us. That’s obvious.but he will train with better teammates and coaches at Man City. If he hadn’t broken into the first team yet at Leicester I’d be off like a rocket, there’s nothing we could offer him.  

 

4 minutes ago, LFox99 said:

I mean, his family and him have a pretty good deal here. He gets a straight route into first team football next season with guaranteed minutes at 16 which simply isn't something Man City can offer.

Afaik we're also paying his tuition at Ratcliffe College, about 25k a year. And while Man City obviously wouldn't have any issues with covering tuition fees, I doubt they can offer him a school as good as this a literal stonethrow from their training ground. 

His parents will also be interested in not disturbing his education and general life too much. Switching schools and social circles is incredibly tough, I've had to do it 4 times in my youth and it wasn't a good time. 

I know h'es been linked with Man City, but there are 15 other clubs in the PL that would be a step up from us too, and offer more playing time than Man City could. 

[K789]

2 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

 

I know h'es been linked with Man City, but there are 15 other clubs in the PL that would be a step up from us too, and offer more playing time than Man City could. 

Dibbling is a good case in point. Left saints academy fir a year to go Chelsea. Hated it, came back, performed, now linked away. Sometimes at a young age familiarity Is the best thing 

 

[James_lcfc]

34 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

If you were Monga, his parents and advisors what would you be doing? Firmly taking off blue tinted specs here. 

Never know what's around the corner so I'd be telling him to go for the longest contract paying the most money if it was my son.

 

Not necessarily the best advice though as getting lost in a big club could stunt his progress so much that it ruins his future earning potential.

 

If he's as good as we think he is though, he'll be fine either way.

[Tommy G]

Just now, K789 said:

Dibbling is a good case in point. Left saints academy fir a year to go Chelsea. Hated it, came back, performed, now linked away. Sometimes at a young age familiarity Is the best thing 

 

I'm thinking Brentford, Palace, Spurs, Bournemouth, Villa, Newcastle, Brighton etc

 

Chelsea are a basket case, and Man City/Liverpool are too much of a step up.

[AjcW]

2 minutes ago, K789 said:

Dibbling is a good case in point. Left saints academy fir a year to go Chelsea. Hated it, came back, performed, now linked away. Sometimes at a young age familiarity Is the best thing 

 

Think this is a really good example. I bet he's got a decent 10%+ sell on clause too. Surely that's something we can offer to Monga now? At the end of the day if he leaves for free Man City aren't going to chuck him a £6m sign on clause are they!

[cruzFOX]

There’s too much uncertainty at the moment at Leicester which certainly doesn’t play into our favor. Club needs to sort it all out and fast! The kid’s parents seem smart and patient. I’m sure he might have an agent advising as well.

[Ric Flair]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

If you were Monga, his parents and advisors what would you be doing? Firmly taking off blue tinted specs here. 

Stay with us for another season and play 25+ games in the Championship and decide towards the end of next season. He can't sign a pro deal until 10th July 2026 anyway.

[AKCJ]

11 minutes ago, cruzFOX said:

There’s too much uncertainty at the moment at Leicester which certainly doesn’t play into our favor. Club needs to sort it all out and fast! The kid’s parents seem smart and patient. I’m sure he might have an agent advising as well.

Yeah if the lads got any sense then he'll be off to Man City pronto. 

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

Assuming there's 25 other clubs that can easily compete with us financially - I suspect the money elsewhere would be the same or much better

Tbh, if I’m his parent then I’m advising him not to play senior men’s top level football at 16. His development will be better playing U23 next season and then going on loan the following one. 
Assuming other clubs are offering a similar financial package to us then I’m going where he’ll get the best U23 experience next season - both coaching and playing level. 

[Finnegan]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

If you were Monga, his parents and advisors what would you be doing? Firmly taking off blue tinted specs here. 

 

Depends whether you back yourself or not. 

 

He can sign a development contract with us now and let it run it's course and be free or any obligations to us in a couple of years time and still move on. 

 

Hell, even if he signed his first pro contract with us he could still be free or is entirely by, like, what, 20? 21?

 

In that time, the way we're going, he's going to get quite a lot of first team football, he's even likely to play next season, for a title chasing Championship side. 

 

If he goes to Manchester City, he doesn't get the benefit of Pep's coaching - not for years - and he's too young for them to loan him out so he's stuck back playing age group football as just another body in their youth system. It's a good way to land a decent club move in a few years but only for a side willing to take a guess. 

 

So, if he thinks he's actually good enough to make an impact in the short term, I'd say it's genuinely better for him to stay with us now, try to prove it, get some valuable experience and play first team football which Man City obviously won't give him. 

 

The only way it makes sense to go to Man City, frankly, is if they're offering insane invisible money off the books or you're not confident enough to think your value can improve in the next few years and you just want to cash in on your hype now and get your family a deal. 

 

[Ric Flair]

43 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Tbh, if I’m his parent then I’m advising him not to play senior men’s top level football at 16. His development will be better playing U23 next season and then going on loan the following one. 
Assuming other clubs are offering a similar financial package to us then I’m going where he’ll get the best U23 experience next season - both coaching and playing level. 

Interesting take. I disagree but have no experience of this. He is ready to play 1st team, which most 15-16 year olds aren't. I do wonder if such players would risk being stunted if they were to stay in the U23s and then go on loan potentially to a level below they're ability. 

 

I think the best chance of us keeping him is because he wants the opportunity to play at a very high standard at such a young age and we are likely promising him more than even the likes of Man City would offer him at this age (£30-40k a week when he turns 17)

[MPH]

2 hours ago, Tommy G said:

 

I know h'es been linked with Man City, but there are 15 other clubs in the PL that would be a step up from us too, and offer more playing time than Man City could. 

 

I highly doubt ANY premier league team would give him playing time especially at 16. He basically got time last season with us because relegation was nailed on and it we could afford the time to let him play. Anyone who is fighting for every league position can not afford to ‘experiment’. All they’d do is send him out on loan to the championship or lower.

Edited 2 June 2025 by MPH

[Chelmofox]

1 hour ago, st albans fox said:

Tbh, if I’m his parent then I’m advising him not to play senior men’s top level football at 16. His development will be better playing U23 next season and then going on loan the following one. 
Assuming other clubs are offering a similar financial package to us then I’m going where he’ll get the best U23 experience next season - both coaching and playing level. 

This is the thing I cant get out my head. My son is 13. He plays a poor standard for a local team, and the thought that someone only 3 years older is getting minutes in PL games whilst the fans are almost demanding that player starts boggles my mind.

 

You would have thought competing to the best of your ability and winning stuff is the best development path right now. But, Monga could push through next season in the Championship and hit the big time quickly. Or he could struggle because it happened so quickly and drop down to the U23 and that feel a failure. I kind of feel this is where Braybrooke has ended up after his loan.

 

You can understand why they tread so cautiously with these kids.

 

 

Edited 2 June 2025 by Chelmofox

[sm1]

I think our current situation plays into Monga's hand. We've been relegated and got no money. He's guaranteed playing time and if he doesnt like it, he can leave for free next season.

[lcfcsnow]

3 hours ago, Tommy G said:

If you were Monga, his parents and advisors what would you be doing? Firmly taking off blue tinted specs here. 

Wait until knowing who the manager is, if its Dyche he and anyone who isn't a 6ft+ meathead isn't playing

[Dan]

Barcelona had Yamal in their team at 16. It's not likely but it's not impossible. Probably pushing it to make that comparison though as Yamal is insanely good.

[st albans fox]

31 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

This is the thing I cant get out my head. My son is 13. He plays a poor standard for a local team, and the thought that someone only 3 years older is getting minutes in PL games whilst the fans are almost demanding that player starts boggles my mind.

 

You would have thought competing to the best of your ability and winning stuff is the best development path right now. But, Monga could push through next season in the Championship and hit the big time quickly. Or he could struggle because it happened so quickly and drop down to the U23 and that feel a failure. I kind of feel this is where Braybrooke has ended up after his loan.

 

You can understand why they tread so cautiously with these kids.

 

 

mine is u14 nd each year gets worse with respect to the difference between those kids who have fully gone through puberty and those who have barely started.  At a good level it’s actually dangerous because the kids who are physically men exploit that to its full advantage. 

 

I’ve also watched U18 step 2 playing against a mens team step 4.  All the U18’s were physical specimens.  They held their own for about 50 mins and then wilted. They lost comfortably in the end.  Whilst Monga may be fine with the final 20 mins of a game, I wonder how he’d cope starting ?  as Lewis- skelley has shown this season, it’s possible for a 16/17 y o to manage. Rooney was another.  It’s not commonplace though for a kid barely 16 to do so. 

[Ric Flair]

46 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

This is the thing I cant get out my head. My son is 13. He plays a poor standard for a local team, and the thought that someone only 3 years older is getting minutes in PL games whilst the fans are almost demanding that player starts boggles my mind.

 

You would have thought competing to the best of your ability and winning stuff is the best development path right now. But, Monga could push through next season in the Championship and hit the big time quickly. Or he could struggle because it happened so quickly and drop down to the U23 and that feel a failure. I kind of feel this is where Braybrooke has ended up after his loan.

 

You can understand why they tread so cautiously with these kids.

 

 

Id argue Braybrooke suffered by not getting the loan he needed at 18-19 before he got his ACL

[Guest Bilo]

11 minutes ago, Dan said:

Barcelona had Yamal in their team at 16. It's not likely but it's not impossible. Probably pushing it to make that comparison though as Yamal is insanely good.

He doesn't look out of place in Premier League games at 15. God knows how good he'll be in another year. 

[trugerkem]

3 hours ago, Tommy G said:

 

I know h'es been linked with Man City, but there are 15 other clubs in the PL that would be a step up from us too, and offer more playing time than Man City could. 

I think you will find that all 20 teams are a step up from us currently 

[ALC Fox]

I'm hesitant to suggest this with our dodgy financial behaviour, and I'm generally of the opinion that we need to take our medicine and accept that we're not going to be back in the Premier League for a few seasons.

 

However, is there anything stopping us from employing Monga's parents as 'consultants' as a way of circumventing the rule on giving Monga a professional contract? I suspect there is. But if we could actually give them some sort of role in youth player liaison, something that's provable and can survive an external audit, maybe that could help?

 

Plus, is there anything against telling the parents this is what we will pay your son when he turns 17 without actually signing anything?

Edited 2 June 2025 by ALC Fox

[st albans fox]

11 minutes ago, ALC Fox said:

I'm hesitant to suggest this with our dodgy financial behaviour, and I'm generally of the opinion that we need to take our medicine and accept that we're not going to be back in the Premier League for a few seasons.

 

However, is there anything stopping us from employing Monga's parents as 'consultants' as a way of circumventing the rule on giving Monga a professional contract? I suspect there is. But if we could actually give them some sort of role in youth player liaison, something that's provable and can survive an external audit, maybe that could help?

 

Plus, is there anything against telling the parents this is what we will pay your son when he turns 17 without actually signing anything?

This is all in order if you’re a rich six club. (And only if) 

[Chelmofox]

45 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Id argue Braybrooke suffered by not getting the loan he needed at 18-19 before he got his ACL

He looked like a child. I remember watching him warm up in one of the Europa games (it might have been Randers at home). He tiny. I just cant believe he was anywhere near ready beforehand, but his ACL probably happened right at the moment he was.