02-28-2018, 11:46 PM
(02-28-2018, 11:26 PM)mateinone link Wrote:But Paul you blanket statement without knowing the injury and whether there was any long term risks is very presumptuous.
We know even 1st and 2nd year players are often going in during the off season for clean up surgery in today's football and Weitering would have been expected to pass certain training metrics like any other player to be declared "fit" to play. Now perhaps he struggled playing sort, but was trying to adapt to that, it doesn't mean he has to sit out if that is the case, it can be as much as anything a learning curve, because you are going to play sore for a lot of your career.
Weitering didn't suddenly become useless in 2017, he just didn't follow up on the 2016 form, not at all unusual for a young player.
But without any real knowledge as to what was wrong with Weiters and whether there was any real risk of injury, there is no way of knowing whether it was a 'dumb' decision to play him. We do know for sure though that when the club thought a player was becoming burnt out or couldn't perform due to their injury (Samo or Harry Mc being excamples) they didn't play.
Jack was an example of a player that was playing with shoulder issues (same age as Weitering) and then had his surgery at the end of the season.
Remember Weiters was right to go at the start of pre-season as well, so he certainly didn't have any major work in the off-season, which would seem to further strengthen any argument the club hasn't mismanaged any injuries he was playing with.
Yes, no doubt there's a healthy dose of presumptuousness and speculation on my part, which is one reason out of many why this forum exists, and for which I make no apologies. Whilst it's true that I can't prove anything, it's also true that no one can prove the opposite.
I'll tell you straight up, I'm in the Weeters fan club. I just hope both he and the club get it right. I saw flashes of Bruce Doull when I watched him in 2016, so clearly he is capable.