FOR Ryan Sessegnon, Fulham’s scout-baiting
Stay at Craven Cottage and develop in peace? Or accept an offer from a Premier League behemoth and risk a splinter-ridden backside?
On paper, it seems obvious. From John Bostock to Nick Powell, we can all think of talented teens whose burgeoning careers foundered on the rocky shores of fame and fortune.
If the Championship’s most adventurous left-back is good enough at 17, he’ll be even better in two years. Where’s the harm in staying put?
Yet, for every Powell and Bostock, there’s a Ryan Mason. This time three years ago, the midfielder had just signed a five-year deal with Spurs and donned his first cap for England. At 23, the North Londoner must have thought he had all the time – and security – in the world.
As we now know, he did not. A clash of heads with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill in January 2017 fractured Mason’s skull. Last week, on doctors’ orders, he retired from football.
This story is from the February 25, 2018 edition of The Football League Paper.
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This story is from the February 25, 2018 edition of The Football League Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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