Olowu leaving?

[Padge_DRFC]

No need to panic. We have played our best football of the season while he has been out "injured"? None of us wanted him to go but it is Joe's career and if he thinks he can make more money elsewhere that's his prerogative.

A few times things worked out better by mistake. Street from wing to striker. Then a midfielder who is technically gifted in the line up in Crew.

[Drover]

Gone, good luck Joe.

I am very sceptical about the timing of the injury but it’s what they all do now.

Me too,I would'nt be at all surprised that Owolu was declared out for the season,straight after he told Grant, If your not committed to the club anymore, better to fill his place with a player who is committed and get them as much game time as possible to hopefully improve along with the team.

[Ryan B]

A few years back, with the 'Rovers in the Community' scheme, Joe and Charlie Seaman came down to help coach all ages at my junior football team.

Both players were super friendly, and were genuinely happy to be there.

In a practice match, Joe joined in playing, and his constant talking and encouragement to the players/kids was remarkable, and stood out above everything. It certainly underlined the knowledge and influence that professionals have, way beyond some of the cries we hear from the stands most weeks.

Joe has grown into an excellent CB at Donny, and I wish him the best (hopefully not in L1), but this, paired with Woody's retirement, only paves the way for Faulkner, and maybe some other young'uns to make the step up, but given his knowledge of the situation, I'm sure Sir Grant has an eye on a replacement(s) too.

IMO, Anderson, McGrath, Bailey, Senior, Faulkner is a great foundation on which to build.

Going back to my first point, and the community work, Joe was recognised for his contribution this year, and previously Matty Blair was a solid character - who would be the go-to-guy now for this? Bucket-hat Sbarra?

[Drover]

Stockport?

Why did we not extend his contract and prevented  this inevitable lose of yet another player who could have commanded a fee . Short sighted as usual .

Makes absolutely no point if his agent or the player has made his mind up,for all we know he may have hinted that he would not have any contract talks until In his final months of current one.

[RoversInSpain]

Not a huge loss, one great season and 2 pretty/very poor. Didn’t want to pay Rovers back for the faith that was shown in him during those disastrous times we put up with him, and the development he was given, so poor from him.
Nice lad,etc etc.
but not overly bothered he’s off.
Last four games showed how much he was missed.

[selby]

Flint is another who will be knocking on the door preseason and could well be the man to let Bailey free to carry on as a central defender.

[ncRover]

Not a huge loss, one great season and 2 pretty/very poor. Didn’t want to pay Rovers back for the faith that was shown in him during those disastrous times we put up with him, and the development he was given, so poor from him.
Nice lad,etc etc.
but not overly bothered he’s off.
Last four games showed how much he was missed.

If you were working hundreds of miles away from family and someone offered you a job closer to home for let’s say £50-100k more per annum, what would you do?

[LincsRover]

Football can be a short career so I don’t blame him for leaving to make himself more secure and seeking a new challenge. I wish he’d stayed but he’s going, we move on and in Grant we trust. 

[Goole Rover]

Not a great loss, he’s had some good games of late but Tom in my opinion was a more valuable asset. Olowu was vulnerable.

[Drover]

Not a huge loss, one great season and 2 pretty/very poor. Didn’t want to pay Rovers back for the faith that was shown in him during those disastrous times we put up with him, and the development he was given, so poor from him.
Nice lad,etc etc.
but not overly bothered he’s off.
Last four games showed how much he was missed.

If you were working hundreds of miles away from family and someone offered you a job closer to home for let’s say £50-100k more per annum, what would you do?

No way Orient will pay them wages!

[Ryaldinhio]

I don't get why everyone is deciding this is money.

Joe is hugely religious and for a while he has openly said he hasn't found a church he can settle with here. Then a few weeks ago he revealed he is opening/founding a new church in Peckham.

Maybe that is his new challenge?

Football is primarily a job to these lads, I think we forget that at times.

Maybe he could be taking less money to be closer to home? I know I have done that in my career.

[NigelJ]

Maybe he's off to Millwall? The challenge is to convert all of their fans into upstanding members of the community.

[RoversInSpain]

Not a huge loss, one great season and 2 pretty/very poor. Didn’t want to pay Rovers back for the faith that was shown in him during those disastrous times we put up with him, and the development he was given, so poor from him.
Nice lad,etc etc.
but not overly bothered he’s off.
Last four games showed how much he was missed.

If you were working hundreds of miles away from family and someone offered you a job closer to home for let’s say £50-100k more per annum, what would you do?

I’d be laughing at my previous employer and take the money. Daft question.
As I said he’s not a big loss, more fool the new employer. If they’d got any sense they’d pay £50/£100k a year more for Molyneux, Sterry or Bailey or even Maxwell  or McGrath who’s been very good from the word go and didn’t need 2 years to be decent.

[Alan Southstand]

Options coming out on twitter and the rumour mill already. There’s a big lad at Huddersfield been released who’d be a decent replacement for Woody, for example. Need a pacy defender to replace JO.

[Ryaldinhio]

Options coming out on twitter and the rumour mill already. There’s a big lad at Huddersfield been released who’d be a decent replacement for Woody, for example. Need a pacy defender to replace JO.

Genuinly believe best option is to 'convert' Bailey to CB. His reading of the game and calm head back there is way above our level. Not many beat him to a header either. Switch him now and could get over a decade out of him in there.

[Mustapha-Dump]

Could be alone here but feels more like a relief than a loss, easy for this to look bitter but I would absolutely love to see him in an opposition line up, straight away I’d think he’s got an error in him. I don’t assign any blame to the club either as some have said above, he hasn’t done anything prior to this season to warrant a new deal.. by the time he warranted one, he didn’t want to sign it. Simple as that - Next!

[Upton Rover]

Not always about money

give over, it’s always about money, no more kissing the club badge, and you wait for his first interview for his next club, “best move of my career “

[TonySoprano]

Meh, won't be that hard to replace him.

He was shit for 2/3's of his time here.
Even when at his best, he still had a mistake in him.

[ncRover]

Not a huge loss, one great season and 2 pretty/very poor. Didn’t want to pay Rovers back for the faith that was shown in him during those disastrous times we put up with him, and the development he was given, so poor from him.
Nice lad,etc etc.
but not overly bothered he’s off.
Last four games showed how much he was missed.

If you were working hundreds of miles away from family and someone offered you a job closer to home for let’s say £50-100k more per annum, what would you do?

I’d be laughing at my previous employer and take the money. Daft question.
As I said he’s not a big loss, more fool the new employer. If they’d got any sense they’d pay £50/£100k a year more for Molyneux, Sterry or Bailey or even Maxwell  or McGrath who’s been very good from the word go and didn’t need 2 years to be decent.

You said, “Didn’t want to pay Rovers back for the faith that was shown in him during those disastrous times we put up with him, and the development he was given, so poor from him.”

So if we’ve established you’d make a similar career move to him, what do you expect him ‘paying us back’ to look like?

[PDX_Rover]

Heard Blackburn and Dull are interested

[IDM]

Fickle fans.

Up to a few days ago I would guess the vast majority wanted him to stay.  Now he’s gone, apparently he was shit more often than not.

Give me strength.!

[ncRover]

Meh, won't be that hard to replace him.

He was shit for 2/3's of his time here.
Even when at his best, he still had a mistake in him.

Almost as if he was a central defender in his early 20s developing and improving over time. 

A strange concept I know.

[Filo]

Meh, won't be that hard to replace him.

He was shit for 2/3's of his time here.
Even when at his best, he still had a mistake in him.

He wasn’t shit, he was a young player with lots of potential, some of us could see that, yes he made a mistake or two, but show me a L2 player that doesn’t make a mistake. His pace will be a massive loss, especially if the other CB doesn’t have pace

[RobTheRover]

It was great to see Joe blossom last year and his performances were generally a solid 8 out of 10. A lovely fella too. I wish him all the very best wherever he ends up.

[redarmi66]

Some of the posts here starting to seem a bit salty! Joe has been developed during his time here. Finally delivered on his potential this year with good players around him. Imagine how tough it would be to progress with the team we had under Wellens! Good luck Joe on the new challenge whether its closer to home or better financials or even both. We move on. Next!

[Metalmicky]

Not the biggest shock ever - player develops, player improves, player gets noticed, player moves on...
It will happen 100 times this year across the leagues...

[5minstogo]

Not a great loss, he’s had some good games of late but Tom in my opinion was a more valuable asset. Olowu was vulnerable.

Possibly the strangest thing I've ever read on the Internet. I need some fresh air.

[TonySoprano]

We've certainly not missed him since he's been injured.
I'd say we've got better since he's been out.

Won't be hard to replace

[TonySoprano]

Meh, won't be that hard to replace him.

He was shit for 2/3's of his time here.
Even when at his best, he still had a mistake in him.

He wasn’t shit, he was a young player with lots of potential, some of us could see that, yes he made a mistake or two, but show me a L2 player that doesn’t make a mistake. His pace will be a massive loss, especially if the other CB doesn’t have pace

Short memories, he was terrible at times.

[drfchound]

A tad of fresh blood in the team won’t hurt ! Olowu was the player I was most impressed with last season, but in Grant we trust !Maybe a chance for young Faulkner to take his chance !

That’s six players out from last season, McCann will have to be even more astute in the market to keep any continuity of style of play , it took him two seasons to get back and it’s a competitive league .

“That’s six players out from last season”.
I assume that you are including the loan players in there mate.
Sadly that is what smaller clubs have to contend with every season now.
Loan players are the way forward it seems and for quite a few years now we have had to face a big rebuild after the loans go back and inevitably some of our better players move on.