Millwall and Crystal Palace could have both benefitted from one big transfer decision in January.
Crystal Palace winger Romain Esse ended his first half season in the Premier League in tears on the pitch at Anfield following the 1-1 draw against Liverpool. The 20-year-old had been brought on and then taken off again by Eagles manager Oliver Glasner in a moment of public embarrassment.
There are few greater dishonours as a footballer than being hooked after coming on as a substitute. It was a particularly head-turning decision from Glasner, with nothing to play for in that game and just seconds left to play in injury time when Esse was brought off.
The Austrian deservedly holds hero status at Selhurst Park right now thanks to his FA Cup triumph but it’s very fair to question that man management of a player who is still wet behind the ears. Liverpool megastar Mohamed Salah could be seen consoling a gutted Esse after full time and it begs the question – why didn’t Crystal Palace loan him back to Millwall in January?
The Premier League outfit paid £14.5 million to sign Esse from Millwall. Crystal Palace have earned a reputation for spotting EFL talent and helping them make the step to the top flight. Esse has been tipped to follow in the footsteps of Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton and Marc Guehi.
Having signed a five-and-a-half-year contract at Selhurst Park, there is still plenty of time for Esse to reach those highs. Despite scoring on his debut against Brentford, there was never the sense that the player was recruited to make an immediate impact.
When transfer discussions between Crystal Palace and Millwall first came to light, there were murmurings that Esse could be loaned back to Millwall until the end of the season to continue his development. The winger had banked 2,165 minutes of first team football for the Lions over the first half of the campaign before being granted just 189 minutes with the Eagles.
Crystal Palace had no obligation to loan the player back to Millwall, instead choosing to have an extra six months with the rising star alongside their first team in training. However, it seems as if the lack of pitch time may have stunted growth and knocked confidence. When asked about his decision to take Esse off against Liverpool, Glasner said: “He knows why, that’s enough.”
Speaking more widely about his team, without naming individuals, Glasner said: “I’m not really pleased with our performance. Not in general but a few players didn’t play 100 per cent for the team (in) how we want to play. I didn’t like to see this.”
Those words are a stark contrast to the kind of language used around Esse as he enjoyed a breakthrough season at Millwall. In September, following a 1-1 draw with QPR, former Lions boss Neil Harris said: “I thought today his use of the ball was good, but he was also very, very good without the ball. His discipline and game understanding is also very good, then with the ball he’s just a threat with his ability to find a pass and to carry the ball. He’s learning all the time and he’s listening about how to get into more threatening goalscoring positions.”
Did Millwall miss Romain Esse loan trick?
Not only could it have been beneficial for Crystal Palace to allow the player to be loaned back to Millwall and develop, the Championship side should have perhaps pushed harder for that too. As soon as Esse was sold, Alex Neil acknowledged a loss of attacking impetus.
Millwall lost 1-0 to Hull City on the day the Esse transfer was confirmed and Neil said: “He has been the most creative outlet, hence why he has moved to the Premier League. But that is what we want to become as a club. Someone who can develop players and try to create assets in the team.
“I think our challenge, or certainly my challenge at the minute, is we are at the very, very start of that. We are at the embryonic stage of that, shall we say, which means trying to balance creating assets, getting younger players, winning enough games and performing well. When you’re trying to juggle all those balls at the one time, particularly when you have got players missing who can make an impact at the top end, that is certainly a challenge.”
Camiel Neghli, Aaron Connolly and Luke Cundle all then came through the door in January, no doubt helped by cashing on Esse, but the club would still have banked the transfer fee with the player returning on loan. Esse had contributed four goals and an assist in his 24 league appearances but is the flair type of player who could ignite a match.
Millwall missed out on the Championship play-offs by three points come the end of the campaign. Could Esse have helped find those points over the remaining 21 second tier fixtures? You’d think so.
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