Robinson advised teen Sutherland to stay put
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson has stressed the difficulty of persuading young players to prioritise first-team experience over Premier League prestige after his club sold 18-year-old Ethan Sutherland to Wolves.
Sutherland made four appearances for Saints as well as playing for Alloa in a loan spell in the second half of last season, but told the Paisley club he would not extend his contract beyond the end of this campaign.
St Mirren decided to cash in now rather than lose Sutherland for a compensation payment next summer and negotiated an undisclosed fee that could rise with “significant adds on and a future sell on”.
Robinson said: “That’s football now. Premier League clubs are buying players at 16-18 now, they are buying potential. clubs have got more money, that’s what happens.
“Ethan is a very talented boy with a lot of potential, but he saw his future in England and I think the club got a very good deal with add-ons. When players tell you they’re not going to sign a contract, you have to maximise what you can get.
“My belief is they should stay and play and go as a firstteam player rather than an under-21 player. But we had Ethan Erhahon who played more than 100 games and we got more money for Ethan Sutherland, who has played three or four games.
“My belief as a manager is you don’t develop without first-team games. But unfortunately it’s very, very difficult to tell their advisors or parents that the best place is here when opportunities are being dangled in front of them in the Premier League.”