Signed, then instantly loaned out to League Two side, Rochdale, the addition of Danny Cashman to Coventry City is an investment for the future. Having impressed at under-23 level for Brighton & Hove Albion, the club likely Cashman as someone with the potential to play for the first-team in the near future. However, our status as a Championship club makes it difficult to hand regular opportunities to unproven youngsters, with the intention of Cashman’s loan spell at Rochdale being to provide him with the experience to make the step up either next season or the year after.
A pacey, short-statured striker, Cashman’s development at Brighton come up against the roadblock of the impressive Irish forward, Aaron Connolly, who is a year older than Cashman and is currently around the first-team. While the pathway is clearer for Cashman at Coventry City, with Fabio Tavares (a former Rochdale striker) his chief competition for a potential first-team place next season, the loan move reflects that he is someone who requires senior experience to take the next step, which cannot currently be offered with the Sky Blues.
An educated gamble by the club and its recruitment team, Cashman could save the club a lot of money next summer if he catches fires with Rochdale. If he doesn’t, there will still be another two years for him to come good and it is unlikely to have cost the club too much money to have taken a punt on Cashman.
Sideways Sammy 