Oliver Burke: Please Don't Go

When Nottingham dance act KWS topped the charts with their cover of 'Please Don't Go' in 1992 there was a rumour that it was an attempt to dissuade Des Walker from making the switch to Sampdoria. Sadly it's not true, yet maybe it would've been worth giving the lads a few royalties at the City Ground on Saturday as a not-too-subtle message to Oliver Burke ahead of Wednesday's transfer window.

Goal for Forest! (Burke 90’) #NFFC 3-1 Leeds. pic.twitter.com/HskpirKOiT

— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) August 27, 2016

In some respects we're in a similar position to this time last year. A quick, strong winger with four August goals to his name, and who carries the goalscoring burden on his shoulders when Britt Assombalonga isn't available, is attracting Premier League interest. I'm keeping everything crossed that Oliver Burke won't follow in the footsteps of Michail Antonio just yet.

The above parallels aside, there are some differences between the cases of Burke and Antonio. Michail was a London lad who had risen up the leagues and, at 25, was ready to have a punt at the top flight after a full season of success under his belt on Trentside (15 goals and 12 assists). He clearly wanted to go and he was leaving behind a club still in the midst of a transfer embargo.

Fast forward 12 months and Burke is, in my biased opinion, in a different boat. He's only 19 and yet to enjoy a full season as the 'main man'. He's just broken into the Scotland squad and can, with regular first time appearances, cement his place in the thoughts of Gordon Strachan for the World Cup qualifying campaign. He still has much to learn about the senior game, and has to be playing first team football to do so. We can offer him the stage he needs to hone his skills. After a successful season in The Championship he could have his pick of the clubs. He has time - as well as talent - on his side right now.

You'd also like to think that we don't have to sell. We're out of the FFP-induced embargo now for a start (partly thanks to the Antonio money). Not only that but we wouldn't even feel the benefit from a big money transfer at this late stage in the window. Even if we got £10 million or more, we'd have little time to shop around for a replacement and be likely to encounter clubs who would hike up their prices. Do we really want to force another manager to have to scrabble around to replace his best player?

I don't have huge expectations for this season, I just want to enjoy some football, be competitive and improve on the points and position of last season. Watching Burke grow and improve in a Forest shirt would certainly help with all of those factors. They'll be times when he doesn't deliver or he frustrates - all wingers do - but he's showing every sign of being one of the most exciting home grown products in many a year. He's the sort of matchwinning player worth paying to watch and, with attendances still not great, we'd could do with a few of those.

It'd be nice to snap up a striker between now and the close of play on Wednesday but by far the most important piece of business, you feel, would be holding onto Burke. If that's all that happens, I'll be happy. Let's hope the manager, director of football and chairman are doing all they can to persuade Burke that he can have a bright future if he stays put.