Ling was let go by O’s in the summer of 2016, but worked hard and is now back at the club. Pollock and Moncur need to try and follow his lead
Justin Edinburgh has challenged Aron Pollock and the other players recently released by Leyton Orient to prove him wrong.
Pollock bid farewell to Brisbane Road last Wednesday, departing by mutual consent after struggling with injuries since signing his first professional contract in the summer of 2016.
Meanwhile, Freddy Moncur exited the O’s on February 9 and more youngsters are set to leave the E10 club in the coming months.
Edinburgh revealed letting players who are either academy graduates or in the youth set-up is one of the toughest parts of the role.
He said: “It’s not nice and it isn’t a pleasant job to release players because you are letting young men down and you are breaking bad news to them, but as I have said to them, it’s only my opinion.
“Now it’s down to them to make things right, but there is a procedure and we needed to get players into a position where they could get something early rather than late so we are trying to do work early, so these young boys can set themselves up for next season.”
Moncur and Pollock have both done that already by signing for Wingate & Finchley and Leatherhead respectively.
Both clubs are in the Bostik Premier – two divisions below the National League where Orient compete – and the two academy graduates will now aim to take the first steps of recovery on their comeback to the professional game.
Jamie Sendles-White is another to have left recently and he signed for St Albans City, of the National League South, earlier today.
Edinburgh added: “I absolutely want Aron to prove me wrong and I want every player I release to do the same because it’s nothing personal.
“It is simply my opinion and I’ve said to all of the boys we’ve let go ‘prove me wrong’ because nothing would please me more.”
Although the O’s head coach has only been in place since November 29, he has clearly bought into the family environment Orient are trying to create.
Allowing younger players to leave now, in order to get themselves a club before the pre-season rush, only reiterates that point.
One player who Pollock and Moncur in particular can draw inspiration from is February signing Sam Ling.
The 21-year-old was released by the Brisbane Road club in the summer of 2016 after failing to earn a professional deal following a season as a third-year scholar.
Ling subsequently dropped down a division to sign for Dagenham & Redbridge, but 18 months later he is back at O’s.
He said: “It’s been hard for me to see some of the youngsters go, but I’ve told them I’ve been in the same position once upon a time.
“I got let go and it’s how you react to it. Some of them will be gutted now, but it can work out for the better.
“They just need to keep their heads screwed on, go get some games somewhere else and I’m sure all the boys who have been here will have good careers in the game.”
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