Not sure this tells us much more, but interesting ... not sure what you read into that first line below.
“We’re releasing him quite early, he could still play under-21 football next season.
“He’s a great lad. He drives you nuts because he always wants to play football.
“He came to this country at 16, couldn’t speak a word of English and now he talks like a Mackem!
“For me, it’s quite a hard moment to see him getting released without getting that opportunity, but that’s the way it is.
“Now he’s going off to New Zealand and you hope in two years time, someone is bidding to bring him back to England.
“If that’s the case, do I think we missed out? No, I just think that was his destiny.”