Nottingham Forest must hope they do not come to regret the decision to let Gary Brazil leave.
That is the verdict of BT Sport broadcaster and Reds fan Darren Fletcher. Brazil is set to leave Forest this summer after 11 years at the club, largely running the academy.
In that time the Reds have sold the likes of Matty Cash, Ben Brereton Diaz and Arvin Appiah for millions to help steer clear of FFP issues. Meanwhile, Joe Worrall, Ryan Yates and Brennan Johnson are important parts of the current Premier League squad having come through the ranks.
Speaking at the recent Garibladi Red podcast live show, Fletcher said he was bitterly disappointed to see Brazil move on.
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"I was devastated when I saw the news," he said. "Clubs find a way to survive. One of the ways our club found to survive was Gary Brazil. The players that came through the academy that we were able to sell over an extended period I think helped keep the club afloat.
"I don't think that should ever be forgotten. They got to the Premier League and stayed there with a team featuring academy players.
"The core of the group and leaders in the dressing room are Joe Worrall, Ryan Yates and Brennan Johnson. What Gary identified early on was traits he wanted in human beings.
"Not necessarily the best footballers, but he wanted traits in people that he felt you need to take on the pitch. The work he's done has been astonishing.
"We went through a time, even with the owner now, with Financial Fair Play when Mr Marinakis had to be careful with the way he did it under scrutiny. Having a young player they could sell most seasons helped with FFP and let them put money back into the pot to regenerate the team.
"I was really disappointed to see him go. My own son has been in the academy since he was nine and he's going into the under-15s now. Gary has been a constant presence down there.
"He's absolutely tremendous. I hope he goes on to something he wants to do. I'll miss him and the club will miss him. Sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's gone.
"Whoever comes into replace him has a big pair of boots to fill."
Fletcher feels the club must now find a period of stability behind the scenes with a new academy boss to come in to work alongside new chief football officer Ross Wilson.
The former Rangers man will head up Forest's third recruitment team since promotion was secured in May 2022.
"It's not sustainable (working like that)," Fletcher said. "What they have now is a stable ownership. From what I gather, Olympiacos was number one and Forest number two. Now they're in the Premier League I think that's reversed for obvious reasons with the financial benefits of being in this league.
"The rest of the club needs to settle down. I don't know a lot about Ross Wilson and I don't know who the academy director will be. We can all pick through what a football club should look like but the greatest manager we ever had said provided we won at 3pm nothing else matters. If that happens the rest fades from view.
"Where I do think they need to be joined up is with recruitment. Last summer I think there was a variety of people having an input. The best clubs have a type of player they want to recruit. If that is joined up and settles down it will give them a chance to be successful.
"Last season wasn't bad remember. They stayed in the Premier League, but if they're looking for three or four players, lets see it being joined up."
