Connor Wickham

[khay 10]

As people have been saying unproven but a good prospect and I would have been happy if NUFC had taken a gamble on him. Also smart move for the lad as he will get first team football to develop.

Edited June 29, 2011 by khay

[Craig 6700]

Great signing for Sunderland, absolutely pathetic that we didn't go in for him, he'd obviously have chosen us over them, and we didn't even have a go. £8m isn't even a gamble it's less than 1/4 of the Carroll fee, and we are total mugs. He's not a flash in the pan, and as a poster said earlier he was the best player on the pitch for Ipswich when he played here, he'd just turned 17. I wouldn't care he fits in with the model of player they're supposedly wanting to sign as well.

 

I don't think Sunderland have ever signed a player of bigger stature than this in terms of beating clubs to a quality player like ever. Cracking deal for the mackems, hats off to Brewce.

 

That's a good point actually.

 

Seems to be a lot of sour grapes from within our masses. I bet the same people who are coming out with 'he's shit' would have been rubbing their hands had he come here instead.

 

Moot point however IMO, he doesn't fit into Ashley's structure.

 

He should do.

 

Anyway, if we're not in for him, then hopefully it's because Pardew or the super-human Graham Carr hasn't seen what they want and not because fatty thinks he's too expensive.

 

Young, English, attracting interest from clubs above us. His potential wages would be well off Ashley's scale.

[Deano 0]

Potential wages of the scale?

 

Cant see him being on more than 25k a week like.

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

Great signing for Sunderland, absolutely pathetic that we didn't go in for him, he'd obviously have chosen us over them, and we didn't even have a go. £8m isn't even a gamble it's less than 1/4 of the Carroll fee, and we are total mugs. He's not a flash in the pan, and as a poster said earlier he was the best player on the pitch for Ipswich when he played here, he'd just turned 17. I wouldn't care he fits in with the model of player they're supposedly wanting to sign as well.

 

I don't think Sunderland have ever signed a player of bigger stature than this in terms of beating clubs to a quality player like ever. Cracking deal for the mackems, hats off to Brewce.

 

That's a good point actually.

 

Seems to be a lot of sour grapes from within our masses. I bet the same people who are coming out with 'he's shit' would have been rubbing their hands had he come here instead.

 

Moot point however IMO, he doesn't fit into Ashley's structure.

northern soul doing his level best to epitomize that

 

Sour grapes?

 

 

Spunking transfer kitty on unproven players is hardly a progression for the club is it?

[snakehips 0]

If he's that good and has gone for an initial £8m - there is something wrong. For the two criteria mentioned to be true there is no way in this world he wouldn't have gone elsewhere - fact. Imo of course

 

Hope, quite naturally, he's a complete flop.

 

 

btw, for the record, I think I've seen him once on tv so I can't say he's good or bad.

 

EDIT: Also, goalscorers are worth their weight in gold so if he is that good, he should have gone for £10+, given the price Man U paid for a young CB the other week.

Edited June 29, 2011 by snakehips

[Craig 6700]

Potential wages of the scale?

 

Cant see him being on more than 25k a week like.

 

I'd say it's likely to be higher than that when you consider his transfer fee and the fact bigger clubs were sniffing around for him. With all due respect to SAFC, why would he accept £25K p/w when he could have held out for Liverpool or Spurs?

 

Can you think of another reason why we wouldn't have shown an interest? I'm afraid I can't.

[Park Life 71]

Think he's the kind of striker you buy as a backup when you already have two decent strikers, giving him time to mature, learn and so on...Every purchase must count this season and must have an impact on the first 11.

[Kid Dynamite 7169]

I still reckon he'll be a flop. Time will tell I suppose

[acrossthepond 878]

Great signing for Sunderland, absolutely pathetic that we didn't go in for him, he'd obviously have chosen us over them, and we didn't even have a go. £8m isn't even a gamble it's less than 1/4 of the Carroll fee, and we are total mugs. He's not a flash in the pan, and as a poster said earlier he was the best player on the pitch for Ipswich when he played here, he'd just turned 17. I wouldn't care he fits in with the model of player they're supposedly wanting to sign as well.

 

I don't think Sunderland have ever signed a player of bigger stature than this in terms of beating clubs to a quality player like ever. Cracking deal for the mackems, hats off to Brewce.

 

That's a good point actually.

 

Seems to be a lot of sour grapes from within our masses. I bet the same people who are coming out with 'he's shit' would have been rubbing their hands had he come here instead.

 

Moot point however IMO, he doesn't fit into Ashley's structure.

northern soul doing his level best to epitomize that

 

Sour grapes?

 

 

Spunking transfer kitty on unproven players is hardly a progression for the club is it?

 

Come off it man, we'd be over the moon if we'd signed him.

 

No telling whether he'll come good or not but this is a sign of planning for the future, buying one of England's most highly rated prospects.

 

I do question why anyone would buy Wickham for 8m or whatever the initial fee is when Sturride is reportedly available for 6m, but either way it's a sign of investment in the future.

[Asprilla 96]

The danger is that people see a player only a handful of times and if they play above their consistent level in those games then they get a false impression, I think Shola Ameobi is a clinical and consistent goal scorer for example

[Guest Your Name Here]

Whether he flops or not Sunderland have identified a need and brought in the best player they could afford to meet that need. Whereas we seem to just identify bargains, bringing in the best players we can afford doesn’t seem to factor into our transfer strategy.

Edited June 29, 2011 by Your Name Here

[Craig 6700]

Up until yesterday morning, 99% of the footballing supporting world would have suggested that Connor Wickham was unrealistic for SAFC to consider purchasing. Now they've taken a massive risk!

 

They've done well tbh, very well!

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

Up until yesterday morning, 99% of the footballing supporting world would have suggested that Connor Wickham was unrealistic for SAFC to consider purchasing. Now they've taken a massive risk!

 

They've done well tbh, very well!

 

I agree, great signing.

 

It's kept the overrated cunt away from our squad.

[Roy Aitken's Debut 0]

I think he is overpriced (but so were Carroll and Henderson) but has a lot of potential and would have been a decent signing. I still wish the Toon had taken a chance on Dean Ashton when he was at Crewe, instead he toddled off to Norwich when we would have been a preferred destination imho.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Whether he flops or not Sunderland have identified a need and brought in the best player they could afford to meet that need. Whereas we seem to just identify bargains, bringing in the best players we can afford doesn't seem to factor into our transfer strategy.

 

I wasn't aware that the window had been closed already. Unless I'm much mistaken there are 2 months left to bring players in, but don't let that get in the way of your presumptions and cynicism.

[Tom 14013]

Great signing.

 

What the fuck were we doing?

 

Oh yes I forget, it involved capital...

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Up until yesterday morning, 99% of the footballing supporting world would have suggested that Connor Wickham was unrealistic for SAFC to consider purchasing. Now they've taken a massive risk!

 

They've done well tbh, very well!

 

Not sure what you're basing this on tbh. I'd have said he'd be a risk to any club bringing him in, aside from the likes of Chelsea and Man City.

 

 

Full of potential, good record and level of performance for his age - but how many Championship players fail to live up to expectations in the Premiership?

 

Yes, fair play to them for taking that risk. Credit where credit is due. Doesn't mean our lot have messed up - if we can bring in a more established striker, then we're potentially better off.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Great signing.

 

What the fuck were we doing?

 

Oh yes I forget, it involved capital...

 

Call me crazy but maybe we've got other targets? As I just said I can't for a second understand why people are moaning so much - we've got 2 months to bring players in. Judge them then (or rather against Arsenal perhaps) not now because Sunderland bought some potentially decent teenager.

[Pacinofan 0]

Excellent signing for them like and Liverpool will once again be writing their letters of disgust to whatever newspaper they haven't fallen out with. If we were signing him I'd have been chuffed. Like Stevie says, it's exactly the type of player you would think we would be going for.

 

 

I would have liked to sign Wickham, he's a good player and is a fan as well, but if he wasn't one of the clubs priorities why would fans be writing disgusted letters?

 

Liverpool genuinely wanted the player but wouldn't match Sunderlands offer, that happens all the time in the transfer window, you just move on to the next one. Good luck to Sunderland.

 

Our priorities appear to be Adam, Downing and Clichy, but if we don't get them I trust the management to get other players who will fit the bill.

 

The only player we've lost, after putting in a higher offer, is Phil Jones. He chose the league champions and champions league, as would 99% of players, couldn't blame him for that.

[Gejon 2]

Potential wages of the scale?

 

Cant see him being on more than 25k a week like.

 

I'd say it's likely to be higher than that when you consider his transfer fee and the fact bigger clubs were sniffing around for him. With all due respect to SAFC, why would he accept £25K p/w when he could have held out for Liverpool or Spurs?

 

Can you think of another reason why we wouldn't have shown an interest? I'm afraid I can't.

 

We signed Marveaux who could have gone to Liverpool..

[Gejon 2]

Canny signing. Journos already talking about resale value. Bit depressing this selling climate around NE clubs.

 

Hate the way they do that as though the NE clubs have no right to buy decent players. They were absolutely convinced he was off to either Spurs or Liverpool and I'm guessing can't for the life of them understand why he'd go to Sunderland. In many respects it's comparable to when we signed Owen and the journos couldn't get their heads round why he'd choose us over Liverpool.

 

Massive statement of intent from the Mackems and one you have to commend. Understandable why they're chuffed to bits - lets face it we would have been.

 

I just don't like the touted inevitability around the reselling of these signings. On our side, you've got players like Cabaye and Ben Arfa talked about as massive profit makers. Now, the mackems make a good ambitious signing in Whickham and the same is said of them. That sort of mindset is never going to get the NE back as a top footballing region.

 

Of course, I don't mind when Sunderland flog their best players

 

To be fair i'm not sure whether it is even a media bias or anything like that. NUFC and SAFC wont be threatining the top 4/5 for a long time and if players from either of our clubs realise a potential that would see them capable of playing for one of the top 4/5 teams then its likely that they're going to be sold. I think the same can be said for all other teams outside the so called elite, including mainstays such as Everton. I'd possibly even put Spurs in that category as well, look at the Modric situation, Chelsea make a bid, Spurs turn it down, player allegedly wants to leave. Its just where we are in todays food chain I'm afraid.

 

Oh, believe me, it's Mr Mike Ashley and his house of Bargains that has turned NUFC this way. If Quinn is an ambitious owner (and tbf, I reckon he is) you'll be beating off all suitors with a shitty stick if Whickham becomes a success. Players like him coming good will take you to the next level. Unfortunately for NUFC, we've either sold those players (Carroll) or will sell those players soon enough (Tiote, Ben Arfa, Enrique). This is going down a dark corridor with talk of ambition and money on this board so I'll leave it there. Whickham's a good signing after Larsson and Westwood being rather underwhelming IMO.

 

Is this the same Sunderland that sold their top scorer then their youth 'super star' 6 months later?

 

They like us and a lot of other clubs will sell players if they get bids they think are too good to turn down. I don't understand your post at all because it seems to ignore those mentioned solely on the basis that they have signed a kid from the championship for £8m

[Monroe Transfer 0]

I'm no fan of Ashley et al but I don't see the point in basing criticism at them around presumptions (however grounded in reality these presumptions may be).

[Guest Your Name Here]

Whether he flops or not Sunderland have identified a need and brought in the best player they could afford to meet that need. Whereas we seem to just identify bargains, bringing in the best players we can afford doesn't seem to factor into our transfer strategy.

 

I wasn't aware that the window had been closed already. Unless I'm much mistaken there are 2 months left to bring players in, but don't let that get in the way of your presumptions and cynicism.

The future is unknown but I’d argue my cynicism isn’t without justification.

 

Consider Neil Taylor.... were we after him because he’s the best left back we can afford to bring in or because we thought he had a £1m get out clause?

 

There’s two months to sell players as well. Right now our transfer activity has been bargain based. The time to call realism cynicism is when the facts back up your presumption, which they don’t.

 

Get back to me when we bring in player who isn’t a ‘bargain’, when we’ve used a decent chunk of the Carroll money to sign a quality player for serious money.

Edited June 29, 2011 by Your Name Here

[Tooj 17]

I was listening to The Legends - and apparently it's £8 million including add-ons. That's superb if true.

[Guest Your Name Here]

I was listening to The Legends - and apparently it's £8 million including add-ons. That's superb if true.

When you think about how much players are going for this year £8m is about the money for a highly promising but unproven English youngster.