Not sure if this one's been posted yet but I just spotted it and thought, cheeky fecker lol http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/09...asamoah-gyan-andre-pierre-gignac-swap/48325/? I really liked the dig at the end, Gignac did not want to come to Sunderland. Nowt to do with the fact that we more than likely weren't in for the fella. Anyway, probably more rubbish journalism but thought i'd share it anyway
Are you serious poolie? Now I know that you know your players, but Gignac is 3 times the player Remy is, don't be fooled by last season, Gignac had massive injury problems. My opinion on Gignac is well known, he is a fantastic forward (Remy is also superb mind..).
Bruceys Beak have a look at this seems as though if we had showed we wanted him we would of got him... "Last Tuesday I was asked by the club to come and talk with my agent. We were told l'OM wanted to sign a forward so they would then be listening to offers for me," he told L'Equipe. "We were told about Olympiakos and Fulham. I decided to listen to the London side. We went there and immediately we felt their interest was concrete and serious. We were interested. We spent the evening with coach Martin Jol and his wife. "I could not reply yes to Sunderland and no to Fulham." Andre-Pierra Gignac Quotes of the week "On Wednesday we had a medical. It was a wonderful welcome. So on Wednesday it was all okay. Fulham agreed with l'OM. "At 11:30 pm they called me to say I have to go back to Marseille because my forward replacement would not come! I was in London so called to help l'OM sign a forward, but it could not be resolved. "Three minutes after calling me to come back to Marseille, I was called again as there was an opportunity to go to Sunderland. I could not reply yes to Sunderland and no to Fulham, because l'OM just made the decision of a swap deal with Gyan! "At Fulham they wanted me. I didn't see anyone at Sunderland. I'm not a mercenary. I'm not angry, but I have a bitter taste in my mouth. "I've already talked to Didier Deschamps. He knows what I'm thinking. We spoke like two adults without resentment or hostility, even if what happened is not great. "I have no problem. They couldn't sign a forward, but I am happy to be at Marseille. I know my worth. I will set the record straight. I am not useless as I've read. I have desire to show I am the forward they looked for."
Would rather we try to get Gyan back to the player he looked when we first signed/started playing him
So the Marseille link/bid was true even though they only made a late bid because of a bullshit story that some idiot in the press made up. (that's how I read the above anyway) - looks like Marseille believed the ****e in the press about Gyan and expected to be able to sign him quickly and sent Gignac out to transfer to Fulham (or us) but then we told Marseille to go **** off and he had to go back - Marseille's fault in my book??
Interesting stuff poolie, comes accross as a very tentative enquiry, possibly made while the club was contacting Gyan to make sure there was no weight in his'transfer request'. Gignac, as i've said from the moment Bent left, would be my absolute and utter first choice for us, he's an absolute beast of a player when fit.
I have never seen Gignac play, and i know stats can be deceiving, but his record isnt all that good. 69 goals in 223 games and only 1 season where he was on fire, 43 games 25 goals for Toulouse in 2008, the rest he hasnt got over 12 goals in a season. with that record i would rather keep Gyan.
It's not really that Steve. Bear in mind first up that the French League is the lowest scoring in Europe, Gyan, indeed, never scored many. It's his all round game, he is great in the air, and he is massively strong, 2 footed and can shoot with absolute venom from range. He is actually, in my opinion, more suited to English football, the French is very defensively organised, and a lot of the defenders are huge out and out choppers. I never suggested swapping him for Gyasn, i think they'd be a really top class pairing.
I thought France was a **** league all around, us the fastest/pasionate, Italian the best defensively, Spain the most pretty, French just ****, the national team has gone to **** as well. I used to watch loads of footbal in my younger days, now with kids I hardly watch any, if its not PL anyway, I really dont see why all the clamour for all these French based players, i just dont think they are very good tbh. (but like i said, havnt watched them week in week out so i could be very wrong).
Oh it's ****ing dull alright. You get a few good games, Marseille v Lyon for example, 4-4 last season, and Marseille 5-4 Lille super cup, but there are so many 1-0 and 0-0, the lesser teams are poor, and fill there back lines with massive, athletic African's etc, to nullify the talented players of the bigger sides. If a striker scores 12-15 in France though, he is doing very well indeed.
I think the French league is better than some people think, id don't think there's a huge difference between the top clubs in italy (bar Inter and maybe AC) and the likes or lyon and Marseille. PSG are now the French Man City so they'll be a force in the Champions League in the upcoming years. Lyon, marseille, Bordeaux, lille(last season) Psg (this season) would all finish comfortably in the prem.
Thats how it reads like, they thought they had Gyan in the bag but were f*cked off so tried to do the swap instead but were still f*cked off. I'm happy with Gyan, i'm happy with Bendtner, i'd be ecstatic with Gignac aswel but swapping would have had us in the same boat. Who knows what will come about in Jan if need be.
This is probably true, although Bordeaux were woeful last season, but the teams thereafter are really poor. We never said it was a weak league, as such, more a poor league, as in the style of football. There are plaenty of top class players come through Ligue 1.
This is probably true, although Bordeaux were woeful last season, but the teams thereafter are really poor. We never said it was a weak league, as such, more a poor league, as in the style of football. There are plaenty of top class players come through Ligue 1.
Thats the probem though for me, and I know its catch 22. France bring through good players, but they go abroad (i am talking the last 10-20 years here), this makes them even better players, and did bring success to the national team, late 90`s early 00`s, but it also means their league is pretty crap. England keep all their homegrown players, not many go abroad, this makes our League one of the best in the World, but we also have that many Foreigners in the league, its hard for young players with talent to break through, which in turn makes the England team ****e, as they only know 1 way to play, the PL way. We need to send some of our young players abroad on loan, would be more beneficial than the lower leagues for me. I remember about 20 years ago, BBC had a piece with the Ajax youth team coach (think it was that guy we were talking about getting as manager, names gone though) and they aked him if he would have any English youngters, his reply was basically no they are garbage, I remember Owen was just breaking through at the time, they said, not even Owen, nope he is garbage as well lol (and he probably turned out to be correct in all honesty)
I don’t think any of us is that naive as to think that there was not 'something' to all these Gyan stories? They have been doing the circuit since late June and I DO think that if a serious bid of around 16m or 17m came in, that we would have done a deal and looked to bring 2 strikers in over the summer. That’s said, I think Gyan is a quality player and we must get him back firing ASAP and maybe the introduction of Bendtner will spark him into life again. I still think there may well be a repeat of the rumours in January but up to that time, maybe he will knock in 8 or 9 goals and be a happier soul all round.
I know to progress we have to keep hold of our best players but the writing is on the wall for gyan, I can't see him being here next season. I think the best case scenario for safc is hope gyan has a good season scoring 10-15 goals and we sell him on for a canny profit next summer.
