Summer transfer rumours

[marcusblackcat]

I think the only household names we've been linked with this window is Leigh Griffiths and Djibril(?) Cisse

In this division, we’ve signed Luke o’nien (who)? Along with many others like him. I’d heard of none of them. I expect it to stay like that too. It may be that we have offers for the likes of Clarke-Harris or Eages. That’s about as “household” as they get!

 

[Glencoe]

I'm certainly not after big names just more players who fit into our preferred way of playing. For me we need a minimum of 2 full backs, a centre half, 2 strikers and a goalkeeper.

We seem to be sticking with Burge which I think is a mistake, hopefully Patterson comes through. I'm happy with the middle and am excited about Neil and Embleton's form, both look like they can play in the first team now.

The key positions are up top, hopefully Grigg gets moved on and we find at least 1 recognised goalscorer. Stewart whilst looking good isn't going to be prolific, if he gets injured we are really struggling.

 

[Draig]

Who gives a **** about big names. I just want good players.

Yes, but when you are just setting up your data analytical section then surely you aren't going to start off by looking only at the obscure and unknown.

So it stands that, at this early stage, any player we go after will at least have played well enough to have stood out and thus be reasonably well known.

Even so, we have had a great dearth of signings and we don't seem close to signing anyone - obscure or well known and that is worrying when we are so close to the season's start.

 

[Draig]

What is it with people obsessing about signing household names?

We've done this so often in the past, with little or no success, so I would much rather trust the new recruitment strategy, rather than hanker after 'well known' has beens, journeymen or mercenaries.

I have no doubt that the club will recruit some little known gems. We just need to be patient and let the process take its course.

You mean those hS been journeymen household name failures like Niall Quinn, John O'Shea and Jermain Defoe?

 

[Oldsandy]

So many times in the past I’ve looked at the names in Sunderland’s team and then at the opposition who had no one I’d heard of and judged that we were certain to win. Then we got beat because the opposition worked well for each other (no egos) and just blended as a team. And that is why I’m not bothered if we sign unknowns; I trust LJ to get them working together as a unit. The only positions where “workmanlike” players can’t be effective is in goal and scoring goals. And they are the only areas I’m concerned about. I think Burge, with a decent defence in front of him, will be good enough. That leaves goal scoring, a really specialised position, and although I agree with most on here that we need a couple of regular goal scorers, I also have a sneaking belief that LJ can work out a system to get more out of Grigg and Stuart. Oops! I forgot that I’m supposed to be a practising pessimist!

 

[Saf]

Household names

We are a consolidated third division club, at the moment. That is what it is, so people are in dreamland if they think we are going to be signing 'household names'

 

[Saf]

You mean those hS been journeymen household name failures like Niall Quinn, John O'Shea and Jermain Defoe?

I'm not sure JOS was a raging success like the other two. He was a leader, for sure. I thought he was very average as a player and always prone to costly mistakes.

 

[Draig]

I'm not sure JOS was a raging success like the other two. He was a leader, for sure. I thought he was very average as a player and always prone to costly mistakes.

His legs had gone during his last 2 seasons here and he dreadful for sure, but it wasn't his fault that he was kept in the side - especially during the championship relegation season. He got an undeserved 1yr contract extension only because Short had closed his wallet.

 

[Smug in Boots]

I'm as positive as they come but I'm officially changing my status from relaxed to starting to get concerned. I realise we are possibly playing hard ball on wages and transfer fees but what if others don't budge, im worried we are going to get a few days left in the window still needing to do some business.

A slow start and a early draws or defeats would really get the season off on a negative note. I really thought we would have came out of the traps quicker and would have done plenty of impressive business by now.

Over the last few days there doesn't seem to have been much transfer activity from any club. I've no doubt the likes of Hume will be playing cat & mouse with the club and any club hoping to sign them.

We've seen, endless times in the past, that players we've hoped to sign simply use us as a means to prise a wage increase from their own club. Signing/keeping players is difficult because agents are involved.

Personally I don't want players coming here/staying for the money because, like Grigg, they know they'll be paid the same for failure as success. I only want those who come for ambition and because they really want to be at the club.

I believe that's what the club is aiming for.

 

[rooch 3]

It's all about fitting the players into a team structure rather than buying supposed big named players. You can already see the style we are aiming for and I'm loving it.

To be honest it’s boring me to tears.

 

[Culinary]

Yes, but when you are just setting up your data analytical section then surely you aren't going to start off by looking only at the obscure and unknown.

So it stands that, at this early stage, any player we go after will at least have played well enough to have stood out and thus be reasonably well known.

Even so, we have had a great dearth of signings and we don't seem close to signing anyone - obscure or well known and that is worrying when we are so close to the season's start.

It depends what you know and how much you follow.

People may turn their noses up at at Josh Key or, say, Owen Dale because they’ve not really heard of them or they’re not bog names but people that keenly follow the lower leagues would tell you they’ve ‘stood out and are reasonably well known’ as very decent players that would be excellent signings.

Similarly anyone that follows youth football would probably tell you the same about Callum Doyle.

Us not having heard of them is a reflection in our own ignorance and lack of knowledge and in no way a gauge as to how good a player they are or how good a signing they may be.

All imho of course.

 

[Smug in Boots]

It depends what you know and how much you follow.

People may turn their noses up at at Josh Key or, say, Owen Dale because they’ve not really heard of them or they’re not bog names but people that keenly follow the lower leagues would tell you they’ve ‘stood out and are reasonably well known’ as very decent players that would be excellent signings.

Similarly anyone that follows youth football would probably tell you the same about Callum Doyle.

Us not having heard of them is a reflection in our own ignorance and lack of knowledge and in no way a gauge as to how good a player they are or how good a signing they may be.

All imho of course.

Any recruitment team can sign 'known names' or players from their past such as Moyes or Jack Ross did. But surely it's testimony to the progress in the club that we're targeting the right players for the right positions. The club obviously know the Exeter lad and will have watched him on more than one occasion ...

... I doubt we ever watched the likes of Grigg tbh.

 

[Riever]

We signed and still own a "household name" fairly recently - Will Grigg. How many players have had their own song that swept a nation at a major international championship - Euro 2016 - as I recall even the Germans were singing it.

I'm happy to trust KLD/LJ et al that there's a decent chance that some of the obscure names we are linked with and bringing in will be our own household names in the future. I'd never heard of O9 before he signed - a few more of those obscure signings would be most welcome.

 

[Nordic]

You mean those hS been journeymen household name failures like Niall Quinn, John O'Shea and Jermain Defoe?

Two of those worked out well, which is 2 in 25 years. I'm sure there's a few others but I can't think who have been a real success and not a crock. McGeady the only current one.

 

[Comfy]

Two of those worked out well, which is 2 in 25 years. I'm sure there's a few others but I can't think who have been a real success and not a crock. McGeady the only current one.

I’d say all 3 worked out well mate, all of them done their bit for the team and always gave 100%

 

[Glencoe]

Over the last few days there doesn't seem to have been much transfer activity from any club. I've no doubt the likes of Hume will be playing cat & mouse with the club and any club hoping to sign them.

We've seen, endless times in the past, that players we've hoped to sign simply use us as a means to prise a wage increase from their own club. Signing/keeping players is difficult because agents are involved.

Personally I don't want players coming here/staying for the money because, like Grigg, they know they'll be paid the same for failure as success. I only want those who come for ambition and because they really want to be at the club.

I believe that's what the club is aiming for.

Totally agree with what you are saying Smugs and the clubs strategy, I just wish we were further on than we are, any players we are bringing in from now on are going to take a while to adjust and settle in, hopefully the lads we have now can do the job and get points on the board in the early part of the season, it's a big step up from the pre season types of games though. Gooch and McGeady have struggled with fitness recently witch Gooch's hamstring and McGeady getting an injection in his knee but hopefully they are good to go for a week on Saturday.

I'm just concerned that in the last few seasons we have found ourselves outside the top 2 and have always struggled to break into those positions for the rest of the season and wouldn't want that to happen again.

Fingers crossed our strategy and negotiating tactics pay off.

 

[Oliver's Army]

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[Comfy]

I don’t get this new players will take time to settle, if you’re good enough to play in the managers game plan you won’t take time, look at young Doyle he’s fitted in straight away because he’s a good player. I’m fairly relaxed about the time it’s taking to get players through the door because we can see the recruitment team are going for different types and not the same old ****e we’ve been signing for the last 5 years

 

[John Wick]

Any recruitment team can sign 'known names' or players from their past such as Moyes or Jack Ross did. But surely it's testimony to the progress in the club that we're targeting the right players for the right positions. The club obviously know the Exeter lad and will have watched him on more than one occasion ...

... I doubt we ever watched the likes of Grigg tbh.

Agreed. I've said on several occasions that Grigg was signed by PR men because of a catchy chant. "Just imagine the stadium of light, 30k mackems singing Will Griggs on fire"

 

[Smug in Boots]

I don’t get this new players will take time to settle, if you’re good enough to play in the managers game plan you won’t take time, look at young Doyle he’s fitted in straight away because he’s a good player. I’m fairly relaxed about the time it’s taking to get players through the door because we can see the recruitment team are going for different types and not the same old ****e we’ve been signing for the last 5 years

To be fair Johnson is making the tactics and game plan fairly straightforward ...

... if players can't follow them they shouldn't be in the game or our sights.