That's just it, we don't know. Could be another Tyler Smith, could work out, could be signed as a body for the squad. Got to.see him play first.
I think you always have to take people's views on loan strikers with a pinch of salt. 9 times out of 10 people seem to say that a striker their team loaned was ****. I also think goal records are far from the be all and end all, especially with young strikers as we saw with Delap and as other clubs have found with strikers who we've judged to be duds (Akpom and Forss for example). On top of that, in this case it's Sunderland, a fanbase who never seem to rate anyone, and from whom we've acquired several players in recent years that have been successful at a higher level for us than Sunderland were playing at at the time. We obviously don't want this guy to be our only striker, but as a cheap permanent deal it seems a good idea. The kind of signing we need to do more of if we're to stop needing a full rebuild every summer.
I think Ohio would have been a star this season, he should have been the priority signing instead of dreaming about getting Delap!
So you rate Allsop and yet we sold him already? Two of those you listed were bought last year. The only purchases last year that look to have worked were omur and Philogene with the jury out on Pandur. Wouldn't say that's a huge success for the brains team.
He's also 6ft 2 and pacey, so much like Delap his size doesn't seem to slow him down. Big step up, but I think he can make an impact.
Simons and Giles are both here. I thought Allsop was alright, I wouldn't call him a dud. Most of the signings from last season we had no chance of bringing in permanently, one might still come back on loan (Morton) and we were never going to hang onto Philogene after the season he had, so to judge it off one season whereby the big hitters were loan signings seems harsh. Connolly, despite spending half the season injured, still managed eight goals and perhaps could have got more had he stayed fit.
I always thought Forss was the right striker, wrong time. Thought he had more than we got out of him.
Giles was this season, but fair enough with Simons. I thought Allsop was fine too, more suggesting the fact we sold him again so quickly doesn't exactly suggest a successful purchase.
Agreed, he came here when we were **** so clearly didn't get on board the project. Think things would be different now.
I don't think he could stay after what Acun said, apology or not. We had Giles on loan last season and paid the fee though, so technically he was here last season
Well I did retire, but my reputation still goes before me, , and I was contacted and thought a consultancy job for 3 years would be interesting to do.
Good luck mate, I have a very old friend who has lived in NZ for many years and now has citizenship. He loves it down there- South Island Wanaka area, spectacular scenery. But he still comes UK/Europe side every winter NZ time. Anyway fill yer boots with the opportunity
Thanks for your good wishes, it looks like I'll be on the south Island at Christchurch, so really looking forward to it. One of my neighbours when I was a younger emigrated there and is still there, so hopefully will meet up for the first time in 50 years.
If you put a comma in, it makes sense; I would have thought that TW with his knowledge of the German leagues would have said to the brains trust 'I want / need this player, and that Mehlam as good as he is, and will become, would not be that player... oops just realised someone else has amended it.
Yeah basically I was trying to understand if he was saying mehlem was better than he thought we'd manage to get, or worse.
I’m not convinced but if he’s quick and hungry to improve then I think he’ll do well. If TSF was quicker he’d have had 2/3 one on ones last night due to the space in behind.
I would maybe put Sinik in that first bracket, when we signed him he’d just had a great season in the Turkey leg, got himself a chance in their national team and was pretty high profile over there.