You are hereSport>Sunderland AFC>SAFC news Sponsored bySunderland up interest in Hoilett after Blackburn relegation Junior Hoilett By Graeme Anderson Published on Tuesday 8 May 2012 09:39 SUNDERLAND are among the clubs hoping to sign Junior Hoilett in the wake of Blackburn Rovers’ relegation last night. The 21-year-old will play his last game for the club he joined as a 13-year-old, when doomed Rovers face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. But the out-of-contract winger will be on the move this summer with Rovers having lost all hope of re-signing him after being relegated to the Championship following their 1-0 defeat to Wigan at Ewood Park. Sunderland will make every effort to bring him to the Stadium of Light this summer as boss Martin O’Neill looks to make the changes needed to take the club to the next stage of its development. But they will face stiff competition for his signature with Tottenham and Arsenal rumoured to be among a host of clubs interested in the Canadian-born star, who plays as a striker or winger. Most might see Sunderland as being a long way behind the North London giants in terms of attracting the pacey and exciting Hoilett. But the Black Cats managed to sign Connor Wickham last summer despite strong competition from Liverpool, and O’Neill can virtually guarantee the developing youngster a starting place in his side, something that neither Spurs nor Arsenal are likely to do. Hoilett has scored seven goals for Rovers this season and has regularly played in an advanced role but O’Neill is likely to see him as a right winger, whose speed and directness would offer an alternative to the bustling presence of James McClean on the opposite flank. The Rovers man, though, also enjoys playing on the left wing where he can use his right foot to cut inside and would also offer McClean the competition O’Neill is looking for to help drive the Irishman’s game forward. Hoilett will have many options this summer and is highly unlikely to make a swift decision over his future, waiting instead for all the offers to roll in before deciding which way to go. But it will be heartening for Sunderland fans that the club is throwing its hat into the ring for a player of Hoilett’s calibre. The Black Cats are still in the process of firming up their transfer targets but are monitoring closely the battle at the bottom of the Premier League and the players, like Junior Hoilett, who are set to come on to the market this summer. Rovers have been watched many times by Sunderland this season and Yakubu is also a player who could figure on the radar. The 29-year-old offers the physical presence up front that O’Neill craves and is also a regular goalscorer having netted 16 league goals for Rovers this season. The Black Cats, though, are also keeping tabs on Wolves’ main forward Steven Fletcher, who scored twice against Sunderland in December with Martin O’Neill watching from the stands, and has scored 11 league goals for the Premier League whipping boys. Hoilett would be fantastic in our side and our attack would start to take shape, If we could bring in a top striker with McClean, Sess and Hoilett all playing off whoever that maybe then we would certainly have creativity in our side
Would love a team that looked something like this Mig Bardo/O'Shea/Brown/???? Colback/Cattermole Hoillet/Sess/McClean Fletcher
That is a very exciting side, 2 holders giving freedom to the advanced 3 in midfield, and Sess OR Hoillett able to form a 4-4-2 if required.
I am liking that side mate and maybe we don't need that many players in the summer after all, I would still love to see a central midfielder with something about them in there. All of our midfielders are all one paced and lack vision and the ability to put there foot on the ball and create something. A player like Sigurdsson who could be available would be fantastic alongside Colback in a central midfield 2 with McClean, Sess and Hoilett all infront of them. Would also love 2 attacking full backs in that side who can get down the wings on the overlap and create things as well as being solid (like Clichy and Zabaleta do for City). so for me it would be ---------------- Mignolet ---------------- ???? ----- O'Shea ------ Brown ----- ???? ---- Sigurdsson ---------- Colback ------- Hoilett ------- Sessegnon ------- McClean --------------- Fletcher -----------------
The trouble is that we dont have enough possession for our fullbacks to get forward more, obviously you see it with City etc as they have midfielders who can keep the ball and the fullbacks know that if they advance they wont get caught short. Would you bomb forward if Cattermole was on the ball? Bardo is fine for me its the left back that isnt, pointless wasting money on a right back when its probably the least important area for improvement and can be done in future windows.
no matter who we sign, we must build the team round colback imo, great player who has to be 1st choice central midfielder, I for one am very excited about his future. Pity his lass went into labour on the day we were well beaten by Everton otherwise we could have went all the way in the cup
Think he should look at what happened for Young after being signed by O'Niell, spent a few years at Villa getting regular prem footy and then moved to a top 4 club, think Hoilett should be looking to move his career along like that rather than going to a team thats to big for him right away. Would love him here, we need that kind of pace in the team.
I wonder if Seb might get placed in a more central role alongside Catts? He hasnt got the pace for the type of play O'Neil likes but he has great delivery, works hard and put a tackle in so maybe utilizing him in the middle would be best?
Hoilett as a signing reminds me of O'Neill getting Young at Villa. Didn't work out too badly in that case.
