Fletcher certainly does look decent, its the fee which provokes criticism. What the real fee is probably wont be what's being reported though. I certainly think Fletcher will be as good as the Dane you had up front last year but he's unlikely to be the sole solution to your need for goals. I think if he's less than £8-9m then it's a decent buy but if you're paying more than £10m (and it affects your ability to then buy other players) then I'm unconvinced. But O'Neill tends to know what he's doing so just wait until the season and I'm sure he'll prove a few doubters wrong.
As for comparisons with Ba, they're different players playing in different systems. As the main striker Ba was excellent and scored some crackers (like tearing Man Utd all over the place) but in a 4-3-3 stuck out on the left he was a decent support player but seemed to lose his confidence in front of goal, in truth his actual ability is something in between the superstar of the first half of the season and the workhorse of the second half of the season. Fletcher is perhaps easier to judge, his highs were not as high but he seemed to chip in consistently throughout the season. If he gets more chances for you lot and retains his consistency then he should be a 15 goal a season striker, always 'ifs' and 'buts' with new signings.
Easy one. He was not a realistic option for them. That's not being disrespectful to Sunderland, just realism in terms of him moving from a Europa League qualified team who finished 5th, to a mid table side. The only time players do that is when they are not getting a game, or as is more the case these days, a lot more money. I think Sunderland would have had to offer him around 70k plus to tempt him there (he ain't gonna go for an extra 20k or so). That would hardly be O'Neill using his transfer funds wisely.
I'm sure he would love him. 15 goal a year strikers are like rocking horse **** and you are in desperate need. I very much doubt he even crossed his mind though, because why waste time and effort trying to make a signing that is never going to happen? It would just be poor management. Short has already indicated he wants sensible spending. Paying way over the odds for Demba Ba wages (which is what Sunderland would have to do to get Ba even thinking) hardly fits with that. Sunderland signing Newcastle players would be difficult enough for obvious reasons, so the chances of getting our better players after the way last season went is nigh on impossible without Citeh type money. O'Neill will have more realistic targets in mind like the capable Fletcher.
Be interesting if ba can repeat what he managed last season was it a one off? Not forgetting he was pretty woeful for the Hammer's. Perhaps the clause was for the Hammers to sign him back? Afterall they have re-signed a couple already. I think some mag's on here are putting two and two together making 5. (a) Because our need for a striker and (b) ba's contract clause. Sort of made up story you'd find in the press....
I think the very fact he is at Newcastle means MON would not want him, how many Rangers players did he sign when he was in charge of Celtic, nuff said. Ba had an exceptional season and did very well, does he have it in him to have another one, I'm not convinced and I'm not just saying that because of who he plays for.
I personally think Ba's a very good player but Cisse's better. I think another good season for the mags..
Yes because he'd leave Newcastle a team who fought for the champions league and are now in the Europa league, to join a mid table at best team?
Managers aren't that pig headed, they can't afford to be. All they want is the best team possible. The reason he wouldn't go for any Rangers players is he knew they wouldn't come. Same goes for us. It would be different if Sunderland were in the Europa and we were in the lower half last year. End of the day Ba has no real allegience to us and in that scenario he may well have fancied it. But the situ is different and Sunderland would have to offer insane money to get him there, which would just be daft on O'Neills part. He is a very good player but its obvious he'll struggle to get the same numbers now Cisse is here. I'm not sure where the poster who thinks he was awful at West Ham gets his info, he was excellent at West Ham and comfortably one of the best players after signing. Had an exceptional goal record in a very short period.
