Often doubted, sometimes derided, always determined. Stuart Rayner on Danny Graham’s emergence as a £5m striker. THINGS have rarely come easy for Danny Graham in his career. With the latest chapter threatening to be the most difficult, it is probably no bad thing. Most Premier League footballers grow up in cosseted, comfortable environments. In a laudable but occasionally misguided drive for excellence, academies have become factories churning out players who hone their skills wearing the best kit on pristine, bowling-green pitches (indoor when needs be). Some will be millionaires before they are out of their teens, all will be waited on hand and foot to ensure none of their precious energy is wasted on menial, time-consuming tasks like changing a light bulb. They are engulfed by all manner of hangers-on keen to tell them at every available opportunity how great they are. Little wonder it produces its fair share of dysfunctional individuals, little boys lost when dipping their toe in the real world. Graham’s background has been slightly different, and all the better for it. He spent time at Middlesbrough’s academy, but not before playing non-league football at Chester-le-Street. Maybe it was the perfect blend of top-level coaching with a bit of real-life perspective. If Graham thought he had made it when he swapped Northern League for Premier League, it did not turn out that way. He only started one league game for Boro, spending most of his time on loan lower down the chain. It seemed to build a slightly defensive mentality, sensing doubters at every corner and using them as motivation. Last season, Graham finally proved himself as a Premier League goalscorer – with 12 top-flight goals – but he arrives at the Stadium of Light with new doubts to dispel. This time they are over his commitment to a cause he belittled in the past. Disparaging historical remarks to a fanzine have come back to bite him. Some Sunderland fans – the ones who believe Michael Chopra squared rather than shoot in a 2009 Tyne-Wear derby because he grew up a Newcastle fan – think Graham will not try his hardest for a club he once jokingly derided. The pressure will therefore be on when he makes his expected debut at Reading today. Sunderland’s media strategy – limiting him to an official club interview which never broached the big subject and two sentences on Sky Sports News which did – means Graham has had little opportunity to reassure the doubters, so it was left to his manager yesterday. Martin O’Neill said: “I haven’t talked to him often enough about his football journey, but other people have told me about him and you get the feeling he has had to fight all the way. “He was told he was not good enough to play in the leagues. “He dropped down, went to Carlisle (on loan, in League One), started to do okay and found his feet at Watford (in the Championship), and moved on and had a great season at Swansea, which stood him in good stead. “He is not easily put off by someone telling him he can’t do something. I have no doubts he will score goals and prove a great buy.” The lure of home may have decided his destination, but it was a lack of opportunities which persuaded Graham to cut ties with South Wales. Since Michael Laudrup replaced Brendan Rodgers in the summer, the Gateshead-born player has found himself with the unenviable tag of being an “impact player.” It is one which has fallen on the shoulders of another English striker playing today, namely Reading’s Adam Le Fondre (pictured right). The 26-year-old has also worked his way up through the lower leagues and although he is making a name for himself this season – never more so than with two late goals at home to Chelsea on Wednesday – in some respects he is his own worst enemy. Le Fondre has scored six from the bench this season – as many as anyone in Premier League history. It raises the dilemma of whether he is best utilised as a substitute. O’Neill not only understands the frustration of Graham and Le Fondre, he feels it is to be encouraged. He added: “If you looked at (Edin) Džeko for instance at Manchester City, he’s always said every time he’s come off the bench and scored ‘I want to start the game’ and I would think that is the general view of players. I don’t think anyone really wants to think their role is starting on the bench. “Danny played less (for Swansea) this season than he played last season. He had a run of games and a bit of confidence goingand was scoring goals. “Michu has come in, scored goals early on and he is a very, very fine player indeed. “Danny still felt he could play with him but his manager was maybe not so sure, but I don’t think he’s lost confidence.” Stuart Rayner - Journal Really good article and one which will only add to Grahams reputation and determination to succeed. At 27, he wont have a better chance to make a really good name for himself and leave the game with everyone talking about him being a good EPL footballer and not a championship one that couldn't hack it?. Will he really want the next 3.5 years to just fade away? Now, is he really going to come here just to bugger that up because he is a mag fan? I don't think so now after reflection. I have warmed to the lad since hearing him speak and explain his reasons for coming here despite the animosity shown and have changed my early suspicions from him being a Chopra or Clark and more towards him being a Stokoe. The events of the Clark t-shirt wearing has clouded my views about having mags at this club again and I have been extremely blinkered on that stance. Maybe even stupid and stubborn to an unhealthy point and hopefully this lad can change that. I am going to give the lad every opportunity to succeed at SAFC as we need him to score goals and play well now he is here and he seems to have a steely drive and character to fight all his career and that spirit has seen him sign with us (and there were 2 or 3 others he could have chosen) despite the immense pressure he knew would ensue. He will have to guard against malicious attempts to get him to be drawn into compromising situations because of his past connections but I'm sure his family and good friends will guide those elements away. I love an underdog and a fighter and this lad has changed my feelings about mags in Sunderland shirts with his words and his signing. Now I want to see him cement that change of feeling with his performances on the pitch and I will be cheering the lad on from this afternoon onwards. Don't let me down Danny Graham...... on and off the pitch.
a very good responce cest and i think you have a very similar veiw of danny boy as myself and i wish him all the luck in the world.
Different sorts of players to The Mighty Quinn and SKP but if he can strike up the same successful relationship with Fletch, well, HAPPY DAYS!!!!
Even journos think that we all hate him and don't want him because he is a barcode again totally wrong. He hasn't scored that many this season because of Michu so why do people think he'll do any different here while we have Fletcher? Thing is if he does well and, contrary to most people's belief I want him to what will be people's perception of the Fletcher deal as we paid 3 times ish more for him than Graham? As I said before he is no better than what we have so he will be used as cover for Fletcher if he gets crocked. MON won't play 2 up top which is where Graham did his best work last season as long as Fletcher is fit.
I hate him and the fcking journal / mag paper read by sunderlands fans ffsake do u never get sick of having the piss took out of you
Tajc. What makes you sure he won't play both? If he didn't trust Ji, Campbell, Saha, McFadden or Wickham to be able to work hard enough in a front 2 then can you blame him for not doing so? I wasn't exactly convinced about those players myself? I thought Mon comments when the deal was done was very telling. If talked about various options at his disposal now and about how hard Graham worked for the team. Against better teams we will still set up with 1 striker but I think he may well go 2 against reading today. We shall soon see.
I don't think we've bought a £5m bench-warmer. And reading that journal link above, he wouldn't have come if that we're the case. I'm sure MoN will play 2up.
He's a mag who openly derided us, now he thinks we're great cos we're wedging him lots of cash, he wont get a game & he's **** anyway. Yep, the Journal is a **** mag paper & Rayner is a cock, so I'm with you. Some folk would sell their grannies for a few quid. Once bitten twice shy & all that. He will never have my support.
Can't see him doing it today as we are away so no problem with that one. As both players are very similar in the way they play I can't see MON playing them together unless we are losing with about 10 minutes to go. All MONs teams have played with a lone striker and utilised midfield runners and the wide men for support could be wrong with this though it has been known
It all comes down to is he good enough? Fletcher has done a great job showing us he was worth every penny. Its now Grahams turn, he cost a lot less than Fletcher so I will be happy if he can get 10-15 goals a season and help with our link up play. Realistically Fletcher should be aiming for 20 goals and Graham 15. If they get 30 between them they will be doing well. With the likes of Sess, Johnson and Larsson supplying them it should be possible. Lets wait and see. I am going to watch todays game with interest. I might even have a punt on Graham scoring.
The comment was clearly a tongue in cheek throwaway comment............., I work in Newcastle and get that type of banter all the time - ...................no wonder we get the sad mackem bastard tag for being so precious over this. If anything, graham looks a hypocrite............if he really meant it would he sign for us? Time to deal with it and move on.
