From the 2 articles below, it sounds like we are going to be targeting young players and bringing some players from the academy through. So anyone expecting 6 established premier league players to be signed are going to be disappointed imo. I reckon maybe 2 experienced players, with 4 younger players - as well as anyone from the youth team who can make the step up. El-Hadji Ba for example, is a 20 year old french (senagalese) central midfielder who, apparently, was almost signed by spurs last summer. He currently plays for Ligue 2 side Le Havre. According to the French version of Wiki, Arsenal have also watched him a couple of times. At 6ft tall, he's also supposed to have a bit of pace about him as well. ....................... After securing Sunderland's Premier League status, Paolo Di Canio is set to make considerable changes to his playing squad over the summer, but the Black Cats boss has emphasised the importance of the club's academy. Di Canio's first mission of keeping the Wearsiders in the top flight was completed on Tuesday, when Wigan Athletic failed to beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, a result which relegated Roberto Martinez's side. Sunderland will complete their league programme against Tottenham on Sunday and once he has finished all of his end of season debriefs, Di Canio will turn his attention to recruitment. The Black Cats boss has already hinted he will make big changes to his playing squad in a bid to avoid another battle at the bottom. Di Canio has already began implementing his own rules and guidelines and has warned the current squad that anyone unwilling to follow his ideas will be shipped out immediately. And it isn't only the playing staff Di Canio is keen to change. Chief scout Bryan 'Pop' Robson has already left the club with Roberto De Fanti set to be appointed director of football. De Fanti is currently working on a consultancy basis as chairman Ellis Short looks to revamp the club's scouting and recruitment, but the Italian is set to be installed into a more formal position that will see him assume control of the club's signing policy. Several new faces are likely to arrive at the Stadium of Light over the next few months, but Di Canio has also promised to work with the club's youth coaches to ensure a healthy production line links the academy to the first team. "We had already in last few weeks one eye in there (the academy) as we have to make sure that in the future this is a club that can spend the money to bring players, but in a big geographic area like Sunderland we have to bring up some players like Jack Colback that can feed the first team," the said Di Canio. "I don't want to say three players per season or even one every two years as it is not easy talking about Premier League players. "But we have to make sure we are working well and already the coaches, the academy, the scouts, they did a good job. "We know that some players will join us, young players in the summer. We have to make sure we deliver the right job for them to be ready when they step forward to the first-team and you've seen already that some players have joined us and others will probably come to the bench as we are very short. "We don't want to change (the academy) as what we've seen is that it is a good academy with good people, good professionals, we can keep going. "It is obvious that something changes even at the top, talking about scouts. We have to make sure this mix can bring good young players with good potential and transform them into good footballers working probably in a different manner. "Also the athleticism. Even at Swindon I discovered that at 18/19-years-old they still were physically like they were 14/15 so the process of improving the physical side is crucial. But we have to respect their age and the way they grew up as we cannot destroy the kids." Di Canio has already seen proof Sunderland's academy can produce first-team stars and the Italian has been impressed by one player in particular. Colback graduated up from the youth ranks and is now regarded as a valuable member of the first-team squad, and Di Canio hopes more with follow in the 23-year-old's footsteps. He said: "Jack is ready. You can see he is like a pitbull on the field. he has qualities, he can cover different positions on the field. He is a versatile player. "I am not surprised, I am very happy because he was the best in the last two games he played in my opinion, the way he interpreted the situation, the way he went through a situation the way I told him to. "He was fantastic. He has to improve a lot but he is intelligent. Let us think for the future in the positive and there is a good link between the youth and the first team. We have to be more close." http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/10425821._/? It will be a summer of change in the Academy with a new influx of players set to join in the close season along with wider recruitment. One name in the frame is El-Hadji Ba, the French-born Le Havre youngster who is out-of-contract in the summer. Di Canio says that whoever joins, the club must make sure they come into a professional environment. âWe know that some players will join us â some young players in the summer,â he said. âWe have to make sure we deliver the right things for them so that they are ready to step into the first team. You have seen already that some players have joined us (in the first team) and others will probably come to the bench as we are very short. We don't want to change too much in the Academy. What we've seen of it is that it is a good academy with good people, good professionals and we can keep going.â Read more: Journal Live http://www.journallive.co.uk/safc/safc-news/2013/05/17/61634-33342606/?#ixzz2TXFCuGGx
I'm worried, I hope its not to much youth as Villa went down that road and they were lucky not to drop. We need experience in there as well.
I'm glad he said this as it gives the youngsters hope they will get a chance if they work hard enough and crucially, if they have the talent. I found Mon attitude towards our academy fairly negative with the 6 subs etc so it's refreshing to here. Interesting what he said about physical development as well because when you look at a few of our reserve team players, they would have had a much better chance of making it if they had been physically that bit bigger like Noble and Adam Reed for example. I know we are meant to have a good U18 team this year as they reached the semi finals of the barclays league and it's the same team that Mandron came through at the beginning of the year.
Thing is, we bought in experience last few seasons (with one or two exceptions), and where has that got us? no better off than Villa. Players we have bought in with premier league experience Graham Fletcher Larsson Gardner Vaughan AJ Cuellar Brown O'Shea etc Not saying those players are bad (some of them have been excellent) but it hasnt stopped us from fighting relagation fights almost every season. Now, before anyone says "most of them were bought from relagated teams" - I know. But that doesnt make them bad players by itself. How many player in QPR and Wigans squad will be bought by premier league sides during the summer? a fair few imo, and a few we wouldnt say no to ourselves.
Don't think it will be too much, just one or two on the bench and getting more regular game time at the end of games and in cup runs. Villa played 5-6 in their first team all season and had 3-4 more on the bench. I have a feeling Ellis is behind this as he's also a big fan of bringing players through from the academy (he attends the youths game quite regularly).
I will be happy with that I don't think its a bad thing at all and i'm excited as I love seeing our own coming through and making it. Just a concern the way he was talking that he might fill the team completely with youth.
This is really puzzling me from Sunderland fans. Some want us to sign 15-16 players and sell half the squad- Not happening Some don't think we're going to sign barely anyone- Surely not happening. We need about 6 new players for the first team and about 3 young players bring in as talented squad memeber and that's without selling a player. Our Squad is tiny most of the first team who most of us said a squad players will be exactly that next season. Rome wasn't built in a day. Bringing 15 players is not an option. nor is bring in two or three.
Not you, It's been said on a few other threads about some thinking we'll have nothing to spend and only bring in a couple.
fair enough, havent seen them comments myself. Since PDC came out and said he wants 6 players, I dont think there is much to debate about.
In boxing terms "the best fighters are the hungry fighters" - and we have been badly short of those players with a will to win. But before we all get carried away about new signings let the injured list be cleared and we can take better stock.
