To sell Wickham is plain silly. The lad made a huge step up at the end of last season and he's still improving. By the end of this season I expect him to be on the shopping list of the top Premier teams..he can become that good. Sunderland have never been able to keep hold of talent, and people on here are all too keen to maintain that tradition. If Sunderland are to get to "the next level", the big jump will be made organically, ie through youth development, not solely by buying new players. Ultimately, because the club cannot afford to buy the top players, we have to keep the Wickhams and Hendersons that come through the club. I'm hoping the club are waiting to see what WHU put on the table for the lad, and then match it. All things being equal, why the Hell would anyone want to join them in preference to SAFC ?
He's spent the majority of those 3 years training, living and developing with SAFC. Irrespective of whether he made the first team or not we still developed him. Compare him the Sturridge.... Whickham 3 seasons at Sunderland 19,14,14 (first team games played) and 9 goals Sturridge 3 seasons at City 2,4,26 (first team games played) and 5 goals. OK, Sturridge's team mates are a slightly different level to Sunderland but you can't deny that he can't have been developed.
Seems half this board does also. I admit there is potential there, but so far that is about it. But a 21 year old who ain't happy on 16k a week..a week man, and ain't content, something stinks...But it isn't all his fault, brainwashed they are.. Not happy on 16k, plus an improved contract, probably way into the 20k's...ffs
Let's be honest mate, we're all guessing. I just hope this is a sign that SAFC are waking up and 'playing the game' with the likes of Levy etc. We have an asset, under contract, with a value just like Liverpool had with Suarez, or United with Rooney. Whether the player fancies a move, or another club wants him, we're in control and everyone needs to be told straight.
Well there's the sticking point right there. Either the club has made an offer, and he has refused it, cos he deems himself, worth more. Or the club hasn't made him an offer yet, in which case is a major **** up, and someone should lose their job....However i don't believe it is rhe latter part, as we are led to believe there is on going negotiations...
Said on SSN he wants away from us and has already turned down a contract? I thought his dad came out and said nothing had been offered? I also didn't know he wanted out, more he wanted an improved contract. If that's true I'd say farewell because a player that doesn't want to stay at a club where the team will most likely be centred with him in mind for the next few years for the sake of a couple of thousand pounds a week needs to get his head out of the clouds.
I'm not saying we should accept it! Judging by what I've just read about their offer being £4 million it seems that I was being optimistic! I would rather keep him for a season (a season where he may try his bollocks off cos he'd be putting himself in the shop window) for that price and risk losing him for peanuts at the end of it! Unless of course we've got somebody extremely decent lined up as a replacement and selling him will give us a little bit more cash and release his wages!
One second.... Peter Gabriel knows the score..... Gus talks to Maggie, Maggie then calls Short Short plays with the Figures, Gus is happy again Short then talks with Maggie, Maggie talks to Lee Lee then call the other team, And they agree with it -Whistling tunes we hid in the dunes by the seaside -Whistling tunes we're kissing baboons in the jungle It's a knockout If looks could kill, they probably will In games without frontiers-war without tears Games without frontiers-war without tears
7 mins · Sky Sports News reporting that Wickham has turned down a new contract and is keen to move away from the Stadium of Light
Keep him until January or the summer. We find a replacement and get a season out of him. He loses around £25 grand a week for a year which would 'cost him' around half a million ........ that would teach him a lesson. We get the compo money and start the following season with a new man in place. If we get a replacement we can flog him in January.
13 mins · @YoungSunEcho Sunderland not pro-actively looking to sell Wickham, but Poyet's comments last week were very telling. Don't want a repeat of Colback
