Colback and local lads...

The lad seems to be getting better every game.
I saw a stat yesterday where he was one of the top 10 prem footballers in terms of distance covered.
Considering he was free and is probably on 'normal' level wages I'd say we have an absolute steal on our hands.
He really has stepped up a gear since leaving the Mackems and on top of that he's a Mag living his dream.

Yesterday it was also good to see so many local lads on the pitch.

Alnwick, Sammy, Saylor, Colback, Dummett

Appreciate injuries forced some of them into the reckoning but the local lads didn't look out of place one bit.

Sir John once had a dream of 11 Geordies representing the Toon and whilst that isn't ever gonna happen.... to put out nearly half a team against the Champions elect and have them acquit themselves well is a good pointer to the future.

All this in a league where you struggle find an Englishman, let alone a local lad.

The glow continues to be warm for me.

 

I'm saying nowt about Colback, but if you have 5 local las in your team, and they are doing well, then that's a good thing imo.

 

As long as they are up to scratch technically, it is always preferable to have local lads in the team in my opinion.

 

That was the first thing I mentioned to the woman, who proceeded to feign interest, it was great to see 7 of the 14 players used were English and better still that a handful of them were local .... which may sound strange from me born and bred in Kent!!

 

Got Darlow and Lascelles to come in next season.
Hopefully Bigi, Armstrong and Aarons establish themselves and Raylor gets back again.
It'd be nice to get Ings or Austin too.

We could have a decent English team

Elliot/Darlow/Alnwick
Saylor
Willo
Lascelles
Dummet
Raylor
Colback
Aarons
Sammy
Armstrong
Ings/Austin

Certainly won't win the league but probably wouldn't embarrass themselves either.
Maybe I'm deluded but remember 7 of them beat the 'unbeatable' yesterday. I'll concede Colo, Janmaat, Sissoko et al are class and contributed heavily to that victory. I have no problem with foreign players in a team but would like to retain an English majority.

I said way back, when I asked what people want from the club, that I want to see decent football, players caring and a shift toward homegrown players and spending within our means and we're delivering that so I'm happy with the club.
We may lose the next few and the doom and gloom will start from some posters but the club is what I want it to be right now. I'd POSSIBLY abandon some of my wants IF it meant a genuine assualt on the league but we're not going to do that anytime soon so to see the club operating as it currently is has me over the moon!

 

I have a dream...

... that one day, FIFA (or UEFA, or the FA, or whoever) will decide to impose a limit on the amount of both foreign a domestic transfers any club can have. Imagine if, for example, each club was only allowed to transfer in 3 foreign players and maybe 3 or 4 domestic players, with the rest of the team coming from the academy. You'd be a lot more cautious and considered before buying a player from overseas. It would also force a lot of clubs to really improve the standard of their youth facilities and youth coaching, which in the long run will also help out the national sides.

Mostly though, I think it would return a sense of local pride to supporting your football club. If the majority of your team consists of local lads who you went to school with, or saw playing on the streets as a boy, then it"s far easier get behind the club. I loved the sight of 7 players on the pitch yesterday who were all local talents, seeing them give their all for their club, and reap the rewards by beating a club who probably haven't fielded a proper home-grown player in years. Magic.

It sure beats the hell out of having 6 or 7 uninterested Frenchman running around not giving a damn.

 

Does that happen a lot?

 

I'll be honest and say that I didn't notice the number of local players playing yesterday until it was mentioned today.

I was too busy biting my nails, having a heart attack and booking my weekly session into the Intensive Care Unit at the RVI.

 

I still reckon it was best when you were allowed a maximum of 3 foreign players on the pitch at any one time.

 

Which 3 would you have to play??
Janmaat definitely starts.
Colo when fit.
Current form Sissoko.

Would leave no room for Perez though

 

When you have a limit on the number of foreign players in your side then theoretically, the talent will be more evenly spread and only the very best will play at the top. That can only be beneficial in the long run. I think we should have a cap of three foreigners [non-British] players in any squad. Add to that, the Academies should be for home grown players only [without the legal loopholes some clubs try to get around in relation to residency/ naturalization etc]. Tim Krul for example - he may have been here since he was 17, but he is NOT a homegrown player.

There should be a limit of 3 at the very top. Championship and below should be limited to one. Sadly, it won't happen because of money.

 

Days like today, I'd like to add Carroll back in on that form. He just beasted Swansea on his own. He can play any type of football too, the long ball myth is just that. The lad would be great to have if he could stay fit. Both for us and England. Sadly he is probably a week away from his next breakdown.

 

Not a local lad but I still think we take Wickham if we can at the end of the season or January. The tribunal will be cheap, and he is a lad who will progress under the right tutelage. It hasn't been great for him at Sunderland but he'd be good back up in our squad. If he progresses quickly he can soon be pushing for a starting spot. Obviously he is not as good as Perez or Cisse at present, but I defo think the lad has untapped talent. They will likely do a deal as they have a better striker in Fletcher and can't see much good at a tribunal. He may stay now as he is playing but he may just see through it for what it is, a desperate attempt to retain his services after a lengthy session of pissing about a la Colback. Certainly worth keeping an eye as he could be anything in the future.

If you look at it coldly, he wouldn't get into either side at present, both teams have better forwards. However because of his size and style, he'll progress with time and the lad is only 21.

 

Time is on his side being only 21, however, its getting to a critical point in his career where his next contract is crucial.
Basically, does he stay where he is and stagnate at Sunderland with his development stunted or move on and further his career.
I wouldn't be too averse too taking another player from our local feeder club, but, the terms of the contract would have to be right for us.
Like you I think SAFC will do a deal, if only to save face and stop us or other clubs bigger than them, the likes of WHU, QPR, Swansea or Hull taking him on.

 

He'll be back in the England Squad in no time then. Next squad. I've seen 7 of his games this season and he hasn't been a patch on his end of season form. Looked reliable and hard working as always though. Just letting you know, He can step up to an even better standard. He has it in him to be much better. But this is where you rely on Pardew's player management.

 

Don't be daft, the lad has gone up two or three levels since leaving your lot. He was good at the back end for you and fully deserved his call up off the back of it. I think he will be knocking again now as game has gone up another level again. Reliable and hard working nowhere near describes his recent form so you must have been watching the a different ginger. Literally been an 8 out of 10 in probably 7 or 8 of our recent games. We've lost 1 in 10 games, winning 7, and he is has been a major reason for it. Passing is top notch. Tackling is superb, general defensive work and engine very good. He has even been setting up goals. Not against mugs either, you're talking about the likes of Chelsea, Spurs, Man City, Liverpool. In all of those games, the only better midfielder has been Sissoko on occasion (who has been one of the best in the league in current form), or maybe Fabregas on Saturday who I thought was superb.

Literally that sounds like the most bitter and twisted or deluded of posts this year. Don't get me wrong he was very good for you, and hence was a big loss for Gus. But we have improved the lad. Obviously he is playing with better players so it is easier but nevertheless he is playing the best football of his career to date. If he is not picked in the next England squad then there is something wrong. I thought we'd signed a better Dan Gosling, turns out we have picked up one Englands most promising central midfielders for dick all. And he is Newcastle through and through to boot.

We can say what we like about Pardew and Ashley, they do get some things right.

 

The thing I don't understand with Jack, is why Sunderland let him slip through their fingers.
I realise, he wanted something better than he had, and it goes without saying that coming to us was a huge step up in stature for him, but, to date, he's shown he's more than capable of stepping up to the mark.

The only thing that springs to mind for me, is that Gus Poyet has something up his sleeve, perhaps a surprise package, another youngster or two waiting in the wings for a chance to shine, that we can take off them in a couple of years. He's obviously keeping them well hidden just now to keep Pards off the scent.

 

Actually Wickham is rumoured to have signed a new contract according to the Telegraph - the wages? Wait for it...60k per week I said he had potential but that is some crazy ass **** if true. He'll be a drunken drug fuelled bum in no time Sunderland must have some serious wedge to be chucking money around like that. I hope they have a clause for relegation.

 

Have to say in Colback I think we easily have a 12m pound player on our hands. If Lallana at 27 is worth 25m then Jack is definitely worth a wedge given he's 24 and will continue to get better.

He's been absolutely fantastic and was the best player on the pitch bar none on Saturday. A pitch that had Hazard, Costa, Fabregas etc on it.

He's a true modern day box to box midfielder, fantastic engine, never wastes a pass, can tackle and create. The only thing missing from his game so far is goals but he's been very unlucky not to get a few so far. Hit the woodwork at Stoke, Courtois made a great save yesterday, and was unlucky not to find the net against QPR.

Top player and potential future captain.

 

f** me, that's first class beeling right there. How's it bitter and twisted? I'm saying he can give you even more.

He gave everything you've said in the second half of last season, not only that, he was getting goals, Assists, making key passes, testing the goalkeeper and developing attacking play a 100 times better than he has been for you this season. You're limiting the lad lad by giving him a holding role, he can give you more than he is now, but the position you play him limits what he can bring to the games. He has an attacking threat which was developed last season which Pardew has chosen not to utilise. Nowt to do with being bitter and twisted, it's a personal assessment of a player I've seen over 100 times, a player I've seen develop in multiple roles and positions, a player i've seen overcome flaws in his game.

Get off your beeling high horse and don't hit it either. You are a grade A numpty