Keep seeing news articles like "Sunderland step up interest in Downing" "Sunderland to meet West Ham's valuation of Downing". God I hope it's not true. Not gonna get on the club's back too much as it could just be bullshit, but for the price being touted this would just prove the club has really learned NOTHING from past mistakes imo. £7m for a 30 year-old who was never anything special in the first place? Please...
I agree, We need to stop buying aging players, throwing money on them we'll never get back and on contracts that that keep them high payed well beyond their prime. But Judging by the Sow thread there's many who are happy to keep repeating these mistakes. It's why our transfer policy costs us a fortune and Newcastle's makes them money.
Gomez should get his finger out and show why he cost £10m, in pre-season. As Dick said competition will drive them on.
Actually, I just read that they only paid £5m two summers ago. He's 31 so I'd say £3m take it or leave it.
Spot on. It baffles me how an astute businessman like Ellis can keep OKing these sorts of transfers. No contract should see any player on high wages past the age of 32 imo. Some players can stay at the top of their game longer but they are few and far between. If that's the case contracts can always be extended... Sick of players coming here for an easy payday way past their best. Then again, it all depends who you believe, I guess we'll have a better idea of the direction we're going on September 1st. If we're sat here with Wijnaldum, Lens, Van Dijk, and Clasie I'd think we're finally starting to learn our lessons. If we're playing Sow (on a 4yr contract), Downing and Jenkinson (for a £2m loan fee) I'd despair, I honestly would.
If we sign him we'll be getting a decent first team player who should be able to hold down a place for the next 2 or 3 years, £7 million does seem a bit steep but we would be getting a good player with plenty of experience in the prem. Lets be honest our record when signing younger players is very poor Wickham being the obvious example or Rodwell last year (though I wouldn't write either of them off yet we certainly haven't had value for money from either yet) not to mention the money wasted on the likes of Mavrias, Moberg Karlson etc. I don't mind us signing a couple of older players where we know what we will get from them after we've been stung a few times with younger signings latey
I think he's better than most we've got, on a par with Johnson. His age and fee would concern me but as a player we can't turn our noses up at someone as good as him IMO.
I'd have him if the price is right - no more than £3m. With 6 goals he scored more than our top goal scorer
Not a bad return from a winger, but there's better out there and would he really improve our squad? his wages will be a big drain on the wage bill as well and for a slightly better than average winger i reckon we can do better. Saying that Dick is a better manager than me so if he feels he's right for us then i'll back him.
I think most those came when he was playing as a second striker - could be wrong here but I'm fairly sure when he got moved back out wide for the second half of the season he only got one in the last 4 or 5 months? The three years before last year he scored a total of 4 PL goals in just under 100 games. And he's now reaching his twilight (in football terms) years. Of course if he signed I'd back him, we all would. But I'd bet my house in a couple years time we'd be looking back at this deal with a feeling of "what were we thinking?"
Not only that but tele money has doubled so effectively £7m now is £3.5M last year. Sign him up in my opinion, good player would improve the squad
English players are just becoming too expensive. There must be someone out there on the continent, who's just as good, for a fraction of the price. Our scouts just need to get off their arses, earn their money and buy these ****ing bargains! How come West Ham, Stoke, Swansea, Leicester, Everton, seem to find bloody good, bloody cheap players? Who's managing our Scouts? ****ing sort it out!
listening to fsol papua new guinea after too many rums and some steaks so happy with owt to be honest!
Underwhelmed by the possibility of signing him but hey, if Dick says he,s the man for the job it,s good enough for me
Boro step up Downing chase and Arca thinks Sunderland could lose out http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sp...se_and_Arca_thinks_Sunderland_could_lose_out/
