I don’t really recall this with Mane. Not least because he also was really quite bad for the first couple of months. Right up to a cup game where the knives were fully out for him among our fanbase I also don’t really remember comments from even our fans cheering over this recent hat trick you mention. But it was a long time ago. I don’t think there was quite the same level of scrutiny then. I think lots of “who” comments. And you probably still bemusement among the fanbase about Shane Long signing and therefore questions being asked about most transfers. Also people weren’t happy with Pelle from the start. He was dreadful in his first home game
It would be surprise because the odds are vanishingly small. Would take so many stars aligning - including rival clubs filling their strikers slots should such a player become available. Which is getting closer to happening I guess
I’m not bothered by Clarke, for no reason apart from just a feeling he won’t make the step up. I feel the same about Summerville.
100% - could well go on to be worth a fortune if the way Sporting fans reacted is anything to go by. I know most Saints fans are quietly optimistic that BBD is going to turn out to be an absolute bargain at £6m but I think most other clubs would just think he did nothing in Spain and got relegated with Sheffield Utd.
There’s no real logic to my thinking, just a feeling. Anyway 1 week to go til the window SLAMS shut, be interesting to see how it all unfolds. Then we have the boringness of the actual football where most of the signings people have got all giddy over turn out to be ****
I’m sure there’s a decent player there somewhere and SW and Danny could provide an opportunity for him to realise his potential
I’ve seen mention about him missing a yard of pace which could be a big thing for a winger trying to step up. But I can’t remember where this came from and might have been attempt at “cope”. And I’d rather have someone missing the pace but having the technique than having lots of pace and seemingly no technique / end product (Sulemana vs Clarke). But the decision isn’t a simple Sulemana vs Clarke - notably because we couldn’t move him on (which might be why we couldn’t get the finances together for him)
“Got relegated with Sheffield United” really is just looking at the headlines and missing the story completely. And that is the sort of players perhaps we should be looking at. Players written off without even looking beyond the most superficial surface level analysis. In BBD’s case it really doesn’t take much more than scratching beneath the surface to see that given the team he was in, he did rather well on his loan
That's exactly what I mean yeah. On the very surface it is a very average deal, but there is always more to it than that.
I remember thinking this about Tevez and Mascherano at West Ham, when they got relegated. They seemed to have gone on to do quite well.
In forgot that they got relegated that year. That was such a dodgy double deal in the first place. Made no sense that they got them both but also that they still went down
They didn’t, they stayed up at the expense of Sheffield Utd who tried to sue when it came out the transfers broke some rules
Misremembered then. To have even got close is crazy in its own right. Just how bad was the rest of that team?
I think with Mane he wasn't well known by fans but was on the radar of bigger clubs. For whatever reason (probably financial) back then they seemed happier to let Mane types move to smaller clubs and then pick them off when and if they proved themselves in the Premier League. I think I remember when he signed Mane almost openly said he was using us as a stepping stone. Pelle was definitely described as "a big lump" who wouldn't make the step up.
