[h=3]Whatâs Eating Connor Wickham?[/h]Date: 30th July 2012 at 1:29 pm | Filed under: Premiership,Sunderland,Transfer Rumours | Author: Alex Keble | Tags: connor wickham, Martin O'Neill, O'Neill, Sunderland please log in to view this image If 19 year old Connor Wickham please log in to view this image thought this would be his season to break into the Sunderland please log in to view this image first-team, then he may be sorely disappointed. OâNeill has made it clear that the striker will be sent out on loan, if Sunderland can sign a new forward before the season begins. Signed from Ipswich, where the highly-rated youngster made 65 appearances as a teenager, Wickham managed 15 appearances last campaign for the Black Cats. With only one goal to show for it â against Aston Villa in March â it would appear that OâNeill does not believe he is yet ready for the Premier League. However, this does not signal the end of his time at Sunderland, nor does it necessarily prove that he will soon be cast into the âwhere are they now?â category of young players that never fulfil their potential. At only 19 years of age, there is still plenty of learning left for him to do, and perhaps a loan move to a team that can give him regular football is not such a bad idea. In fact, in my opinion, it is a fantastic opportunity for Wickham. What Sunderland fans will increasingly start to learn is that OâNeill has favourites, and does not like playing young players. At Villa, the careers of Bannan, Albrighton, and Clark were all put on hold as the Villa boss refused to give youth a chance. None of these players played a single minute whilst OâNeill was in charge, and yet were shown to be more than good enough when played by caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald just three days after his departure. With this in mind, it can only be good news for Wickham that he will get time to develop on the pitch; based on last season, OâNeill has no intention of fielding him in 2012/13. Pretty much any Championship side would be happy to take him on, and promoted sides Southampton and Reading may both be interested in a player they will have admired during his time at Ipswich Town. This does not spell the end for Wickham. Probably. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Well mate if what you say is true,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,How come McCLEAN played nearly every week under MoN...............
What Sunderland fans will increasingly start to learn is that O’Neill has favourites, and does not like playing young players. Back to McCLEAN.
McClean isnt exactly young though, inexperienced at PL lvl yes, young, nope, he is 23. But lets be honest, hindsight is a bloody wonderful thing, but did MON get sacked because results were going bad and he didnt play those young players NO, he walked away because the chairman stopped backing him. as for the hindsight, he may hve thought they were not good enough at the time, and lets be honest the caretaker manager didnt have a lot to lose by playing them, if they were great he won, if they were not, he won for trying something different.
My concern on the Whickham thing - as with Noble, Laing, et al, is that if you're good enough you're old enough. Rooney. Beckham, Giggs, etc, etc. I know I'm giving exceptional examples but........... How many come through our youth scheme? Who - like me - remembers Todd, Tueart, Suggett, Pitt, Bolton Elliott, Arnott - do I have to go on? Nothing is coming through. Whickham is a big 19 year old who we bought for £8m (?) and cannot do the job. Sorry to offend. x
Alas it is not Whickham's fault that someone decided to spend £8m on him at the age of 18. I have seen enough of the young lad to still believe he will make the grade, but he may have some of the physical aspects of a pro' but he may not have matured mentally to cope with coming up against the likes of Terry and Vidic yet. He will benefit enormously from playing for a championship side for a season. A sensible way forward.
So. Its acceptable to pay £8m for a lad who needs to play a league lower to build his confidence. Excuse me, but I would feel - and try to play - like a f*****g GIANT if someone did that for me. x
No, it wasn't acceptable to pay £8m for him in the first place and I don't know why we did when an experienced centre-forward was needed. But, we are where we are ... you choose!!, reserve team football for a season or out on loan, which will benefit him most? If we buy two decent and experienced forwards he certainly won't get a game for the first team ... even Campbell will struggle unless he starts to show something better than we have seen to date!
Hey Bobby, if you are going to start a list I bet we could get past £50m of wasted money, Keane and Bruce contributions will add a bit!!!
erm...correct me if i am wrong but didnt O'Neill say on the OFFICIAL SAFC WEBSITE that he was gonna push some youth this year as he wants them to make their mark?
Right there seems to be a lot of hate towards Connor Wickham on this forum? May i remind people that he was: A: Bought for the future as lets face facts he has shown the potential to be unreal B: He is 18, he was never going to set the league alight...most strikers start doing better in the prem around 23 and then get into their prime around 27-32 C: A loan move would be good for his confidence and experience So with them 3 points (if anyone wants to add any then by all means) STOP HAVING A F***ING GO AT THE LAD AND GET BEHIND HIM OR F**K OFF in the nicest way possible
please log in to view this image Wickham, Wickham , Wickham Wickham Wickham,......................not Whickham.
