CONNOR Wickham and Danny Graham are fighting for their Sunderland futures as Paolo Di Canio seeks a radical overhaul of his Black Catsâ offensive options. As debate rages over Di Canioâs get-tough policy with his squad â which has prompted an intervention from the Professional Footballersâ Association â it has emerged Wickham in particular has failed to take the opportunity afforded him by Steven Fletcherâs injury. Di Canio has delivered a withering critique of his striking options and has said he needs more âqualityâ in his forwards â but the full extent of his displeasure with Wickham can now be revealed. In particular, The Journal understands Di Canio issued him with a furious dressing-down after the Southampton game which surprised many of his team-mates. The manager then spent much of the first half against Tottenham bemoaning the strikerâs contribution and at one stage appeared to be ready to substitute him before the break.
i think conner deserves a run of games. hes been here 2 years and has had a run of 10-20 games to show what he can do. you cant jusdge him on the odd apperance here and there
Di Canio is obviously not happy with something he has seen in training, because Wickham hasn't really been given much of a chance in the first team..
Wickham after about 15-20 minutes looked like he was getting into the game, was trying to pressure opponents and also move for the ball… Graham jogged around doing f*ck all… Fair enough Wickham hasnt done much in his time here but he hasnt had a chance either…mainly due to Fletcher/Injury… Fletch and Wickham could be brilliant together, however they need a run of games to get sorted out...
I don't get all this Connor needs time thing? To me he hasn't shown anything never mind being one for the future! If anything Mandron has shown more promise from his fleeting appearances. Maybe PDC is right about the lad, maybe he sees quality on the training pitch but his attitude is holding him back who knows but we aren't a club that has the luxury/time to nerture "ones for the future".
I like Connor and am a bit gutted that we will probably be losing him. Got a feeling he will come back to haunt us.
I'm not sure what to make of him. Big, strong, powerful. Full of potential? Three managers now seem to see something on the training ground they don't like.
Some of us may recall Martin Chivers he had talent in abundance and did not quite reach being great cos of 'attitude'. I suspect Connor has bags of talent but he has an attitude and I think that is what bugs PDC. If CW has any sense he will stay with Sunderland and listen to PDC cos' he could bring the best out of him. But if Connor wants to be a playboy he will leave and piss his talent away. Against the Spuds I reckon he was easily better than Graham especially in the 2nd half.
Agree but let's be honest it isn't exactly hard to be better than Graham. I just didn't see what people were saying about his work rate against Spurs? I thought he looked sluggish couldn't hold the ball up and his positional play was poor which tends to make me think that he dosn't have a football brain.
I think with Wickham we still have that unknown tallent, which is strage as this is now the third manager to have him and not one of them has talked him up yet he seems to do well against boys (England u21's) I think the poor lad just needs to be loved and get a run of games where he'll have a blinder in one and kick on from there and become a man. He is the size of Andy Carroll and Romelu Lukaku but has yet to show his true quality because of chances. If the path we hear the club taking is true (investing in young quality) then he should stay and get a run in the side. If PDC wants adult quality then he will leave and that'll be more of Shorts money sailing up the river. My opinion of the lad is he has everything there he just needs to apply it. The biggist problem for Connor Wickham at the moment is Connor Wickham because he doesn't have any beleive in his own tallent. Graham, Championship player. Not Premiership quality. Sorry Danny...!!
This. a bit like Killa. when he has played he has looked pretty good in parts. but clearly neither are good enough to warrant a full run out. let's not forget he didn't exactly set Sheff Wed alight, and wasn't always played by them when on loan there - often sitting on the bench. that really says it all. something wrong with his attitude/aptitude, and it may be something he cannot overcome with us. A poor mans/young boys version of Andy Carroll and Liverpool. nee point crying over split milk. if he ain't gonna cut the mustard, time to go (not so) bonny lad.
I really don't see what a lot of us see in CW. Of course he's only 19 -and still has time to improve. For me he badly needs the right partner to see what happens If it's Fletcher who brings the best out of him who knows but I feel both need a Defoe type with pace and able to take defenders away. Graham, Fletch and Connor are very similar one paced stiff ****ers for me and yes Fletch scored a few but he again needs the right partner. None of the three look like they can bring the best out of each other. Graham has just signed so doubt (if you can doubt anything what PDC says) he'll be off. Fletch is clearlythe best so he stays and CW gets a loan in the Championship. Ellis will get the cash out, I'm convinced about it.
Speaking from the opposition's viewpoint, I certainly wasn't worried about anything that Graham was doing during that game. Wickham didn't have a lot of service, but at least he seemed to be closing down, fighting to try and win clearances and putting himself about a bit. He's looked pretty decent in some of the England U21 games that I've seen too, even though he's not been scoring that often. I'd take him as one for the future, back up and competition.
I think PDC is annoyed with him because he probably rates him. Graham on the other hand will be one of the first out the door, so I expect PDC has not even bothered to rant about him. I think this might mean he keeps Wickham but gets rid of Graham and signs a new striker. He must hold on to Sess as I think under PDC we will see the best of Sess.
Darren Bent and Lakaku are the answer, they will cost about 25 m but they are the sort of fire power we need, putting themselves about is not good enough for me, Bent working with Sess would be great, and someone like Milner on the left working with Fletcher, then a creative player in the middle like Mcmanaman. We need 3 defenders at least, if Mig goes we have Westwood so not too bad.
100% would like one. (Bent and Lakaku) 100% not the other. One young, hungry, bags and bags of potential and your right about the 25m. One will cost about 25 and the other the coppers
