Vito Mannone is now Sunderland’s first-choice keeper after Costel Pantilimon’s departure, Sam Allardyce has confirmed. Pantilimon joined Watford on a three-and-a-half year contract this week, to leave Mannone and academy product Jordan Pickford fighting for the starting spot in goal, albeit Allardyce is hopeful of landing a third-choice stopper as back-up to the pair. Pickford was arguably Sunderland’s man of the match on his Premier League debut at Spurs last weekend, despite shipping four goals. But Mannone will return to the starting XI in tomorrow’s crunch clash against fellow strugglers Bournemouth, with Allardyce putting his faith in the 2013-14 Sunderland Player of the Season. Read more: http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport...sunderland-number-one-1-7689498#ixzz3xtvC7Jt1
I really want him to play Pickford, but he's the boss. I was just reading something on the BBC and it says Sam is still hopeful of bringing in another two players as well. --------------------------------------- He also said this about the Kone deal.... Now we can finally hear from Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce. He says that the club are not to blame for the collapse of a proposed move for Lorient centre-back Lamine Kone. The Black Cats have twice tried to complete deals for the 26-year-old Ivory Coast international this month, but have not managed to get the transfer sealed. "I thought we'd struck a deal but it changed. You could perhaps blame us first time, but not second time," said Allardyce ---------------------------------------- Funny that, everybody at the club originally claimed it was ludicrous to suggest it was Sunderland's fault...
I fear we've shot ourselves in the foot over this keeper situation. Mannone is awful and one mistake for Pickford could shatter the lads confidence. We've let a cracking goalkeeper go on the hope that his wages will go on someone who'll help us gain more points than a quality keeper would. Fingers crossed.
Pants confidence seemed to have been knocked this season. I doubt he'd have featured that much this season anyway. And if its true that just one more appearance would have triggered additional contractual clause costs, like someone said on here, it was probably a good idea moving him on anyway.
Re goalkeeper - quite happy VM is named no. 1 too much weight for JP - also think VM is safer option than CP but do feel JP will soon be no.1 Hopefully he'll be our no.1 in premiership next season or VM's understudy in premiership - not too bothered as long as we are a premier success & think BSA will make sure we are -
I can see why Mannone's number one he's a good keeper and while Pickford might actually be ready for the prem he's still very much Vito's junior. He will need a bit more careful handling than telling him "you're the top keeper at the club now go and keep us up". I always thought of Mannone and Pantilimon as being more or less equal so either one going was alright for me, may as well sell the one on the biggest wage.
And keep the one with a lot to play fir (contract is up at the end of the season!)? Hopefully he will "shop window" himself rather than thinking "why should I care as I'm not here next season!!"
Just found that out. It was reported in 2014 that he'd signed a 2 year contract (June 2014) but it turns out it was a 2 year extension when i thought it was just 2 years!!
Not quite, they stated it was ludicrous to suggest legal action could be taken. Sam's statement doesn't contradict that. If me and a stranger were to accidentally bump into eachother in the street, you could "perhaps blame me". It would still be ludicrous if he tried to take me to court over it.
I've got a lot more faith in Pickford than Manone and had more faith in Pants than Manone. If Manone is number one for now I can't see it staying that way for long - not that I want him to have a stinker soon, I just think it's inevitable. Please Sam get some defenders that give the goalie some confidence.
I'm a bit shocked at some of the comments on here Mannone was our player of the year the season before last and lost his confidence after the 8 - 0 at soton still not sure why he got blamed for all of that but then we got Pants who did a good job last year but has been frankly s**te this season so not sure where some of this is coming from - i think a more pertinent question would be how many on here actually go to games and see the action as it happens or how many just read press reports ( i know some people cannot get to games btw)
We're lucky enough that we had 3 good keepers, with Pants gone Vito takes it for now. Only thing is Vito is a bit prone to a howler which is why I've no doubt Pickford will be number 1 before the end of the season.
