That 9 in 14 starts was in the Championship, according to wiki he only played for Southampton 3 times last season in all competitions. I don't doubt the guy's ability as a Championship forward, but I would like to see us signing players who have the potential to move up with us, like Wootton and Murphy, and not be discarded instantly should we get promoted. To be fair it seems like he never had a chance to prove himself as a Premiership forward, but it seems both Adkins and Pochettino have doubts over his ability to play at that level. On a season long loan deal, fair enough, but I just feel like we have enough players who will never amount to anything other than Championship football
Kiwi A couple of seasons ago we were being linked with Sharpe, Lambert, Graham, Cox, Hooper, CM-Smith. All it seems were wanting to come but nothing happened as usual. I believe any one of those players would have helped us seal promotion, so we would also be looking to maybe offload as well. I just think that anyone of those players is a class Championship player, and we need one as we can't afford a class prem class player. A replacement for Beckford, if you remember there were many who were saying that those players were not good enough to replace him. The truth is that anyone of them is better than him
He's only played about 20 minutes in the Prem. In 11/12 he scored 10 for Doncaster and 9 for Southampton in the Championship, then last season 10 Champ goals for Forest. Good Championship striker, but high wage problem. He is Yorkie based too.
We probably can't afford a class Championship player right now, either. I think it's more McDermott's style to sign a class young L1/L2 talent and let them grow with the club anyway, a la Le Fondre. It's cheaper, adds value to the squad and benefits us long term, providing the player grows and improves. Personally, that's the avenue I'd rather us go down, I'm sick of the short term view. Is it worth spending all that money on Sharp when Poleon could end up surpassing his ability in a few seasons? When we have other areas that desperately need strengthening? And, if by some miracle, we did end up getting promoted this season, think about the huge squad overhaul we'd have to have. Hardly any of our squad are Premiership quality. As for spending money on a striker a few years ago when promotion was a distinct possibility, I agree - but that's over now, we didn't improve the squad and we missed out as a consequence. That squad had players who might just have done a job in the Premiership; Howson, Johnson, Gradel, Snoddy, Becchio, Schmeichel. We already had that core of players who would help us at the next level, this squad doesn't, which is why I'd rather us sign players who can play beyond, or at least have the potential to, the level we currently occupy. To me, Sharp doesn't fit that category. Neither does Burke, really, given his age, but at least he would play in a position we desperately need filling.
I see that twat Lorimer is in the YEP again, saying that BMD is doing a great job and trying to rebuild the club without much cash because thats what the new owners inherited. Yes mate we know that, but for years whilst you were hanging out of Bates's arse you were saying he was great and doing his best. You'll say and do anything for money you whore, you were there and watched the club being raped but stuck up for Bates and kept going into print to tell us we needed to be patient ...
Great lad was Pete. I reckon he bought me an extra couple of years before you lot twigged what I was up to...
What? Come again? I thought you saved us................ I'm sure you said that. I'd always assumed it was just bad luck that our most marketable players always had their heads turned by agents, and you were desperately unhappy to have to bank the millions of incoming transfer fees. And all those fans expecting you to reinvest in the team were just morons, as the January window (or the summer, depending on time of year) was a bad time to acquire new players, unlike the summer (or winter, depending on time of year). And anyway the players the manager wanted had priced themselves out of the market, with unrealistic demands (until another club paid what they wanted, of course). Did I miss something?
I don't agree with much of this personally. Although BMD may try and get players from lower divisions on the cheap who have potential, he seems like the type of manager who will make the most of a situation that presents value for money, if the opportunity presents itself (obviously if we need the player too). I seriously think Sharp is a beast of a player and if we loaned with intention to buy he will easily hold a place in our Prem team. If we could get relatively cheap and we could get his wages down we (and I'd hope BMD agrees) should literally jump at the chance to get a player of his quality. We do seem to have too many strikers who don't seem to be scoring though, and thats a problem of another sort...
I agree with you in that McDermott is the type of manager who will make the most of a situation that provides value for money - it just so happens that this is more common in the lower leagues. When Championship standard players (for instance, Sharp) are asking for £20k p/w, it makes much more financial sense to look for a cheaper alternative, often in the lower leagues. I think you're right first and foremost, it's just that it coincidentally means he often picks up players down the football league ladder. If wages are indeed our problem, I really don't see the benefit of adding another striker to the squad right now, not until we can get some of the dross off the wage bill. We could keep adding strikers all year round, we won't score any more goals because that's not our problem. Our problem is predominantly lack of width, coupled with a lack of pace and creativity. Would Sharp realistically solve any of these problems? If it was financially viable I wouldn't have a problem with it, I do think he's a very good Championship forward, I was just concerned as to why he's never reached the next level. We have more than enough players who will never compete above Championship level as it is
I think people need to look at Sharp in comparison to our current strikers, I agree that really isn't our problem and we should be focusing elsewhere however he is a class act. And in fact I would say he is a better striker than any of our current crop and in fairness is more of a goalscorer than McCormack is. Imagine: Burke------Murphy----Austin------Varney ----------McCormack----Sharp----------- That is quite a worthy team in the champ and I think at the very least 4 of those would play a part in a team trying to survive in the prem.
nothing game to build confidence, Last 2 weeks we beat Play Off teams. yesterday we battered Wigan and the confidence must be booming and we will beat Warrington
MTMB/Shaks, why get so excited? Real club rugby starts tomorrow with real internationals starting in November!!!
