Sunderland Banter Archive July 14 2015

14 Jul 2015 21:19:28
Recent transfer 'news' depressingly familiar. Jenkinson chose West Ham, Wijnaldum Newcastle, Clasie Southampton, Byram and Van Dijk stayed put, all of them aged under 25 and sensible long term investments.
Brown (35)retained, Downing (30 and really poor 2015) extensively pursued, McGeady (30 and unable to get on the pitch for much of last season) strongly rumoured. Another 30 year old (and apparently crocked) centre back discussing terms.Two young players have been signed, but between them they offer limited experience and neither have demonstrated consistent premiership quality. Is this the 'plan' we heard about? Are these really the players that were on the priority list? If so, it is hard to work out what Congerton actually does, and it is equally hard to be optimistic about the coming season. Meanwhile, once again those we expect to be stuggling against strengthen around us, with the likes of Stoke and West Brom again seeming to have no trouble attracting good players.
If we don't sign at least three players of real quality, not yet past their peak, it will be another hard slog. Time for some decisive action from the much vaunted transfer negotiator!

14 Jul 2015 22:28:28
Despite some comments on here saying we don't know what's going on behind closed doors there's something not right when everybody else seems to get the players they want with little ease and we have this long protracted transfer business which is tearing the fans hair out! surely escaping relegation by the skin of our teeth has woken up the owners of this club? Congerton?/ well either he is being instructed by Short or he is inept at his job and last season is a pointer towards that answer!

15 Jul 2015 17:56:24
why do people believe everything they read in the papers clasie, wijnaldum, byram and van dijk were we ever really interested in these players jenkinson yes but he decided to go back to West Ham United where he was last season makes sense lives in london knows the players and set up so that was always going to be a non starter. downing fits the type of players we get linked with so there could have been some truth in the interest mcgeady well we have been linked with him the last couple of seasons with no offer ever made. hopefully lens will pass the medical and put pen to paper and I don't think for one moment he will be last player to sign before the season begins. so don't worry lads and don't believe everything you read in the papers as the majority is a load of crap

14 Jul 2015 17:41:56
I seriously despair at all of the stupid comments people post on here. Everyone is slagging Congerton off yet none of us, including myself, know what goes on behind the scenes.

Our club makes a loss each year. Any business that does that will fold and so we must address the expenditure against the income.

Dick has stated foreign clubs, ie Zenit and Kiev, are trying to inflate prices for all Premier League Clubs including adding in clauses for appearances, league position to get extra money after the transfer.

SAFC as a club can not be held to ransom over fees and player wages without running the risk of going into administration. When we have spent big it has been wasted by previous Director of Footballs, Poor Scouts and Poor Managers. The current people have to put that right.

We have no idea which players they are trying to sign, who has turned us down, who is asking for too much money and who is in the pipeline. We also do not know how many players they need to sell to balance the wage structure. Given how poor some of the current squad are they will be hard to shift!

Lets face it as well, we have been in relegation battles for the last 4 seasons or so and we are in the North East where no WAG will want to come. We are therefore not an attractive option for any player at the minute, other than those looking to milk a club for money.

I think all the fans on here moaning should take all this into account before being negative about the club!

Give Dick and Lee a chance to entice some players here on deals that are financially viable rather than Keane, Bruce and O'Neill inflated fees and wages!

14 Jul 2015 22:24:58
It is true that we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. But we do know what does not go on. Players who can strengthen the club are not signed. Younger players who can add speed and sharpness to an ageing squad are not brought in. Older players whose performances have often been woeful are not moved on. Bloated contracts do not seem to be related to contributions on the pitch. There is not sufficient discipline, and players lack that sense of pride in the club and responsibility for its reputation that would prevent the regular embarrassments and appalling off-field antics from some of our overpaid, under-performing primas. The level of investment needed to transform the club into a successful- and therefore profitable- premiership side is not forthcoming.
Dick aside- he has not been around long enough- I see no evidence that the rest of the 'management' have made any progress since promotion, so we know they have not been good enough. This club has an income that puts it just outside the top twenty richest in the world, yet on the pitch it struggles to stay among the top 20 teams in England. Clearly something is badly wrong.
It is not negative to notice these facts, rather it is myopic to ignore them. Fans will be positive when there are things to be positive about, and this summer has thus far yielded precious few.

15 Jul 2015 07:23:58
All of a sudden then, as I said at the time, PDC was speaking the truth before he was forced out!