Someone – Birflatt Boy – took us to task the other day for commenting on the Asamoah Gyan tranfer gossip in the Mirror, overlooking the fact that the reason for doing so was to put Alan Nixon, the author of the speculation, on the spot.
Nixon is now firmly on that spot. We shall see how the close season develops and remind him, if we can, of what he so confidently wrote (while also being ready to acknowledge the quality of his sources if he turns out to be right).
This is the interesting part of a safc.com interview with Steve Bruce since it also touches on transfer talk:
Sunderland are yet to announce any deals, barring the formal completion of a permanent move for Ahmed Elmohamady after taking up an option in the player’s contract several months ago.
Bruce is aware of considerable speculation linking the club to a whole host of talent and admits he’s in thick of negotiations with a number of players and their representatives.
But he won’t be rushed and insists potential moves will stay under wraps until the time is right.
He explained: “We’ve been planning and preparing for months, but the early part of pre-season is when people tend to be on holiday which slows things down.
“Myself, Niall and Steve [Walton, chief executive] have been exploring every single avenue and we’re getting towards putting deals in place.
“I know it’s frustrating for the supporters who have to wait for news, but we like to keep our powder dry and as soon as it’s done, you’ll hear about it.
“Rumours fly everywhere and we’ve already been linked with something like 50 players.
“But we’ll go about our business as normal. The clear objective is to construct a squad which can build on what we’ve already achieved. I’m confident we can do that.”
He added: “I just can’t wait to get going now. The lads will be back for pre-season training and I’m sure a few new faces will be joining them.
“We’ve got ideal preparations in terms of pre-season as we’ll be visiting an excellent facility in Germany as well as playing some decent games out there.
“We have to make sure we’re ready to go from the season’s first whistle because there’s no messing about – we’re straight into the big games with a vengeance.”I pass it on witbout comment beyond saying that while frustration is understandable, mid-to-late Jiune is no time for worrying that no one has yet been bought.
Frustrated….erm….Apparently not nearly as your PE instructor was when you and a certain Phil Shaw decided to ‘throw’the 2*400 at school sports to unfurl a banner declaring that a Cup was indeed going to be Sunderland’s back in ’73 (well more avoid the inevitable humiliation than ‘throw’ as apparently ‘tabs’ had done for him and you were not a ‘runner’ ;oD) .
Made me laugh………
eye’ington ‘appy days eh!
Further to my earlier post I have jus tread that the transfer window does in fact open on 1st June. Looks like we could have to choose a midfield from Elmo, Larsson, Cattermole, Colback, Riveros, Meyler,(when fit), Sess, Steed, Richardson, Nzogbia,Gibson or Gardner. Seems a heck of a lot! So could it be cheerio to Riveros, Steed and Richardson?
I might be mistaken but I don’t think we can sign anybody just yet,apart form Bosman’s whose contacts have ended, because the transfer window doesn’t formally open until 1st July. So everything we read is just pure guesswork.
Personally I’d be happy with Gibson or Gardner, Larsson, Westwood, Nzogbia, Ngog ,Ji , O’Shea, Wheater (or Johnson) and Crouch or Pavulycenko.
Birflatt Boy may rest assured that such analysis and comment will be reserved for exceptional cases, of which Henderson and Gyan were obvious examples.
We have written very little about the promise/threat of incoming personnel and that seems to me to reflect a perfectly sensible approach. Some of the reported interest in players does seem to be well-founded, but there is also so much nonsense and kite-flying that I prefer to remain cautious.
Well, M.Salut. I sincerely hope that Mr Nixon is affixed to the spot and squirming at his own faux pas!
However, the view from Birflatt’s Whins is that given the transparently obvious dross that he was spouting a few days, ago, he will perceive any publicity as good publicity.
If Salut assumes the position of analysing the most pathetic of all journalistic drivel, then the work of the diligent and conscientious journalist will ne’er be done! 🙂