There has been a lot of transfer activity to reflect on already this summer, writes Stephen Goldsmith. We all expected a total overhaul, to be fair, and the appointments of Roberto De Fanti and Valentino Angeloni certainly suggested that we’d be generally looking abroad for our new a acquisitions. One potential signing in particular stands out in terms of quality, according to those in the know, while one potential outgoing transfer has me especially curious…
Transfer ‘saga’ will be worth it the end
What would a transfer window be without a good old saga or two?
It has become commonplace for us Sunderland supporters to have to endure on/off pursuits of desired players over the course of the summer.
Martin O’Neill’s laid back approach to the acquisition of Steven Fletcher was necessary last year, to prevent Wolves obtaining a simply ludicrous fee for the Scottish striker.
We had a similar stand off with Spurs for the signing of Darren Bent in 2009 before eventually managing to loosen the Daniel Levy grip, tightened by his gold laden gloves somewhat. But you cant help think that this year’s pursuit of Gino Peruzzi has to bear fruit for it not to be an almost identical situation to the regrettable failure to capture Leighton Baines in 2007.
Many people were curious as to why Roy Keane was prepared to offer a hefty sum for a fullback on the back of a promotion season, yet few can look at the way his career has progressed since his move to Everton and lament that the move didn’t happen.
Baines was always destined to go to the top, of course, and taking in reports and opinion from trusted sources, whether it be very respected journalists or simply South American football enthusiasts, it appears that Peruzzi is expected to do the same. I understand that some people are alarmed at talk of the Argentinian seemingly demanding more money, especially so fresh and hot on the heels of Phil Bardsley’s casino antics. But considering Di Canio’s attitudes to such matters, it seems that whatever Gino (or his agent) was requesting wasn’t so bad that the move would collapse because of it.
And that really is good news. Because with the moves for Orban and Mendy falling through and a move for Danny Rose seeming increasingly unlikely, we hardly need the same problem to present itself on the right hand side of the defence.
All knowledge yours truly possesses about Gino Peruzzi comes solely from other people, but they themselves keep reiterating that he really would be the “one that got away” if this saga ended up with the Black Cats not collaring their man.
And that’s good enough for me. At around £3m he’s also considerably less than Leighton Baines would have been five years ago and here’s hoping that this one eventually gets over the line.
The curious case of Jack Colback
Pablo Di Canio has spoken highly of Jack, as indeed has every manager he’s worked with. Jack’s decision to turn down a contract offer leaves more questions than answers to me. Few could argue that moving away from a club to seek regular football is a reasonable act of progression by any player. But when we realistically weigh up the type of club that could unquestionably offer Jack this prospect, you have to wonder why he isn’t prepared to at least give it one last push to force himself into the midfield this season.
Stephen Goldsmith asks, “Why Jack? Why?”.
Had O’Neill still been at the helm, there’d be no debate here but you just can’t help feel that without the pressure of relegation that Di Canio is there to be impressed pre-season.
A popular opinion is that this hidden, dominant player is just waiting to burst out of Colback, But if that’s true, then now is the perfect time for him to introduce himself. If the former academy captain lacks the self-belief to consider himself to have a future here, or resigns himself to the fact that he won’t play in a desired midfield role then this does nothing more than explain his introverted nature on the field. The time to make himself noticed should be now.
Then we have the other side of the theory. Many sources claim that the decision to turn down the contract is down to the fact that his wages are lower than his counterparts’. That too would be understandable. But we can suggest the very opposite of the previous argument, that Colback will happily stay and be a bit part player as long as he is financially rewarded for it. Where’s your ambition to go and play regularly somewhere, Jack lad? It’s a curious one.
12 thoughts on “Peruzzi, Colback and other transfer sagas”
I rate him much higher as a full back than many here seem to. Would genuinely not be unhappy to see him starting the season as first choice left back. His positional sense is good, he tackles well and works really hard. Not blindingly quick but not slow either. He will never be a premier league midfield player and if someone is in his head telling him he will be then they are doing him no favours as he will quickly disappear.
If it is just about money then fair enough, he has earned an increase, but I suspect that playing full back for Sunderland is a better bet for him than midfield for Cardiff.
Does jack really think Cardiff is a progression, he will stay have his packet made heavier and play whatever rolr he is told too, he is a better left back than an enforcer but maybe he thinks different who know’s.
Jack Colback is what I call a Wigan, Fulham, Hull or Stoke type of player. He will always look decent in an average or (in our case last season) poor team. However there is no room for him in a good side, a side that is looking to progress. He will make a decent living from the game, but is destined for a run of the mill career. Feel free to contradict me on this.
Never mind all that Danny Graham actually got a goal!!!!!…..mind you it was in a 13-1 drubbing of a local amateur Italian team.
Hope this Peruzzi is more Julio than Angeleri,It usually take a year for foreign players to settle,so I am concerend about the sheer number overseas signings.This could backfire spectacularly.
I would like to see Colback stay but he did look a bit of a shadow of what he was the previous season.He needed to step it up a bit but seems to have shrunk back into a shell.
That’s the real skill of a manager, isn’t it? Keeping a whole squad happy? That’s what PDC will have to do. Gardner and Vaughan in particular should constantly thank their lucky stars that they’re still at a premier league club, forget playing every week.
I now think Colback is just holding out for more money. We’d all do the same. PDC really praised him recently for his versatility and so Colback got some confidence from that.
Colback is apparently way behind in terms of wages compared to others.
I am confident he’ll sort this wage question out and be wearing red and white next season.
We still need to offload Ji, Graham, Vaughn and Cattermole to free up some wages. I hope to keep Wickham and see him develop that raw potential into maturity.
I can’t see Larsson or Gardner being in the 1st eleven next season. If thats the case they may get frustrated and want to leave.
Whilst I am pleased to see the club being procative so early in the transfer window I do hope that PDC has kept one eye on the “home grown ” quota. We need to have at least eight players in the squad over the age of 21 who qualify…… have been trained by clubs afflied to the English or Welsh FA for three years between the ages of 18 and 21.
As far as I know the following 12 players meet the ” home grown” rules.
Fletcher and McLean don’t qualify because their early careers were developed in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectivley. Wickam ,I think, is not yet 21 so is also not eligible
As we are likely to get rid of Bardsley, Graham, Vaughan and Cattermole this leave us with the bear minimum of eight. We then hit problems if Colback is sold or if Larsson and Gardner are dumped. If Westwood isn’t guaranteed the No 1 spot he could be off as well.
Huddlestone, if the rumours are true would be added to the list.
So players like Ba and Karlsson are being bought young so they can qualify, I think.
Di Canio needs to stress to Colback that he’s ability to step in and do a good job in a number of positions is something to be admired.Its a rare gift and only a few can do it.Why just limit yourself to be a decent midfielder when you can be a good left or right back? Midfield might be he’s preferred position but he does a job where ever he’s put, stick with it Jack !
I really rate Colback as a squad player. I think he’d be very useful at right or left back. He keeps it simple and is reliable. However as a midfielder I don’t rate him too much. Too negative and not physically strong enough.
Has the Rose deal stalled? Maybe. But Spurs have always been a bit difficult to negotiate with in the transfer window.
Won’t have the money for Rose unless we sell Session, i reckon. He’s spent big on Giacherrini and is right t prioritise on attacking and inventive players as his high spending targets. We’ll look to find a reasonably priced LB from abroad.
I rate him much higher as a full back than many here seem to. Would genuinely not be unhappy to see him starting the season as first choice left back. His positional sense is good, he tackles well and works really hard. Not blindingly quick but not slow either. He will never be a premier league midfield player and if someone is in his head telling him he will be then they are doing him no favours as he will quickly disappear.
If it is just about money then fair enough, he has earned an increase, but I suspect that playing full back for Sunderland is a better bet for him than midfield for Cardiff.
Does jack really think Cardiff is a progression, he will stay have his packet made heavier and play whatever rolr he is told too, he is a better left back than an enforcer but maybe he thinks different who know’s.
Jack Colback is what I call a Wigan, Fulham, Hull or Stoke type of player. He will always look decent in an average or (in our case last season) poor team. However there is no room for him in a good side, a side that is looking to progress. He will make a decent living from the game, but is destined for a run of the mill career. Feel free to contradict me on this.
Never mind all that Danny Graham actually got a goal!!!!!…..mind you it was in a 13-1 drubbing of a local amateur Italian team.
Hope this Peruzzi is more Julio than Angeleri,It usually take a year for foreign players to settle,so I am concerend about the sheer number overseas signings.This could backfire spectacularly.
I would like to see Colback stay but he did look a bit of a shadow of what he was the previous season.He needed to step it up a bit but seems to have shrunk back into a shell.
That’s the real skill of a manager, isn’t it? Keeping a whole squad happy? That’s what PDC will have to do. Gardner and Vaughan in particular should constantly thank their lucky stars that they’re still at a premier league club, forget playing every week.
I now think Colback is just holding out for more money. We’d all do the same. PDC really praised him recently for his versatility and so Colback got some confidence from that.
Colback is apparently way behind in terms of wages compared to others.
I am confident he’ll sort this wage question out and be wearing red and white next season.
We still need to offload Ji, Graham, Vaughn and Cattermole to free up some wages. I hope to keep Wickham and see him develop that raw potential into maturity.
I can’t see Larsson or Gardner being in the 1st eleven next season. If thats the case they may get frustrated and want to leave.
Whilst I am pleased to see the club being procative so early in the transfer window I do hope that PDC has kept one eye on the “home grown ” quota. We need to have at least eight players in the squad over the age of 21 who qualify…… have been trained by clubs afflied to the English or Welsh FA for three years between the ages of 18 and 21.
As far as I know the following 12 players meet the ” home grown” rules.
Westwood, Mannone, Larsson,Gardner, O’Shea,Brown, Cattermole,Vaughan, Bardsley,Graham,Colback,Johnson.
Fletcher and McLean don’t qualify because their early careers were developed in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectivley. Wickam ,I think, is not yet 21 so is also not eligible
As we are likely to get rid of Bardsley, Graham, Vaughan and Cattermole this leave us with the bear minimum of eight. We then hit problems if Colback is sold or if Larsson and Gardner are dumped. If Westwood isn’t guaranteed the No 1 spot he could be off as well.
Huddlestone, if the rumours are true would be added to the list.
So players like Ba and Karlsson are being bought young so they can qualify, I think.
Di Canio needs to stress to Colback that he’s ability to step in and do a good job in a number of positions is something to be admired.Its a rare gift and only a few can do it.Why just limit yourself to be a decent midfielder when you can be a good left or right back? Midfield might be he’s preferred position but he does a job where ever he’s put, stick with it Jack !
I really rate Colback as a squad player. I think he’d be very useful at right or left back. He keeps it simple and is reliable. However as a midfielder I don’t rate him too much. Too negative and not physically strong enough.
Has the Rose deal stalled? Maybe. But Spurs have always been a bit difficult to negotiate with in the transfer window.
Won’t have the money for Rose unless we sell Session, i reckon. He’s spent big on Giacherrini and is right t prioritise on attacking and inventive players as his high spending targets. We’ll look to find a reasonably priced LB from abroad.