Defoe – end of the nurture trail

STAN COLLYMORE

ON the face of it, Jermain Defoe’s move to Sunderland is crazy.

He’s 32 years of age, has scored just once in the Premier League in I-don’t-know-how-long and yet has just moved to the Black Cats on a three-and-a-half-year contract worth around £15million.

So it all goes to show just how much of a gamble Sunderland owner Ellis Short and manager (or is it ‘ Head Coach’?) Gus Poyet have taken here.

They have rolled the dice because there is a disproportionate value in proven talent.

That’s why the likes of Frank Lampard – at the age of 35 – can still command such a decent contract.

And when push comes to shove – when one goal and one win can make the difference between remaining in the Premier League or not – that’s what counts.

If you look at the length of service Sunderland will receive by return, it also looks crazy.

What would you expect it to be? Eighteen months? With his goals sufficient to keep them in the Premier League for a couple of seasons.

It’s equally barmy to think that those strikes will more than pay for the £15m they have spent on his contract as long as they can stay among the elite.

But is it good for the future of clubs such as Sunderland?

The answer has to be: “No.” It

Football’s ultimate maverick sounds off