I’m around some of the biggest names in world football now, says Maja
cheque – if all goes well, he could end up paying £4m – for Grigg when Ross was happy to walk away from his top target and make do with Sterling once the price inflated.
“Some managers have different opinions on a mid-season window,” Ross says. “I was quite relaxed about it because when the window closes, my job is to make the best of what I’ve got.
“I know there’s an argument to go from summer to summer with no changes in between. There’s an element of fortune involved in that because of injuries.
“Another view is to just open it all year round so you don’t get this period where everyone’s chucked together and you’ve got to try and find a way.
“It’s been relatively straightforward for me since it shut because the players have been good and they’ve fitted in well together, it’s just probably finding that absolute right combination.
“We’ve felt as if we’re edging closer to it, but you’re doing that in the midst of a season, which is not straightforward.
“The last couple of weeks prior to Oxford we had a bit of time (without a game) but in the week just gone we’ve not been able to do an awful lot on the training ground and next week’s the same.
“We have a free week after that (in terms of no midweek game) but if we’re successful in the Checkatrade Trophy, the rest of the season is pretty much just going to be games so you rely on a little bit of good fortune that players click when they get the opportunity.”
He says good luck played a bigger part than good judgement in his transfer gamble paying off at St Mirren Park.
Ross took over in October, and by January the Buddies were still staring down the barrel of relegation from the Scottish Championship, so he decided to rip it up and start again. They did not just avoid the drop, they won the title the next season, bringing Ross to Sunderland’s attention. Never again, he insists. “It’s dead easy to say, ‘I’m a genius’ because of that, but there was a lot of good luck involved in that as well,” he says. “That was a roll of the dice because we were so far detached at the bottom of the table. “I would call it an educated roll of the dice – if a roll of the dice can be educated!
“You need an element of luck to bring it all together and this one has been a lot more controlled.”
Calm and controlled are the way Ross likes it. Thank goodness the desperation window is shut. JOSH Maja has explained the biggest reason he joined Bordeaux last month is that he felt he would get more opportunities to play abroad.
The 20-year-old scored 16 goals in 30 appearances for the Black Cats this season but was out of contract in the summer.
Maja expressed his desire to leave the club and Sunderland had to cash in last month or risk losing him on a free transfer at the end of the season.
A whole host of Premier League and Championship clubs expressed their interest in the former Manchester City youngster but it was Ligue 1 side Bordeaux who landed him in a £3.5million deal.
Eyebrows were raised at the move but Maja became the latest in a growing number of young English stars moving abroad for more opportunities at first-team level.
In fact, Maja shares an agent with Jadon Sancho, Reiss Nelson, Ademola Lookman and Denzeil Boadu - all of whom have made the move to the Bundesliga at some point.
There was Bundesliga interest in Maja, too, but his agent also has clients who have moved to other European countries.
Chelsea’s Ola Aina is impressing on loan at Italian side Torino, Chuba Akpom plies his trade with PAOK in Greece, while Rolando Aarons took in a spell on loan at Czech side Slovan Liberec earlier this season. A lot was made about the influence of Maja’s agent in his Sunderland departure and it is easy to make the link that he may have played a big part in his decision to cross the channel and sign for Bordeaux. Sheyi Ojo, another client on his books, joined French side Stade Reims on loan from Liverpool earlier this season as well. Maja is yet to make his debut for his new side and was an unused substitute last weekend as Bordeaux were beaten 1-0 by French champions PSG. But Maja insists the move was the best option for his development and he feels the length of his contract eases the pressure on him making an impact in France. He told AFP: “I just felt I’d get more opportunities abroad, so that was the main reason I left and I thought in France, at Bordeaux, I’d get an opportunity to make a name for myself and go from there. “I’m around probably the biggest names in world football, so that is just a blessing. I’m grateful. “I’ve got four-and-a-half years here, so I’ve got all that time to settle in and make a name for myself, develop, improve as a player and a person, and that’s why I’m pleased to be here.” Bordeaux welcome Toulouse to the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux on Sunday, as Maja looks to finally make his debut for his new side.
I thought in France, at Bordeaux, I’d get an opportunity to make a name for myself and go from there Josh Maja