The inside track on big striker call and latest takeover claims
With takeover and transfer talk continuing to dominate the discussion at the Stadium of Light, Phil Smith answers reader questions and offers an insight into what is currently happening at Sunderland AFC.
Q: As an enormous club at this level I have an expectation for us to go for the best players in the league. I don't feel my expectation is unreasonable. These players are the likes of Ivan ToneyandM arc us M addison.Seeing M addison going on loan was hard to accept. These players in particular could stay and develop with the club and eventually play at Premier League level. Why have we resigned ourselves to accepting less?
This is a great question that I think we need to split into a few parts. Firstly, on Marcus Maddison, who has great quality in the final third but it’s fair to raise questions about his value with just six months left on his deal, and I’d point out as well that Peterborough’s form has recovered dramatically since Sammie Szmodics took his place in the side. There will be a lot of clubs interested to see how Maddison fares in the Championship.
On Ivan Toney, I believe Peterborough said he would cost above £8 million. Unfortunately, Sunderland’ s decline means that just isn’ t possible at the moment.
Secondly, there were teams near the top of the Championship(Brent ford being one) who would have moved were he reallyavailable. The reality is that for these players on their way up in the game, they want to give themselves the best possible chance of getting into the Premier League.
The only way to do that is to thrive in the Championship, or get promoted with a team at that level.
As tough as it is for all of us to accept, until Sunderland are competing in the Championship and doing well, players attracting offers from the top end of that division are not going to be interested (in my opinion at least), even accounting for the obvious size of the club.
Where I would absolutely agree is that Sunderland need to be investing to the absolute best of their capabilities in players with the potential to grow, step up a level and potentially make the club a profit.
Q: I’m a little concerned no regular striker was brought in because we do not have someone who will take chances.
This is the biggest concern I think in the fanbase after the January window and clearly, it’s a fair one.
The chances have dried up a bit in recent matches and Sunderland don’t seem to have a clinical finisher (or at least one in form). It was an interesting window on that front.
Phil Parkinson’s main priority was to get a player who could replicate Charlie Wyke’s contribution, who, in fairness, is making a good go of the responsibility of leading the line in the current system.
There were a few options. La ff er ty being one, of course, as well as Gary Madine and Liam Boyce.
Parkinson ultimately opted for Lafferty as he felt his career suggested he’s a player who thrives, at club and internationallevel, in big games and on big stages.
The opportunity to bring him in at the start of the window and build his fitness up early was also seen as a bonus.
Parkinson was then clear that he would only recruit further should Will Grigg depart.
It’ s too early to judge how his La ff er ty gamble is going to play out but without a doubt, if Sunderlandare going to get into the top two, someone needs to get on the goal trail and quickly.
Q: We need a goal scoring striker. Has Grigg any chance of being selected by PP?
This is a great question. Ultimately, I think he is going to have to at some stage. It’s clear how Park in son wants and is going to continue to set his team up, with an orthodox number nine playing a target man role.
That drops Grigg down the pecking order and we’ve seen that in recent weeks.
In the next 16 games (and possibly beyond), however, there are going to be times in games where a bit of variety is needed, and Sunderland need someone to stretch the play and run off the shoulder a bit more.
It’s worth remembering, too, that Sunderland are waiting to see if and how serious Wyke’s shoulder injury is.
Though Karl Robinson made a big, public play for Grigg at the end of the window, it was telling that Park in son had talked the striker up in the days previous.
It was increasingly clear that there was not going to be a deal on the table beneficial to both Grigg and the club.
To Grigg’s credit, there has been nothing but praise for his application and attitude during a difficult period, and that explains to a large extent why Parkinson was so relaxed about the situation throughout January.
Any updates on potential new owners?
Nothing concrete, at this stage. I’d imagine most supporters have now read the reportfrom bloomberg, that said two bidders are currently at the table. It also said that the current ownership hope to identify a preferred bidder by the end of the month.
That’s relatively consistent with what has been said publicly so far. The report also claimed that the asking price is £40 million.