Our changing transfer policy

[Dick Edwards]

Sunderland's fall and fall of the last decade encapsulated by the fact that one in ten of those listed players was bought by Sunderland.

[Mister E]

Yes I would like to wondr why its changed just because we change the coach.
It's really not good practice.
Everyone has been wooed and start struck by SG
It's like he can do what he wants in signing Suarez

The policy hasn’t changed, though. Whilst Deano was here we signed Cashley Y: an old (36) but experienced player to support our young squad. Now, we have signed a 29yr old and a 28yr old ... to support our young squad. And, just for good measure, we’ve brought in Kerr Smith and are threatening to being in another youngster, to balance things up.
What may have changed with the incoming manager is a shift in players targeted. This seems perfectly natural to me since an incomer is bound to have a different view of need.
 Dean - for example - didn’t seem to see a need for a DCM; weird though that appears.

[ventnorVillain]

People keep saying that we need to buy first-team players, not squad players, so it would appear that that is what is happening with the Coutinho and Digne signings. The problem with relying on "up and coming" and signing players "for the future" is that tomorrow never comes. We need some immediacy and experience in the team and this is what we are starting to get. There does need to be a balance and as many respondents have pointed out.

[Smithy]

People keep saying that we need to buy first-team players, not squad players, so it would appear that that is what is happening with the Coutinho and Digne signings. The problem with relying on "up and coming" and signing players "for the future" is that tomorrow never comes. We need some immediacy and experience in the team and this is what we are starting to get. There does need to be a balance and as many respondents have pointed out.

Absolutely right.  Our first two years back in the Premier league were as much about squad building as they were acquiring the best possible first eleven.  I'm heartened by the fact that our two big signings this window walk straight into our first eleven when fit. That's how it should be for us now. I'm all for picking up young and promising players - and I hope it continues - but I'm delighted to see we're targeting players to go immediately into the 11, rather than merely to add competition for places.

[paul_e]

At this point it's better for the U23 players if we're signing late 20s first team players than it would be if we were signing 21-24 year olds to bulk out the squad evenbthough the latter might feel more progressive.

[algy]

At this point it's better for the U23 players if we're signing late 20s first team players than it would be if we were signing 21-24 year olds to bulk out the squad evenbthough the latter might feel more progressive.

Yeah, that's my thinking too. The players we're investing heavily in are 16-19 year olds. I'd say players who can give us 2-5 years service, and have some knowledge & winning mentality to pass on to younger players, are exactly what the first team needs.