Jermain Defoe (no longer a rumour)

[Father Jack Hackett]

You’d pick Defoe over Stewart?

Edit - ah, I see what you mean. You’d pick him for the chance to fall to, rather than pick him in the team ahead of Stewart. Fair enough.

Aye, the chance mate. Definitely wouldn't pick him as a starter over Stewart.
I'm merely playing the percentages in my head and say, we get an injury time chance at Morcambe or Wembley. Defoe would be the one I would like it to fall to over anyone.

 

[The Cabbage]

Totally agree with you again, to question what we are trying to do is silly at this point. If you look at my posting history you’ll see Just how much I hated Donald and Charlie, and how much I didn’t want them pretty much from the start. I couldn’t be more with you on that, and what they did to this club still makes me shudder.

However I don’t think Johnson has been giving a bad hand at all. He had a good squad last season, but that winning formula seemed to fall into his lap. He only started playing Sanderson because he had to, and as soon as players started coming back, he fucked about, and it cost us dearly.

Same this season, he’s got an excellent squad, one that in my opinion should be promoted. Yet at nearly full strength he thought he was pep again, kept chopping and changing and trying silly things, which is a trend in his career, and again we went on an awful run.

Injuries again meant he didn’t really have much choice and he had to play a settled side, we again went on a good run. But the worrying thing is it looks like a bad one is on the way.

He also seems to be far too worried about what other teams are going to do. When he comes up against a good manager opposite, he focuses on there team, and nobody can honestly say he hasn’t been out thought a few times despite him thinking he’s the cleverest man in football.

My point is, as much as I don’t disagree we can be optimistic for the future, I’m massively pessimistic about Johnson, and I think fans who question this are correct to do so. Hope and pray he proves me wrong but so far he really hasn’t and everything we’ve been told about him has been bang on.

Disagree a bit about specifics - our squad last season was poor and it was luck/good work by LJ that even gave us a chance, and our squad this season isn’t clearly one of the top two so expecting promotion based purely on our ability is a mistake - but fair enough. The worry I have (and I’m fairly certain it’s happening) is that many Sunderland fans can’t separate their sadness and anger at our prolonged period in league One from a logical opinion on what the club are actually doing right now. Johnson is a lightning rod for that currently. He gets it in the neck on every single setback - sometimes deserved, sometimes undeserved. However you’ve only got to see some of the crackpot stuff on here, on podcasts and generally online to know that people are lashing out all over the place. A single defeat has people questioning if KLD has lost interest, is a fraud, or is even in control of the club. Collectively, we’ve lost our minds. There is no way on earth that this behaviour is gonna help us get out of this league.

 

[Bob Gurney's Ghost]

We’ve had some great results off the managerial merry-go-round in the past - and that’s always been an approach that’s brought us success, is t it - so it’s not surprising that some people would like us to go back to that.

Haha yes, the kind of 'success' we're so, so used to marra

 

[mackembhoy]

Can we just lock this thread until he signs and then keep it shut if he doesn't sign

 

[SebastienELLISbexter]

Whether you like Johnson or not (I like him), he really has shot himself in the foot with that response in the press conference. He really should learn from that and be smarter. There's a huge amount of passion for Defoe from the fanbase and Johnson has inevitably created at least a debate and at worst division.

 

[Vauxie]

Dave can you just see the fan reaction if we go 1 down

Hell on
I mean on here

 

[The Cabbage]

Whether you like Johnson or not (I like him), he really has shot himself in the foot with that response in the press conference. He really should learn from that and be smarter. There's a huge amount of passion for Defoe from the fanbase and Johnson has inevitably created at least a debate and at worst division.

I probably agree. Ultimately it’s a case of ‘Lee, be careful what you say as a large proportion of the safc fanbase are unhinged’ so it does feel a little unfair, but he should probably know that by now.

 

[Scotlands number 9]

Never heard that one mate?

aye, went and met him and it was verbally agreed he’d come if they were successful. It’s when he was at Liverpool as a academy coach. Then Donald and co got in ahead of them. Then Donald was pinging emails to part of the consortium asking them to invest…….

 

[Chewit]

He’s 39 & has played 2 games in 9 months. Might as well put Monty in goal while we are on.

You mean like when he came off the bench last week and scored?

Can anyone remember how underwhelming the likes of Andy Cole and Michael Bridges were when they came back at the end of their careers.
Granted this is a lower standard, and I think JD may be fitter but that’s pure assumption. I also think JD will be well suited to our system. But just how long do we think it will take to get him up to speed?
So long as it’s not at cost of a 90 minute 2 games a week striker who can replace Stewart if he gets injured Iam all for it... but it’s the cherry on the cake for me .

 

[The Cabbage]

Can anyone remember how underwhelming the likes of Andy Cole and Michael Bridges were when they came back at the end of their careers.
Granted this is a lower standard, and I think JD may be fitter but that’s pure assumption. I also think JD will be well suited to our system. But just how long do we think it will take to get him up to speed?
So long as it’s not at cost of a 90 minute 2 games a week striker who can replace Stewart if he gets injured Iam all for it... but it’s the cherry on the cake for me .

Yeah Bridges was one that popped into my head. I know when we missed out on Phillips he went on to have many more productive years, but he was 4.5 years younger and playing more regularly. It’s very difficult to judge how Defoe would do. Can’t help but feel than an injury to Stewart would fuck us even if Defoe was in the building though. Really not sure that Defoe could lead the line for us at this stage in his career. Supersub role is a different matter - but can we afford two more strikers?

 

[SebastienELLISbexter]

I probably agree. Ultimately it’s a case of ‘Lee, be careful what you say as a large proportion of the safc fanbase are unhinged’ so it does feel a little unfair, but he should probably know that by now.

I think Defoe is a bit of a special case though. There's a passion there from what he did off the pitch as much as on it. Johnson should have realised that and simply should have given a more neutral response. If he'd have done that we'd all be debating whether Defoe actually wants to come back or not. It's actually really naive what Johnson did and I dont think it's unreasonable for some to be a bit annoyed. How strong that criticism goes and how it ties into pre existing agendas is another matter which should be discussed like because there's definitely a few on here going way over the top.

 

[Chewit]

They aren't man mate, not actual Sunderland fans. I refuse to believe a single one is desperate to see us fail so they can come on an internet chat thing and talk to strangers about it. If there are any, they never were and never will be fans of this club and therefore don't matter.

It’s a fact there is a new genre of supporter who is social media based and takes every opportunity to vent indignation, they are in a different world and don’t take on the responsibility of supporting in the traditional sense. But this is world wide not a Sunderland thing.

To most of us coming on here is just an extension of what we did in the pub pre social media.

Sorting out who is a keyboard warrior and who is a genuine supporter would be a full time job.
What those who really care about the club can do is call out the idiots and make sure their irrational posts are made to look childish, immature and short sighted.

Yeah Bridges was one that popped into my head. I know when we missed out on Phillips he went on to have many more productive years, but he was 4.5 years younger and playing more regularly. It’s very difficult to judge how Defoe would do. Can’t help but feel than an injury to Stewart would fuck us even if Defoe was in the building though. Really not sure that Defoe could lead the line for us at this stage in his career. Supersub role is a different matter - but can we afford two more strikers?

That’s the question for me Mr Cabbage

 

[royal4545]

The teams performance for the first 10 games to the last ten games are almost identical.
148 shots
52-54 on target
18-24 goals
11 against.
The one thing we definitely need is a striker with the ability to dribble in the box to come on if we are matched in the air.

I doubt Defoe would have come to play second fiddle to Stewart or Broadhead.

 

[Dobblemackem]

Disagree a bit about specifics - our squad last season was poor and it was luck/good work by LJ that even gave us a chance, and our squad this season isn’t clearly one of the top two so expecting promotion based purely on our ability is a mistake - but fair enough. The worry I have (and I’m fairly certain it’s happening) is that many Sunderland fans can’t separate their sadness and anger at our prolonged period in league One from a logical opinion on what the club are actually doing right now. Johnson is a lightning rod for that currently. He gets it in the neck on every single setback - sometimes deserved, sometimes undeserved. However you’ve only got to see some of the crackpot stuff on here, on podcasts and generally online to know that people are lashing out all over the place. A single defeat has people questioning if KLD has lost interest, is a fraud, or is even in control of the club. Collectively, we’ve lost our minds. There is no way on earth that this behaviour is gonna help us get out of this league.

Rare to see such a well balanced thought out post on here. Whilst I disagree with you on some of it, it’s clear you have the interests of the club at heart. We both do, and can quite happily accept whilst we don’t agree on every point, we agree on a lot.

Nice healthy debate, so it can be done on here. Not everybody needs to be called happy clapper or bedwetter

 

[Chewit]

Can we just lock this thread until he signs and then keep it shut if he doesn't sign

Voice of wisdom... people on here are more intent on making it a bigger issue than it is. More spinning than a blackmailing Government Whip could achieve

 

[The Cabbage]

I think Defoe is a bit of a special case though. There's a passion there from what he did off the pitch as much as on it. Johnson should have realised that and simply should have given a more neutral response. If he'd have done that we'd all be debating whether Defoe actually wants to come back or not. It's actually really naive what Johnson did and I dont think it's unreasonable for some to be a bit annoyed. How strong that criticism goes and how it ties into pre existing agendas is another matter which should be discussed like because there's definitely a few on here going way over the top.

Yeah probably. I’m just wholly against nostalgia in all forms. It’s everywhere these days. People looking backwards and wishing for something that doesn’t exist or wasn’t ever as good as you remember. I do it myself and it annoys the hell out of me. There’s a good argument to say that nostalgia is the most damaging force in the western world these days! But even just in football it’s rarely a satisfying thing. Only have to look at MUFC to see what can happen.

With specific reference to Defoe, remove his history here. Undoubtedly he’s a player who is better than this level at his peak - even while on the wane. But he’s a 39 year old who he played 9 minutes of action this season. Is he the one who we are putting a bet on if we only have one slot for a striker in this season? If he had never played for this club would this reaction be justified? And if it wouldn’t, why is it then justified just because he played for us a few years ago?

 

[RichD]

Whether you like Johnson or not (I like him), he really has shot himself in the foot with that response in the press conference. He really should learn from that and be smarter. There's a huge amount of passion for Defoe from the fanbase and Johnson has inevitably created at least a debate and at worst division.

Tbf to LJ he keeps getting told to be honest ( as he can be) with the fans, however he's also got to protect his team and the club. If he'd ben gushing over JD and it didn't happen (for what ever reason) he would have been slaughtered...the lad can't win...

 

[SPUFF]

This is properly a mate of a mate type crack but my son came in last night from work who has zero interest in football and said “Defoe is coming back isn’t he “

I said “how de ye knar like ?”

The link /rumour has come through lasses who knar defoes lass.When I asked what was exactly said “he’s close to coming back “



Nowt we didn’t already know like but I thought I’d share for a bit frisk .

Does the son wear a thumb ring too @Gillythedilf

 

[gipetto]

He'll end up signing for us next week imo.

 

[SebastienELLISbexter]

Yeah probably. I’m just wholly against nostalgia in all forms. It’s everywhere these days. People looking backwards and wishing for something that doesn’t exist or wasn’t ever as good as you remember. I do it myself and it annoys the hell out of me. There’s a good argument to say that nostalgia is the most damaging force in the western world these days! But even just in football it’s rarely a satisfying thing. Only have to look at MUFC to see what can happen.

With specific reference to Defoe, remove his history here. Undoubtedly he’s a player who is better than this level at his peak - even while on the wane. But he’s a 39 year old who he played 9 minutes of action this season. Is he the one who we are putting a bet on if we only have one slot for a striker in this season? If he had never played for this club would this reaction be justified? And if it wouldn’t, why is it then justified just because he played for us a few years ago?

I'd say because he played for us we know his qualities much more specifically than, for example, Ipswich fans. Now if Ipswich fans weren't keen then ok I'd get that, they'd only be mentioning the negatives that you mentioned. But, we know specific qualities, such as his intelligence, his movement, his professionalism and dedication, his finishing. All of these attributes would be beneficial in this league. And that's the big thing for me, we are talking about league one. And actually he's scored some really nice goals for Rangers, so we know he's still got it. You can call it nostalgia, but I think it's more than that. Call it educated nostalgia. Now, having said all that, I'd be surprised if he's the only striker we're interested in, and if we can bring in someone up front as exciting as the signing of Roberts then that would help massively to calm everyone down.

Tbf to LJ he keeps getting told to be honest ( as he can be) with the fans, however he's also got to protect his team and the club. If he'd ben gushing over JD and it didn't happen (for what ever reason) he would have been slaughtered...the lad can't win...

He didnt have to make Johnson v Defoe. A simple neutral response would have been fine. Then there's no winning or losing for him.