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Tommy Watson ( ...off to Brighton)

Keith S30S said:
We would have been offering him £10K a week man! You can't sign players for £10M and offer them rubbish wages
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We definitely would not have been offering 10k a week.

Despite the fee, Brighton aren’t going to be offering him the top wages that folk expect - at least initially anyway.

Frankly even at £10k a week, it's still extremely generous for an 18 year old kid that has only played a small number of league games in the championship.

I suspect Brighton have signed him with the aim of developing him over the next 2 years. That means more than likely academy football in the immediate future with a loan deal to a championship/L1 club later in the season if things work out.

Now of course, if he goes direct into the Brighton team he will easily earn in excess of £10k a week and quite possibly north of £20k depending on bonuses. I just can’t see it next season - although stranger things have happened.

He won’t, however, be earning that whilst playing for the U21s.
 

10 Gary Rowells said:
As I recall Watson stalled the signing of his contract at 17. This would suggest he has always seen himself playing at a higher level than we offer at the moment. To me it's a bit young to be itching for a move but we shall see.
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You get some players who are there for the love of teh game and accept whatever rewards come with it. They work hard and they do well
Then there are others who show promise and get interest from an early age. At that point it becomes all about the money
 
Guinness Guzzler said:
You're right, it isn't, but I've seen him make a few. Regardless, you're going into a play off against players who are desperate to get promoted. I know they aren't exactly on the breadline either way, but for their contracts, their lifestyle, their families, they'll be giving absolutely everything to get promoted. Watson won't be in that position, he's set regardless. The biggest risk to his future isn't sunderland losing the match, it's him getting injured and not breaking through at Brighton. That's not a criticism of the lad, it's human nature, he won't be going for it with the same desire as others. And frankly he's not good enough to be effective at 90% or whatever. If we're in a play off I'd rather see Aleksic or someone come on
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To be honest I think it’s more about his own mentality…. And he’s not experienced enough to process all these competing thoughts and perform on the pitch
 
Hank Scorpio said:
Both Stewart and Clarke were established championship players mate. Watson has been signed purely on potential.

Although Watson will be on more money at Brighton then he would have got here, I’d honestly be shocked if he was on north of £10k a week.

I suspect Brighton will know he isn’t PL ready and therefore they won’t want him on big wages whilst he’s in the development squad - especially as other lads who are perhaps ahead of him are on less.

As I posted earlier though, I do find it a strange move for the lad.
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Prepared to be shocked then 10k x 3 and you’ll be right
 
Hank Scorpio said:
We definitely would not have been offering 10k a week.

Despite the fee, Brighton aren’t going to be offering him the top wages that folk expect - at least initially anyway.

Frankly even at £10k a week, it's still extremely generous for an 18 year old kid that has only played a small number of league games in the championship.

I suspect Brighton have signed him with the aim of developing him over the next 2 years. That means more than likely academy football in the immediate future with a loan deal to a championship/L1 club later in the season if things work out.

Now of course, if he goes direct into the Brighton team he will easily earn in excess of £10k a week and quite possibly north of £20k depending on bonuses. I just can’t see it next season - although stranger things have happened.

He won’t, however, be earning that whilst playing for the U21s.
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How much do you think we offered Rigg to get him to sign? £5K and a 10p mix up. He'll be on at least £10K a week.
 
JL1985 said:
It a shame but he seems like he really wanted to leave so what do the club do? They’ve got a very good fee that may prove to be brilliant business or somewhat undervalued, who knows.

Looking back over the last 5 years when Donald was selling the ‘great’ youngsters for cheap, there’s not many if any at all that are doing anything.
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He’s 18, wrong people advising him.
 
Game time is everything for promising young players. He's probably looked at the path we've created for Rigg and wondered why he isn't getting the same treatment.

Since he isn't getting the same opportunities, he likely thinks that he might as well be at a PL club earning more money and who will find him other ways of playing first team football.

Personally thought he was progressing absolutely fine here had it not been for a nasty injury, but clearly the lad backs himself.
 
This is a good deal for us mind. He’s not getting past Mundle any time soon. Great transfer for the lad as well. I can see why he would go and why he would be excited to play for them. They have an excellent recent history of improving players and selling them to the very top clubs.
 
Keith S30S said:
I would suggest he wouldn't have signed when he could have left on a 'free' (tribunal) if we didn't offer him daft money. KLD approved the deal himself. It wasn't a normal offer.
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It wasn’t a normal offer - I totally agree. However I just can’t see it being £10k a week.

The selling point to Riggs family though was always game time (the same goes for Jobe). They knew full well he’d play championship football with us, rather than academy football with Utd or City.

Both the club and Rigg’s family have managed his career brilliantly really.

Watson has chosen a very different approach and only time will tell if he was right.
 
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