RR Interview: Benji Kimpioka’s agent on where the Sunderland forward’s contract negotiations are at

He’s obviously not doing enough in training or u23 games. If he was then he’d be in the squad.

Maybe he’s just not very good?
He wouldn't.
It's our philosophy now not to play people who won't sign contracts.
I can see why tbh.
Play kimpioko, nurture him, develop him, see him play poorly in a few games as he's developing, then he'll fuck off on a free as he hasn't signed a contract.
 


The thing that concerns me about the likes of Maja, Benji, Hulme, Embleton etc is that they were part of our academy when we were a premier league side. As part of an academy that was top flight, we should have had the cream of the crop. The fact that 2-3 years later they are not even regulars in the 3rd tier is a pretty poor reflection on our academy coaches, academy scouts and the players themselves, who, if we had retained our premier league status, would be nowhere near a reserve team squad, let alone a first team one.

Not it's not at all and neither do we have the 'cream' as you put it. You'll find the same happening at many clubs and you're ignoring that as a manager at SAFC at this level you also have funds and experienced decent players already here, where some other clubs would have had to chuck some of these lads in enmasse and given them more opportunities. Realistically there's not going to be two or three years to develop it.

Out of that lot Maja and Asoro have looked capable and moved on because of it.
Hume, Embleton are doing it/playing/have played regularly at league one or below and one or two others are on the fringes.

Mumba is only 17 /18 and has featured last season and in the Checkatrade, but has only just had over a year of full time training and they're still developing him. Robson has had games in the Championship and done decently in Scotland but two seasons running he's had injuries when he would have been in and around the squad, so again he's gone out on loan. Then you have one or two out on loan at lower levels.

Unless you're Arsenal, Chelsea pumping millions into it per season and nicking players across Europe or Man United and Man City it's pretty standard stuff most seasons.
 
Shame as the lad seems to have some potential! Also has great pace from the little i’ve seen of him

However the club are obviously trying to avoid another maja scenario and thats fair enough imo

Won’t lose any sleep when he leaves
 
If he can't force his way into this side whilst it's in league one, with forwards who aren't exactly on fire then he never will.

He offers something different to what we have but he needs game time to improve and I just don't see him getting it under Ross.
 
If he can't force his way into this side whilst it's in league one, with forwards who aren't exactly on fire then he never will.

He offers something different to what we have but he needs game time to improve and I just don't see him getting it under Ross.
He needs to improve in training, then he might get game time
 
Don't understand what people have seen in him that makes them think he's worth worrying about. He's fast and unpredictable but not even remotely composed on the ball and makes bad decisions.

If he is more concerned with keeping his agent happy than learning how to play and developing he can do it elsewhere.
 
Don't understand what people have seen in him that makes them think he's worth worrying about. He's fast and unpredictable but not even remotely composed on the ball and makes bad decisions.

If he is more concerned with keeping his agent happy than learning how to play and developing he can do it elsewhere.
Fast and direct and offers something different. If given a chance and coaching, he could benefit and his decision making might improve.
 
Shame as the lad seems to have some potential! Also has great pace from the little i’ve seen of him

However the club are obviously trying to avoid another maja scenario and thats fair enough imo

Won’t lose any sleep when he leaves
Avoiding a Maja situation by denying young players the first team minutes that developed Maja is bizarre tbh. Don’t think benji will be as good as Maja but if we’d operated like this last year, Maja would have fucked off to another league 1 team in the summer and nobody would have given a fuck - until he developed there and made us look like mugs.
 

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