Elliott Dickman has spoken about the return of former Sunderland youth prospect Joe Hugill, who is now excelling at Manchester United...
KEEP HIM QUIET
"We know Joe Hugill very well and if he plays it will be fantastic for him as a Sunderland supporter, but from our point of view we want to keep him quiet."
BITTERSWEET
"He is a good prospect, he's at Manchester United and we wish him all the very best, but it is a bit bittersweet, I guess."
WISH HIM WELL
"In an ideal world, Joe stays here and he's part of what we are trying to develop and achieve here at Sunderland, but that isn't the case. We wish him well, his family is behind him, and he is at a good football club."
OTHER PLAYERS
"It's bittersweet from our point of view, but the other side of it is that it gives other players a chance - players like Will Harris who has come into the U23s and then played against Lincoln [in the EFL Trophy] last week, and he did quite well there. As one door closes for one player, another door opens for another player."
GOOD LUCK
"Good luck to Joe, and as long as he doesn't score tonight then things will be all good!"
PLANNING
"The pathway and the planning behind the scenes has always been quite good. Those kind of decisions, though, are taken above us at board level - they would make the call over whether a player stays or not."
WANTED JOE TO STAY
"If you ask any coach or member of staff within the academy they would say they wanted Joe Hugill, and other players who have left, to stay because they have got talent and we want to help nurture that talent."
GOOD PLAYERS HERE
"But we have some good players here and we are focusing on them, and doing everything we can to continue their development."
