In his most recent round of media soundbites, Kristjaan Speakman has explained that while he is happy with the depth in the current squad, he'll still be keeping an eye on the free agent market...
SEE WHO IS AVAILABLE
"We are not picking at the free agent market like 'we've got to find a player'. Naturally, we'll pick it up like we did last year and see who is available, but we don't need any [more] players. At the same time, we are always vigilant and if we can improve, then we'll always want to improve."
FLEXIBLE
"We think we've got loads of flexibility in the group. You've got Ross and Ellis who are out-and-out number nines, then you've got Amad who has come in, Leon can play up there, and then we have got some younger ones underneath if we feel the time is right or the opportunity is there then are more than happy to play those boys if they are doing what we need them to do, which is to show that appetite to develop and grow. The external view is always 'have you got the right balance, have you got the right players', and the expectation is that as soon as you get one injury you buy another player but that is just not reality."
SEE THEM PLAY
"We feel we have tactical flexibility, personal flexibility, so that we can get through to the next pitstop in January. We have to see these players play. We have to see Aji Alese play, he's got to have that opportunity, we can't just keep filling that spot in front of him."
BENNETTE/MICHUT/BA/AMAD
"They are first-team footballers. If you look at the CVs of those players that have come in, there are two French internationals, one boy is going to the World Cup, and one is on the fringes of one of the top sides in European football."
COMPETITION
"It's like anything, when the team is performing, they have to come in and work their way into the team, and they have to be able to show the coaching staff that they have what it takes to get a starting spot. We want that competition. There have been times when every fit professional we have had got into the matchday group. We need some that aren't getting in the group to give that competitive spirit, both to get in the XI and in the matchday 18."
BIG SPENDERS
"The market has been fairly quiet over the duration. Considering we are a newly-promoted team out of League One, I would guess that we are probably the third, fourth, fifth, highest net spenders in this league. If you look at the level of investment going into our club, there are probably not many that are competing without the income revenue."
INTEREST
"That's where the market is at, and that's fantastic for us because we think we have some really talented players and naturally people will be interested in them but I also think there is an understanding externally that we are not a selling club. I'm sure there are people who would have loved to have put a bid in for X, Y or Z, I know there are a lot of people who have a lot of admiration for some of our players, but they probably thought that there was no point in phoning us up because they knew what the answer was going to be, and that's a really good progression for Sunderland."
STEWART CONTRACT
“Ross is someone that we've been having conversations with regarding his contractual status since Spring. They're ongoing, positive conversations. We have the option of an extra year on Ross' contract so he's still got 22 months left, so I don't think we're in a situation where we need to be panicking about it. I appreciate that [the demand] when you've got a player with the profile of Ross and the success that he's had, he's a top guy who has come here, adapted and delivered."
RIGHT SOLUTION
“We want to get him tied down for longer, as you do with any player with that has done what he's done. We want to get to a solution on that, we want it to be right for Ross and the football club. I'm sure that there's a sensible conclusion. Yeah, listen, you've got one of the top goal scorers in the league last season, up there this season, of course you don't want those conversations to run forever. We've had those conversations, but neither side have been dialling up the pressure because there's been the transfer window and a lot of things going on."
MORE DETAILED TALKS
“If his contract was a year shorter then that would be bubbling to the top of the list, naturally. I've had loads of conversations with Ross, he's a top lad, he wants to play in a competitive team and he wants to be the best version of himself. I think now that we've got the window out of the way I think we can have a more detailed conversation about getting that over the line.”
