Kristjaan Speakman met the press today, post window, to explain his failure to sign a striker…
SPEAKMAN ON STRIKERS
"The nine position is very similar to all the rest of them. You have three or four targets that you have to prioritise and I think forward positions is always an area you'd like to strengthen if you can. We went right down to the wire on three or four of them, and then at the end of it we knew it wasn't to be for various reasons, availability. Ultimately there is a choice if you want to spend more and more but there becomes a point where you have to evaluate that against the value and on this occasion that didn't come through for us.”
“I think for most of the season creating chances has not been an issue for us. I think for a long time we have been right up there for XG and the various stats you'd want to look at. It's been about converting those opportunities. i think there is a lot of talk around nines. I think if you look into the stats and the detail there is a lot more goals coming from other areas of the pitch in every team in this league and other leagues. We need different goalscorers from different parts of the pitch and them two or three players to score some good numbers and hopefully that's what we can deliver."
AMAD
"Amad would have been one of those three or four targets that I spoke about at the start. We are not in control of those factors. I think you've seen in terms of the market; I think the term that has been used is it's been a fairly dormant market, there has not been as many transactions. Ultimately you are then waiting on player availability, whether that's on a permanent basis or a loan basis. It ran its course that he wasn't available. We stayed in that for as long as we possibly could say in hindsight that was maybe to the detriment of signing another player earlier on, but we felt that was a choice we had to make and were comfortable with that choice."
PRITCHARD
"Like I've said in these conversations before, these guys are not robots. They are just like you and I, they have home life, family, thoughts, ambitions. I think in the end Alex has made an incorrect decision which he maybe in reflection thinks he shouldn't have done. Look, we all make mistakes in life. We brought Alex in because we knew he could be a real compliment to what we were trying to achieve. I think that was a justified decision, he's become a fans' favourite, delivered on numerous occasions on the pitch to get our club promoted. In the end it was just a sensible conversation about what's the next-best move. I think he's happy with the outcome. I wouldn't necessarily say we are happy with the outcome because we were in a position where we had to make a decision. We had to put the best interest of the club first and I think we move forward. We have a really strong squad."
JACK CLARKE
"Look, we are really proud that we've got a talented group. I think when you have got a talented group you are going to get that backhanded compliment where the phone is going to ring on multiple occasions and people are going to try and prize those players away. I think it's a huge success to get through a January window where we haven't lost a player of that calibre. You only have to look at other teams in the league that have lost big players in their squads midway through. I think ultimately as well, the lads are really, really happy. I think they enjoy they group and love everything about Sunderland." STYLES AND MUNDLE
"Romaine hasn't played a lot of football in terms of starting appearances but has been fully-fit, training. Came in, did his fitness test so we know exactly where he's at. He'll be available for selection at the weekend, it will obviously be up to the coach to pick the team. Callum's situation is slightly unique. We had an agreement in principle for Callum. He had to go for what's classed as an emergency surgery but it's fairly minor nowadays and the medical team and doctors do an incredible job with that type of thing. He's just got to get himself back on his feet and over the next 10, 14 days should be back out on the grass and available for selection."
MAYENDA LOAN
"I think there are two things. One is about providing opportunities for the players. We think for him and Nectar going to Hibs is similar culture, similar league, not too far up the road. I think there are real positives in how aligned those two environments are. Ultimately for the players in the building you want to feel like there's an opportunity to get in the team. I think from having an inflated and larger squad players can feel a little bit further away from getting into the group. We made a chose to keep Semedo in. Semedo had loads of opportunities to go out and I think it's a real good marker for us in how much interest there was in those players outside of the building that points to how talented they are. We have to bring those boys through."
