Alex Alejandro "A-Rod" Rodriguez Gorrin

I don't recall anyone posting these already on the thread?

http://www.easybranches.co/football-news/1586853.html

"Our youth team and reserve side has been magnificent of late, and we're all hoping that there's a golden generation of sorts just around the corner.  Many fans want to see some of them included as soon as possible." 

"In midfield the jewel in the crown is Alejandro Gorrin.  A young Spaniard who has been with us since his early teens, and provides a bit of everything.  Almost a young Xavi in terms of his style, although not quite his quality.  He had a trial at Borrusia Dortmund in the summer and is a real one to watch."

http://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2014/1/3/5265332/preview-sunderland-hoping-for-cup-relief 

"With Gus Poyet admitting he's as fed up as the rest of us, you have to imagine there'll be a hell of a lot of changes, as opposed to the 'some' changes we all expected.

Look for the likes of Charis Mavrias, El Hadji Ba and possibly even young guns like Duncan Watmore and Alejandro Gorrin to be given a place in the squad."

if he was wanted he would not be coming , simple as that

It's the classic negative football supporter reaction. "Our new players must be shit because no other club signed them already"

Not negative at all , if he was going to make 1st team level at sunderland he would of been offered a new contract . Simple as that . These academies invest alot of money in youth players , with only a small pacentage that can make the step up to 1st team level , if he was one he would of been resigned and loaned out to a lower division team for experience . Happens all the time . Cant wait to see him in preseason

Yes and no Patrick. 

You have to consider where the player comes from for your statement to be relevant. By all accounts, if you take the numerous write ups as gospel, this kid is a talent on the verge of first team of a (soon to be ex) EPL club and no doubt with the drop and the usual sell off (which could also apply to this lad too) he probably would have been in the first team mix of a Championship club next year that will probably bounce back up. When you look at it like that, you ask 'so why leave and go to Wellington?'

It was stated that he was released? If that's true, why do you release a guy that has that much good press and is a talent? He is under contract so why? I could speculate the following theories

1: the club dropping so the usual sell off of pricier players. This kid could be a pricier player for an u21

2: he genuinely wants a change to see another part of the world. Sunderland is not exactly paradise where as the home of LOTR....

3: he genuinely wants to find consistent 1st team football and challenge himself. The level would be good for him to find out and he 'gots to get paid muthafucka'

4: he could have CF10 (1-10 on the cock factor scale) which means they have had enough of his shit

5: he has talent but it's not as good as others say in respect of being a 1st team player of an EPL team

6: he is actually as good as others say and this is savvy recruitment

I think the fact that Greenie has a mate (and mates don't cut your lunch) then there is probably a mix of 2, 3, 5 and 6. You do have to concede that George has a point that if this kid is the real deal, then why have they let him go? This is point 5 I refer to above. That's probably the part none of us get which then means you ask yourself 'so why have they let him go and what do they know we don't?'

First team football not guaranteed despite a summer clean out? I think he just wants to play and am optimistic that this has been a fortuitous signing.

Would just add that maybe the kid also wants a shot at being an international footballer too? He's got zero chance of ever playing for Spain (or probably England for that matter) but if he comes here for 5 years he can qualify for the All Whites and potentially play in a couple of World Cups (2022, 2026), not to mention Confederations Cups etc. He may well have been told that CM is a problem area for NZ. Once that 5 years is up he'll be 25-26, and still young enough to go back to Europe and play professionally for quite a few years if he really wants to. So kind of a combination of your points 2 and 3. I don't know if playing for the AWs would really be a huge drawcard but maybe in combination with other factors it counts a bit. Maybe he wants the chance to play against the likes of Brazil and even Spain, and that's realistic if the AWs win the OFCNC because then it's straight to the Confeds.

Edit: or maybe he's met a kiwi lass on her OE in the UK and wants to come back here with her!

Agree with you JV on the range of reasons he may be coming here.

The link below suggests Poyet is not big on youth development and you get the feeling was never going to push a kid into a key position when he knows they will at best be fighting to stay in Prems again next year.  It may be as simple as that.  The link - quoted below - also has some more insights into Gorrin's work-on areas and where he is at with his development. 

For me, it's wait and see, but there are enough hints about this kid to suggest he may be a very very good signing for us, so long as he can handle the physicality and hit and miss player protection from A-League referees.  And, for my money, he certainly plays in the right position and has exactly the right sort of versatility to be a good addition to the squad.  Whether he becomes a star or at very least quality import level A-League player will be interesting to see, but you'd have to rate him as a good chance.  Assuming he's a significant step up from Lia and can cover Riera's role, that's good enough for me and, if so, all we need now is the guys up front to collectively find 35-40+ goals.  And Sig and Dura to find another yard of pace during the off-season lols.

Gorrin has 4 goals and 2 assists in 25 games of playing minutes, not that you expect it will be his primary role for 'Nix, but a goal every six games or so would be useful.  As far as I can deduce, that is possibly from playing in a bit deeper midfield role much of the time.

Touch wood he works out really well and improves with age.

http://www.a-love-supreme.com/Reserves%202010-11/chelsea%20away.htm

"Poyet doesn't have the best record of bringing through young players, however, with quite a few players out of contract in the summer, it could bring about a fire sale in January. This, as well as the congested fixture list, could mean we might see a few of the younger players brought on to the bench, maybe even the starting eleven. David Vaughan, Sebastian Larsson and Craig Gardner (thank god) are an example of three of the players who could be sold in January, meaning that we would be light in terms of centre midfielders. Alejandro Gorrin immediately springs to mind considering Poyet's brand of football, as the Spanish midfielder can happily run a midfield and has improved his game in the last year, getting more involved with the play and bulking up, where perhaps last season he was too easily pushed off the ball and could go hiding in games. Today, he played in a slightly advanced role, playing off the hapless Connor Wickham to accommodate Cabral playing in the middle."

Rather ironic that all the time he'd been at Sunderland he had not managed to get a game against a premiership team, then he signs with a club on the other side of the world and his first game will probably be against premiership opposition! 

some good points made in this thread

im starting to get rather excited about this player

how long a contract has he signed?

Have a feeling he'll take a while to settle; but loads of potential for him to come on as a player with us. Looking forward to seeing him. Hopefully Riera stays fit too.

Well if he looks like a superstar during his first season we better add that plus 1 quicksmart to ensure we get some pingers if he goes on to bigger things

Knowing the Phoenix it will be an extension based around playing time or something along those lines.

Ha, yep fair play. What an escape. Wonder if Gorrin already regrets the decision to bail.

It probably gives him less of a chance of game time at Sunderland. So think he'll be happier with the decision if anything. 

That's a really interesting point. I guess two points of view at both ends of the spectrum.

1: Its a case of 'what might have been' for him

2: Good to get out from the 'stars' that are still there.

If he is good enough then he'll get picked up by a club in a bigger league. Playing in the A league seems less of a barrier season by season.

Genuine question. Can someone give me an example of a player who has gone from the a league to a "big league" and had some success? Not just battling for a reserve space (rojas) or being loaned back out (rogic) etc. Other than j league I can't think of an a league player making a genuine impact anywhere. But I don't follow this stuff as much as others.

Mat Ryan being named the best Goalie in Belgium would also be up there.

Via the championship #Pedant

Robbie Kruse is doing well as well.

I think the League is definately getting more traction now than previously...also within Asia.

Should only get better.

Fact is , lots of players have been picked up by decent/big clubs - Amini, Langerak, Ryan, Sarota, Oar,  Rojas, Rogic, Curtis Good, Jedinak etc - The league provides the platform but in the end its up to them to break through.

Jedinak is CP captain now isn't he?

That's a decent achievement. I remember thinking he was only a 'better-than-average' A-League player.

Well that's good to hear. Thanks.
The more that happens the easier it will be to attract non pensioners down here I guess.

What is it with this England-focused bias, guys?  :-)

Scott McDonald (Celtic);

Josh Kennedy (Karlsruhe and then Nagoya);

Scott Chipperfield - for many seasons at Basel FC, beloved by the fans;

and the one who played in Serie A longest: Mark Bresciano at Palermo
(OK, so he came from Carlton FC before A-League started, but was an established NSL player and got better with age).

Welcome Alex!