Contracted Players - Return of the Long Pins

Dam not being able to 'this' on the app. Last post

Is it not a bit weird if it is the case that we have signed him without ever seeing him in the flesh, when he is surely still training/playing at the moment and our season has finished? Surely Big Ern or Greenie (or even Greenacre) could have popped over and had a look at him  now before the deal was completed. The optimist in me hopes it is because he had a load of other offers and we had to move quickly, while the pessimist in me thinks the club have found someone cheap and are just hoping everyone goes "premier league? He must be amaze-balls.  Let's renew/buy a season ticket now"

At the end of the day this guy is from the Premier League so he must be amaze-balls. I'm definitely renewing my season ticket.

This pic is from FM 13, and in the future as in 2015. It is him. Stats have hardly improved. 

Comes from a humble background too - I used to be involved with Bruce Holloway of Hamilton's "Sitter!" football fanzine in the 1990's to early 2000's and I remember teenage Leo didn't have a pair of boots when he left to trial for Barnsley in England about 15 years ago.

Bruce Holloway bought him a pair with money from "Sitter!" sales. Any proceeds from the fanzine used to be ploughed back into local football causes.

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"BILLY'S BOOTS: Remember Billy Dane? The kid who found an ancient pair of football boots that once belonged to professional footballer Dead-Shot Keen? And how those boots magically enabled Billy to play superbly in Dead-Shot's style?

If you do remember it you'll probably know that Billy's Boots ran for years, beginning in issue one of Scorcher in 1970 (as reviewed here) and continuing seemingly forever in the pages of Tiger. As was the tradition of most comic strips, Billy never aged, remaining approximately 12 years old throughout the decades. This became increasingly bizarre for long term readers but ideal for newer generations to relate to him..."

Must have been strange for him living in some Dorian Grey world. Watching his friends grow up into adulthood. Watching them move away to jobs or uni, or travel. Friends who find love, settle down, a world he could never have. Almost trapped in time, a broken clock. All for the glory of scoring goals, it all seems so childlike now, but then for Billy it is and always will be childike....

"Why Gran? (see I've done my research), Why can't I ever change?"

Billy looks up at the Sun, clutching his football boots, he raises a child's hand to shield his eyes and is again suprised at how it has changed. Less warm now? Its hard to tell as five hundred thousand years have passed since Billy asked his Grandmother those two simple questions. 

"Gran?" Billy struggles to articulate a word who's meaning have been ravaged by the winds of time. Her very remains long vanished from an earth that has no memory of the cities and peoples of mankind....

Next weeks edition: Billy Trades his boots in for some Everton-coloured hair pieces that will make him become more and more attractive online through online shopping...

Reading this article, I get the impression Greenacre jacked it up when talking to his mate (on the phone or in person isn't clear) who's on the coaching staff at Sunderland u-21 (former Tranmere team-mate Stockdale) who recommended Gorrin to Greenacre after he asked if Sunderland had any decent players:

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/wellingtonphoenix/news-display/merrick-adds-more-spanish-flavour-to-midfield/89911

"Assistant coach Chris Greenacre played a major role in acquiring the services of Gorrin who spurned an approach from La Liga’s Tenerife to join Premier League Sunderland’s Academy in 2011.

Greenacre played alongside Sunderland’s assistant under-21 coach Robbie Stockdale for four years at Tranmere Rovers and the pair have stayed in regular contact.

“We were chatting one day and I asked if there was anyone available who was worth looking at,” Greenacre said.

“He told me about Alex and said he was surprised they were going to let him go.
“Robbie said a couple of Championship clubs had made enquiries and that if we were keen to get in touch with Alex.”

Merrick said he was delighted to sign Gorrin who was just the type of player the club was looking for.

“He isn’t the finished article but was knocking on the first team door,” Merrick said.

“Twenty year olds aren’t going to break into the Premier League too often, especially when a team is fighting against relegation as Sunderland are this season.

“We want players who can grow with the club and Alex fits into that category.

“I’ve watched his coaching videos, which Sunderland were kind enough to share with us, and was impressed. I also like it when a coach recommends a player rather than an agent.

“He is technically very good, has a good engine and is good at winning the ball, passing and retaining it. You could say he is a young version of Albert Riera.
“Alex can play a range of roles including getting forward if the goals he scored against Liverpool and Fulham reserves are anything to go by.”

 We get highlights now in NZ (sometimes extended) of the u-21 reserve league on the various club channels on Sommet Sports and Sky Sport.

Funnily enough Man City TV on Sky Sports this week showed highlights of Man City u-21 routing Sunderland u-21 6-2.

Sunderland u-21 obviously pretty crap in that game, though they scored one well-taken goal (and one Man City own-goal).

However the top u-21 sides like Chelsea, the two Manchester sides and Arsenal are pretty good and played in the UEFA Youth League (for the youth teams of Champions League sides) this season against the best u-21 sides on the Continent. Saw some footage of Arsenal u-21 playing Bill Tuiloma's Marseilles u-21 and the standard was good. Players like Serge Gnabry who also made Arsenal's first team.

Over-age first teamers like Altidore and Celutska have been getting a run with Sunderland u-21 lately.

Gorrin played his first game for Sunderland u-21 for a while after injury in Thursday night's 2-1 home defeat in injury time to West Ham u-21 in their last game of the season:

http://www.safc.com/news/reserves-and-academy/2014/april/late-defeat-for-u21s

"Mandron almost re-established Sunderland’s advantage on the hour, but Howes saved well with his legs after the striker was fed by Alex Gorrin."

Gorrin's great goal v Fulham u-21 April 2013 (it's the second Sunderland goal & last of the match):

the 35 yard "wonder goal":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6T5Fo7Gs_Y

Report on that match - James Musa played for Fulham u-21:

http://www.fulhamfc.com/under-21s/2012_2013/league/phase-2/home/sunderland

Alejandro Gorrin profile on Sunderland AFC website:

http://www.safc.com/players-and-staff/under-21s/alejandro-gorrin

He's got big ears ... though not big enough to get himself lifted up by a gust of wind ...

Im still shocked that Leo was dropped, sure he did sick all this season but I always pictured him playing for us to retirement.

I could see him going and playing in a random Asian league - Thailand, India, Singapore etc

I watched some I League games when I was in India recently. Simon Colosimo's over there and and a young ex-Victory player whose name escapes me, both doing very well. Leo would slot comfortably into that league I'm sure.

Great stalking Tegal but could just be the long weekend lol.

Yeah I'd say so. Wild speculation and reading too much into thing is what this thread is for isn't it? :p

Stalking Princess Kate and her blokes?

For good?

I'm picking Brisbane as his next home for 2 years.

He'd be a bit part player at the roar. Another ?soldardo? I cant see him going there.

He has been talked about as being a very good professional, rarely injured, can score goals and has an international pedigree (as well as sight seen to all the clubs) I'd bet on Brisbane as well now they have a vacancy up top. Won't be Melbourne. Why would he sit behind Archie, Kosta and Berisha?