Sturridge - Not for me, Thank You

[trautmansdropkick]

Todays MEN states that we are after Daniel Surridge to return to the Etihad. I do know that he does have his supporters on this forum but I am definitely not one of them.
IF (BIG IF, I hope) he does come back, I can only state that our coaching staff will have one heck of a big task to try to get him out of his "head up his own arse" attitude and I do not feel that it is possible to get him anywhere near being a team player.
The waythtat Tevez back heeled the ball to provide the set up for Aguero and the way that Aguero crossed to Clichy to set up the Johnson goal was not only delightful to watch but was also totally effective.
In my experience if Sturridge had the ball in either of those two situations he would have gone alone running straight into defenders and, at best, would possible have won a corner. I watched him several times in our development teams and have NEVER seen him set up a chance for another striker. Just think of the games v Sunderland and Chelsea in our Youth Cup winning season. We won them DESPITE Sturridge's greed and selfish play, NOT due to it.

[eaststand]

There is no pretending that he doesn't have creases that need ironing out before he fulfills his potential. He sometimes takes too many touches on the ball (what chelsea player doesn't) and his defensive positioning isn't great when he's playing out wide. But as a Striker he ticks the boxes for out way of playing;
Ability
Mobile
Strong
Agile
Drops off deep and links up if the midfeilders.

IMO if he is to come back we have to drop the whole scorn of the '50k a week wage demands' etc. Two facts are, a) we didn't know the structure of the deal he was asking for whether it be based upon appearances or basic wage. b) I for one can see exactly why he wanted more money with what other fringe players were earning; like Jo (75k pw), Bridge (90k pw), Ciacedo (45k pw), Onouha (30k pw) and Micah at the time (40k pw).

I'm not too sure why but it seems you're far harsher on Sturridge than others that have/are coming through the ranks. But with regards to his attitude i think maybe we need to take a step back. He never received a fine at the club or written warning over his conduct. He came through in the same youth team year as the 'trouble group' of Richards, Etuhu, Miller, Ireland and Johnson but was never seen out in town getting into trouble with them 4; why not when they were obviously the clique of that youth system? Why if Sturridge was so poorly behaved was he not shipped out when Miller was seen as the ring leader and flogged regardless of promise and breaking through to the first team and Etuhu was told in no uncertain terms that his contract would not be renewed?

The way i think we should look at it is this; not many players go to Chelsea and become better players than when they were signed and he most certainly has done. No one takes you under their wing at Chelsea; their managers have enough to juggle being Chelsea manager than to gamble time on unproven, incomplete players. If his attitude was faulty/wrong Owen Coyle would have never taken him on board. And he's proved us all wrong when we all said he's swapped one bench for another.

Overall i would not want him back at any cost. At the right price and with a little fine tuning, i think he'd be great.
(and he'd be one more 'trained by club' player to not have to worry about for the CL registration quota!)

[trautmansdropkick]

Having just noted that Roberto de Matteo, after a month or so in charge at Chelsea, challenged Sturridge "to play for the team" and has only started him twice in the last three months, I feel even more vindicated in my opinion of this guy (or, to be fair, the influence that his Uncles have had on him).

[feedthegoat]

think it would be a waste of money tbh. can't see how he's any better a player than aguero or balotelli. money would be better spent elsewhere (wide players please!!!)

in defence of sturridge, one of my first games at coms was against stoke in 08/09 when he made two assists... so at least he's got the potential to pass the ball! lol

[geemcfc]

I'm uncertain about him. The transfer fee for him would be staggering given that he is a British player, and we would make a huge loss on his transfers. His £45k a week (I think it was) wage offer by the club was more than enough for him given that at the time he was young and had potential. He did go chasing money at Chelsea and he seems to have improved as a player but he is still not the finished product. I am skeptical about where he would fit into the team now.

Really, he should never have gone in the first place, but the move seems to have been engineered by either himself or his agent or both! I cannot deny the talent that Sturridge is and I would support him being selected for the England squad, but as a City player, I think he would be surplus to requirement and isn't the right option for us. I would rather have Adebayor back in our squad and to have Mancini and Ade put whatever squabble they have to bed!

[trautmansdropkick]

And let us all hope and pray that John Guidetti is taken back from his loan in Holland and given his chance with us. He is now over 20 goals for this season and is reputed to be watched regularly by big clubs from Germany, Spain and London. Bring HIM in (at no cost) and NOT Sturridge, I say.

[geemcfc]

Aye... it would be interesting to see how Guidetti would get on in the prem.

[feedthegoat]

would defo rather see guidetti than sturridge

[Bluemoon]

Sturridge - no thanks