I think a case can be made here for the importance of not only finding a quality player but also the right type of character. Maybe we've gone off Maynard, jrod etc cos we feel they're billy big boots characters who will perhaps use us as a stepping stone into the premier league and move on at the first sign of interest from a big(ger) club.
The Japanese players seem to work very hard and can run all day. I'm sure that Park at man u must be a dream to manage. His attitude, work rate and commitment have never come into question as far as I'm aware. Perhaps the wage demands too are not ridiculously high, something I feel may be a stumbling block with Maynard et al, English strikers who feel they're the next big thing but are all potential at the moment.
Saying that, I'd still like to see Sharp come here.