Yuki Sugawara - Official: Loaned to Bremen

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Outside of Fernandes and Ramsdale who did? Also his manager(s) were not up to the PL job were they? Seems a bit disingenuous judging him against such a backdrop.

Agreed. I'd be inclined to give him a chance and see what he can do. In a lower pressure environment it is generally a bit more difficult to be really poor from full back and he does have a decent cross so may be able to contribute well to a will still team. 

[woodsaint1]

Hes much better than Bree and the Championship will be a more forgiving environment so this is good news. Plus hopefully Still makes us more defensively sound.

A back four of Sugawara, THB, Edwards (Stephens or Quarshie) and Wellington is very capable for the Championship

[Lighthouse]

4 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Outside of Fernandes and Ramsdale who did? Also his manager(s) were not up to the PL job were they? Seems a bit disingenuous judging him against such a backdrop.

The rest of our squad also being substandard doesn’t make Yuki any better. Neither is any manager responsible for Sugawara’s regular, calamitous brain farts. I’ll judge him as what he is, a player with a decent enough delivery but an absolute liability defensively.

[egg]

1 minute ago, Lighthouse said:

The rest of our squad also being substandard doesn’t make Yuki any better. Neither is any manager responsible for Sugawara’s regular, calamitous brain farts. I’ll judge him as what he is, a player with a decent enough delivery but an absolute liability defensively.

Yep. Awful defender. Bree at RB should be one of Still's easier choices. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

3 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

The rest of our squad also being substandard doesn’t make Yuki any better. Neither is any manager responsible for Sugawara’s regular, calamitous brain farts. I’ll judge him as what he is, a player with a decent enough delivery but an absolute liability defensively.

 

3 hours ago, egg said:

Yep. Awful defender. Bree at RB should be one of Still's easier choices. 

Very selective memories IMO. There were occasions when he made excellent interceptions (as well as covering for substandard CB’s), plus being left exposed because the likes of Dibling left him stranded upfield after another failed pass or running into a blind alley. You can’t have it both ways - if he got into advanced positions on orders to cross, then there’s less chance defending adequately in a system NONE of the fullbacks were entirely comfortable with - but who covered for him? Even KWP came under criticism at times under Martin’s system.

[ant]

I've been plenty critical of Sugawara's defending, but agree - he won't be under nearly so much pressure at this level. 

Neither Fox nor Richardson stepped up to the PL, yet they cumulatively bagged 19 assists in a single Championship season.

A full back that can deliver a decent ball is handy in this division.

[chivvy]

In a five ok in a four not so much.. perhaps in games we are expected to dominate. Got alot of assist in eridivisie perhaps the drop down might see him find his level 

Edited July 16 by chivvy

[Lighthouse]

9 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Very selective memories IMO. There were occasions when he made excellent interceptions (as well as covering for substandard CB’s), plus being left exposed because the likes of Dibling left him stranded upfield after another failed pass or running into a blind alley. You can’t have it both ways - if he got into advanced positions on orders to cross, then there’s less chance defending adequately in a system NONE of the fullbacks were entirely comfortable with - but who covered for him? Even KWP came under criticism at times under Martin’s system.

Two thing:

1. My criticism of him isn't that he was bombing forward, whipping in crosses and leaving space behind which exposed the CBs. My criticism is that when he was in position, he made the kind of errors you'd get yelled at for making on a Sunday league pitch. Arsenal away was perhaps the best example but if you go back through this thread there are many others.
2. You say, "even KWP came under criticism," like he was somehow infallible. He wasn't, he was just one of our more competent players. It looks like he's off to Turkey but if he wasn't, he'd be an Everton/West Ham level player, not a Champions League one. We only got him because he was fourth choice at Spurs.

[Turkish]

13 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

He might ‘prove himself’ to be this season’s Danny Fox but he looked nothing like a PL player.

That's how i see him, might be alright in the championship but he looked shite in the premier league. Seemed unable to do even basic stuff which was nothing to do with tactics or managers.

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

He had a tough baptism of fire in the PL in a poor side for his first stint in England. This could be a good season for him at this level and who knows, he may blossom into a more complete defender, particularly with an entirely different approach with Still.

Only 25, fingers crossed we’re still to see the best of him.

[Willo of Whiteley]

No qualms with him wanting to stick around, I didn’t think he’d want to.

With a stronger squad around him and at this level, he could learn a lot and really flourish.

A back four of Sugawara/Bree, THB/Stephens/Edwards/Wood/Quarshie/Bednarek, Manning isn’t terrible for the Championship. But I fully expect two or three of those CBs to go and maybe a full back to come in.

Maybe Andre Garcia from Reading, lots of potential there.

[Matthew Le God]

8 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

A back four of Sugawara/Bree, THB/Stephens/Edwards/Wood/Quarshie/Bednarek, Manning isn’t terrible for the Championship. But I fully expect two or three of those CBs to go and maybe a full back to come in.

Maybe Andre Garcia from Reading, lots of potential there.

No need with Welington already here

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, Matthew Le God said:

No need with Welington already here

Yeah people seem to be forgetting Wellington a fair bit, but I really like what I've seen from him in the snippets we've had.

If the FM24 database is anything to go by MLG, that's telling me he's a £25m valued player upon relegation. Not sure if that's based on a former club analysis work though.

[Matthew Le God]

5 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Yeah people seem to be forgetting Wellington a fair bit, but I really like what I've seen from him in the snippets we've had.

If the FM24 database is anything to go by MLG, that's telling me he's a £25m valued player upon relegation. Not sure if that's based on a former club analysis work though.

Welington wasn't at Saints in FM24, so nothing to do with me.

[S-Clarke]

32 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Welington wasn't at Saints in FM24, so nothing to do with me.

I think you need to have a word with the previous club analyst MLG, he's totally overcooked this guy. I've got Barca, Dortmund and Inter knocking on the door for him in the Champ!

[SuperSAINT]

16 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I think you need to have a word with the previous club analyst MLG, he's totally overcooked this guy. I've got Barca, Dortmund and Inter knocking on the door for him in the Champ!

Or a precursor?  Arise Roberto “Welington” Carlos in the EFL this season.

[S-Clarke]

Going - he's off to Werder Bremen on a loan, all about to be confirmed by the sounds of it.

Next new signing: Werder about to transfer Japanese full-back!

[AlexLaw76]

Good. Horrendous player, and despite the claims of some fans he was not “fine” at this level.

[Katalinic]

6 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Good. Horrendous player, and despite the claims of some fans he was not “fine” at this level.

Agree. Can't think of one thing he was good at.

[skintsaint]

1 minute ago, Katalinic said:

Agree. Can't think of one thing he was good at.

Basketball.

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, Katalinic said:

Agree. Can't think of one thing he was good at.

Werder Bremen seem to have identified what he can fit into there. 

Yukinari Sugawara's profile fits almost perfectly into SV Werder Bremen's booty scheme

[Osvaldorama]

9 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Good. Horrendous player, and despite the claims of some fans he was not “fine” at this level.

I expected him to look OK at this level tbh. 
 

But you’re absolutely right - horrific, horrific player. Thank god we’ve found someone to take the bait and give him a contract 

[Mboto Gorge]

And to think he was signed to play at premier league level too last season. Absolutely pathetic signing from these chumps yet again. What sort of profiling do these idiots actually do when signing these players? Last years recruitment has to be up there with the worst in premier league history for getting it wrong with almost every single signing. 

[Pip]

Sounds like they only want him as a stop gap. Wonder how long we can force them to keep him.

[Gloucester Saint]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Going - he's off to Werder Bremen on a loan, all about to be confirmed by the sounds of it.

Next new signing: Werder about to transfer Japanese full-back!

On loan though, was hoping to get rid full time.

Another of Ankerson’s huge numbers of cheap and uncheerful turds still to flush in the future. What a useless prick Ankerson is. 

[Lighthouse]

3 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Going - he's off to Werder Bremen on a loan, all about to be confirmed by the sounds of it.

Next new signing: Werder about to transfer Japanese full-back!

If his positioning is anything to go by, he'll probably be landing in Hamburg shortly.

[Badger]

2 hours ago, Mboto Gorge said:

And to think he was signed to play at premier league level too last season. Absolutely pathetic signing from these chumps yet again. What sort of profiling do these idiots actually do when signing these players? Last years recruitment has to be up there with the worst in premier league history for getting it wrong with almost every single signing. 

Surpassed only by January 2023

[Gloucester Saint]

Sugawara managed what I thought was impossible - dislodged Steve Baker from the Saints worst ever top flight XI at right back.

[Kingsland Codger]

For reasons I cannot (am reluctant to) explain, I could never get his name right. I persisted in calling him Yoshiwara - which is the name of Tokyo’s historic Red Light district.

[Andrew Watson]

On 40k  a week at Saints allegedly according to one website,surely that cannot be right.

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, Andrew Watson said:

On 40k  a week at Saints allegedly according to one website,surely that cannot be right.

Even if that's 40k Japanese Yen it's still too much.

[tdmickey3]

6 minutes ago, Andrew Watson said:

On 40k  a week at Saints allegedly according to one website,surely that cannot be right.

Well who know, SR are stupid 

We are signing a useless goalkeeper 

[Weston Super Saint]

1 hour ago, Andrew Watson said:

On 40k  a week at Saints allegedly according to one website,surely that cannot be right.

Probably was, in the PL, before the relegation clause reduction.  More likely to be £20-£25k now.  Not that that is good news.

Edited 21 hours ago by Weston Super Saint

[spyinthesky]

2 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Sugawara managed what I thought was impossible - dislodged Steve Baker from the Saints worst ever top flight XI at right back.

He wasnt that bad!!

[Football Special]

2 minutes ago, spyinthesky said:

He wasnt that bad!!

He wasn't that bad......at BASKETBALL! 

never known a player love a handball as much as him 

[egg]

2 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Sugawara managed what I thought was impossible - dislodged Steve Baker from the Saints worst ever top flight XI at right back.

He made Ray Wallace look like Cafu. 

[Football Special]

2 hours ago, Kingsland Codger said:

For reasons I cannot (am reluctant to) explain, I could never get his name right. I persisted in calling him Yoshiwara - which is the name of Tokyo’s historic Red Light district.

Sounds like you have a few anecdotes you could entertain us with Mr Codger 😉 

[Disco Stu]

Quote

Under new coach Will Still, Sugawara has recently had a tough time at the Championship club, which is why the move to Bremen makes sense for the Japanese international (15 caps, two goals). Especially since the 1.79-meter-tall right-back was recently told by Japan's national coach, Hajime Moriyasu, that he would only be considered for the "Samurai Blue" if he played in one of Europe's top five leagues.

So it was the Japan manager that said he'd only consider players from the top 5 European leagues.

[Gloucester Saint]

6 minutes ago, spyinthesky said:

He wasnt that bad!!

Baker was very bad and had the obvious horror at the Dell v Vince Hilaire but defensively he was still better.

Only just and IMHO of course!

[Chez]

6 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Going - he's off to Werder Bremen on a loan, all about to be confirmed by the sounds of it.

Next new signing: Werder about to transfer Japanese full-back!

That was where he was linked to right at the start of the window. Bloody shame it's only a loan.

[Gloucester Saint]

42 minutes ago, Chez said:

That was where he was linked to right at the start of the window. Bloody shame it's only a loan.

They’re probably as enthusiastic about him as we are about George Long, doesn’t seem like either will feature much.

[suewhistle]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Baker was very bad and had the obvious horror at the Dell v Vince Hilaire but defensively he was still better.

Only just and IMHO of course!

Does nobody remember Lee Todd..?

[Gloucester Saint]

7 minutes ago, suewhistle said:

Does nobody remember Lee Todd..?

Sadly yes, but a left footer (not that variety!) whereas Baker and Sugawara are right footers.

[SWLondon Saint]

Official now:

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/sugawara-joins-werder-bremen-on-loan

[Turkish]

possibly one of the worst full backs i've ever seen. Wish him no ill as seems a decent guy but such a poor signing.

[AlexLaw76]

His throw ins, at throat level, were a joy

[CSA96]

Had quite high hopes for him. He was absolutely hopeless

[benali-shorts]

I can't think of a single redeeming feature of his game. 

[Saint_clark]

16 hours ago, Andrew Watson said:

On 40k  a week at Saints allegedly according to one website,surely that cannot be right.

That's not a huge amount in football anymore, relatively speaking. 

[LGTL]

Another Sports Republic masterstroke. One of the worst we've ever had.