Sunderland fans have voted against young goalkeeper Ben Alnwick`s decision to hand in a transfer request last week…
Is Ben Alnwick right to hand in a transfer request?
-Yes, he’s right to want to leave the club 35%
-No, he should stay and learn his trade here 65%
35% backed his decision to ask for a move, no doubt believing along with Alnwick, that he was not given a fair shot to claim number one spot last season given Kelvin Davis` often less-than-convincing performances.
With reported interest from Arsenal and Spurs, it can be argued that a move to either of these sides would undoubtedly be a step up in level and is an opportunity that Alnwick must grab with both hands. Another season as a reserve, in a side that does not even now have an official reserve league to play in, certainly will not appeal to Alnwick in comparison to other such offers.
However the rest of you believe that the youngster is wrong to want a move. With a shake-up of the club planned once Niall Quinn`s protracted takeover is complete, it seems an odd time to want to leave the club. Even if, god forbid, the takeover does not go through, a new manager is a certainty and therefore new ideas and decisions mean that Alnwick has every chances of challenging Davis for the number one jersey.
Another argument is that he has much more chance of forging a way into the first team here on Wearside and helping his local side achieve promotion back to where they belong rather than moving to a side such as Spurs where the chances of ousting their number one, England`s Paul Robinson, are much slimmer.
Personally, whatever Alnwick feels about staying or leaving Sunderland, it may have been better to wait until the club`s future had been resolved, for a better indication of his own future. With new owners, new management and new players to be added, it would give him a better idea of what he should do. It would be a great shame to lose one of our, sadly very few, homegrown players, if the club is looking to be on the up, it is players like these who we must hold on to.
New Poll: Who will win the World Cup?
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