Amad Diallo | Sunderland Loan Watch

Little things but love the having the balls to take a crucial penalty in the 85th minute, then grabbing the ball to run back to the half way line and go for the winner.
 
He absolutely Harry Maguire's that pen. Class.
 
Seen his mate Simms recalled to Everton has just sucker punched Chelsea earlier today. Not that it translates but it should give Amad heart that he can make an impact in the PL
 
Glorio said:
Seen his mate Simms recalled to Everton has just sucker punched Chelsea earlier today. Not that it translates but it should give Amad heart that he can make an impact in the PL
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Simms is rubbish too. Was a donkey for Hearts.
 
Nice to know I live rent free in some people's heads. :drool::cool::D
 
"Since I’ve been here, I’ve played in all the games and so I have felt I have more confidence. The manager and all the staff are confident in me and I think that this will help me a lot for next year," Amad told MUTV. "I hope that next year will be a good season for me.

“So, when a player goes on loan, the first thing is to get lots of playing minutes, and, yes, once you get lots of minutes and start playing lots, you grow straight away. Your confidence increases, and I think that, since I have been here, at the beginning I didn’t play much, but then I started playing regularly and, from there, it all started.

"And, like I said before, I think this loan spell will help me for next season because it has helped me mature, and I have grown lots, on a mental level as well, and feel I have the ability to show this next season."

"When I arrived at Manchester United, I was a bit thin," he recalled. "But, yes, now I do lots in the gym, even when I’m at home and I haven’t much to do. I think that it is needed for playing here in England because you need to do everything you can to be able to react to playing in this league.

"We’ve faced many teams in the Championship that had very physical players but I think the game doesn’t always depend on the physicality because I think, if you have the technical ability and if you have the ability to play fast, your physicality is less important. But yes, like I said before, it is important to have muscles to play against defenders. However, if you are intelligent players that can make the difference, then it’s needed less.

"I was even the Young Player of the Month [for December]. It was a very great feeling for me. I hope to continue in this and play very good this season.”

"I know it (getting back to PL) is very hard this season," admitted the winger. "It's a difficult league but I think we have great players in the team to make the difference in the games.

"We have many players who are good in the team. When I play with Patrick Roberts, I have much good feeling with him on the pitch. The fans are very good. They support us every game, when you play at home and away, and they give you confidence and energy. This is important for us.

"The club has a big history. It was in the Premier League before and I hope it goes to the Premier League next season. The staff, the club, the players all have a lot of confidence in me and I do my best on the pitch to repay the confidence from the club.

"My objective here at the start of the season was to score 10 goals," he revealed. "Now I want to score more goals. But I have another objective which is to take this team into the Premier League because I know it will be difficult, but I always tell myself nothing is impossible.”

“It’s difficult, it’s not easy when you play so many games," he admitted. "Sometimes, you are tired, yeah, but I come here for playing and not for an excuse, though.”
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After the way he has handled Amad, Tony Mowbray should get first option on any loan players, hes done a tremendous job with him.
 
"I think my first game was against Rotherham at home and I didn’t see him beforehand," Mowbray recalled to MUTV. "We picked the team but we’d only had one day’s training and I think he got introduced to the crowd at half-time in that game.

"It took him a few weeks, to be honest, and I almost put him in the mix with the other young foreign players the club had signed, players from France and Costa Rica, and Amad. I had watched Amad come off the bench generally for Glasgow Rangers in the season prior and saw little bits and bobs but it didn’t take him long.

"After a few weeks, I think all the coaching staff could see the talent, I’m going to say the brilliance he has with the ball. The ball seems so easy to him, on his left foot, but he needed to build his own confidence levels up, I think to the point where, maybe eight weeks ago, he was scoring almost every game. I think he goes through one spell of five in six games, something like that.

"A wonderful talent but, as you say, he’s quite a shy kid who never puts himself really forward, he never peeps up and says why didn’t you do this, why aren’t I getting the ball here, I should be getting it more. I just tell the team really to try to get it to Amad. Work the ball to Amad, work it to Patrick Roberts, work it to Jack Clarke, to the talent in the team. Generally, they make the right decision with the ball and we’re all delighted with Amad and his progress."

“Listen, I think it’s amazing Sunderland have got such talented footballers," he said. "For Amad, the ball is so easy. I was manager of Blackburn Rovers for five-and-a-half years and I took a lot of players from Liverpool, Manchester City, the north-west clubs around us really. I’m trying to think but Harvey Elliott was the last one and he’s doing okay for himself now but I personally like talents, I like good footballers, where the ball is easy for them.

"It’s not enough to be a footballer, of course, you have to have character, personality, resilience to bounce back from bad days, be brave. If you’re a top footballer, though, you have to be comfortable with the ball, take it in tight areas and Amad can undoubtedly do that. I encourage the team to give him the ball as often as possible and, generally, he makes really good decisions. He knows when to pop it off and when to dribble. He has got a left foot where the ball seems stuck to it sometimes.

"And we try to bring his personality out so that he can interact with the other players. He’s developed a really tight relationship with Patrick Roberts and they’re both wonderful technicians. They’ve both got good left feet and generally, in the game, left-footed players seem to be a little bit more confident and smooth-looking don’t they, left-footers? Probably because it’s the only foot they ever kick it with!

"I’m more than happy to have the talent we’ve got in the squad and I think Amad fits into it. A lot of our goals this year have come down the right-hand side, when Amad is playing like a no.10 on that side with Roberts really wide. The way they link and play each other in, dribble or stick the ball in behind and cut it back to each other. I am sure there are lots of goals as examples you can find with Amad and Patrick interacting with each other. So, yeah, I’m just happy he’s our player.

"The other important thing worth mentioning is how robust he has been. So many games, I know Manchester United are playing a massive amount of games, every three days of course, but we had a five-week spell where it was literally every three days and the robustness of the boy to keep playing, to start every game. I very rarely bring him off, I think I’ve only brought him off once in a game. Considering he played so little football over 90 minutes for any team really.

"We’re delighted he’s here. I hope he’s progressing, I hope Manchester United see the development of him, just playing football. I know Gary Pallister very well and I sit with Pally sometimes and we have a coffee and I say to him the football club shouldn’t worry about the boy with the ball. I say worry, I’m sure they don’t as they paid a few quid for him and know what they’ve bought.

"If he’s got the right personality and only time will tell when he is among the star players at United, whether he can integrate and become part of what they want to do because they shouldn’t fear he is going to lose the ball too often or give the ball way or make bad decisions. At this level, he is a maestro with the ball. If feels for me, at United, he would integrate with those high-quality footballers and they wouldn’t have any problem lending him the ball, as you might say in football, as sometimes you give the ball to somebody knowing he’ll give it to you back or slip you in to score. The ball is not a problem for him, whatever he does with it.”

“I’ve been trying to say to you the ball isn’t a problem to him," insisted the Sunderland manager. "He can play wide, he can play inside, he can play deep. I think he can play centre-midfield for us in the Championship, you know. Just give him the ball and he very rarely loses it. Yet we generally put Roberts really wide and play Amad just inside him.

"We’ve had huge success down the right-hand side of the pitch with those two linking and playing with each other, people running off the back of the two of them and sliding people in. It’s very profitable for us. He is versatile. I see United games, I watch a lot of football, and Bruno [Fernandes] plays a bit of everywhere, off the right sometimes, inside as a 10 or as a running 8, he can play deep and link the midfield up. Amad is a similar type of footballer.

"I hope Amad will bring personality to the team when he gets back to Old Trafford and he will find his niche in that group. If not, Sunderland are always welcome to have him back because he’s been amazing for us!”

"He can do huge numbers, his stamina is amazing," explained Mowbray. "His top speed is good and yet, what catches the eye, is his ball manipulation and how tight he keeps that ball to his left foot. Very little does he give it away. If he does give it away, his natural quick reaction is to try to win it back.

"He’s been amazing for us. I don’t want to sit here and overplay it as, like all young players, he has things he has got to get better at, things he has to learn and it’s right, every now and again, to shout at him and demand. He can sit there and think I’ve come from United, he’s on loan and he doesn’t really have to give everything he’s got in any given moment, especially as he knows he’s one of the best players, if not the best player here. He could easily, some days, just not bother and yet that’s not his personality.

"He reacts, when I have shouted at him occasionally, he reacts the right way. He is a good guy and a good human being. That is why he is so liked at this football club. Of course, his goals have helped us win football matches and his assists have been amazing but I always, firstly, like having good human beings at the football club. Amad fits into that category. As I say, I just hope he can integrate into the next pre-season at United.

"As I have said, Harvey Elliott came to Blackburn for a full season, just to grow and learn about first-team football. The expectation of having a grumpy manager shouting. You have to live in that world. I think, what I’m saying is it’s about resilience, you have to have to be resilient to be able to bounce back and rise to the challenges that are thrown at them really.

"Here, his main challenge is to help us win football matches by his brilliance with the ball, his interaction with Roberts and Trai Hume, who plays behind him, so Amad has done that exceptionally well and I’m delighted with him. The fans have got many songs about him and you don’t get to that level really without doing it on the pitch. Just because a player comes from Manchester United, if he’s not performing to a high level, the fans don’t endear themselves and yet Amad is a big favourite here."
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He is playing with confidence and a bit of swagger…a quality that is very much required to perform in a United shirt.

Promising…keep going Amad!
 
RuudTom83 said:
He is playing with confidence and a bit of swagger…a quality that is very much required to perform in a United shirt.

Promising…keep going Amad!
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Yeah, looking good.

Although the quotes by Mowbray above suggest that, while he's confident enough when on the ball, he sounds quite a shy figure who doesn't demand the ball or anything. Which may hinder him at United as, to be an attacking ball player at a huge club like United, I imagine having a lot of confidence and a strong and dominant personality helps.

Mowbray raves about his ability on the ball, and how nice a lad he is, but intersperses it with comments like "he’s quite a shy kid who never puts himself really forward, he never peeps up and says why didn’t you do this, why aren’t I getting the ball here, I should be getting it more." And "If he’s got the right personality and only time will tell when he is among the star players at United..." "...I hope Amad will bring personality to the team when he gets back to Old Trafford and he will find his niche in that group. If not, Sunderland are always welcome to have him back because he’s been amazing for us!”

That all suggests Mowbray's main question mark over him making it at the highest level is whether he's got a dominant enough personality to take on the mantle of a playmaker at the biggest clubs. Hopefully that's something that will come the more confident he gets in men's football. But I guess it's not an easy thing to 'coach' into a player. Some sports stars are just naturally dominant personalities, able to deal with high stakes pressure and scrutiny and revel in it. Others aren't.

Time will tell. But hopefully Amad will get his opportunities with us at some point as certainly the potential seems there in terms of technical ability.
 
Bertie Wooster said:
Although the quotes by Mowbray above suggest that, while he's confident enough when on the ball, he sounds quite a shy figure who doesn't demand the ball or anything. Which may hinder him at United as, to be an attacking ball player at a huge club like United, I imagine having a lot of confidence and a strong and dominant personality helps.

Mowbray raves about his ability on the ball, and how nice a lad he is, but intersperses it with comments like "he’s quite a shy kid who never puts himself really forward, he never peeps up and says why didn’t you do this, why aren’t I getting the ball here, I should be getting it more." And "If he’s got the right personality and only time will tell when he is among the star players at United..." "...I hope Amad will bring personality to the team when he gets back to Old Trafford and he will find his niche in that group. If not, Sunderland are always welcome to have him back because he’s been amazing for us!”

That all suggests Mowbray's main question mark over him making it at the highest level is whether he's got a dominant enough personality to take on the mantle of a playmaker at the biggest clubs. Hopefully that's something that will come the more confident he gets in men's football. But I guess it's not an easy thing to 'coach' into a player. Some sports stars are just naturally dominant personalities, able to deal with high stakes pressure and scrutiny and revel in it. Others aren't.

Time will tell. But hopefully Amad will get his opportunities with us at some point as certainly the potential seems there in terms of technical ability.
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He's 20y.o playing amongst men. He's living in a foreign country -- learning to speak a foreign language, and struggling to socialise or express himself.

Most people will struggle.
 
Bertie Wooster said:
Yeah, looking good.

Although the quotes by Mowbray above suggest that, while he's confident enough when on the ball, he sounds quite a shy figure who doesn't demand the ball or anything. Which may hinder him at United as, to be an attacking ball player at a huge club like United, I imagine having a lot of confidence and a strong and dominant personality helps.

Mowbray raves about his ability on the ball, and how nice a lad he is, but intersperses it with comments like "he’s quite a shy kid who never puts himself really forward, he never peeps up and says why didn’t you do this, why aren’t I getting the ball here, I should be getting it more." And "If he’s got the right personality and only time will tell when he is among the star players at United..." "...I hope Amad will bring personality to the team when he gets back to Old Trafford and he will find his niche in that group. If not, Sunderland are always welcome to have him back because he’s been amazing for us!”

That all suggests Mowbray's main question mark over him making it at the highest level is whether he's got a dominant enough personality to take on the mantle of a playmaker at the biggest clubs. Hopefully that's something that will come the more confident he gets in men's football. But I guess it's not an easy thing to 'coach' into a player. Some sports stars are just naturally dominant personalities, able to deal with high stakes pressure and scrutiny and revel in it. Others aren't.

Time will tell. But hopefully Amad will get his opportunities with us at some point as certainly the potential seems there in terms of technical ability.
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Then again not many 20-year olds in a country where they barely spoke the language would be dominant personalities. It's positive that Mowbray has identified that need for development and I'm sure he's spoken to Amad about it. When he's 23-24 with a few years in England behind him and still being "too" shy on the pitch, then I kind of agree that there could be a question whether he's ever going to come out of his shell. But even in that case, nothing a good coach and/or sports psychologist wouldn't be able to fix, I'd like to think.
 
After watching those highlights If I didn’t know who he was I would love United to go for him, can’t wait for Ten Hag to give him some minutes next season .
 
sglowrider said:
He's 20y.o playing amongst men. He's living in a foreign country -- learning to speak a foreign language, and struggling to socialise or express himself.

Most people will struggle.
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top1whoisman said:
Then again not many 20-year olds in a country where they barely spoke the language would be dominant personalities. It's positive that Mowbray has identified that need for development and I'm sure he's spoken to Amad about it. When he's 23-24 with a few years in England behind him and still being "too" shy on the pitch, then I kind of agree that there could be a question whether he's ever going to come out of his shell. But even in that case, nothing a good coach and/or sports psychologist wouldn't be able to fix, I'd like to think.
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Yeah, fair points. :)

I wasn't criticising Amad or anything. Just quoting Mowbray, who clearly really rates him but has also clearly noted that area of improvement. We're rightly praising Mowbray, and saying what a great job he's doing with Amad, so also reasonable to take note when he feels the need to add in interviews about his shyness and need to insert his personality, etc. He's obviously saying it publicly for a reason, rather than just shrugging it off as part and parcel of his age, foreign country, etc.

But as you say, and as I also said in my post, he's still young, still learning to play in the men's game, etc, so plenty of time for him to hopefully come out of his shell more the more experienced he becomes.
 
Here's the 10-minute video of the interviews with both Amad and Mowbray. Positively surprised that Amad felt comfortable enough to do this (mostly) in English, well done son.
 
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Maybe a second season at Sunderland would be good for him, sounds like it's a mutually beneficial situation and he probably won't get a lot of playing time at United.
 
Bertie Wooster said:
Yeah, fair points. :)

I wasn't criticising Amad or anything. Just quoting Mowbray, who clearly really rates him but has also clearly noted that area of improvement. We're rightly praising Mowbray, and saying what a great job he's doing with Amad, so also reasonable to take note when he feels the need to add in interviews about his shyness and need to insert his personality, etc. He's obviously saying it publicly for a reason, rather than just shrugging it off as part and parcel of his age, foreign country, etc.

But as you say, and as I also said in my post, he's still young, still learning to play in the men's game, etc, so plenty of time for him to hopefully come out of his shell more the more experienced he becomes.
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We will need patience with Amad but we have time on our hand. Bruno still has a few good years left in him even though IMO he is burning the candle from both ends. He will be like Rooney -- the motor has just had too many miles in it by 32.
 
top1whoisman said:
Here's the 10-minute video of the interviews with both Amad and Mowbray. Positively surprised that Amad felt comfortable enough to do this (mostly) in English, well done son.
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Feckin compare that with Balsa Tony!!

Personally I see that as a sign of confidence despite what mowbray has said.
Living in foreign lands isn't always easy.
 
Strootman's Finger said:
Maybe a second season at Sunderland would be good for him, sounds like it's a mutually beneficial situation and he probably won't get a lot of playing time at United.
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A month or two ago, I would agree. But the way Bruno is burning himself out. We will need to give him a break next season if we want to have him being productive for a few more years.he has been injury free this season. May not be so lucky next season.
So it's not an obvious decision at the moment.
 
Strootman's Finger said:
Maybe a second season at Sunderland would be good for him, sounds like it's a mutually beneficial situation and he probably won't get a lot of playing time at United.
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Who knows though. He might be a player EtH wants to compete with Antony as well as give rest to Bruno (right) in the central position. Perhaps the ideal situation would be Boro going up and Carrick having him for a season in the PL, but it would not be a bad decision to spend another half a season or a season shining at Sunderland.
 
could also help EtH if he wants to move rashford central next season to play more CF. Could allow garnacho and sancho on the left, and then antony and amad on the right. Feel like would be plenty of minutes here with how many games we prob play again next season as well.
 
sglowrider said:
A month or two ago, I would agree. But the way Bruno is burning himself out. We will need to give him a break next season if we want to have him being productive for a few more years.he has been injury free this season. May not be so lucky next season.
So it's not an obvious decision at the moment.
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I do agree he can provide Bruno some relief, I am just wondering what's best for Amad's development. Clearly he's quite talented, but it sounds like confidence and his reserved personality are the potential issues with him. I think staying at the same place, continuing to build a bond with the club, growing more confident as a persons and player will only benefit us when he does come back. He may not respond to the pressure of United, or to the ruthlessness of EtH. And I don't say that negatively, he seems to be doing amazing with young players, but Pellestri looked like he was on the verge of breaking into the first team 2 months ago, then he had a not great substitute appearance, and he was gone again for 6 weeks. Not sure if that would be too much for Amad, based on Mowbray's assessment of him.
 
I think Mowbray likes him you know...

It was pretty apparent he was a relatively quiet, unassuming personality here. Obviously he's new to the country, young, but it was still pretty clear he's not a demonstrative personality on the pitch. Even compared to Garnacho, polar opposites. I'm sure he's gained a lot from this loan on a personal level.

At the end of the day you don't need 11 Bruno's throwing arms about. Some lads just want to perform and that's okay. Managers have to worry about gelling personalities, and ensuring the balance is there and addressing it in the market if necessary, so it's okay, and in time he'll probably come out of himself more anyway.
 
Sparky_Hughes said:
After the way he has handled Amad, Tony Mowbray should get first option on any loan players, hes done a tremendous job with him.
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Absolutely agree, what a loan for Amad. Brought in slow, bits here and there, then a nice run of games and he play going through him, grabbing the penalty the other day and smashing it in. Been a winner loan deal for us for sure.
 
Sparky_Hughes said:
After the way he has handled Amad, Tony Mowbray should get first option on any loan players, hes done a tremendous job with him.
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He is a good coach, not a miracle worker. Amad just happens to be a very good player to work with. Took his opportunity well, not every player is like that.
 
Strootman's Finger said:
I do agree he can provide Bruno some relief, I am just wondering what's best for Amad's development. Clearly he's quite talented, but it sounds like confidence and his reserved personality are the potential issues with him. I think staying at the same place, continuing to build a bond with the club, growing more confident as a persons and player will only benefit us when he does come back. He may not respond to the pressure of United, or to the ruthlessness of EtH. And I don't say that negatively, he seems to be doing amazing with young players, but Pellestri looked like he was on the verge of breaking into the first team 2 months ago, then he had a not great substitute appearance, and he was gone again for 6 weeks. Not sure if that would be too much for Amad, based on Mowbray's assessment of him.
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For Amad's development, another season out on loan at another appropriate club. Not sure who though -- needs 'guaranteed playing time and the right playing philosophy but who though?

But regardless, make sure we extend his contract before that!
 
next_number_seven said:
When a players as clever and technical as Amad, they can play at any level, on any team.

I don't see point in another loan. I think he offers more than Sancho and Antony
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In terms of practicality, we need Amad to come in and sub for Bruno version 2023.

But for his personal development, he'll need more exposure plus getting ready physically and mentally ready for the PL. He has been exhausted or burnt out the past month. Mowbray took him out of the firing line for a week or so to rest.

Another season out on loan will help prepare for the long slog that is a United season especially mentally.
 
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