Serious takeover talk

Has he taken a pen?

 

Our U23 team lost 10-0 against Everton the other week and are currently bottom of the table on 1 point after 7 games.

Our U18 team is bottom of their table after 7 games on 0 points.

Given that we are living in constrained circumstances and are supposed to be aiming to bring through our academy prospects to the first team, it doesn’t seem like we’re doing a particularly good job.

 

I want him to stay too. Until someone tells me he’s wilfully damaged my/our football club I will always believe he’s done a good job. Just my opinion

 

There has been times whereby our reserves etc have done really well yet the first team remained poor.
The club had hardly been a conveyor belt of talent.
We aren't gonna agree, have a good evening.

 

I think he's done a good job at certain things; financials and fan engagement being the obvious. In terms of on the pitch he's hired Ross, Coton and Hill and its fair to say recruitment, results and performances have been poor. I like the bloke and I'm more than happy for him to stay, but if we do get multi billionaires taking over I expect they'll have higher expectations for the football side than what Donald has given thus far. As a face of the group, fronting up to press conferences/ fan events, doing fan engagement etc, aye, definitely want him here, I'd hope they'd have a decent director of football type in mind to do the on pitch side of things though. Put it this way, if the takeover falls through and we're left with Donald and Methven, when would you be confident of getting out of this league? Not this season for me, and even a new manager might not do it next season unless recruitment improves. Seeing no obvious/ likely way out of league one isn't really good enough on the football side imo

 

Yet they’ve managed to keep category 1 status and No mean feat given we are league 1 and the apparent financial investment that’s taken

If what you read is true it’s taken significant investment to keep category 1 status at the Academy.

 

I hope so, and it isn't in a last ditch bid to save the takeover.

 

He didn’t travel with the shields branch as planned as he’s gone to the states - that’s what I’ve been told from someone who was on the Shields bus

 

Hopefully, full of ink!

 

The hiring is questionable, but I think he did it with the best interests, but overall I totally agree with all of that, and I’ve said consistently, if he damages Sunderland I’ll be his biggest critic.
I wouldn’t be confident no, I hope that’s why they are seeking investment from elsewhere because I still hold onto (maybe naively, time will tell) that he wants to do what’s best for the football club.

 

The recommended investment in a Cat 1 academy is around £2 million a year. A Cat 3 academy is £500k.

Given that the academy is open anyway for the first team to train at, the difference in cost isn’t great.

 

Interesting. Hopefully it’ll be to progress things.

 

Well

 

I imagined that would be the case. The problem is that everything is stagnating now.

 

I'd take that as the takeover announcement is very imminent and we have a 2 week break to our next game so have time

 

Oh I definitely think he's got the best interests of the club at heart. I think he's a genuine bloke. I just think even he'd admit the football part isn't going as well as he'd hoped and ultimately he's responsible for it. I want him to stay, just not sure if new investors will, especially given the fact that he does like to be so transparent, they might not want that!

 

But they still had to keep it open surely? Genuine question I’m not an expert. But if they did, surely £2m is quite a bit of money for a league 1 team.
I just think while there maybe questions to ask, and criticisms to be made, paying to maintain category 1 status is an unnecessary one. And I suppose it depends what you believe, and that’s fine, but I’m pretty sure SD said in a very early podcast we were at risk of losing cat 1 status

 

Training with penny floaters now... no wonder we hardly score.

 

What choices do you think donald had when he took over this **** show? He has done wonders sorting out the cobweb of players problems, contracts etc - yea ross is struggling now but keep patient- it looks line ross will move on but who to replace? And if anybody says keane or skp i give up

 

Chris Houghton