Let Bruce sign N'Zogbia then get him out & Tony Pullis in. He's v tactical, the players play for him, he gets the best out of everyone and with a few decent players he's even got Stoke playing football!
Van Gaal is the name i've been touting, but i'm inclined to agree with Cest at this stage, that he'd not even look at us, but that's probably down to my current negativity towards the club as a whole. He WAS interested though, until Bayern came knocking, can't blame him for that Bayern are a super club.
True, but I feel that the squad we have now is easily top ten and with slight improvements a Europa League team, and I believe that O'Neil can get our team to that standard. For me it's obvious that bruce cannot motivate our player, never up for the cup games, the mid season slumps and the most obvious : the derbys, I mean how hard can it b to motivate for a derby!? Both times you could tell the players weren't up for it.
The derby games are unforgivable, no one can argue with that. But the players are the one's i look at for that, if you didn't know what the derby means to us, the second you walk out of that tunnel, you should. The atmosphere at our derby games would make the hair stand up on the neck of a bald cat.
First of all, to say that Bent's departure was to do with his daughter is subjective to say the least. I firmly believe that Bruce will have learned an awful lot this season and will be a better manager for it. I say it's about time we had some continuity in this club and give him at least another year to prove himself.
MrRAWhite I understand where you're coming from, but what if O'Neil goes to Blackburn or wherever and we stick with Bruce. Then Bruce after spending more money has another poor season. Then what??
but surely thats all hindsight, MON may go to Blackburn spend 100mil and get them relegated, or bust.
Has anyone at the club thought of asking him, we may only be lowly Sunderland in many peoples eyes, but we are in the premier league, pparantly it's where some of the top managers say they want to be
I could turn things the other way round by saying what if we got O'Neil and he was a total failure: then what? I believe that the successful clubs are the ones continuity. The best example being Sir Alex Ferguson who many fans at Man U wanted to get rid of in his first couple of seasons.
Yes, I would LOVE if we could do that with Bruce, but I am seriously doubting Bruce's ability as I'm sure Ellis Short is
Continuity? A great word but the crux of it is to continue with what? If we continue to lose 9 in 11 games; completely bollocks up the second half of every campaign and fail to motivate the players that are far, far better than our current form or standing would suggest then we will just merely continue to fail. I'm all for continuity so long as there is a continuing improvement. There isn't and after a kings ransom spent, 100% control of team affairs and 2 years down the line, I see little difference between Sbragias failings and Bruces except Sbragias cost a kings ransom less. I concede that 2 years isnt long enough at all to build a regime in football terms but 2 years is long enough to see if there is hope and progress. After the last 3 months I shambolic showiwng, I see nothing in Bruce to suggest we will have anything but just another waste of a year finding out what we all know in our hearts today. He isnt up to the task of managing Sunderland AFC. We are more than likely to finish no better position or an even worse one, than a better one than last season. Thats no basis to waste any further time thinking about it. Oh, and to put a counter argument, Real Madrid change managers like most people do underpants and they dont seem to have suffered to much over the last century. Its not always the best policy.
One simple question: What would Mick Macarthy have achieved with the money that Keane & Bruce have spent?
Simple answer is that we will never know: however, it does seem likely that McCarthy will once again get a team relegated.
All good debate for a footy forum and thats what forums are for. At the end of the day it means little, Short and Quinn will decide and I still have faith with them. If they keep Bruce then Bruce will have my support, simple really. Oh and before I read, head in sand I would say its supporting and keeping faith in the best owner-chairman team in the prem.
Syd I cannot believe you are wanting to defend SB, he well may be a decent man but he is not a good manager, too many poor buys/sells and players out of position and poor spirit and tactics and he is unlucky, too many injuries which is tough for him and the club. We need 6-8 players and I for one do not trust SB to spend wisely.
I'm not, I'm defending Short and Quinn and will trust them, blind faith maybe but if we can see the problems why think Quinn and Short cant. They will decide and I will back them, even if its sticking with Bruce.
