........on another topsy turvy season of football at the SOL, we can all reflect at leisure for the next 12 weeks, safe in the knowledge that we are still the best club in the NE, about the coming season. Steve Bruceââ¬â¢s 3rd as manager of the club and never a more important one for both club and manager. Itââ¬â¢s safe to say that opinion is divided about the manager and it remains to be seen whether he will rise to the challenge, or drown in the expectation of fans and media alike. His once shiny gleaming armoury has been tarnished in recent months and questions have been raised which need to be answered. Where better for Bruce to do that than have a great close season of recruitment and galvanise a solid squad of players into a real top 10 machine. If he does that next season, then I will offer him the same level of praise that I have currently reserved for criticism. He has under performed as manager in my eyes and the club has under achieved considering our position in January and the combination of injuries and self inflicted losses of personnel cannot be used again to mask over some poor decision making and tactical/motivational issues. The derby matches have to be 500% better from our stance and the lack of consistency which has cost us dearly this year, must be ironed out and resolved next season as well. If we thought last season was a big season, the next one is gargantuan. We will either have a manager that sticks two fingers up to the likes of me (and I'll be happy to have them lofted in my direction) and delivers on the potential we have or we will be discussing the new man at the helm for the 2012/13 season for sure. Bruce cannot survive another latter season collapse as he has done for the past 2 years but he can turn the fans round by what he achieves on the pitch. I am looking forward to the summer break now and will be fully charged up come August 14th and raring to go. I trust Mr. Bruce will be back with that kind of enthusiasm well beforehand and will have his squad finalised ready for the start of the campaign this time and not half way through it. Well done for 10th place to the team and the manager but the school report still says must do much, much better.
You think you are getting a break cest, no chance, the transfer merri go round, pre season plans, fixture list out and then we do it all again, like you I hope we do it a lot better..
I dont mine the paper speculation Syd and the rumour mills but there is no summer football to get bogged down in (although there is the under 21 tournament where we may have some interest). We will all resume again come August (earlier if I go to the pre season tour again) and I think SB has a huge weight of expectation to meet. I will, like everyone else, be interested and excited to see how he performs under that weight.
Cest I've argued and had slaggings with u over the last couple of weeks but gotta say marra top article which I couldn't agree more with, a very fair assessment.
Froggy - We have debated the issues kidda! Nothing more. Nothing less. At the end of the day, we both share a passion we cannot explain and cannot end and we ALL want the same thing. A sucessful SAFC!
I want to see us set a new style of Sunderland football. We've played some quality, good looking football this season when we've been on form but seem to settle for the long ball if we panic. I want us to completely ditch long ball and start playing killer balls along the deck. I want to see the defence back to their very best and turn the SOL into a total fortress. A place when the fixtures are released that the likes of QPR and Norwich say 'oh tough game up there, I'd take a point' etc I'm looking forward to next season and here's hoping we strengthen the squad with the likes of Larsson aswell as splashing out on a couple of 'next level' stars.
Excellent summary, Cest, and I agree with every word. This is my personal wish list: 1 - more height up front 2 - a Keane/Viera style CM general - I don't think it's Catts 3 - players on the bench who can genuinely change a game with different approaches, as required 4 - a specialist, left footed LB 5 - a solution to the damaging and never ending injury list That would resolve some of the basics and result in a more solid platform to build on
Keeper? Left Back? Imposing Centre half who can defend set pieces? Central midfielder (who can score goals)? Natural left footed wide player (who can score goals)? Minimum 2 strikers and maybe even 3? Generally more height all over the park and certainly much more physical strength all round. We need to be able to impose our game on other teams and not shrink back into our shells at the first hurdle. I'm waiting with bated breath to see what SB does this summer and moving forward next season.
Generally more height all over the park and certainly much more physical strength all round. We need to be able to impose our game on other teams and not shrink back into our shells at the first hurdle. totally agree with extra hight
out targets from what im aware are ... nzogbia bothroyd vaughan carew klose podolski luke young richard dunne chris samba
I heard from a very reliable source Big Chris, that Bruce is in fact lining up moves for Edison Cavani and Javier Pastore... He wants to add some flair to the side or something.
I heard he wanted to buy some female horses so he could add mares to the team................ Al get me coat
I've heard that he's off to the Hundred-Acre Wood to get some bears as well My coat is on as we speak
