in the history of football to manage Sunderland who would you have? I'd have to go with Brian Clough. Who would you go with?
Phew, what a question! Alex Ferguson, Bob Paisley, Tom Watson, Herbert Chapman, Jock Stein, Brian Clough - probably in that order. They were the winners by nature. But there's the small matter of a new kid on the block who's rather good, by the name of Mourinho. I wouldn't turn my nose up at him being on the touch-line at SoL, would you?
Just to be a bit different... I'll go Diego Simeone. What he's achieved in that league, given the funding of Real and Barca, whilst consistently having his best players sold out from under him, is incredible imo. I think he's the only manager currently in the game who would have a legitimate chance to get a team like us into the CL places.
Simeone is an incredible manager, I think the best in the world right now, watching them yesterday, you just think 'how?' Fetches players in and within weeks they fully understand that they need to be quality, but they need to run through walls, he hones players. Unreal gaffer. Answer the question, the best manager that ever lived of course, Sir Alex.
Cloughie without a doubt. The sad part was that he wanted to manage Sunderland, and he was actually here in town fully expecting to be appointed, but our Chairman and directors didn't want him. He could have won everything with a club with our potential but he went to Derby and Forest .
Simeone is marvellous at what he does and is proving that he has the gift of reinventing teams and squads. He would be the one Id want now. Looking back over yesteryear it has to be Bill Shankly and Fergie together
Yes, Shankly certainly reinvented Liverpool. He came from Carlisle when Liverpool were absolutely down on their heels. Their last good year was 1951, and they survived by the skin of their teeth till 1954 through one man - Billy Liddell. So important was he to that club that they became known as Liddellpool. Between 1949 and 1958, Billy was top scorer for them every year but one - an amazing feat for a winger! But look at them a decade later - that's what Shankly did for them. A different club altogether.
Clough, in his hay-day no one like him, he was the special one for Sunderland. Board/Collins bottled it and the biggest chance for success in 60 years was lost.
Sunderland turned down Kevin Keegan as well, so he went to Newcastle and revitalized them both as a player and as a manager. We've made some horrible mistakes.
I think we turned down the chance to sign Keegan, Rush, Waddle and Beardsley all before they all hit the big time, so our backroom staff have a pedigree no doubt about it.
Smug for manager. Funky for tactics and graphic blokey. Nads for chief scout. Me for dressing room morale. I`ll tell the lazy bastards. Bunch of ****ing ballerinas. Should be playing with a leather casey. Soaking wet like kicking a bloody big suet pudden. Laces anarl. Cut yer heed open when yer headed it. All for 3 quid a week. Get some proper byuts anarl. Not these sannies they wear now. Nancy boys. I`ll tell `em. ****in pansies.
