http://www1.skysports.com/football/...-to-keep-sunderland-up-again-says-paul-merson Dick Advocaat just needs Sunderland to survive next term, says Merse Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes Dick Advocaat’s main objective next season will be to keep Sunderland in the Premier League. The Dutchman performed a U-turn on Thursday, signing a one-year contract with Sunderland after turning down a three-year deal last week. Advocaat was brought in to address Sunderland’s slump last season and steered the club to safety despite at one point being odds-on to be relegated. The club are set to support Advocaat by investing in the squad this summer, but Merson believes they need to focus on safety rather than looking beyond the top ten. “If I’m being honest, I think Sunderland will be happy just to stay up next year,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s so important to stay up next year, with the TV money that’s going to be coming in." Paul Merson “Anyone who’s going to be in that bottom half of the table next season will be happy just to stay up, and that’s where I think they’ll be again. “It’s so important to stay up next year, with the TV money that’s going to be coming in. The bottom 10 teams – and I put West Ham in that bracket too – just need to survive. “Sunderland can’t get carried away, being over ambitious, because that’s when you get sucked in – they just need to stay up.” Sunderland are rank outsiders to win the Capital One Cup (50/1) and FA Cup(50/1) next season, but Merson doesn’t have an issue with Advocaat targeting silverware as well. He said: “They can have a go in the cups – Villa showed that you battle against relegation, survive and still give your fans a big day out at Wembley. “So maybe they should have a go in the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup and see where it takes them, but league position has to be the priority, particularly with that TV money coming in the following season.” Merson believes Advocaat already has the blessing of the current Sunderland squad, which should stand him in good stead for next season. “It’s very good news for Sunderland – it seems as though the players really responded to him and really like him, so it’s a good move all around,” he said. “It’s the Premier League – he’ll earn serious money – but he put a lot into the job last season and it seems as though he’s got unfinished business, so maybe that’s what made him change his mind. “But, as I said, he’s got the players on his side already and that’s a massive starting point for next season.”
What are we going to say to a player?' No, you'll be improving us too much, we need players who can just keep us up'. We'll aim as high as we can like any club. That man and his logic are idiotic. Stopped reading.
the man's a tool and a naysayer just like most other pundits when it comes to sunderland. seems like the sauce has damaged him beyond repair or is there some other reason why he mentions a cup run coupled with survival, clearly forgetting we were in the league cup final 16 months ago?
While the bloke clearly has nothing nice to say about us and is a bell end, in this case he's not wrong survival has to be the aim (hopefully a lot more comfortable than the last couple of years) with anything else above that being a bonus.
He says a lot of words there but doesn't actually say anything. And to think he actually gets paid for this insightful response - fair play to him, I wish I could get paid for doing so little.
he is right in his assumption that survival is our priority, but to say that we shouldn't even be targeting a top ten finish is crazy..
What he's says could be said of any year and of any team in the bottom half, there's nothing to take offence too.
Merson is a grade A ****, hates everyone bar Arsenal Villa n Pompey n is just generally a clown, I dread to think what he is paid by SKY for his 'expert' opinion As for Dick, I think that's a great move for you lads, will give you a years stability and longer to find the right man to take you forward. Certainly don't see you being in any real relegation trouble next year
Why is he disseminating any form of thoughts on the Premier League before any teams have even signed a single player? What this article does, is highlight that he has nothing better to do than waste people's time. He should do everybody a favour and take up a new hobby of catching pitch forks with his face.
Merson's plan for the next year is to try to avoid ending up drunk and coked up in a gutter somewhere, covered in piss, puke and ****, and that's where I think he'll be again.
"Why is he disseminating any form of thoughts on the Premier League before any teams have even signed a single player?" Totally agree. "survival has to be the aim" - I get the feeling that persuading Dick to stay, Ellis Short has an aim beyond survival. Survival to me means fighting another relegation battle and coming out the other end by the skin of your teeth. I bet that's not what the aims ofthe club are.
Look how he can't resist chucking a few odds into his 'column'... did he write that crap from a stool on the back of a betslip whilst in his local Coral or something?
Did he say anything at all? We want to survive. Yes. We want a run at the cups? Yes. There's a lot of money at stake? Yes. The sky is blue? Erm...
My take on Merson. He's a has been, washed up piss head, gambler and I really don't give a flying **** what he thinks of us. Why does he not just crawl into some bookies or boozer and keep his unwanted opinions to himself?
