Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Saudi State FC - FA Cup 3rd Round – Saturday 6th January 2024 - KO 12:45

Exactly. Horrible bunch

 

You would hope things are constantly under evaluation, but there hasn't been much drive to improve the off field issues.

I hope that major off field infrastructure improvements won't be subsidised by player sales as I do feel that it would a huge ask on everyone involved

 

Just think.
Their 3 goals were all questionable and with a bit of luck we may have got a draw.
However.
If they had got us back at their place we could very easily be humiliated and we have avoided that.

We can always point out that although they won, the goals were gifts from us as opposed to them creating them.

Perhaps Beale didn’t want the subs to be subjected to their expensive players passing the ball about and just put Ba on to give him an opportunity to improve over the last few appearances (which he did)

 

I do believe that's the case.

KLD isn't the type to be seen as incompetent, miserly or unprofessional. He has the eyes of his peers, his family and much of football on him. Apparently ITV focused more on him, yesterday, than they did on the Saudis.

He's driven and wants the club to reflect himself ...

... he won't to be seen as a shambles imo.

 

However in the 2 years he has been here there has been little to no improvement off the field. If anything it's got worse.

So you can see why some have questions amd doubts.

And before it's said, if our ownership group are that hood, they can concentrate on off the field as much as on the field as the 2 working in harmony generate more money.

 

I like and back KLD but it’s beyond farcical that off the field remains so amateur.

They need a proper fan with relevant skills involved, problem being I’ve seen what the club pay and it’s not great.

The new kit and shirt sponsor deals are going to be a massive pointer.

If we are to remain with Nike it needs to be a deal with Nike.

 

I was about to say, could some of the behind the scenes cock ups be legacy issues like the kit deal?

 

You’d hope so mate so we will get a real insight with the renewals.

I looked at a job at the club a few year back, would be an immense bit of pride for me to work for the club. Was a marketing and development role so in my arena. I’d have taken a small cut to work for the club. Was not a small cut it was poverty salary for the kind of role.

This was like 3-4 years back at least mind so this isn’t to be shot at KLD things may have changed.

In these kind of roles you get what you pay for.

 

Agree. That's what has got a lot of people back up. The off the field stuff.

Think we are going with hummel.

 

Do some decent looking kits. Hopefully the quality has improved since ‘92

They better not try and give us white ****ing socks, which seems the be their current M.O

 

I agree but with young players are you going to get that response? I seriously hope so

 

Hope so mate.

 

I agree, but Smugs also right he’ll want to be successful here, his family will be looking to see how well he can look after a big business.
I’m also guessing, but aren’t we all.

 

Said this a few days ago. They have worked wonders with the hard footballing stuff both on and off the pitch
But the commercial side which should be bread and butter is hopeless.
Unfortunately if people have a bad personal experience it matters to them and it gets magnified
Should not be that difficult to sort out But just think it highlights what a state the club was in when KLD took over

 

There are aspects that are ignored imo, others that we don't see, etc.

Our purchases and sales have been managed a million times better than before imo.

 

They have. And the improvements at the Academy etc are fantastic.

Thing is to grow the club financially, it’s commercial deals and fan experience. It’s fans glowing the club up in social media to attract sponsors and generate income.

We are miles off in this regard.

 

Playing devil's advocate here but surely some of the commercial contracts will still be running from those 2 idiots that were previously in charge. Hopefully once they have ran their course, we'll see an upturn

 

I would say some will slot into a prem team and do well personally. Judging individuals based on yesterday is tough, but as a team and squad we clearly would struggle. However, I think Neil would look the part in a lot of prem teams where he has more talented players around him. Clarke the same, being smothered by Trippier isnt a nail in the coffin.

 

Just got clarity I’m not knocking any of our players. We got swarmed off a much better team of genuine PL quality, none of ours hid we just saw how big the gap is. Ballard- own goal, penalty and could’ve gave one away earlier but played well between all that. There’s still a long way to go this season.
HTL