We spent almost 100% of our 2013/14 season in the bottom three of the league, escaping relegation in the most incredible fashion right at the death. Since our promotion back to the top flight we've struggled to establish ourselves and 6 years of turmoil, constant management changes, ownership changes, poor decision making and massive player turnover has not advanced us as much as we would all have liked. So, whilst we all want big names and top players, we simply have to be realistic about who we can really attract here and bring to the safc party. Gus will change last seasons year of struggle and bring us a more mid table mediocrity and whilst that's hardly inspiring, it's realistic and a huge improvement. We won't go from bottom 3 to top 10 overnight and if we finished 11th or 12th next season and comfortably so, I'll be more than happy. The players we are targeting and acquiring are steady and hungry to prove themselves. Borini may yet still come and he would be our top signing, or if not then an alternative quality will be sought but either way, our targets don't be world beaters. I like Poyets style and his first season was interesting to say the least. He inherited a bag of ****e and struggled to remove the stench but then got us to our first cup final in a generation and orchestrated the greatest of escapes in premier league history. I'm happy to give him his chance to build his own team and whoever he wants is good enough for me. The proof of his choices will be in how the season goes and I'll support and back all his signings until I see them play. Looking forward to the new season and how Gus handles his first proper season.
Steady progress in the league, a cup run, some good football, some great goals, its all round the corner, cant wait.
The club's OK ....... owner's canny, good manager on a long term contract, set up improving, youngsters getting a look in. The club isn't too attractive to potential targets but we're not far off. We could've easily gone the same way as Leeds, Portsmouth, Charlton, Bolton etc. Happily the mess left by Bruce & MON etc is being sorted out ........ can't wait for Danny ****ing Graham to take his stench away with him.
Safety will do me like, it's a big job for Gus and an even bigger job for congerton. I know gus worked miracles but he's got a good few years build to turn us into a decent mid table outfit.
Hope so mate, we can only judge on our business so far, as it stands we're still in deep **** i think. Hopefully the market will slot into place and we'll land our targets and everything will just be tickety boo. This Rodriguez link looks promising, land him we're well on our way. We need a quick Centre back desperately now though, as we've signed an attacking fullback who struggles defensively.
I'll support and back all his signings until I see them play! Lol cest' so once you've see them kick a ball all support goes. I'm sure you'll give them all at least a couple of games before you get your megaphone out and follow the players around berating their efforts ha ha. Get practising how long you can boo for. In all seriousness. Gus seems like a proper manager, he has an identity, he's hungry and I feel he will be a success here. I agree with you re targets, I think most of our fans realise we are not dealing with the top tier of footballers. We are dealing with the next level down and the one below that. Finally though Gus seems to be building a team. Buying fullbacks (WOW) I thought we'd stopped doing that. Getting in players that he wants for certain positions. Not just sign who ever will come policy. The World Cup showed that lesser players who play as a team can beat beater players who don't work as a team. Whilst I'm not expecting a tip at the title I would like to see us reach between 45-50 points. We rarely achieve this. Let's just hope the crowd keep the end of season atmosphere going as that can only help the players.
Just get a real cm and all will flow from there and be good for me. Striker and cb are next priorities for me.
I understand the top ten finish comments but I think even that is looking too far ahead. Currently we are weaker than last season and even signing Borini will only get us back to the level we were at last season. Granted Gus will have longer to work with the players than last season but I'm under no false illusion that next year will be another relegation season, maybe not as bad as last season but we will be down there and mentioned in the final months in the "ones for the drop". I am still optimistic of a top ten finish but it will be incredibly hard with our current squad, even a greater achievement that lats season's survival!
Stoke finished 9th with the likes of Adam, Ireland & Crouch ....... this season they'll have Bardsley. Anything's possible
Try as I may Smug I cannot find even a slight hole in your thought process.... Facts are, after Everton, anyone can finish anywhere.
1000's have tried and 1000's have failed Newcastle were relegated and qualified for Europe within a few seasons ..... no reason Sunderland can't have a run of games where we fluke an extra goal to turn a draw into a win or a loss into a draw. Newcastle had an incredible sequence of lucky results backed up by no injuries to key players and no suspensions. Even the Mags will admit that the European qualification came as a massive shock.
