Micky Gray has turned up the heat on Sunderland owner Ellis Short and the Black Catsplayers in an explosive interview. Speaking on Talksport the Wearsider claimed Short needed to stop “lying” to fans, whilst also claiming that most of the players are not worthy of the shirt. Gray also said many of Sunderland’s players would struggle to get into a Championship side. Gray, who played over 350 games for his hometown club as well as being capped three times for England, was reacting to Sunderland’s 3-1 home defeat to Norwich. The ex-Black Cat told Talksport presenter Colin Murray: “I couldn’t believe what I witnessed. I have seen some pretty inept performances over the last three years but that was the lowest of the low, it really was. “I’m not saying I was brilliant every week because I wasn’t but what I would do is give 100 per cent. That is what the fans expect and when they don’t get that they give out a bit of criticism and the players can’t handle it. “The shirt is too big for them. They are frightened to play at the Stadium of Light.” Fans turned on owner Ellis Short during the game after a summer of little investment into the first team squad, despite optimism at the start of the summer due to head coach Dick Advocaat deciding to stay on. Gray said of the American businessman: “Ellis Short has got to invest money in the squad. The reason why Dick Advocaat is back at the football club is because has been promised £50million. “Well we have spent £8million of that and Connor Wickham has left for the same figure so we really haven’t spent any money in this transfer window. “The TV rights for the next three years are around £150million – Ellis Short needs to go and spend it. For the last five years he has been lying to the fans. He has promised players every single transfer window, they haven’t come in, and the players that have been brought in have been has-beens.” Gray continued: “You bring in Sebastian Coates and Younes Kaboul from Liverpool and Tottenham respectively and they are not good enough. Patrick van Aanholt was absolutely horrendous at the weekend – I have never seen a performance like it in my life. “Jermain Defoe - why leave the Premier League and go to Toronto? Because in the back of your mind you are thinking you couldn’t do it in the Premier League every week. “What I saw at the weekend was so inept… half of the players I wouldn’t put in a Championship side. “I don’t know how many I would keep. I think I would keep the goalkeeper, the two central midfield players, Lee Cattermole and Yann M’Vila, but the rest of them I wouldn’t give them the shirt on their back.” _______________________________________________________________ Pretty scathing really. I'd have to agree with the majority of it however.
I still think the Money is there for new signings or Dick wouldn't have come, I think the real reason is the better players wont come and be involved in a Relegation Battle, the better players are going to Stoke, Southampton Swansea etc who are safe mid table teams, as for this present team they are not good enough and don't think Dick's tactics are helping to play 4-3-3 a good defence is need and we don't have that, we have to make ourselves hard to defeat by protecting the defence and rely on breakaways until we get better players who can fit into the system Dick wants to play. not attractive but it may keep us in the League.
Pay them and they will come. Given our record in speedy transfer deals we already have no chance of getting anyone in. The fault is our talent team and our Chairman.
Nailed it well and truly mate but Cattermole wouldn't be there either, the lad seems immune to criticism but I'd be more than happy if he pissed off back to Boro. Vastly overrated and has more bad games than good, a legacy of rolling his sleeves up but I know the lad personally and I wouldn't want him next to me in a scrap. Very easily influenced and a toy thrower if he doesn't get the dummy..
I like the lad as a player, he's one of the last old school type players who gets stuck in, but at the same time the game has evolved from the days of crunching tackles and blood and snots. He hasn't and there's better out there imo. I'd make an example of one of them and sack the twats to show who's boss. I know a lad who used to train my younger, he worked at the academy and used to tell me stories about Peter Ried. He never took any **** and if a player stepped out of line he had them train on their own until they came round to his way. Dead right in my book. Maybe DA should do the same?
I liked Nicky Gray when he played for us, he's only saying what we are all thinking (well most of us)
Oh aye, Micky Gray a footballing genius who needs an airing to say something contentious probably fed to him by the journalist. He goes on about ES needs to spend NOW to put things right after providing big enough money to get it right via managers choices. Where was Gray at the beginning when he said the appointments of whichever manager would be a disaster.
Short has 2 weeks to get his wallet out in order to keep us up. Sign: Austin, Pato On Loan: Borini Then a couple of defenders: Alonso and Van Dijk What would the above lot cost I wonder: Austin 15m plus 80k a week to get him up here Pato 5m plus about 30k a week Borini 3m for the season plus 40k a week Alonso 5m plus about 35k a week Van Dijk 8m plus 35k a week So: 36m not even the 50m supposedly promised Wages: £220k a week or £11.5m so lets add in another 10m or fee's and bonuses We're talking 56.5m for a year. If we get relegated its going to cost the club a hell of a lot more than that. I have defended Short quite a bit in the past but when you sit down and think about it, its time to make a change. He has changed the manager and that has not worked, its time to make some big playing changes. Look at this side: ..........................Pants..................... Mathews Van Dijk Kaboul Alonso ...................Mvilla Larsson............ ...........................Pato..................... ..............Borini Austin Lens........... Much better and it gets rid of a lot of the players that frankly can't do it at this level.
You've obviously put some thought into all that Vegas. Unfortunately, if some of the rumours are true then this is all pie in the sky. I'm just hoping, like you, that these rumours are all hogwash. We'll find out soon enough, 2 weeks to go.
I am just thinking what I would do if it was my business. I see 2 choices: Sell the business to someone else who wants to take it forward or Spend a large amount of money to solve the obvious problem
this is shaping up to be the biggest crisis at SAFC for years, the sh*t is hitting the fan. All the underlying problems that have been simmering for years are bursting to the surface.
Interesting. He must have forgotten the 2003 19pt relegation side that rolled over for about 2,000 (I know, I know, but it felt like 2,000) consecutive defeats. The side he was in.
In two games van Aanholt has gone from being a very good player to a very poor one. I don't buy that. He was suspect defensively last season but did ok with support from whoever was in front of him. He was Gareth Hall-esque on Saturday. I don't jump to these conclusions of "get rid not good enough" on 2 games. Especially 2 games where we learned nothing as to who was or wasn't good enough. We were ****e in both games. But a few of those players are capable so what was it? Coates was fine end of last season but rubbish this. Jones I didn't rate last season. Larson was player of the year and cattermole was a driving force last season. Without the armband I may add! I didn't really rate fletcher or Defoe either last season! Van Aanholt was a bright spark last season! Two games will not make me feel one way or the other. Chelsea are a point ahead of us (putting things into perspective) and have scored less than us! If we play well and lose on Saturday people may be a bit more positive. If we capitulate then it'll be the same as it already is. If we are ****e and get a lucky 1-0 I'll be delighted personally! Most if us thought it was a decent summer for signings. Then we play terrible twice and those "decent" signings are rubbish?
I agree with the above to an extent but other teams have strengthened. We were completely out played in both games. In both games we looked ok until the first goal went in, then we just fall apart. Mentality we cannot deal with going 1 down. Aside from that we have been lacking quality for years. We are know what is needed. The investment is fees and wages is not as large as the reward. We are expected a couple of big name signings this summer and so far they have not emerged. On top of that we sell a decent versatile player (Wickham) and do nothing to replace him.
