I unreservedly retract the having a pop comment. No where did I insinuate you were part of a clique etc. I was pointing out "I" wasn't part of this so called group. You then go on, to once again call me part of a brigade. My opinions are just that my opinions. I deliberately didn't comment on Cest's earlier thread even though I agreed with most of it. I have made my point on Bruce's lack of tactical nous on numerous occasions. The injuries excuse is just that an excuse. Earlier in the season we were lucky to win some games, it wasn't Bruce's tactical genius. We also lost games where we were in front and threw the games away with practically the full first team. (Strange substitutions to one side.) The two derbies were embarrassing, if the manager can't motivate players for such an important game, I can't see him motivating the players for lesser games. Two years on and we still can't defend set pieces and corners. (And our manager was one of the best defenders I have seen.) I never wanted Bruce, but it had nothing to do with his birthplace, it was based on his managerial career before he arrived at SAFC. I said when he arrived I would be pleased to be proved wrong, IMHO I haven't been as yet. If he suddenly proves me wrong this season I will be the first to hold my hand up and say well done and admit I was out of order. My thinking he isn't a very good manager, isn't me being a moaner or part of some derisory brigade. It is me voicing an opinion, just that. Yesterdays Echo back page the Loan Arranger made me cringe. I don't want a team of loanees I want a team of Sunderland players! Using loan players as mainstays of our team, will lead to the same problems next season of needing to again look for replacements. As for 10th place, if the skunks and West Brom hadn't drawn we wouldn't have got that. We only pipped WB on goal difference as well. Scraping 7 points above relegation is not the improvement that ES was looking for I would bet.
Because no one is above crticsism. Bruce is by no means the perfect manager and he was a disapointing choice for many including me. He still has to convince me he can take us to the next level and that is my concern. Being crtical is not Bruce knocking it's simply expressing a different opinion. You can see the real knockers. They're the ones who can't resist making stupid derisory comments about him when thay post. The rest of us are just people who are not wearing rose tinted glasses and can differentiate between the wood and the trees. he's doing OK up to now and I back him while I can see him consolodating our premiership position but I still have to be convinced he can take us further.
Whilst I agree we have far too many fans who like to whinge I also believe that many who follow blindely are also as thick as you describe and are actually totally incapable of forming their own opinion and are happy to follow the masses. These are the extremes. In the middle are the majority who are bright intelligent people who can form an opnion and also tolerate those who differ in their views. This is what debating is about. Bottom line is if we didn't have diversity of opinion just imagine how boring these forums would be.
Well I think its well known that I am a Bruce fan, that said I can also say that more than once last season he lost me, its what happens in my head when things go wrong. I have no problem with my fellow fans who dont rate Bruce and would prefer him to be replaced and let's be honest that will apply whoever the manager is, thats football. The thing that turns me off, and I think it's whats behind CM's post, is the fan who just wont let go, MR said it, he is not a Bruce fan, has said his peice but does not feel the need to repeat it constantly. Again its every fans right to constantly repeat if thats what they want but I have simply stopped reading the posts knocking Bruce because even with my forgetfull head I know he is blamed for Bent leaving, Henderson being sold, Collins being sold, poor training that brought on the injuries, bad tactics in playing Hendo, bad tactics in resting Hendo and for allowing his daughter to have a relationship with Bent. Bottom line for me is like him or not he is our manager and will be until Short, Quinn or both decide to get rid. It seems better to support him and encourage him rather than constantly knock him. Now all that is my opinion and is worth no more than my opinion and its certainly worth no more than MR's, Cest, Bill or any one else who does not agree.
"If the Skunks and West Brom hadn't drawn..........." But they did. You can play the "if" game on every match played and have us top of the league if you were so inclined. We finished 10th-Fact. First time in over ten years-Fact. Our best striker pissed off- Fact. Injuries galore-Fact. This may sound like excuses to you. It must be something of a handicap however for a manager to loose virtually his whole first team. Would't you say. As for saying your in a brigade! Read my comment again. I said the same COULD be said about you.
Totally agree 'if' doesn't mean anything. The fact is these things happened and nothing will change that. We could equally say IF we hadn't won at Chelsea we would've finished 2 points behind the Mags. But we did and we didn't. If you see what I mean.
Perspective is a wonderful thing, something which I think some people lack when supporting Sunderland. We of all teams should appreciate having a sustained period in the Premier League with the same manager and for me one of if not the best chairman/owner relationships in the league. Obviously progress needs to be made however especially in this league I think it needs to be steady progress rather than massive leaps and bounds which tend to require huge huge investment (Chelsea/Blackburn/Man City) but can be high risk (Leeds). However I think delighted might be overstepping the mark a little, the last day of the season as well as the Bolton game masked a few of our flaws that personally I feel Bruce is trying to correct, such as a small squad and a overall a very young team. I understand the passion of the majority of our supporters which can account for some of the negative comments on this board and I aswel appreciate everyone has an opinion, however for example a few weeks ago I was getting sick of reading about how we hadnt gotten anyone in yet, no1 wanted to come to us, do we have enough money etc etc then after a couple of signings everythings rosey again. Did Evertons poor start to the season make Moyes a bad manager, no. Did Chelseas poor run midseason make Ancellotti a bad manager, no. Did selling Ronaldo make Ferguson a bad manager, no. Everton finished 7th and Chelsea still managed to push United for the title. Lets see where we are after 10 games of the season or at least at the end of August before we pass judgement.
