Kranjcar to Sunderland

I think there is confusion. Is the guy saying that progress = higher finishing position than Newcastle or that progress = progressively higher finishing position for Sunderland?

 

With the squad you had you should have been nowhere near the relegation spots. So its not a shock you did well last term as you managed to retain a decent core of a solid PL side.

We on the other hand had to build from dross which was better suited to the SPL and the Championship. We have made steady progress since Quinn took to the helm. In only one season we finished worse off than the previous season. However progress is as much about reputation as it actual improvement. While we haven't been taking Cityesque strides we have still progressed none the less.

In the same time period NUFC has gone backwards and is trying to achieve its previous status.

 

I was replying to smithy ni whose point was concerning your finishing above us for 3 years so my point was only made covering those 3 years. Of course you have made progress since the championship years. But the last three years has seen nearly yearly squad transformations for you yet only moving up the table in increments. Fulham are a measure of progress, almost relegated a couple of years back now finishing close to european spots

 

Only quotes from his agent there, but hope it doesnt come off! Quality player.

 

I don't agree that we are trying to achieve previous status, Mike Ashley would lose too much money that way. Every club should want to progress, and every other club in the PL would spend £35m that was brought in for a player, but not us. Depressing, really depressing.

 

What are you trying to say.........Smithy and Butt were not in their prime?

 

Where would we play him though if we got him for the rather overpriced £12mil 'Arry wants for him...? He's not quick so in theory wouldn't fit into our new "quick, fast, sleek" passing counter attack with pace style so can't go on the wings, we've got Tiote and Cabaye in the middle as it is with Barton 1st choice to play there if Chieck/Yohan gets injured.

 

after they paid £2mil for him and didnt play him? Good player, but I'd tell Arry to **** right off at that price.

 

I never thought this was an issue of "who is the bigger club". I accept Newcastle are the bigger club, your exploits in the 90s and early 2000s put NUFC's name in lights, whilst we were yo-yoing about. But Im from Sunderland, I support Sunderland, and whilst some may say we arent as big as Newcastle, why is that even an issue? I support my team because I was born and raised in Sunderland, I was taken to my first game there by my dad (A wolves fan incidentally, hence them being my B team) so I support them for reasons other than how big, or how good we are.

Ive heard people say "Why would you support Sunderland? Newcastle is the bigger/better club". It seems as though some Newcastle fans cannot see why we support Sunderland, as though supporting a "smaller" club is bad. Its really quite sad actually.

Lets assume Ashley didnt take over, this leaving us "miles behind" as you put it, why should that lessen the impact of our progress? I care first and foremost about the progress and success of Sunderland football club, not "Where does SAFC stand in relation to NUFC". Of course the rivalry means something to me, but I dont consider our standing in relation to Newcastle as a measure of success, I consider our recent history, and how far we have come as a measure of success, not how far Newcastle has fallen and where we are in relation to them.

 

captain hindsight to the rescue

 

I'm pretty sure that's just standard football rivalry and tribalism in the works there. Otherwise agree with your post , but this debate rose from the fact that the original Sunderland fan appeared to be comparing Sunderlands position to Newcastle as a measure of progress, because his sentence was poorly worded.

 

Ownership issues aside, you have the makings of very handy team and you can't tell me the playing staff would settle to for flirtations with relegation rather than pushing for Europe.

 

Think this sums up the confusion. Whilst Sunderland fans are obviously extremely happy with our own personal success, there are some Newcastle fans (An arrogant minority admittedly) Who seem to assume that all Sunderland fans do, is simply gaze longingly at Newcastle, almost "wishing" we were Newcastle.

We measure our success as personal progression, not where to we stand next to Newcastle.

In fact I actually wish Newcastle well, yes you read that right. I feel that the North East has a raw deal in general from the rest of the country, and to see both our clubs fighting the corner for the North East is only a good thing. Except in the derby.

 

Take the post thing as whole.

 

I agree, and I think we have a decent team that won't go down, but we could be so much better! They money is clearly there! He says he puts £20m into the club every year, more than every fan put together, whereas infact, the fans put £30m into the club on ticket money alone! We've been pissed on constantly since he ****ed up over Keegan, we haven't had one good season in my eyes. People say the Championship, but we shouldn't have been there in the first place.

 

I think the confusion rose because his sentence wasn't all that clear. He said: "We've finished higher for the last 3 years" which can be construed either way by anybody, not merely by 'arrogant' people.

 

Yet just a couple of threads down on your board there is a thread entitled "5 reasons Sunderland secretly envy Newcastle" with non-footballing reasons included such as "Newcastle always has been a proper City , not a trumped up town." If this isnt a prime example of arrogance, making rash assumptions that little old Sunderland fans are all in awe of and WISH we could be as big and good as Newcastle United then I dont know what is.

It also seems to demonstrate insecurities on the OP's part, that Sunderland's progress is seen as a threat to Newcastle, so it must be nipped in the bud!

 

Decent player, one of very few safc players i wouldnt in our squad. Thats IF he signs for Sunderland. As its already been said, its all just agent quotes so far and with Modric's future uncertain and 'Arry being 'Arry, the deal isnt gaurunteed.

I'd like to know how much it would be done for though. He usually overprices his players by a long way. £12M would be stupid.

He'd only go to a team where he's got a starting 11 place, after spending so much time on the bench. So it would be pointless us going in for him, unless Barton WAS to go. Then he'd be a good addition.

 

I think the whole city thing is just used as banter and part of the build up to derby day. It's just banter. I think you all have 1 eye and 13 fingers...

 

Oh pay no attention to that it's an obvious wind up. I saw a Newcastle fan on your board the other day politely ask some advice about seating in the stadium at the derby and one of your lot called him a prick and told him to **** off. There's people ready to wind up on both sides, don't read into it.