Now then lads.. I have to admit that the Keano promotion season was one of the best 'rollercoaster' rides of all time. From starting the season on the lowest of the low, sitting in the bottom three of the Championship following the 15 point debacle the season before, all was doom and gloom but with a new board of directors and the appointment of Keane, the ride began in a hiccup fashion at first but then became un-missable for every Sunderland fan. (nice to see Connelley banging them in for Southampton). We then saw a manager well out of his depth when we were promoted but he did give us a few performances to be proud of before he walked and left us with a lot of baggage who were bought in his own words to top up the squad. Apparently like us as fans he didn't really want them either but felt we needed numbers on board. There was a time a couple of years ago when I hardly ever missed a game home & away and saw myself as a good critic to players body language etc on the park, to where I thought we were going as a footballing team. You could sort of sense the tension around the ground if things were not going well and the latter parts of Keanes management was a fine example of that. Well due to my partners health, I have been to about 10 games in the last two seasons and I was there last weekend as well as three home games in 2011. What I witnessed was a sort of lull before a storm with the fans around me, a predictable, submissive Sunderland side reliant on the Sessegnon magic with the bulk of the team running around the park in their own worlds for the majority of the game. It was like watching the latter years Roy Keane team play at times and the substitutions were very similar in the 'chasing the game' mould that was Keanos downfall. All I will say to the lads that live afar that support Mr Bruce as the apostle of our future is, 'Get to a Game', like I did last weekend, spend £300+ on tickets and accommodation for the weekend to get together with family & friends again and go and see for yourselves why so many of our week in and week out supporters feel the way they do. Mr Keane or Mr Bruce, Premier league Naivety to a proven premier league manager, know which one made me smile the most.. Have a great night lads & remember KTF & Ha'waaaaaay the laaaaaads
I still feel that Bruce can turn things round, but if he keeps sticking to this idea that we can win games at home with only one up front, then I fear the worst for him.
