O'Neill vows to make changes at Sunderland

O’Neill’s men have won just twice in their last 15 outings and the Black Cats boss admitted that there is plenty of room for improvement on Wearside.



So now we start all over again, aint it grand being a SUNDERLAND supporter, well once he gets rid of the dead wood, and gets £100 million of Mr Short, we might get to see the team we have all waited for, all of our lives. plus the pre season games.,,,,,,,HAPPY DAYS.























http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896...892/oneill-vows-to-make-changes-at-sunderland
















“Next season starts now for me. You can see clearly that we have got some work to do and let’s see what happens. I will take a little bit of time to reflect on it but we will try to get back to work as quickly as possible,” O’Neill told reporters.

“I have been absolutely delighted with the team. The season has gone now and maybe on reflection to FA Cup game against Everton did have an effect on us but I am delighted that we will be plying our trade in this division again next year and that is all I could ask for.

“I am not here to make excuses. We are where we are. We finished off the season and we didn’t win too many games and there might have been subconsciously an easing-off after we got past the winning post in terms of staying up. But I have been delighted with the effort of the team and we have lot of improvement to make. That is the nature of the game.”

O’Neill, who said he “chose not to pick” on-loan Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner, also expressed concern over Republic of Ireland defender John O’Shea’s fitness as Euro 2012 looms.

“He did not feel comfortable today and he was starting to feel his injury so he did not feel confident at all," he added. “As he came off, it was my thought that there might be a concern about him but haven’t had chance to check with the physios since. It might be a concern.”

O’Neill backed Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson to bounce back from losing the title to Manchester City, after a last-gasp win over QPR at the Etihad sealed the league for Roberto Mancini's men.

“This was a harrowing way to lose the title but it will only increase Sir Alex’s determination. I don’t think he will allow Manchester City to become so dominant. He will do something about that,” O’Neill said.

“It is so, so close. There is nothing in it at the top and over the season there hasn’t been much to choose between the two of them. Manchester City have a very strong squad and they have taken the title. It doesn’t matter whether it is on goal difference, a couple of points or 20 points. So well done them.

“He might be just coming into my office for a minute or two and I am dreading going into the room. He will be bitterly disappointed because this would have been a sensational year for him to have won the title and while he has won so many I would have thought he would have lost count this is one he will so disappointed at losing.

"I shook his hand at the end of the game as you would do and then we were waiting around to hear the news and suddenly it happened.”

 

MoN is no mug. He isnt about to put 22 years of excellent football management on the line for a bunch of no hopers. He will sort out the chaff and deliver us a decent team.

I have absolutely no doubt about it in my mind.

 

And thats no fairy story.

 

He has no choice now, his reputation is now on the line and his history indicates he aint no loser.

 

There is no room for sentiment in football, and MoN will know this better than anyone. He played under Clough.

Just as Juve are releasing Del Peiro, AC Milan Nesta, Inzaghi and Gattuso... the only person who does have sentiment is SAF with Giggs and Scholes...

 

I rather think that Short is tightening the purse strings! I think MON will have £5-10 million to play with and will get the rest from raised funds from selling players!

 

One things for certain it aint boring being a Sunderland fan especially when the summer transfer window is open.

Did anyone listen to David Moyes yesterday after the Newcastle game? He was asked something along the lines of "well that was a good season finishing above Liverpool" Moyes instantly replied with "7th? I don't think 7th is anything to shout about, you can only be happy when you come first or I suppose getting a champions league place in this league, 7th? well I suppose pundits would think that thats a decent position for us but for me I want to finish higher and next year we will"

Notice how Everton also never drop off at the end of the season they are always going right to the very end regardless of the circumstances.


Our lads need to take notice because I feel to many of our squad are in there comfort zone and fortunately I think a few of them could be in for a shock and get moved on this summer. MoN is like Moyes, he will not stand for players giving up with a couple of months of the season to go and I think a clear out is on the cards and for me is needed. As well as being a good footballer physically you need to be mentally up for it and be a winner and IMO in our squad we have an ego problem and they play when they want and at the end of the day they aint good enough to do that.

Wouldn't be surprised to see atleast 7 new faces through the door this summer, obviously not all going into the first team but its going to be very busy at the club, MoN is not gunna let this group wreck his reputation, from now on its not Steve Bruce's Sunderland team it is MoN's Sunderland team and he owes no loyalty to any of these players (bar the ones he has given a new contract to).

 

Nice to see MoNs after match comments, having watched MOTD he was the only manager not to be interviewed after the game, well done BBC (not), just what we have come to expect from them, looking forward to the summer with some relish,I honestly dont think MoN will need anywhere near 100 million to improve what we already have, some astute signings coming our way I feel.

 

I think he could turn us around with 15-20 and the money he gets from players going out

there is some good players out there who are out of contract

 

Yes, we were obviously just the supporting cast last night. The fact we kept Man U to 1 goal could have been commented on. Yes, they could have scored more, but we had a couple of good chances too, and a penalty shout I would have liked to have had the chance to see!

I also don't think we will make that many changes, and I don't want loads of movement anyway as I am sick of Sunderland being a revolving door. We need to get some of our injured players fit again and for MON to bring in the striker we are desperate for and a left back, then (with a bit of luck as well) we can challenge for top 6 or 7. I really believe this as, taking the performances we had when MON first came as the benchmark, this current squad is capable of a high standard, and so only a few quality additions should push us on.

 

I think that the current squad plus a couple of strikers would be good enough for a top 8 finish;Gordon will be away and hopefully McCartney and Elmo.I think Wickham will come good but have reservations about Ji.
My only other concern is central defenders-O'Shea and Brown are a shoe in but we need someone other than Turner/Bramble as cover.

 

Cast your mind back to last seasons transfers by the end of May we nearly had all our signings in. I can,t see O,Neil rushing out on loanee,s
My mind is already working overtime on who the new LB is and the two strikers we desperatley need.