Sunderland's year in review for 2011 which saw the break-up of arguably the best strike force in the clubâs history, some woeful home form â culminating in Steve Bruce's exit â before Martin O'Neill took over the hot seat â an appointment to lift the gloom. How will 2011 be remembered by Sunderland? For the woeful home form that eventually cost Steve Bruce his job as manager, the break-up of arguably the best strike force in the clubâs history and the appointment of a potentially superb manager in Martin OâNeill. Starting with the sale of Darren Bent to Aston Villa in January, it has been a pretty miserable year for Sunderland. The team lost its way, even though they still managed to finish in the top ten for only the third time in more than 50 years. The springboard for further improvements snapped, however, over the summer. Bruce tried to completely rebuild the side and failed to get 11 new signings to gel. The lack of attacking options was glaringly obvious from the moment Danny Welbeck failed to return on loan from Manchester United and Ghana international Asamoah Gyan decided earning £200,000-a-week in the United Arab Emirates was more important than playing in the Premier League. Any team that has only managed four home wins in a calendar year is bound to be in trouble and as much as Bruce deserves sympathy for the loss of key players due to circumstances beyond his control, as well as horrible luck with injuries, his regime crumbled because the players he signed in the summer were not better than the ones who left and, in some cases, were worse. But out of the darkness comes a bright light in the form of OâNeill. There was a time when Sunderland could not have dreamed of getting such a distinguished manager in the dugout, but he supported the club as a boy and, having turned an offer down five years ago, he could not do so again. After 16 months out of the game, OâNeill almost needed Sunderland as much as they needed him. Highlights ⢠The appointment of Martin OâNeill as manager. ⢠The 3-0 win at West Ham that ensured Sunderland finished above local rivals Newcastle for a third successive year. Lowlights ⢠Just two home wins between New Yearâs Day and the start of December. ⢠Asamoah Gyan deciding to leave after the transfer window had shut to play for Al-Ain in the United Arab Emirates was almost as bad as Darren Bent handing in a transfer request to move to Aston Villa. Hero: Martin OâNeill Has only been in charge for a couple of weeks, but the Northern Irishmanâs impact has already been compared to Sir Bobby Robsonâs at Newcastle United 12 years ago.
It's not been a vintage year for sure but it has ended in absolutely the best possible way for me anyway. MoN represents everything I have wanted for Sunderland for 36 years. The real deal. Not someone like a Martin o'Neill but Martin o'Neill himself. I'm still smiling annoyingly at everyone I meet. 2012 can only be better for football and SAFC. One issue I would take you up on though is the best ever strike force. Bent and Welbeck, Gyan or whoever are not fit to lace the SKP and Quinny partnership imo. They are the best I've ever seen in red and white and they were unstoppable for 3 years. They have to rank amongst the best ever EPL partnerships as well imo.
Thing is commachio that is a normal ish year for SAFC and us fans mate it just seems a lot worse than usual.
Were they beyond his control? I doubt the first - I think we were losing top class players because of the hoofball cr*p we were playing. And I wonder about the second - Bruce didn't sack a first rate medical officer for nothing. In fairness, Cest, Commachio did say 'arguably the best'. If Bent and Gyan had had time to get to know each other playing in front of a midfield like Hutchinson, McCann &co, they might just have challenged Phillips and Quinn. The quality was there. But Gyan no sooner came on stream than Bent was out with injury for a month. And six weeks after he came back, he was gone. We never got a chance to see them play at their best together. We'll never know, I guess. Pity.
