Okay. We've had the game on Sunday, the training session this morning and now we have had the official unveiling at the press conference today. Martin O Neill is the manager of SAFC and his work starts in earnest now. He has 4 main objectives as far as I can see and in this order. 1) Training this week. He will have to work very hard this week to build up confidence within the squad and galvanise the spirit that has benchmarked much of his playing and managerial career. The team look flat at the moment and totally demoralised. Its going to be a massive task to get it right for the weekend. 2) Sundays game. The team he picks for Sunday is vitally important to set about righting the wrongs of the past 9 or 10 months. We simply have to win to get the ball rolling again. A failure and it would be a huge setback for all concerned and a confidence flattener but a win and I really think that MoN will get the momentum going. 3) Transfers. Despite MoN announcing that no discussions took place between himself and Ellis Short regarding any transfer budget, thoughts must be turning towards the January transfer window in 25 days time. He has to have 1 or maybe 2 targets in mind and surely a striker is amongst them. For me, a left back and a striker would be just fine and I'd give Richardson a run at left wing, with Sess going central and a free role in midfield. 4) Us. We have to buy into this as fans. Martin is an overwhelming choice for fans, with some exceptions of course but on the whole, his appointment has lifted the doom and gloom hanging over the club imo and we have to do our bit now on Sunday. I'd love to see a 45,000+ crowd there on Sunday and make the SOL a cauldron of noise and passion again. We have all got something to get behind and if we can turn Blackburn over with a confident performance, I think we could still have a decent season Get these 4 factors right and its very much game on. I have the utmost faith in the man we have just appointed (I think I have made that pretty clear) and at his press conference today he was pure understated quality. He is a class act is MoN and oozes charisma and I think we have been very lucky to eventually land our man. Only time will tell if he can turn around our fortunes as a club long term but in the short term, it is more important that our EPL survival is the name of the game right now. Game on ladies and gents? I most certainly hope it is. Martin O'Neills Red & White Army.
3 big things for Sunday, will he get Bendtner going and get Gardner, Vaughan or both involved and kicking? I think he can do all 3 and that will transform the team IMO
Said I would put my money where my mouth is mate. Sunderland top 10 finish 3/1 £50 tight fisted bookies. (Will be increased if I get better odds.) Sunderland top 6 finish 66/1 £10. Not a flying carpet in sight either.
We've already got one plus out of this. At least we're not looking at another Bruce Spring. True, Steve wasn't bound to have a third bad Spring, but when you've had 2 out of 2 and this time you're starting it on 17th place, your teeth do start to chatter a bit. At least that worry is out of the way. It's a plus, and in the position we're in right now, any plus is welcome.
