THE relegation battle finally comes to a head on Sunday, and all three of the region’s Premier League sides head into the final match of the season with their top-flight status on the line. It has been a miserable season for all concerned, and The Northern Echo has spoken to fans of all three teams to discover who they blame for the current crisis, and more importantly, how they think things can be turned around. Today, in the first part of a three-day series, the spotlight is turned on Sunderland.
THE THREE KEY QUESTIONS:
1 – WHY ARE SUNDERLAND ENDING THE SEASON WITH A RELEGATION BATTLE?
2 – WHO IS TO BLAME?
3 – WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN OVER THE SUMMER
SIMON Tindle, 30, student, Sunderland
1 TO say some of Sunderland’s performances this season have been atrocious, is as generous as Howard Webb’s penalty decision in the derby at St James’ Park.
The shame and humiliation of West Ham and West Brom, in particular, have offered our superb away support an extra unneeded excuse to drown their sorrows.
2 CONTRARY to many, I don’t think Sbragia is to blame. He didn’t really want the job and I think he felt obliged out of loyalty. It appears he has trouble motivating the players despite the fact they called for him to be appointed. He should be thanked for his service and return to his job as one of the most respected coaches in England.
3 WE have a good core of players to enable a midtable finish. A new manager with a proven track record, and a couple of solid buys, and we can achieve the heady heights of mediocrity.
1 NOT appointing a proven manager when Roy Keane left. Sbragia hasn’t the ability to motivate the players in key matches, and this has been so evident in the recent games against WBA and Everton.
2 EVERYONE from Niall Quinn down to the players has an element of blame attached. There’s the board for not appointing a manager with a proven track record and Sbragia for not having the ability to motivate the players from one week to the next. But the main share needs to go to our so-called star players. We have too many picking up the cash and not putting in what the fans expect, 100 per cent commitment and pride in the shirt.
3 FOR starters we need a new manager, someone with a proven track record in the English game with the ability to motivate the players every game and not just the one in five we seem to get at the minute.
1 SUNDERLAND’S inability to attract the right quality of player.
We’ve got a mixture of players other teams don’t really want along with a lot of mercenaries.
2 THE arrogance of Roy Keane. We’re geographically unappealing – especially to those players who want the bright lights. It also annoys me that we hardly ever seem to bring anyone through from the youth system.
3 THE management has to be changed. Sbragia should be retained as a coach. Many of the fundamentals are in place but we really need a top quality manager.
1 AFTER the departure of Keane we didn’t replace him with a good experienced manager. This has led to a lack of direction and poor performances on the pitch.
2 ULTIMATELY, it’s the people at the top who are to blame for appointing such an inexperienced manager. However, Sbragia and his players have to shoulder a lot of the blame.
3 THIS depends on whether we stay up. We definitely need a new manager with more experience and a bigger name. Those at the top need to restore faith amongst the supporters. A lot of people have lost the faith they had a year ago.
1 THERE’S a complete lack of quality on the ball. Too many of our players panic when they’ve got the ball and have no composure.
2 BLAME lies squarely with the players. There is a lack of communication on the pitch.
3 WE need to bring in more footballers rather than this focus on athletes. I’d like to see Roberto Martinez brought in as manager. Swansea play good, attractive passing football perfect for the Premier League.
1 SO many stupid defensive mistakes and we don’t have enough creativity in midfield. The strikers only seem interested when everything is going well – they’re not bothered at all when things are against us.
2 KEANE – he bought too many bad players and created a disrupted dressing room. Sbragia however, is also seriously at fault. He seems too friendly with the players – there doesn’t appear to be that hard character needed to tell the players off when they need it.
3 CHANGE the manager. Hopefully if Ellis Short completes the takeover then we can have an overhaul. And do not sign Djibril Cisse, that money could be far better spent elsewhere.
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