The Martin O'Neill thread (with added sacking #2188)

[Irish villain]

It's amazing where some of these threads take us by the end!

Goalkeepers?!

[ktvillan]

Mike Pinner must have been before my time.  The first few keepers I remember were Colin Withers, John Dunne and Tommy Hughes, none of whom were particularly reliable.  Jim Cumbes was steady but prone to the odd cock-up, unfortunately often against the Albion. 

I'm just wondering if anyone can remember any good saves Carson made for us.  I can't.  And I always thought he looked like Desperate Dan.

I can remember quite a few excellent shot stopping performances from various keepers such as Given at WBA last season, a few from Friedel, even Michael Oakes, I think at Chelsea in the League Cup where we got hit for 4 or 5 but he saved a load more.  I can't remember Carson ever having a performance, or even one save,  that stood out.

[eastie]

O Neill has some regrets about what happened at villa - I wonder what they are ?

O'Neill says he has tackled all his managerial jobs with a long term outlook and is no quitter.

He added: "If you want to go down that road, I spent five years at Wycombe, five years at Celtic and four and a half at Leicester and four years at Aston Villa. I am not sure where the quitting thing comes in.

"The only time I walked away was Norwich. We were third and myself and the chairman, Mr Chase, just couldn't get on. He disliked me as much as I disliked him.

"So it was not a major problem, my only regret is what happened with Aston Villa but that is a totally different issue"

[Risso]

O Neill has some regrets about what happened at villa - I wonder what they are ?

That he wasn't able to spend £350billion on Aiden McGeady.

[Jimbo]

"The only time I walked away was Norwich. We were third and myself and the chairman, Mr Chase, just couldn't get on. He disliked me as much as I disliked him.

"...my only regret is what happened with Aston Villa...

When he walked away.

[Dave Cooper please]

"The only time I walked away was Norwich. We were third and myself and the chairman, Mr Chase, just couldn't get on. He disliked me as much as I disliked him.

"...my only regret is what happened with Aston Villa...

When he walked away.

You mean when he quit, like he's only ever done at Norwich?
Git.
Not you Jimbo!

[eastie]

By Brian McNally | 28/11/12 

Sunderland owner and chairman Ellis Short cut a confident, debonair figure as he mingled with the press corps just an hour before Harry Redknapp’s eagerly-awaited return to Premier League management.

The expectant banter in the Stadium of Light's press room centred largely on the problems Redknapp faces in ­rejuvenating rock-bottom Queens Park Rangers.

But Short is astute enough to know that, out of earshot, the assembled media throng were also discussing his own club and the ­uncertainty surrounding Martin O’Neill.

Short, despite that cool, composed exterior, expected Sunderland to be in the top half of the table after head-hunting O’Neill and then investing £22million last summer in internationals Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson.

It hasn’t happened.

So he might have been slightly relieved that the spotlight was being trained relentlessly on Redknapp and co here.

But there is little doubt that both Short and O’Neill are aware that Sunderland’s results must improve and quickly.

The Irishman had prepared for the match by issuing a feisty denial that he had offered his resignation last Saturday after a 4-2 home defeat by West Bromwich Albion.

He even ­introduced an aura of a besieged gunfighter into the debate.

But, just short of a year into his tenure and after this 0-0 draw, there are a growing number of dissenters firing shots at the Sunderland manager.

Some critics are suggesting that his trademark rallying calls citing old mentors Brian Clough and Peter Taylor simply don’t resonate with younger players, who may never have heard of the legendary duo.

Others point to his struggles to come up with a system that gets the best out of Johnson and Stephane Sessegnon.

The Irishman’s inspirational arrival on Wearside gave players and fans alike a massive boost and Sunderland moved impressively out of danger.

But just two wins from the last 21 games suggest that O’Neill’s magic simply isn’t working.

Short is prepared to give O’Neill the two remaining years of his contract to deliver success, but the Sunderland boss has admitted that if he can’t turn it around by then, he will stand aside.

That is looking increasingly likely.

[PaulTheVillan]

He's doing a great job. Don't bottle it (again!) MON!

[Steve R]

Two years. Poor bastards. Makes me shudder.

[supertom]

O Neill has some regrets about what happened at villa - I wonder what they are ?

That he wasn't able to spend £350billion on Aiden McGeady.

Lol. Post of the day.

[The Man With A Stick]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/nov/29/10-talking-points-premier-league-midweek

Has the time come for Martin O'Neill to start rotating his squad? Sunderland's manager likes to place his trust in a small corps of players and field them whenever possible but, after two wins in the last 21 Premier League games, it is maybe time for O'Neill to offer sidelined individuals such as Fraizer Campbell, Connor Wickham, Louis Saha and David Vaughan a chance.

Ahahahahaha!  Don't hold your breath.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I saw that, you missed out the headline 'O'Neill needs to look beyond first-choice XI'.
Can you imagine how angry he is after spending years building up his media reputation as the Son of Clough, just to see it go down the pan in days. He even tried to rekindle the Clough link the other day in a press conference but the journo's weren't buying it. He'll obviously be in denial and stubbornly refuse to play any of the above mentioned players.

I can't see him lasting the season.

[supertom]

That's terrific. Just terrific.

O Neill's quickly becoming more and more outdated. I fancy punting a few quid on him taking them down. He's too stubborn to adapt to the new breed of football and managers coming into the top flight.

[David_Nab]

He might well end up like Clough ending his final season as a manager taking his team down.

[TonyD]

If they think it's bad now,  just wait until he runs out of steam in March.  ha ha ha.