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

[PeterWithesShin]

Most managers, if their chairman said "you've got 25m for the summer" (and that's still a decent amount, lest we forget), would think "how can i make this work as best I can" and inevitably look around Europe for some decent deals, to try to get value for money.

What MON did was what he always, always does, look at the obvious, zero-effort options, and buy them, and hang the cost. Johnson and Fletcher are both decent, but if his squad was so poor (as indicated by the suggestion Short needed to back him big), why spunk it all on those two players?

That is O'Neill all over, and that is why he peaked with us.

You could go as far to say look at what Lambert did with a similar amount. I know who I think spent the money in the summer the wisest.

[hilts_coolerking]

What MON did was what he always, always does, look at the obvious, zero-effort options, and buy them, and hang the cost. Johnson and Fletcher are both decent, but if his squad was so poor (as indicated by the suggestion Short needed to back him big), why spunk it all on those two players?

I think that's right.  However decent Fletcher and Johnson may or may not have been for them, it's glaringly obvious that the problems at Sunderland required more than a striker and a winger.

[VILLA MOLE]

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

I imagine that's on his business card.

you will be a man Martin my son

[Rudy Can't Fail]

What MON did was what he always, always does, look at the obvious, zero-effort options, and buy them, and hang the cost. Johnson and Fletcher are both decent, but if his squad was so poor (as indicated by the suggestion Short needed to back him big), why spunk it all on those two players?

I think that's right.  However decent Fletcher and Johnson may or may not have been for them, it's glaringly obvious that the problems at Sunderland required more than a striker and a winger.

A manager that understands basic football tactics would be a great improvement.

[paul_e]

Most managers, if their chairman said "you've got 25m for the summer" (and that's still a decent amount, lest we forget), would think "how can i make this work as best I can" and inevitably look around Europe for some decent deals, to try to get value for money.

What MON did was what he always, always does, look at the obvious, zero-effort options, and buy them, and hang the cost. Johnson and Fletcher are both decent, but if his squad was so poor (as indicated by the suggestion Short needed to back him big), why spunk it all on those two players?

That is O'Neill all over, and that is why he peaked with us.

To flesh this point out a little more, Lambert completely re-balanced our squad for less by not going for obvious targets, it's taking a bit of bedding in but most fans can see that his signings are, on the whole, all really good value.  If sunderland's squad was poor enough to be struggling as they are then just buying those 2 was a big mistake.

[hilts_coolerking]

A manager that understands basic football tactics would be a great improvement.

Basic tactics he's fine with.  It's anything beyond that which is a problem.

[ozzjim]

I think comparisons with the way Lambert spent are going to make O'Neill look very poor in the long run. I doubt Sunderland will make a profit from their summer dealings, they paid top whack. I reckon we would at least double what we laid out this summer on out signings, maybe more.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

A manager that understands basic football tactics would be a great improvement.

Basic tactics he's fine with.  It's anything beyond that which is a problem.

I'd say passing is a rather basic tactic, something we saw very little of whilst he was a Villa, despite having players that were more than capable of understanding the basics.

[hilts_coolerking]

I'd say passing is a rather basic tactic, something we saw very little of whilst he was a Villa, despite having players that were more than capable of understanding the basics.

True.  Hooooof!

[bob]

I can't believe you're all still banging on about him.

Oliver Holt, though? That is a seriously fucking weird man. Whenever I see him on telly I'm kind of repulsed, or... well, I'm not sure... When you look at him, it's like he's a different species or something he's that fucking confused.

[danlanza]

I did not think MON was a hoof merchant at all. From my seat in K7 i saw some bloody good football being played with Ashley Young on the left Barry and Milner in Midfield with Laursen and Melberg in defence. I do not think MON was a hoof merchant at all. Just my view. And at least we bloody attacked every team that came to VP. What do we do now ? Pass the ball from side to side and gain no ground. Get well soon Stan and show them how a midfield should play ffs.

[LeeB]

I can't believe you're all still banging on about him.

Oliver Holt, though? That is a seriously fucking weird man. Whenever I see him on telly I'm kind of repulsed, or... well, I'm not sure... When you look at him, it's like he's a different species or something he's that fucking confused.

He looks like a bird, in both senses.

[Lizz]

Martin really is like a prickly old hedgehog when anyone dares to question his ways or criticise him- quite amusing .

He has another hedgehog trait - hibernation - his hibernation period being March.

[bertlambshank]

To be fair to MON he does his bit on helping the government keep the immigration numbers down.

[eastie]

I was one of his harshest critics and delighted to see the back of him but lets be fair he did provide some very happy days and enjoyable moments during his time here, it appears reading some posters as though he presided over a dreadful time .