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

[Brend'Watkins]

He was at Cheltenham last week, though I had assumed as a punter...

I seen Tony Adams at Cheltenham on Thursday last week.  He wasn't pissed.

[Rigadon]

He was at Cheltenham last week, though I had assumed as a punter...

I seen Tony Adams at Cheltenham on Thursday last week.  He wasn't pissed.

Isn't he a gambling addict too though? 

[Davey B]

Anyone heard from Davey B lately?  It would be interesting to hear his take on things as he's a decent bloke and is an optimist.  It's fans like Davey who really deserve better.  He does seem to have a blind spot though when it comes to MON.  He's probably begun to see woods through the trees.  I hope it's because he's got a job and he's too busy to post.

C'mon Davey, where are you?

I'm still knocking about Dave.    As Eastie says i'm working really stupid hours at the minute, ironically for a company called "Villa" Pop! 7pm until 7am, 5 nights a week. Weekend is basically f#cked, and that's before the football.   

Hope you are feeling better after your op Eastie! 

Football wise it's not good, there is a strong feeling up here within our ranks that people are wanting MON to go, but i'm not yet one of them. I said from day one that i would like him to see out his contract, and this is still the case with me. The football is dire, and only an idiot could think we weren't in the mire now. The game at Villa Park is a big one now for us, coming off our run of games against teams where we rarely do much, Man Utd (H), Chelsea (A), deluded Barcodes at Sid James' Park, Everton (H). Can see us getting two draws from those at best. The January window was particularly underwhelming,  which in my opinion backs up what i've said on here numerous times, there are financial constraints in place. In came the unfit Kader Mangane, on loan to cover for the injuries in central defence, though he hasn't been near playing for the first team yet, and the eyebrow raising 5m on .... errr .... Danny Graham.    I'm still very much in the "jury's out" brigade with him, but the early signs aren't exactly thrilling, though to be fair, nothing is at the minute. I hope we stay up, my previous confidence of doing so has waned somewhat, but the Villa game, then the two with Stoke & Southampton give us our lifeline. It's in our hands, these three games will decide it for us in my opinion. I'd rather be in our current position as anyone below us, regardless of how tight it is. Like i say, it's in our hands, if we throw it away then as regards to the summer, god only knows how Ellis Short will act.

It could be worse, but it's certainly not good.   

[ozzjim]

I don't think the constraints are like they are at Villa by the look of his summer spending though Davey, and with the squad you have, I would have expected MON to have you up on 37-38 by now. I think he is doing a similar job to the one he did certainly in home games in his last few months here watching you at the weekend. Looking to Sessegnon and Johnson and hoping and praying one of them do something sublime to score you a goal or create for Fletcher, and if you crowd those 2 you have a decent chance.

I think the game at Villa Park between us could dictate you or us.

[Dave]

The January window was particularly underwhelming,  which in my opinion backs up what i've said on here numerous times, there are financial constraints in place. In came the unfit Kader Mangane, on loan to cover for the injuries in central defence, though he hasn't been near playing for the first team yet, and the eyebrow raising 5m on .... errr .... Danny Graham. 

But then if there are financial constraints in place, you don't go and spend £25m on Johnson and Fletcher.

[richard moore]

Good to hear from you Davey but those long hours sound painful mate, ouch! My biggest concern in your shoes would be that I suspect you have already seen the best of MON and you are on a long, slow downwards descent where he buys more and more average players for exorbitant amounts of money and wages.  I have a feeling he won't be with you come the end of the summer, whatever the outcome in respect of getting relegated or not.

[N'ZMAV]

My concern if I was a Sunderland fan is there doesn't seem (to an outsider) to be any kids coming through.

[dave shelley]

Delighted you found work Davey, anything is better than nothing at the moment.  Don't be a stranger, as they say around here.

[Davey B]

I don't think the constraints are like they are at Villa by the look of his summer spending though Davey, and with the squad you have, I would have expected MON to have you up on 37-38 by now. I think he is doing a similar job to the one he did certainly in home games in his last few months here watching you at the weekend. Looking to Sessegnon and Johnson and hoping and praying one of them do something sublime to score you a goal or create for Fletcher, and if you crowd those 2 you have a decent chance.

I think the game at Villa Park between us could dictate you or us.

Agree about the constraints being different to Villa, Ozzjim, but still the constraints are there compared to what was afforded to Keane & Bruce. The 25m in the summer, and further approx 8m in Jan was desperately needed just to fill a few gaps imho. Johnson has underperformed to say the least, but i still think he is a good player and will prove in the future to be worth every penny. When his confidence is up and he's head is right, he's a top class international standard footballer. We paid out excessive wages under Roy Keane for very average footballers, Steve Bruce then brought in a little improvement and up a slight level but stalled, now we are wanting further progression and despite paying "the going rate" for the likes of Fletcher and Johnson, we need further investment in better quality OR we'll slip back again. Whether Ellis sees it that way is another thing.

Yeah, the game at Villa Park will be an interesting one, a defeat will certainly drop one of us right into the vacuum! I smiled at some of the comments on another thread dismissing us out of hand!

[richard moore]

No-one supporting Villa at the moment has the right to dismiss anyone out of hand at the moment in the Premier League Davey. We have been as bad as any other team this season and most of us completely recognise that. Most of us also like Sunderland and their fans, it's the manager we can't stand

[Davey B]

The January window was particularly underwhelming,  which in my opinion backs up what i've said on here numerous times, there are financial constraints in place. In came the unfit Kader Mangane, on loan to cover for the injuries in central defence, though he hasn't been near playing for the first team yet, and the eyebrow raising 5m on .... errr .... Danny Graham. 

But then if there are financial constraints in place, you don't go and spend £25m on Johnson and Fletcher.

Financial constraints are there Dave, attitude now seems to be steady investment to build each year rather than the "throw money at it" the way Keane and Bruce were doing. No investment in what was left from Bruce would have seen us clearly bottom of the table now imho. This season has seemingly backfired quite significantly.

[Davey B]

Good to hear from you Davey but those long hours sound painful mate, ouch! My biggest concern in your shoes would be that I suspect you have already seen the best of MON and you are on a long, slow downwards descent where he buys more and more average players for exorbitant amounts of money and wages.  I have a feeling he won't be with you come the end of the summer, whatever the outcome in respect of getting relegated or not.

Cheers Richard, it's rough work! Aye, agree with your sentiments, i can totally see your reasoning and can see him leaving at the end of the season, not that i want to see it happen mind as i geniunelly still think he can come good here.

[Davey B]

My concern if I was a Sunderland fan is there doesn't seem (to an outsider) to be any kids coming through.

We've got a few, but nothing ready for the first team yet it seems! Egan, Laing, Knott, etc.

[Davey B]

Delighted you found work Davey, anything is better than nothing at the moment.  Don't be a stranger, as they say around here.

Cheers Dave! Let's hope we both survive the drop.

[Davey B]

No-one supporting Villa at the moment has the right to dismiss anyone out of hand at the moment in the Premier League Davey. We have been as bad as any other team this season and most of us completely recognise that. Most of us also like Sunderland and their fans, it's the manager we can't stand

Agree Richard, it's going to be a crucial game that neither team can afford to lose. I'll not see it with it being on a Monday night! I'll be chewing my finger nails at work wondering what's going on. I'd have loved to have been there for that one!