Return of O'Neill - divided opinion

[Davey B]

To put it in a more optimistic way Davey B, if MON starts buying young French/German/Mongolian players that he then coaches to play a variety of ways then you’ve got one of THE best managers in the world.  I just think he is too stubborn to change, and without changing there is a ceiling to what he can achieve.

Aye, maybe's! But to be fair, i think there is a ceiling with what he can achieve with us anyway. A Cup win is without doubt possible, Europe also is a possibility, but anything above that ..... nah, i think not. Not without the investment of Citeh like proportions anyway! And that isn't going to happen anytime soon.   

[KevinGage]

When the buzz of finishing above us has faded, I wonder how he'll feel about the prospect of  mid>lower half of the table for the foreseeable.

What buzz of finishing above Villa? You aren't our nearest and dearest, and I'm certainly not gloating if that is what you feel??? I genuinely like Villa, and we have f#ck all to gloat about to be honest. Mid-table mediocrity ...... think its relief at not being in the relegation battle as per usual, but think we desperately need the deadwood moving, and better quality bringing in to move us up the table further. Desperate for strikers at the minute.

I think he meant MON rather than Sunderland fans.

Correct.

He let it be known to certain staff at the Villa who he's still in contact with that that was his aim this year. 

Great.   Finishing above us in our worst ever Prem campaign (and possibly lower than Mackem enemy no 1 Steve Bruce managed last year) is a real achievement. 


When he joined us, there was an outside possibility that -with time and the right investment- one of Liverpool or Arsenal could be overhauled. Even had he remained in 2010 it wasn't completely out of the question.   If he joined us now -even with favourable backing-  top 6 would be ambitious.  The landscape has changed so much.   So if he has to recalibrate his sights, what's his realistic ambitions there?   Safety and a cup run/ win?   Welcome as that would be on Wearside, it's not a huge improvement on what he achieved at Leicester.

[Davey B]

I'd take Davies as well, I've never seen him have a bad game against us.

He tortured us a week or so ago up here! 

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If you gave MON £200m to spend this summer he'd probably spend it all on Kevin Davies.

[Davey B]

I think he meant MON rather than Sunderland fans.
[/quote]

Correct.

He let it be known to certain staff at the Villa who he's still in contact with that that was his aim this year. 

Great.   Finishing above us in our worst ever Prem campaign (and possibly lower than Mackem enemy no 1 Steve Bruce managed last year) is a real achievement. 


When he joined us, there was an outside possibility that -with time and the right investment- one of Liverpool or Arsenal could be overhauled. Even had he remained in 2010 it wasn't completely out of the question.   If he joined us now -even with favourable backing-  top 6 would be ambitious.  The landscape has changed so much.   So if he has to recalibrate his sights, what's his realistic ambitions there?   Safety and a cup run/ win?   Welcome as that would be on Wearside, it's not a huge improvement on what he achieved at Leicester.
[/quote]


Mmmmm .... that's interesting! I've not heard anything about it until now, been not a word on our forum's about anything like that. Is your source reliable, geniune question? Agree with what you say, realistic target's have to be top 6/7, good Cup run, and try for Europe, not much more to be honest. I think i've said this on my last post also!

[Davey B]

If you gave MON £200m to spend this summer he'd probably spend it all on Kevin Davies.

Behave man .....   

[PeterWithesShin]

If you gave MON £200m to spend this summer he'd probably spend it all on Kevin Davies.

Behave man .....   

Indeed. That's never going to happen.

A fair few million will need to be set aside for Heskey's 5 year contract on £65,000 a week.

*innocent whistle*

[Davey B]

If you gave MON £200m to spend this summer he'd probably spend it all on Kevin Davies.

Behave man .....   

Indeed. That's never going to happen.

A fair few million will need to be set aside for Heskey's 5 year contract on £65,000 a week.

*innocent whistle*

I'm reporting you to the mods for tempting fate ....... 

[PeterWithesShin]

I'm reporting you to the mods for tempting fate ....... 

In which case I shall find myself guilty of being a handsome, charming fella and all round good egg.

[Davey B]

I'm reporting you to the mods for tempting fate ....... 

In which case I shall find myself guilty of being a handsome, charming fella and all round good egg.

 

[Legion]

You've never met him, have you?

[PeterWithesShin]

You love me really Leeg. I saw the tear in your eye as I left and went into the ground yesterday.

[Dave]

So if he has to recalibrate his sights, what's his realistic ambitions there?   Safety and a cup run/ win?   Welcome as that would be on Wearside, it's not a huge improvement on what he achieved at Leicester.

That's the thing though - he's now at a perfect club to revitalise the O'Neill brand.

Expectations are lower than they were at Villa, and if he can provide three top eight finishes in the next three years, that'll be their best league performance since the 1930s. There won't be the clamour for Champions League like he had with us, fans are likely to be relatively content to push and fall short (like they have done this season) on the idea that next year will be the one to 'push on'. Just like it was with us.

Most importantly for O'Neill though, as Di Matteo has shown over the last few months - ending up with the right job is more about being in the right place at the right time. Treading water and getting good reviews at Sunderland is likely to be enough to be under consideration when Spurs, Man Utd, England, Chelsea or Liverpool come up for review in the next three or four years. The Mail and the Telegraph will probably do the rest for him.

[fredm]

So Davey B how do you think O'Shea, Brown, Richardson, and Bardsley will go about making sure United score sufficient goals this sunday?

[ktvillan]

Desperate for strikers at the minute.

Well O'Neill's record in that department should reassure you then Davey - as out and out strikers go, his mythical scouting team left no turn unstoned and we were lucky enough to get an elderly Chris Sutton (who didn't do too badly to be fair), John Carew (by default as it was more to get rid of Baros than to acquire Carew), marvellous Marlon Harewood, and Emile Heskey.   Kevin Davies doesn't seem too bad at all compared to most of that lot.

Has he started playing anyone but full backs at full back yet (usually centre backs)?